Chapter 8 — Event Selection
“I will secure the stands while the young lady attends practice.”
Ria nodded and gave her assigned knight an appreciative smile—before remembering it couldn’t be seen. “Thank you for your efforts, Knight Arella.”
“Of course.”
Stepping out from the contestant waiting area into the dueling grounds brought Ria complicated emotions. Her Familiar Empowering class was often held at this smaller arena—including the maze exercise the prior day—but this was her first time returning to stand on the grass-tufted dirt of the dueling grounds herself since she first dueled with Phaelys.
Just remembering the painful fist-sized amethyst to the face was enough to stir her anger all over again. As to who deserved that anger when it was her fault for taking the hit… wasn’t really important anymore. Of course, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy unreasonably exploding something with her fist or magic, preferably her fist. And Hulle’s smug face would make as deserving a target as any. She let an opportunity pass unseized last time. This time, if he was going easy on her again, she would gladly acquaint him with the fun of getting his face smashed by a fast-moving unyielding object.
“What’s with the prank cloak? It’s even bulging!” Katria laughed upon sighting Ria’s disguised figure with Iselyn and Ranger at her sides, drawing the gazes of Tallien, Zell, and Orlisi who were already on the field performing stretches and equipment maintenance—weapons, wands, and lightly enchanted armor were being readied.
“A certain someone was too embarrassed to show her face,” Iselyn volunteered from beside Ria, amusement dripping from every snide word.
“Woof,” Ranger exasperatedly added, still of the opinion that Ria was engaged in pointless effort.
Sighing in defeat, Ria lowered the hood to deactivate the obscuring magic and returned the prank cloak to her vault.
Tallien winced in realization and understanding, but he was the only one. The others…
Zell hopped to his feet and saluted with a goofy grin. “Celestria, Queen of Darkness has arrived!”
“Your debut formal wear?” Katria snickered. “I can’t wait for Endriese and Ulren to see this!”
Orlisi gave her enthusiastic thumbs up, but the elf girl’s eyes were laughing.
“It’s real arena armor!” Ria huffed and, finding an interesting tuft of grass as she turned red to her ears, mumbled, “It’s just walking around the academy like this escorted by a Gryphon Knight is a bit…”
“Warwoof! Woof,” Ranger again insisted with a solemn nod that she looked very impressive wearing the armor.
That, of course, set Katria and Zell to full stomach grabbing howls of laughter even if neither likely had a clue what Ranger was trying to communicate.
Ugh. How did she not realize how embarrassing this would be?!
At least there wouldn’t be any crowds watching her today. Dressing up in full saintess battle regalia for Grand Games practice… she didn’t match what her teammates were wearing at all!
The stadium’s spectator stands weren’t completely empty. A glance around let her spot small groups and pairs wearing mantles for the other competitive teams and the Twilight Cloak—no doubt recording the team practice with a holocube to sell to the highest bidder.
One pair drew Ria’s attention more than the others: two first-year girls wearing Celestial Knowledge mantles sitting off by themselves. Something about one of the pair… auburn hair, and eyes a shade of green that Ria had never seen before. No, not just green, but with a metallic sunburst of liquid gold not unlike Ria’s own eyes.
Ria pressed down the desire to wrap herself in her mantle of pride. Magesight did reveal the girl as surprisingly strong, with an energy density comparable to Ophesia and Nielle.
Another first-year of such strength? How had there not been any rumors?
“Oh? Orlisi’s little princess let forming a seed and gaining Astacio support go to her head, is it? Seems she’s wealthy enough for the part, at least.”
Endriese’s dismissive voice accompanied by a wash of vitality from Welkin’s aura dragged Ria’s attention from the worrisome first-year to the dreaded arrival of the rest of the team.
“Hmph,” Ulren grunted and scoffed, “It’s going to make her a target.”
“I don’t mind it,” Hulle breezily replied. “Using bait to draw out attackers early can facilitate useful strategies.”
Bait!
“Maybe as a poor commoner, I should’ve just accepted her offer to buy me a new arena robe. Then again…,” Rialle piled on, and the girl’s imp chittered something, laughing with a sound like dry leaves puffing into ash.
Ria couldn’t help hunching her sapphire-spike-adorned shoulders at the deserved mocking, and Welkin’s smile growing crooked didn’t bring much in the way of comfort. At least Aldri was giving her an empathetic grimace—or maybe he was just struggling to hold back chuckles.
Argh, that’s it! They are all deserving targets today!
Their fifth-year leader clapped his hands twice to mercifully draw the team’s attention his way. “Now, now, you all. That’s not very nice when it’s because of Ria that not only have we gained enough funds to reserve this arena to practice the different game events but enough that we can use the arena’s full functionality! Let’s take a moment to express our thanks!”
Wha-?
“Oooh, good job, Ria!” Orlisi praised, and though reluctant, even Endriese and Ulren joined the others in applauding.
Ria couldn’t help blinking with a dumbfounded expression. Had Welkin just volunteered her to donate a troubling amount of coin? No wait, that wasn’t what was important. Different games? The focus had been entirely on the team battle competition to the extent that she had totally forgotten about the team having to compete in other events. Was that the reason for the different equipment than usual?
“Before we get to the fun, I do have another announcement,” Welkin continued when the applause died down. “Our opponents for the first preliminary competition have been selected.”
“Yay!”
“Bring it!”
Orlisi and Katria were the most enthusiastic, but Welkin had everyone’s full attention now. The two fourth-years were even rolling their eyes at Welkin for dragging out the announcement, but contagious grins were spreading among the younger teammates. Ria’s own grin was tugging upward at her imaginings of fighting before the crowds again.
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“For our first matches, we won’t be facing other Grand Academy teams. Rather, we will be traveling to Roksairen, the regional seat of Dartha, and participating in Dartha’s regional tournament.”
“Whoohoo! An easy qualifier!” Orlisi cheered and high-fived with Katria.
Really? Dartha? Now? Ria narrowed her eyes, crushing down the naive excitement that initially threatened to surge forth at the suddenly resurrected siren song of adventure. The coincidence was awfully convenient for her currently unattainable goal of visiting the deep dwarf city... What was the chance that their qualifying matches would be held in the same province that she wanted to visit? Were the gods messing with her again? Was it Xander? Or maybe other meddlesome gods she had newly drawn the attention of?
But. Could she even go? And, even if she could, would there really be time during the competition to leave the city and visit the village Atresia had found?
As if sensing her worry, Welkin gave Ria a nod and spoke up, “Arrangements have been made for you to travel together with us, Ria.”
“They have?”
“Indeed. I’ve already obtained approval from the Gryphon Knight leadership.”
Oh.
Was obtaining permission to leave the academy grounds that easy? Had Welkin and Hulle used their political connections to facilitate the authorization?
Her glasses-wearing mentor was being suspiciously quiet as he watched her reaction.
Well, that was at least one part of what she needed solved. Maybe the rest would likewise take care of itself?
Ria looked to her friends.
Iselyn gave her a thumbs up. Ranger woofed his support. Tallien shrugged. Orlisi and Katria took the opportunity to glomp onto her and put their arms around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry,” Aldri encouraged. “I’ll be right there to portal you out of any danger.”
Orlisi squeezed Ria into a side hug. “Heh heh heh! We’re gonna have sooooo much fun!”
“So Ria, are you going to hook the rest of us up with 'cool' outfits?” Katria asked with a smirk.
“Cool outfits, huh?” Ria tried, as the sudden support from her teammates caused her chest to fill with warmth and her eyes to dangerously moisten. She discreetly dabbed at the excess liquid with her gloved thumb, but the regalia’s crystalweave ‘fabric’ wasn’t absorbent.
“Now look what you’ve done! You all have gone and made her cry, you bullies!” Zell opportunistically decried.
Katria scoffed. “Says the guy who called her the Queen of Darkness!”
When Ulren and Endriese began to grumble about the limited time remaining, Welkin soon directed them back on point.
“There’s a reason why we’re practicing at the Dueling Arena instead of the Grand Arena, and it is more than just the expense. Most of you second-years probably didn’t notice since we attended Vesali City’s regional last year, but the other regional qualifiers are held in older arenas designed as this one. Only Vesali City has a Grand Arena.”
“Nice!” Katria enthused, bounding on the balls of her feet, seeming even more hyped to get started.
Welkin smiled, and at his side, Hulle silently adjusted his magic spectacles, looking smug.
“Now, everyone has worked extremely hard these past three weeks, and the time has arrived for us to decide event assignments so that each of us can focus on our two assigned events.”
Ria gulped and looked around at her fellow teammates’ suddenly serious expressions and felt a tension thickening as the lower-yeared members’ auras leaked nervousness into the surrounding air.
Of course, Ria had briefly studied up on the expected Summer Games events. There were five ranked events for the qualifiers:
Team Battle. A single-elimination event where four-man teams faced off in divination selected environments. It was the same format as the Divinesday event that Ria had participated in with her friends and won. Top 16 would earn points for the overall team.
Beast Battle. Also four-man teams. A multi-stage battle where teams faced up to 7 stages of increasingly dangerous beasts. Top 16 would earn points the same as with the Team Battle event. The beasts were usually bonded and trained by beastmasters and received the same magical protections as the competitors.
Individual Tournament. Single competition. Up to 4 entrants from each competing organization. Competitors placing in the top 16 would earn points.
The Hunter’s Challenge. Single competition. Up to 3 entrants from each organization. A marksmanship gauntlet with a specially designed environment and increasingly difficult waves of monsters closer to the goal. Different environments featured different penalty criteria. Top 10 scoring competitors would earn points
The Spy’s Escape. Single competition. Up to 3 entrants from each organization. A competition focused on scouting, stealth, and mobility. Competitors would get randomly placed into a maze-like city environment, have to find an information jade or other target item, then safely reach an extraction point. Top 10 would earn points.
The Summer Games Championship added two more events:
The Mission Expedition. A multi-day 10-man event where the teams would be assigned real missions to accomplish within Crysellia. The missions had no arena protections and no outside help was allowed unless acquiring the help was part of the mission. The academy insignias still provided short-term emergency stasis, but deaths had happened in the past. Holocubes would record and transmit their progress onto holographic displays in the Grand Arena during the event.
Ten Crystals. The final event of the Summer Games. The 16 top-scoring teams remaining after the Mission Expedition would get to participate in single elimination bouts. With ten competitors per side, each team faces off in divination selected environments, defending their three base crystals while finding any of the four hidden crystals with random effects and attacking the opposing team’s base crystals. It was the most popular of the events and the one that determined the Summer Games Champions.
The rule that made team depth important was that, excepting the two 10-man events, each competitor could only enter two events. Otherwise Hulle, Welkin, Ulren, and Endriese would be their go-to selections for almost every one of the five minor events.
Welkin breathed in and delivered the verdict, “Here’s what Hulle and I are thinking for assignments: Edriese, Ulren, Hulle, and I will enter the team battle. Orlisi will take my place for the Individual Tournament, which will allow me to support our Beast Battle team of Zell, Orlisi, Rialle.”
“Yes!” Zell yelled out in relief and received a congratulatory clap against his back from Aldri.
Though disappointed at not having been chosen and surprised to see Zell chosen over Katria, Ria nodded to herself. Those selections made sense, and the Beast Battle event plans must’ve been why Hulle set up Welkin’s team during their practice battles that same way.
Katria groaned. “Ugh. Even with forming a seed. I didn’t get selected for any team events…”
With a conciliatory hand motion, Welkin addressed the rapidly deflating red-haired girl, “Katria, I’d like to see you and Rialle anchor the Hunter’s Challenge for us.”
“Suppose, I could do that,” Katria huffed and smashed her fists together in an attempt to reignite her previous enthusiasm.
Rialle also nodded her acceptance. “It’s one of the better events where Ix can help boost our score totals.”
“We’ll be counting on you, Ix,” Welkin encouraged, looking amused as the little imp belched out a small ball of fire and proudly puffed up his chest. “For the spy event, Aldri and Iselyn are natural fits.”
Both Aldri and Iselyn were calm with their reactions, simply nodding in turn at their mentions.
Welkin scanned his gaze over each team member that didn’t yet have two events, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “That leaves two spots open for competition.”
Ria exchanged a glance with Tallien. Of the two events, Ranger thought a ‘hunting’ event would be more fun. With her whispering wind, sensing sphere, muffling, and camouflage spells, the spy event could be a good match, as well. But, if she took both spots, where would that leave Tallien?
“Such being the case, let us focus today’s practice there,” Welkin continued. “First, the Hunter’s Challenge. The ‘Valgorian Swamp Guardian’ has been chosen as the ‘stage’ for the event at Dartha’s regional qualifier this year.”
Ria blinked. Valgorian Swamp? Did she hear that right? As in Valgorian swamp leeches?
Welkin signaled to one of the coaching boxes, and shortly a surge of conjuration magic filled the arena, beginning a transformation of the dueling grounds. The magic flowed around them replacing dirt and sparse grass with eerie swamp broken by clumps of solid ground populated with the remains of dead black trees stabbing upward out of the mire like grotesque charred needles. A wispy fog roiled off the fetid waters.
Deeper in, some of the larger clumps of land boasted huge living trees with entire ecosystems in their moss draped and gnarled canopies and twistings of ribbon-like roots that formed mazes at their bases.
The area they were all standing in was now an empty clump of grassy land leading to a rotting walkway that snaked through the swamp bridging from clump to clump until arriving at a ruined temple of some kind.
Tallien groaned with clear distaste at the environment. Aldri didn’t look particularly thrilled either, eyeing the clouds of gnats and other insects that hovered just past the starting island.
Orlisi slipped her arm free from Ria’s shoulders and wandered over to the edge to peer into the murky water. “Hoh, interesting.”
Katria seemed more interested in the fliers circling the nesting trees. “Ooooh, yeah. Now this is looking like some fun! Sneak attacks from the water and aerial swarms, I’m guessing, heh.”
“Katria, you’re up first. The arena staff will calculate your score,” Welkin informed. “Be aware that ‘injuring’ the non-monstrous fauna results in point deductions.”
“Gotcha.”
The third-year girl’s aura grew in intensity with each step toward the start of the wood-plank walkway, thrumming with power, and with two bounces on her toes and a booming pressure wave, she shot off like a rockshot spell.