It happened around Autumm that same year, way after the usual deadline they had for issuing things in the matter. Charles had entered the room with a pile of files and steadfastly he went to the board and wrote the number 24, everyone looked stoned as he did. Then, when he had already finished, he stood firmly in front of the board. Almost like one of the gargoyles statues on the top of the Wanderlicht, till Krahen raised his voice.

— What does this mean? I thought we were clear with the Tournament, this year we're hosting twenty-one —

Everyone knew it as he first began writing, but none had dared to say something. As always, probably because of their closeness, it was Krahen the first if not only to inquire about him.

— Well, I have changed my mind —

Answered Charles simply, before stepping in and start spreading a series of files through the table, one for each of the twelve members of the board.

They were at Wanderlicht Professoriate's Hall, all sitting around the big wooden table. A Dim Light illuminated the room, the very same that saw the tournament birth already so many years ago.

— It took us twelve hours to get to that number, Charles —

Replied Krahes.

— Well, the newest three just came in yesterday, and I wasn't going to say no —

Loy laughed in his seat.

— Who could argue against Ardeen's word? No one in the earth, of course —

Krahen threw a look at him.

— Take a look, and judge yourself —

When they started to read, the room went from discontent to a terrifying silence.

— It's this what I think it is? —

Asked Blackwood quick

— A Mare, that's it —

Answered Charles

— Plus a Dreamwalker, and our Token of Dreams supervisor from this year —

Said Carpenter, making all eyes fall over Krahen. The man coated in black raised his eyes from the paper, to find an audience of questioning eyes. His sight quickly bounced into Charles, skeptical.

— And what's up with the third one? —

— It's a Trump Card —

Charles explained behind a smile.

— You're not thinking what I think you are, aren't you? —

— Krahen —

Charles argued

— What's the motto of our Institution? —

Behind Charles, the shield of the School was conveniently placed. The inscription behind it said in Latin: "Scribere la tua Fabula". Before Krahen could end up reading, Blackwood had stood out of her seat.

— Excuse me —

She said before leaving the room, heading towards her new apprentice nursing room. Then Carpenter exhaled, throwing his glasses over the table.

— It seems like we're going to host a Canon Event during this year's Tournament —

With the files still in his hands, Loy watched the unaware expressions across the table, mostly sponsors and new-entry professors.

— What a drill, and we haven't even had our first class yet —

He said.

When Oliver woke up after jumping into the fire, the twenty four students were all there. Coming from different places, backgrounds and reasons, they were about to be put to test expecting only one thing from then. To show that they were more than ordinary, that they were extraordinary.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Looking at Specter sight of judgement over his head, Oliver stood up and asked with a familiar tone.

— Eleven? —

— Place yourself in the line boy, were about to start —

And he saw how a few last students walked by, giving him a contemt look that he wasn't able to understand.

Catching quickly, Oliver stood up his feet and walked till he saw the white line drawed in the floor, placing himself randomly behind it, as everyone else.

— You're on my place —

Said a voice behind him, when he turned around, a dark sinned boy with hair cutted at razor lenght gave him a downlook. The boy was at least a head taller than him.

— I'm sorry —

Oliver said, pushed away from the student's way. When Oliver tried to search for another place, a familiar skirt by the end of the line cought his attention. It was Kiki. He went almost running to her.

— What the hell!? —

She said, seeing him coming from far away.

— What are you doing? —

— Hey —

Answer Oliver

— What? —

— How what? don't run! can't you read the ambient? —

There Oliver looked around, a couple student had turned around to see him, and consequently her.

— Somehow is so thick you can cut it with a knife, yeah —

— You dumb... now they know we know each other —

Oliver's eyes opened wide up, he had realized it as soon as she said it.

— Oh... well, it can't be that bad isn't? —

— It could had been better —

She argued

— What's up with the numbers? —

He asked quickly, Kiki raised an eyebrow, right before doing the same with her hand. A number one was drawn in her palm.

— Haven't you realice yet? —

Then, Oliver did the same only to found an eleven drawn on his.

— Holly.... when? —

— The fire —

She said, throwing a look at the line, everyone was already on their place.

— Move, find number next and stand next to it —

While pushing him away, she said.

— And don't talk to me again —

Oliver's expression went down after hearing it, then he realized what she meant.

The next thing he knew, was that number ten was a girl, black braided hair, almost as short as Kiki, dressing a long-skirt variant of the uniform, and almost as pale as Blackwood. She looked fragile, countrary to the boy he had bumped into, a few positions ahead.

— Hey —

Said Oliver, taking his place next to her, still a bit shaky.

— I'm Oliver, hope we have a good... whatever this is —

But she didn't even turn her back, Oliver thought, that was way too common between the Fae people. Then Specter began talking.

— Now, I'm going to be brief because I'm tired, and this is not the show from upstairs —

Apparently, the dark stoned chamber they where in, was located in some place behind the Hauptigesquare Garder.

— Welcome to the 274th Edition of the Second Son's Tournament, if you're here you're one of the 24th lucky ones who had the chance to particicipate, or prove themselves through this honorable traidition —

Read Specter monotonely from a paper in his hand.

— You'll find two things had change since you entered this room, the first one —

He said

— It's a number in the palm of your hands, that'll be your participant number during the whole Tournament, one through which you'll be identified at every moment. It's on you hands so you don't forget about it, but you should memorice it and keep both eyeas and ears on it, it may be useful —

There he changed pages.

— The second one, is that all of your weapons or alike had been temporarily taken, till the end of the first stage of the Tournament —

At that moment, a couple gasps and courses where heard thorugh the room. Oliver, that wasn't yet used to carry a weapon didn't realice till then, but as he looked into his wasit to find nothing, he understood the discontent in the whole room. He was defenseless without it, or almost.

— Keep the calm, please —

Said Specter before one of the students steped front.

— What does this mean? Do you understand what you did? —

Blood hair, fancy look, the raging boy seemed more upset than it should.

— The jewerly that you took had been on my family for generations, it's value it's m... —

Then, all of a sudden, he was again in his place looking disoriented and confused.

— What... what it the hell has happ... —

He steped forward again, and somehow he reapeareda way behand the line, were Oliver had spawn a few minutes ago. He touched his head, and watching the line, he ran again into his place, filled by shame. Again, he looked strangely unawere of what had happened, this time even more than before.

Then Oliver was able to see a dreamcatcher hanging from Specters neck as a sort of pendant.

— As I was saying, welcome to the 274th Edition of the Second Son's Tournament, you'll find a number on the palm of your hand, keep an eye on it, it may be useful in the future —

Repeated Specter, with his eyes fixed in the script on his hand. The speech continued uninterrupted.

— Following the next room, you'll have two hours to prepare youself for the first stage of the Tournament. There you'll find food, water, protection and medic suplies for the rest of the day. Starting today, you'll be examined in Raw Skill, Wit and Individual Performance, expect to be challenged both mentally and physically —

There, Specter got quiet, watched his wirstwatch and kept reading for almost a minute. Then he spoke out while turning his back.

— That's all, see you at eight o'clock —

It was half passed five when he left the room.

— I'm taking a nap —

He said, before disapearing into the stone threshold.