Mira hears birds chirping outside as the sunlight peers from behind the curtains. Yawning as she stretches like a cat. "Mmm~!" She hears the shower on in her bathroom. "Did Alatar prepare the shower for me? He's become more and more of a gentleman as the day progresses. I think I've rubbed off on him a lot." She opens up the closet door, inspecting the outfits. Choosing a knee-length, empire-waist dress with a gentle A-line skirt. The dress has a simple, flowing design. She lays on the bed as she heads to the bath.
The bath is a marble-clad room with a deep soaking tub that takes up half the run. Steam flows throughout the room as she takes off her dress. She soaks down with a heavy sigh as she steps into the tub. "Where is Alatar? Is he in the training room?" She says to herself as she sees bubbles at the end of the tub. She looked at it, puzzled, as the water moved upward, revealing a muscled back with a huge burn scar. "Al-AlATAR?!" Mira says, sinking further into the water, covering everything but her head.
Alatar turns his head towards her. "You're awake, Princess. Good, I was about to get you up after I was out." He says, totally unphased by her. His emotionless eyes stare at hers. "Why are you in here?!" Mira says with a beat red face. "I was bathing and training," Alatar says in response. He turned around and started walking toward Mira. Seeing the steam flowing from his body and water dripping off his skin, Mira uses her tail to cover her eyes. "G-get out!" Mira says, taking a small peak. Alatar stands just over her. "I wasn't done bathing ye-" Mira is stuttering. "I-I mmm! I can't!" She says, sinking all the way down, swimming the other way.
Alatar shrugs his shoulders as he leaves. He dries off as he puts on the same outfit he had on yesterday. He puts on the jacket and smells Red Wine and Lavender. He grabs his weapons as he heads to the training room. He walks over and looks at the orb. "A type of sensory magic?" He says, sensing it. "What will it trigger?" He touches it as the floating stones glow with magical sigils. A disembodied voice speaks from every single point of the chamber."Please choose a difficulty." The voice says as it shows a scaling of Bronze to Diamond. Alatar clicks on Diamond as the orb dings in response.
"Gauging Strength...Materializing A Suited Opponent." The stones shoot out a white energy beam into the training grounds. They wrap around it, each forming the shape of a man. He has long hair and a trimmed beard. He looks patiently at Alatar with black sclera and purple irises.
Alatar steps into the training ground as the voice speaks again. "Training will commence. What is your name, Mana User?" Alatar looks at the man as he takes a stance with his hand on his hilt. "Alatar Saliton." He says as a ding is heard as the voice responds, "Alatar Saliton Versus The Magic Thief." Alatar starts to walk around The Magic Thief, watching his movements. "So he steals spells? As in draining them?" He says to him as he conjures a small firebolt, and Alatar blasts it toward him. The Magic Thief's purple eyes brighten as it appears to conjure a firebolt, but ice appears, canceling the firebolt.
"This thing doesn't drain magic. It changes its properties. Then, right now, I'll just focus on hand-to-hand. I'll deal with the magic later. I can't use Vorgrimm's power on a training session." Alatar thinks to himself. He looks at The Magic Thief. "I will just refer to you as Thief from now on." He says, dashing on him. The Thief forges a blade more of ice and electricity as he clashes with Alatar. With his other hand, The Thief rears it back as Alatar sees tiny stars appear. He shoots it as Alatar gets sent flying, hitting the wall.
The smoke clears as a warping shield hums in front of Alatar. "I was barely able to cast Shield on his attack. He's dangerous, not to mention that I'm unable to copy his spells. Is this one of the innovations Xeriah was talking about?" He throws his jacket off and pulls out his gun, charging it up as he goes on the attack. The Thief is more powerful, but Alatar is faster. Using his mobility and hyperattacks, he can make the Thief stumble back as it tries to adjust and adapt. Alatar narrowly dodges his attacks by pivoting like he's about to do a sideways summersault as he shoots a beam of magical energy that burns the front of Alatar's shirt. Throwing his blade at The Thief, causing a momentary distraction, he places his one hand on the ground to catch himself. He aims his gun at The Thief, firing it at total capacity as a concentrated beam shoots straight at it.
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The Thief drops to its knees as the energy returns to the floating stones. A ding is heard as the disembodied voice speaks out. "Training complete! Congratulations." The floating stones rotate idly. Alatar looks at it. "The Magic Thief, huh? It sounds like someone who would cause some trouble in the future. Then again, I doubt whatever contraption these wanna-be innovators created will even scratch the surface of whoever skills they are using." Vorgrimm says in Alatar's head. Alatar picks up his coat and sword as he leaves.
Walking out of the training room, Alatar sees Mira talking with some of the servants in her dress. She has her hair down to her lower back. She looks at Alatar and blushes a bit more as she quickly turns from the servants and speed walks over to him. "You wear this for one day, and it's already burnt!" She places her hand over his chest and closes her eyes. "Mending." She says as it begins to repair itself. "Now you look more presentable. Now, I need you to come with me as we make our way to the meet-up. We are starting the first part of the second event." She says, patting him on the chest.
"Ready, Alatar she says, looking up at him." Alatar nods as they get ready to head out. Leaving their chambers, they follow the crowd to the meet-up. It leads outside to the back of the Gauntlet's building. They see an old man surrounded by four wizards wearing robes with the colors of their respective kingdoms. The old man is roughly tall but plump, with a red beard and thinning head. "Welcome, Welcome! I am Alexander. I will be your supervisor and proctor for the Warpath and Mastery event! We have kept these under wraps to prevent anyone from getting a sneak peek into what we will show this year. Not even the esteemed Prince Xeriah could get the information. I will tell you soon."
He looks at everyone with a kind smile. "We have a lot of talent, even new ones." He says, glancing at Alatar. "Here are the three main courses for this event." He holds up one finger. "You will travel through various terrains, each presenting unique challenges. We have riddled the land with magical anomalies and unpredictable environmental changes." He holds up his second finger. "You will engage in potential combat scenarios. You must fight, dominate the other kingdom, and win while the chaotic world surrounds you. " His smiles widen, and on instinct, Alatar puts his hand on his gun. Mira stands ready as well, noticing the tension building up."
Alexander lifts up his final finger. "The last course for this event is survival. The kingdoms have agreed to try something new for this event. " He waves his hands across the group. "We have decided that we will allow killing for this event!" Everyone but Alatar looks around at each other. "Are you jesting?" Asha questions Alexander with a nervous smile on her face. Alexander shakes his finger at her slowly. "No, your Majesty! I am as truthful as a nun!"
"If we refuse?" Emrys says, stepping forward. Alatar watches on, discreetly scanning the surrounding areas. Alatar watches Alexander's movements, wondering what his next plan is. Alexander watches Emry's movements. "Well..." he says, stroking his beard. "My Master will eliminate your entire family. Starting. With. You." he says, pointing at Emrys. "So tell me, dear Duke, do you refuse?"
"You threaten my family!?" Emrys scoffs as he starts chanting for a spell. "Divination: Valor's Blade." A greatsword manifests in his hands, radiating with light. "The lies, the disrespect, the audacity! We are the strongest of our generation! You're outnumbered more than thirty-six to one!" He dashes at Alexander. Alatar's eyes widened as he could already see what would happen. Princess Elara reaches for him. "Emrys, no!" She shouts as Emrys is impaled by a humongous fingernail. He drops the blade as it fades away. Alexander laughs. "See! This is what happens when you decide to disobey the masters! You face retribution!-"
The wizards start to chant as all four cast magical energy into the sky. Opening four portals to a different plane. Elara has tears streaming down her face as she glares up at Alexander. "You monster! You DEMON!!" Alexander ignores her as he continues to speak. "We have decided to show the younger generation early. All your family members have decided to work with our masters from the Realm of the Demons. " Right when those sentences ended. Alexander says, the purple blood gushing out as he sees Alatar throwing Emrys at Elara. However, before Alatar can capitalize and shoot Alexander in the head, he is frozen as he and Mira are thrown through the blue portal.
Alexander wipes his hands as he smiles. "We already have the Diamond Kingdom getting ready! I wouldn't let them get a headstart! Bronze through the orange portal! Iron through the grey! and Gold through the yellow!" He says as everything gets quiet. Wide-eyed and fearful, one of Aurelia from the Gold Kingdom is the first to scream as she rushes into the yellow portal.
Everyone else runs into the portals, screaming and panicking. Xeriah looks at Alexander with a sinister smile.