The sky was vast, and the air was crisp. Below Sorn stretched a colosseum of ice. On a floating platform of ice stood Varian with some members of his First Division arrayed behind him. Sorn recognized Jaron among them, he was engaged in conversation with a woman and a large man. He’d seen the large man at the trial in a passing glance, but he had never seen the woman before.

Sorn was now on the fourth trial, the trial of the Spears.

Stairs of ice stretched down before him, and he began to descend carefully. As he descended, he counted fourteen others. Among them, with relief, he recognized Crystal and Oden.

As Sorn’s foot hit the second-to-last step, a man descended abruptly, halting right in front of him. His frost-covered hair was neatly parted to the side, and his azure eyes glinted with anticipation. His posture remained stiff and he had a disciplined manner about him.

"Hello, Sorn," he said. "I am Faron of the First Division. Your number is fifteen. Please remember it well, and congratulations for making it this far." His tone was both polite and brisk. "You must wait along the edge of the arena until you're instructed otherwise."

Sorn nodded in reply, his mind still grappling with the shift in the atmosphere, the memory of those shadowy fingers breaking through a bit more than he’d like to admit. Faron stepped aside, revealing someone else that was waiting for Sorn.

A chill ran down his spine as recognition struck. Scorpius stood there with his arms folded over his chest, his eyes still closed. The absence of his tail made Sorn feel momentarily at ease, but that uneasy sense of danger never quite left. He knew well enough that Scorpius could bring it out faster than he could blink.

"Didn’t think I’d see you here," Sorn said, unsure of how confrontational he should be.

"Congratulations to you as well," Scorpius replied. Neither of them said anything else, and the silence began to stretch, only adding to the strange tension.

"Move aside, tail boy."

Oden swept past Scorpius with a casual shove, his faint smile giving off a lighthearted air. He stopped in front of Sorn, clearly unbothered by the encounter.

"I’m glad you made it," the Marauder said.

Before Sorn could respond, Crystal, who had appeared right beside him from nowhere, startled him with her voice.

"Hey, what number do you have?"

Sorn blinked. "Huh? Oh, fifteen," he answered.

Crystal nodded. "I expected so."

Sorn’s brow furrowed slightly in confusion.

"We’ve been getting numbers based on the order we arrived," Oden explained. "Not sure how they’ll factor that into the next stage, but I’m guessing Varian will go for something simple. Probably just a round of orderly fights."

Curiosity got the better of Sorn. "What numbers did you guys get?"

Oden let out a sigh. "Ten," he said, his voice laced with resignation.

"Three!" Crystal piped up, her face lighting up, clearly pleased with her draw.

"She hasn’t been letting me hear the end of it." Oden rolled his eyes, his hand brushing through his very short hair “I’m almost ready to throw her off the platform just to get some peace."

Sorn glanced between the two of them. "I didn’t know you guys were so close."

"We all grew up in the Academy together," Crystal said. "So we’ve all known each other for a long time.”

"I don’t like talking with non-Marauders," Oden grumbled, folding his arms, "but she doesn’t leave me alone."

"Hush, number ten. Your number is too low to be among us."

The voice was sharp, and the owner of it strolled into the center of the group without care, her pigtails bouncing with every confident step. Her posture screamed entitlement, and the arrogant smirk on her face only reinforced the feeling. But when her gaze landed on Sorn, she raised an eyebrow.

“What number do you have?” she demanded.

"Fifteen," Sorn replied neutrally.

Her face scrunched up. "Disgusting," she looked at him as if he were a stain on the ice.

Sorn blinked, caught off guard by her reaction. "Thanks, um, Aira?".

"Aria," she corrected. Then, she turned away with a dramatic flourish. With a snap of her heel, she pivoted, her back to him as she began walking off with an air of superiority, as though she had just graced them all with her presence.

Crystal, watching the scene unfold, let out a small sigh. "She won’t admit it, but I think the last trial took a big toll on her."

Before anyone responded, Aira… or rather, Aria, returned, striding back toward him with purpose.

"Didn’t you say you have something to say when the outsider gets here?" she asked.

Oden suddenly turned his attention to Sorn. The change in him was subtle but noticeable. He lowered his head slightly.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Yes, I did," Oden began. "Originally, I wanted to use you as a way to take down the Spears. This entire time I’ve thought of you as a tool... when I should’ve treated you like a companion. I apologize for that"

Sorn had long suspected as much. He was acutely aware of how Oden perceived their relationship since the trip to the Frost Archives. And while it wasn’t a surprise, hearing it said so plainly made something in his chest tighten.

"I see," Sorn replied, his tone guarded. Truthfully he was more curious about what had caused Oden to speak those words now. What had caused such a sudden change? "Don’t worry about it," Sorn added, trying to keep the conversation as simple as he could.

Oden smiled as he took a step back and surveyed the group. Scorpius had long vanished, and no one else seemed to be around besides the four of them. Oden’s eyes darted around one last time, scanning the perimeter. A group of Spears were gathered not far off, but they were out of earshot.

"Alright, listen up," Oden said. "I’m telling you all this because I trust you. As of right now, I’m the only Marauder here, along with Sorn. I hope Serene shows up soon, but she already knows this story, so it’s not a big deal. What I’m about to do is immensely risky, and I need you all to help me."

Sorn gave a slight nod. Crystal chimed in immediately with an enthusiastic, "Sure!" Aria, however, just shrugged indifferently, her eyes unfocused. "I’ll do whatever Crystal does," she said.

Oden nodded. "I’ll keep this brief. For your sake." He hesitated for a moment, then exhaled and continued. "I grew up with my father and little sister until I was seven. That’s when she was kidnapped. It happened on a strange night. I don’t remember much about it, even though I often dream, but that’s not important. There’s one thing I’ll never forget. Among those who took her, there’s one guy I recognize in my head better than I recognize anyone else. It was Varian."

Now having a bit more attention to his words, Oden pressed on, his voice tight as he spoke. "After that night, my father only said one thing. ‘I’m sorry.’ And that was all. Over and over again. I tried to get my mom from the Outskirts, thinking maybe she could help him. If there was anyone who could comfort him, it was her... but by the time we got back, it was too late. My father had already taken his own life."

Aria, who had initially been distractedly scratching her ear, now stood upright. Both Sorn and Crystal were also listening attentively.

Oden turned to face Sorn directly, his gaze sharpening. "You asked me once, Sorn, what my goals truly are. Everything I’ve done, every choice I’ve made, it all goes back to that day. I made it my mission to take down Varian, the Iron Stag, and his clan. I need answers. Why my sister? Why so many others?" He paused for a moment, his voice lowering again. "If you look where you’re not supposed to, you’ll find countless stories of missing women or women who just die out of nowhere. And those who do survive? Almost all of it is covered up. But one story stands out, alongside my sister’s kidnapping. The former heir of the Chains, Fiore, the 'Blooming Flower—'"

"My mother died when I was very young," Crystal suddenly interrupted, her mind making a potential connection that she didn’t want to make.

Oden’s gaze softened, as he pressed that statement. "And have you ever heard stories of a queen passing away or even of a queen at all? Has anyone told you about who your mother is, where she’s from, how she met your father?"

Crystal’s eyes flitted down to the ice beneath her, avoiding his gaze as she muttered, "I guess I just never questioned it after a while, my father always got sad when I mentioned my mother, and no one else had any answers for me."

Oden nodded, his face growing darker, "I know this is a lot to take in right now, and it’s probably overwhelming, but my goals have shifted. Do you remember the Prophecy?" He didn’t wait for an answer. "‘To those wading through a sea of darkness, the roots of the throne must keep your gaze.’ That line sounds like it should be symbolic, something that needs interpreting. But I think it’s literal."

Sorn remembered that line being one of the more interesting ones. Perhaps he should’ve paid more attention to the Prophecy, but the events after had unfolded so quickly, that he hadn’t even gotten a chance to memorize any lines.

Oden continued, "The Marauders have known for years that a secret room lies beneath the throne. The problem is, we can’t just waltz in there with the Royal Guard lurking about the Palace. But," his eyes flashed suddenly, "in this final trial, my uncle will be operating the Palace. He’ll set the game in motion, and that will give us the chance to slip in and find what’s hidden there. I’m convinced all the corruption is orchestrated by the Varian and the upper echelon of the Spears. And even better, fate is on our side. Just like the Prophecy said, ‘The order will crumble.’"

Aria’s lips quirked in amusement. "That line sure made Varian mad."

Crystal displayed more of a serious expression. "I’ll make sure to assist you," she said simply.

Sorn gave a moment of thought to the situation. To him, there was an element about Oden that always gave him comfort. Despite all the previous doubts, he was confident in his next words "I’ll help," Oden’s motivations were clouded before, and at many times Sorn had felt he couldn’t fully trust the man, but he still had always believed in his sense of righteousness. And for that alone, he would always follow Oden.

The conversation drifted aimlessly after that, with Crystal and Aria taking the lead. Their voices rose in light banter while Oden tossed in some occasional comments. Sorn’s thoughts traveled elsewhere, his gaze sweeping the arena, noticing something odd.

"Keilan isn’t here," he said.

Oden shrugged. "Out of everyone who hasn’t made it yet, I’d expect Keilan to be here. I say that even while knowing my beloved cousin has yet to arrive."

Crystal had a disturbed look on her face following that comment, her gaze flicking toward the doors. She didn’t speak, but something in her eyes hinted at concern.

And then, on cue, the doors above them creaked open, revealing two figures emerging into the daylight. Serene and Zacen, two of the brightest young stars among the Marauders, and certainly the top prospects to carry the future of their ranks.

"Ah," Oden muttered, but before he could say anything else, Aria, with her usual lack of hesitation, darted forward.

"Hey, Serene! Want to know what Oden said about you?" she called out, a wicked grin on her face.

Oden, eyes wide in sudden realization. "You—" he started running after her, leaving Sorn and Crystal alone together.

Sorn, feeling the uncomfortable stillness settle in, awkwardly turned to Crystal. "Um, so how’ve you been so far?" he asked.

"Oh!" Crystal suddenly exclaimed, and Sorn followed her gaze. His heart sank in his chest as he saw what she was looking at.

Out of yet another set of doors, Keilan appeared, stepping into the light as the nineteenth to arrive. His usual air of unshakable confidence was replaced with something Sorn had never seen before. He had a kind of trembling uncertainty. For a fleeting moment, Sorn almost felt a twinge of sympathy for the royal child. Keilan had always worn his arrogance like a cloak, but at this moment, that cloak felt a bit frayed.

Sorn viewed Keilan as a man who was above everything. Or at least he was someone who pretended to be. But there he was, shaken and far more vulnerable than Sorn had ever seen him.

Crystal offered a brief, cheerful farewell. "Good luck, Sorn!" she said with a smile before walking off toward her brother.

As she departed, Keilan’s gaze locked onto Sorn, and his expression shifted into something cold and predatory. They stood there silently for a prolonged moment.

Sorn felt as though his most complicated relationship was with Keilan. He hated him for his allegiances and hostility, and he just didn’t like him as a person at all. He hadn’t known him for long, but even from their limited interactions, Sorn could find nothing redeemable about the man. And between all that, was Crystal, a sister and friend. She was more than likely aware of the bad blood between them, but she never brought it up.

Keilan’s gaze broke first. He turned his back to Sorn without a word, and Sorn too looked away.

For some minutes, Sorn stood there alone, staring out over the horizon, his thoughts wandering. From this height, the floating colosseum was at the same altitude as the Spears’ Goblet. Looking down, everything felt so small.

It was a strange thing, to be at the center of all this spectacle. The Tournament was an event that excited the public, yet they had no part in it. They could not watch, nor could they participate. Were they pleased with just seeing the winners? That seemed truly stupid.

"What are you smiling about?"

A kick to the back of his knee sent him stumbling off the edge of the floating arena. He turned to see Aria standing there with a mocking smile. He noticed then, that something in her attitude had shifted for some unknown reason. She wasn’t nearly as hostile as she had been the first time they’d met. If anything, she almost seemed approachable. This was, of course, putting aside the fact the still evidently disliked him and thought he was worthless for another unknown reason. But to Sorn, this was progress. He was also more charitable than he’d generally be, as he often found himself being captivated by the girl’s strange charisma.

"I wasn’t smiling," he said, trying to sound casual.

As he said this, another figure emerged from the doors. The Marauder Zalen, Zacen’s younger brother, came striding out. His arms were raised high in an exaggerated cheer. Oden, Serene, and Zacen joined in, raising their arms to mimic his gestures, all of them caught up in the moment.

It wasn’t even seconds before Varian himself descended from his vantage point, still perched upon the ice platform. "Silence!” he waited, and immediately every voice died down. He then continued his voice now a bit lower. “Partner yourselves with the nearest person to you."

Sorn looked around, and his eyes landed on the only person nearby. Aria met his gaze with another look of disgust.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed, staring at Sorn as if he should’ve never been born.