The fighters entered their designated arenas, and the fighting began. Ceilsea could barely hear the clash of weapons, the loose notes of music, and the various sounds of magic, but she still felt the pressure of magic around as it filled the air. Luckily it was far enough away that she could ignore it. Without anything of interest to her, Ceilsea almost immediately lapsed into boredom.

The only person she knew was her sister and the whole family all agreed to ignore her. So Ceilsea couldn’t even watch the only person she knew on the field. Beside her, Yippinee hesitantly opened his book and began to read. Her parents politely appeared to watch but were actually conversing with each other. The only person who seemed invested was Vonae, whose eyes flicked between the fights, somehow absorbing it all.

Ceilsea watched her brother. Eventually, his eyes settled on one fight, but she couldn’t tell which one. He leaned forward in intense concentration. Once in a while he jerked back, reacting with a yelp or a sneer. It was endearing to see her brother, who was usually completely in control of his appearance and actions, lose himself.

Slowly the fights started to cycle through the competitors as each spar concluded. Miennere celebrated a little too obviously as she handily beat her opponent. She had tripped him up with her magic and placed a faux killing blow to his neck. Ceilsea doubted any of the other competitors would be jumping up and down after they won.

Then Jala and a burly looking warrior entered one arena. Immediately, Vonae’s face went blank, but Ceilsea could tell his eyes were on them. The warrior had a short spear and an arm guard. They also had a flute or maybe an ocarina on a cord around their neck. Jala only had a knife. Vonae crossed his arms and sat back. Ceilsea attempted to follow the fight but was immediately lost. After a while of circling each other, the warrior’s boot laces start to untie and the spell was quickly dispelled by a short song. Vonae snorted. Ceilsea looked at him. He noticed her gaze.

“Sorry…” he muttered as if he thought his noise had been a distraction for her. He paused and when her gaze remained on him, he said, “You have no idea what’s happening, do you?”

“Do you usually know what I’m doing when I’m sculpting?” she replied as if it was obvious. She’d never made a habit of watching her siblings train, because she disliked the sensations of them throwing magic back and forth. Yippinee knew more than she did, and he didn’t even like combat magic. As if he knew she was thinking of him, the younger boy glanced up from his book for a second to see what his siblings were talking about.

Vonae explained, “Well, it’s just Jala, she’s…she’s so confident that her magic will keep them away that she didn’t bother to bring a proper weapon. We both know she can fight with a sword,” Vonae complained. “Does she really think there isn’t a wayzard that can dissolve her magic or a mage that can overpower her? She’s good with a knife but not that good.”

As if to prove his point, Ceilsea watched the warrior miss his shot with the spear giving Jala the opportunity to grab the spear shaft and yank the warrior toward her. She stabbed him in the stomach ending that spar.

“Her spells are complicated. Wouldn’t it take too long for a proper dispelling song during a match? She’s probably relying on the fact that the wayzards have to fight offensively as well and can’t focus on dispelling,” Yippinee argued, proving that all of Ceilsea’s siblings were smarter than her in this regard.

“There are some people who can do both, or all three. Even other mages could find a way to tear her spells apart,” Vonae muttered. It was obvious he was more upset by her arrogance.

“Isn’t that what we want though?” Ceilsea pointed out.

“She might not be putting in her all today because she doesn’t believe it is worth it,” their father joined the conversation. He had trained Rivonae and Jala in the beginning. They had both surpassed him in skill pretty quickly. “I heard some of the contestants with exemplary reputations were matched with weaker opponents in these first rounds to give the middle crop a chance to advance.”

“If they were rigging the fights, couldn’t they have put someone more powerful against Miennere?” Ceilsea asked.

“I don’t think the king wanted it to be that obvious. We did promise her we wouldn’t prevent her from trying, just that we wouldn’t support her,” their mother said.

“The farther she gets the more upset she’s going to be when she loses,” Vonae pointed out. He swore when Jala won another spar. Yippinee, unused to cursing, turned red and returned back to his book.

Then Ceilsea saw a welcome distraction. In the closest arena on the right, in front of where the Brijas family was seated, Shaelis and their opponent walked out onto the field. Shae had a basic blunt sword and the xylophone as a sash across their chest. They were also wearing their ocarina on their open hand with a small ball screwed into the end. She hadn’t been looking at the other wayzard’s kits, but Shae certainly looked prepared.

“Shae!” she shouted, cupping her hand around her mouth to amplify the sound. She was only trying to get their attention for amusement. She was surprised when Shae’s head spun around. Shae motioned for her to keep quiet. She just waved and Shae rolled their eyes. When they turned back to the fights, Ceilsea grinned.

“Isn’t that the same…person from last night?” Vonae asked as she sat again.

People in the box were watching her now. She was the king’s favorite, and her favor was of interest to the nobility. The king himself was pointedly ignoring her outburst, probably because he had yet to confer with her. He couldn’t show attention to a fighter without people taking note. The king was speaking with Aamard and Iscano, probably trying to figure out who Shaelis was.

“Yep, their name’s Shae. They seem to be genderqueer,” Ceilsea confirmed. Vonae probably picked that up from the wrap Shae had around their chest last night.

“When did you meet them?” Vonae asked.

“A while ago,” Ceilsea said noncommittally.

“Do you think they are going to get anywhere in the tournament?” he asked, as if she had any clue of their martial talents.

“I hope so. I think they’ll at least be an interesting competitor,” Ceilsea said.

“I suppose you’ll be showing more investment in the tournament than I thought, if they advance,” Vonae stated, which caused Ceilsea to pause.

If she was invested in Shaelis winning, it might be a good distraction from her other activities during the tournament. No one would expect her to run away while she was rooting for them to win. When she disappeared, people would assume it was because Shae wasn’t fighting. Surely she wouldn’t leave while her favorite fighter was still in the tournament? Shae might not like her claiming them, but it served her means.

“I suppose you are right,” Ceilsea told her brother with a smile.

While they had been distracted with Shae’s entrance, Jala had won her next two spars, beating her opponent. It was not surprising, but it made Ceilsea nervous.

It was not certain that Shae would advance. Unlike magic which was versatile at both attacking and defending, music was cumbersome and had limited uses. The mage Shae faced knew that as he waved his finger blatantly to begin casting the moment the match started. Even Ceilsea knew that a mage shouldn’t let his opponent see his strumming. Some wizards and wayzards could guess the spells from the finger movements. Ceilsea knew Shae didn’t even need that. Almost as soon as the mage started moving, the ocarina was in Shea’s mouth with a sharp trill and a run of notes.

Ceilsea wasn’t sure if she was imagining things, but Shae’s melody seemed to stand out above the other dispelling songs that she had heard bits and pieces of that day. It was clearer, almost louder, despite the distance. Ceilsea looked around to see if anyone else noticed, but everyone in the box was absorbed in their own business. Vonae only partially watched the fight with Shae, his eyes flicked between the other bouts. The king was pointing to a fight a few arenas over.

Ceilsea heard Shae’s melody change meaning the spell the mage was attempting had changed. Suddenly she saw Iscano turn to stare in Shae’s direction, brows knit together. Iscano then glanced towards her, blinked, acknowledging her gaze, and then looked back to Shae. Ceilsea felt validated now that the High Wayzard had noticed.

“You’re little wayzard won the first spar,” Vonae commented and Ceilsea’s head swiveled back. Sure enough, the music had stopped and the two contestants were returning to their start positions. Vonae continued, “Do you know where they are from?”

“They look Xerisian, but I haven’t asked,” Ceilsea replied.

There was a good reason not to ask. Xerisia didn’t exist anymore. After a long, bloody war with the Schulchulans, Xerisians had been slaughtered en masse. The survivors were driven from their homelands about ten years ago. Most were nomadic now, and the emperor had declared they were welcome in any kingdom in his alliances, including Sumanar. It would be symbolic if any Champion in the empire was Xerisian, a testament to their people being exemplary, despite disaster.

“Maybe that’s where they learned to play? I’ve never heard those dispelling songs,” Yippinee asked looking up from his book. Shae’s song was suddenly cut short when their opponent slashed their side.

“That’s what I was wondering too,” Vonae added as Yippinee returned to his book.

Suddenly Ceilsea understood. Shae wasn’t playing the cannon of memorized melodies most wayzards utilized. He was improvising his songs based on what he felt in his opponent’s magic. Iscano had noticed immediately, but others only noticed the song was different. Dispelling songs had regional variations, but Ceilsea doubted they could be as different as what Shae was playing.

Shae overpowered his opponent a second time, dodging and closing. Shae was in the lead. Ceilsea watched closely as this might be the winning fight getting them into the second round.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. “Excuse me, Miss Ceilsea?”

Iscano had made his way over from his seat beside his husband and the king to stand on the steps beside the Brijas family. He usually wore dark clothes on his thin frame to appear more regal without the cost of brightly colored patterns, and today was no different. A deep purple kaftan covered his other clothes that were so dark they were almost black. He stood stiffly with his hands behind his back.

Ceilsea certainly knew the High Wayzard as he worked closely with her father, but had only engaged in small talk and pleasantries with him. Still, unlike his husband, Iscano was comfortable enough to call her by her first name.

“Yes, master wayzard?” she answered respectfully. “Can I help you?”

“Do you know that individual?” He released an arm from behind him to point at Shae.

“Their name is Shaelis Child. They came to win the tournament,” she told him.

“That’s ambitious,” Vonae interjected.

“I don’t know about winning, but they clearly have talent in music. You should at least acknowledge that, Rivonae,” Iscano countered. He and Rivonae had crossed paths often over the years, as her brother worked with their father.

“I don’t have much experience with dueling wayzards outside of you, so I might be a bit obtuse. I defer to your experience.” Vonae bowed his head in respect. Iscano nodded back.

“Do they play the organ or brass?” Iscano continued to interrogate Ceilsea.

Those were soloist instruments for playing the Evening Song, Ceilsea noted. They were the only instruments that had the volume to reach the corners of the city.

“I only know they play violin, plus what they are wielding. They said they weren’t originally trained to duel though,” she offered.

“Well, it’s worth a try. Could you introduce me to Mestren Child? His majesty has tasked me with finding a number of guest wayzards to play the evening song during the open tournament. I’d like to see if they would play for us,” Iscano explained.

“Of course. I’m sure they’d be honored.” Ceilsea volunteered Shae with no knowledge if would actually accept .

“Perhaps, but it hasn’t been easy to find good candidates. I scoured the festival grounds yesterday to no avail. Not a lot of primary wayzard’s entered this time. I’m not finding more than dabblers who know the basic songs. Back when I was younger, tournaments weren’t so much about winning for us wayzards, it was about attracting patrons and sponsors. There is a lack of wayzards these days, so they don’t have to promote themselves in the arena,” he said with a sigh.

Ceilsea was a little more inclined to believe at least part of the problem was the High Wayzard’s standards, which made it even more noteworthy that Shae had impressed him.

“You’ve at least found one. Shall we go find them after the fighting ceases this afternoon?” Ceilsea suggested and Iscano nodded.

Vonae yelped. She turned to him and when he saw them staring, muttered, “Sorry. Child managed a clutch victory there. He’s decent with their strategies even if they’re clumsy with a sword.”