We stood calmly in rows of ten people each. None of us were standing next to each other so that our shoulders were touching, but also not too far away so that each of us could see the others, if only then leaned head forward, of course. Unfortunately, no one dared, no one was stupid enough to stand out from the crowd at such a moment... at the very least.

"Today is the day you have all been preparing for your whole life...."

Each of us in the first ten were different sizes, shapes and races, more or less different races. Not to mention the color of the skin, hair, eyes and other special features. Each strange in its own unique way, or at least that's what it seemed to me at first glance. Yet, we had at least two important things in common, that we were all brothers and that we were all the same age. If consider the same year of birth the same age.

"Today is the day... the day when you will compete for the greatest prize, to rule everyone and everything, to rule an empire, to sit on a throne... to crush your opponents and revel in freedom."

I didn't know how many of us there were exactly, I was afraid to turn around and show that I was different, eager, impatient. Everyone was afraid... almost everyone, in this silence, their heartbeats were loud in my ears like bells. However, fear was not important matter to me right now, because the most important thing was that I was in the top ten. Best ten. Well.. not that I didn't expect it.

"You will be competing among each other, and each against another for.... who has more capability, the potential to be a warrior, a leader, a strategist, a manager, a thief, a killer..."

The rapid heartbeat was one thing, but the lack of any movement in the room made it almost seem like the entire scene had frozen in time. A completely different thing. Who knew, maybe I was exaggerating this fear, maybe my companions standing in this room simply did not want to show others their weakness or moment of sensitivity. Penis length measurement competition was called that in the books, yet the deeper meaning of that name was still remained a mystery to me.

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Standing in this horrendously large throne room, my skin constantly felt shivers, as if ants were touching every exposed part of my skin, I don't know whether it was because of the cold, as each of us was standing practically naked with only our vital organs covered, or from the grave atmosphere that was spreading in.

"Everyone of you before you arrived here was already tested and classified, so you should already be aware of where you stand in the hierarchy, but you presumably ought to know that by now..."

Children of the emperor stand naked in front of everyone, pure madness. Although even this madness had some justification, because even though everyone looked different and was of different sizes, we still had to have one ancestral lineage in common to even be able to be able to stand here.... wings, angel wings.

Those who didn't show it... actually, I don't even know what happened to them. But perhaps it's better to me to keep it that way.

"However, this classification means nothing for... now, because each of you can always be first or last at any given time, you just need to show determination and commitment..."

And another lie was told in that bustling, empty room, although I don't know if I was the only one who catch it. History has shown me the truth before. In the hundreds of thousands of years of our g l o r i o u s empire and thus this damnable thing called inheritance or throne battle, the number first has only changed twice, twice in thousands of years. The statistics never lie. So what were the chances that this would happen to us?

“Of course, in addition to showing that you are more worthy of the successor, there is another path, more brutal... you need to simply... maim the rest and then overtake them. No one will forbid you to do this as this is the bloody price of authority, just remember that there is only one and only one rule.... you can't kill. And I know what I'm saying, you can't do it yourself, order, command, issue a reward... well, unless you wish to end up the same way yourself. As for fratricide, there is only one punishment.... death. Anything beyond that and permanent physical injury is allowed.... yet if you already hate one of your siblings to the core even now... once you sit on the throne, no one will forbid you do that...."

Well, and what was to come has finally arrived, the pointless motivational speech has stopped so it's was time for the official inspection. Let's just hope it's will be not so bad as I imagine.... the day had just begun, after all, it really couldn't get any worse, could it?