The day of the tournament finally arrived. Mia had quickly settled into a routine for the rest of her week, spending most of her time alone since her friends were actively preparing for the tournament scheduled for later that afternoon. Arry was perfecting her fire spells, and Lily was brewing potions non-stop. The blonde only saw the two young women for about an hour during meal times, and their conversations revolved solely around the upcoming event.

This had given her time to search for information in the library books to answer some of the questions she had about how Istarea worked. She dedicated her mornings to research and her afternoons to observing the students or clearing her mind with walks in the gardens.

She had amassed an incredible amount of data in these few days, ranging from the most relevant to the most trivial. Time was short, and she couldn't satisfy her curiosity about all the topics that intrigued her, but she did manage to learn some information that would be useful. The only answers she refrained from seeking were about the vilas. She didn't want to discover how much she should fear them.

Mia had, for example, discovered that the primary mode of transportation on Istarea was the use of animals, whether terrestrial like horses or flying like wyverns. She found it hard to visualize the latter, described as sort of feline creatures with bat-like wings as front legs.

Another discovery was the widespread and cost-effective postal system, managed by wyverns for long-distance transport through specific distribution points. For those with more substantial means, the system was far more complex and required Mia to understand how magic worked in this world. It involved the use of two types of magic: a rune that triggered a signal, and a druid who could temporarily control certain types of animals suitable for such a race.

Learning the different magic and the specializations of magicians proved to be a vocabulary puzzle. Each family had its preferred domain, akin to each family having its own profession. The possibilities of magic use were incredibly vast, yet severely limited to a handful of individuals who mastered their specialization. Typically, individuals chose to focus on either offensive or constructive magic. The latter included magicians who used their skills to enhance the daily lives of others, utility or comfort magic.

The simplest were the Elementalists, like Arry. The elements extended beyond fire, water, air, and earth, but also included ice, lightning, shadow, and light. Each family specialized in an element, with some geared more towards offensive or constructive magic than others.

The shapeshifters weren't limited to changing into a specific animal based on their family, as Mia had initially assumed. Each lineage also had its specialization: birds, felines, reptiles, and so on. The choice of animal was at the shapeshifter's discretion, who, although having a wide range of possibilities, often preferred to limit themselves to one or two animals of their choice.

The sorcerers were divided into several categories, each with its specialty. Examples included runemancers, enchanters, bards, or builders, each having diverse and varied uses. Mia didn't linger on this part, finding it too indigestible and complex.

Finally, the druids used various aspects of nature, whether it was controlling animals, mastery of plants, or even weather manipulation. This type of magic was essentially constructive. The providers of costly postal services or the healing magicians fell into this category.

When Mia left her room to make her way to the infirmary hall, an unusual activity filled the corridors. Fairies were bustling around with sheets, blankets, ointments, and spare supplies. She recognized Lily in the middle of this bustling activity, quickly approaching her, her arms laden with a tray filled with small vials of various colors.

"Ah, Mia! Can you give me a hand? We're so overwhelmed with the preparations for the tournament; I don't even know where to begin today..." she sighed, visibly exhausted even though the day had just started.

"Of course, what do you want me to do?"

"Here, take this," she said, handing her the tray and getting ready to leave. "A vial of each color in the drawer of each room's dresser."

Helping the fairies kept Mia busy for much of the morning. She spent the other half observing them concoct ointments or potions and enchanting various objects, fascinated. It truly was a beautiful sight to watch the fairies work. They were... incredible.

Towards the end of the morning, Lily took a few minutes to sit in a chair at the back of the hall, catching her breath, exhausted. She took advantage of her well-deserved break to explain to her human friend how their magic worked, as it was different from that of the magicians.

"For the ointments and potions, it's mostly a matter of knowledge about plants and their effects: herbology. Of course, we infuse them with a bit of our energy to make them more effective, but that's something that happens automatically when it's a fairy preparing these remedies. That's why we're the best," she smiled proudly. "As for enchantment, it's about infusing energy and intention into the object. It's quite complex, and it requires intense concentration. Personally, it's definitely not my favorite domain," she laughed.

"Do you have specialties like the magicians?"

"Here, yes. Outside the school, fairies are nomadic and move from one people to another, so they need to be able to do everything. At the Arena, we're fortunate to have a fixed workplace, which allows us to specialize."

"And what's your specialization, then?"

"I'm one of the three fairies who don't really have any specialization. We do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. Specializing has never particularly interested me," she explained, shrugging.

"It's very similar to hospitals in my world, except, of course, we don't have magic."

"I can't even imagine how you manage to heal people without magic..." she grimaced.

"You'd be surprised," Mia retorted, smiling proudly because, for once, she knew something her friends didn't.

The two young women parted ways after their conversation. Lily returned to her fairy duties, and Mia headed to the cafeteria to join Arry. She found her friend already sitting at a table in the back, accompanied by some of her magician friends who had joined her upon seeing her eating alone. Mia went to the cafeteria buffet to get some food and sat at another table, alone, not wanting to impose. Besides, they were probably discussing their participation in the tournament, and she was tired of hearing about it.

As she looked at her plate filled with vegetables, cooked meat, and an apple for dessert, she sighed. It hadn't even been a week since she arrived, and she already missed burgers, fries, and other greasy dishes. Here, all the meals were balanced. Not that she complained, she'd probably lose a couple of pounds with this type of diet, but she wouldn't mind something a bit more substantial.

She ate slowly, not particularly thrilled with her plate's contents, yawning a few times between each bite. Her active morning had left her a bit tired. Maybe she'd lay down for an hour or two before the tournament since she had nothing else to do until then.

Before finishing her meal, Arry approached her, energetic and smiling. She must have been on her way out.

"Mia, I didn't see you! Why didn't you come sit with us?" the redhead asked.

"I'm sure you were talking about the tournament. I want to keep it a complete surprise!" Mia replied, as if it were obvious.

"Oh, you're right! See you there, then? I've got to go, I still need to practice real quick, warm up, and all that. I'm really sorry I haven't had much time to spend with you these past few days. I'll make it up after the tournament, promise!"

"No problem, and good luck!" Mia wished her friend as she was already leaving.

She quickly finished her plate, gobbled down the last pieces of vegetables, and grabbed the apple, placing it in the pocket of her little cardigan. Just in case she got hungry after her nap.

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As usual, as she got up, she noticed a few glances reflecting a wide spectrum of emotions, dissecting her every move. Normally, they observed her more discreetly, but today, since her magician friend hadn't shared her meal, they allowed themselves to stare. Shaking her head in frustration, she opted to completely ignore them and continued on her way, depositing her tray in the large water trough provided for that purpose. She suspected the trough was magical and used to clean the dishes directly, as she had never seen anyone take care of it.

When Mia left the cafeteria, she took a deep breath. Even though she chose to ignore them, their gaze still felt heavy on her shoulders. She massaged her neck for a moment and finally decided on a short nap before heading to the tournament. Sleep took her immediately.

"Mia, wake up! We're going to be late!"

The blonde emerged slowly as her shoulders were shaken. She eventually opened her eyes, groaning, only to find her fairy friend. Mia had never been a morning person and her grumpiness always surfaced when she was forcefully pulled out of sleep, even for a nap. Nevertheless, she got up quickly to not keep her friend waiting too long.

Every time she encountered one of the fairies within the first five minutes after waking up, she always had the feeling of still being in a dream. Wanting to dispel the fog in her mind, she headed to the sink to splash her face with cold water.

Lily tapped her foot impatiently.

"We really need to go now!" the young fairy grumbled.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Mia muttered in response.

As they walked down the corridor, she noticed they were the last ones to leave. She felt a little guilty for her friend who had agreed to accompany her, so she wouldn't be alone since she had no idea how the event worked, even though she might have initially planned to go with her fellow fairies.

The two young women quickly left the interior of the castle (the infirmary was the first wing to the left upon entering the building) and circled around it, following the small asphalt path that encircled the structure.

Once at the back, Mia caught sight of the famous centaur forest. She hadn't explored this part of the outside yet, as Arry had warned her not to get too close to their territory. It was, in essence, an ordinary forest, composed of thick trees with dense foliage, revealing very little beyond its edge. However, it didn't seem very large, as she could clearly see a cliff forming an arc around it. Somewhat like a wall, but it seemed more as if the mountain had been carved to accommodate the small forest.

They entered a small dirt path that seemed to lead towards the mountain, putting an end to Mia's observation of the centaur habitat.

"This entrance is reserved for the school residents. There's a larger entrance on the other side for visitors," Lily informed her.

Quickly, the dirt path led them into a sort of tunnel that traversed the mountain. They were literally going to walk through it. Mia wasn't claustrophobic, but the idea of entering a path barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, buried under the mountain's peak, didn't exactly thrill her. Nevertheless, the little balls of light swirling on the rocky ceiling, illuminating the area, reassured her when she remembered that the entire structure must be magical and, therefore, she probably wasn't in much danger. She hadn't fully grasped the existence or workings of magic yet to blindly trust it, but she was slowly getting used to the idea that it was indeed functional.

Lily led the way, folding her wings against her back to give Mia enough space in the path for them to walk at the same level. Observing her, Mia had to admit that having wings didn't seem as marvelous as she had thought. They even seemed quite cumbersome in this kind of situation. In fact, she had never seen any fairy use them. Could they actually fly with them? Or were they just some sort of ornament in the end?

Before she could ask the question, the young human reconsidered, her mind focused on the rising volume of the hubbub she heard at the end of the tunnel. The closer she got, the more it felt like stepping into a gigantic stadium, as the noise was deafening.

Lily stopped a few meters from the exit and turned to the blonde.

"There's a stand for students not participating in the tournament to the left. It offers the best view, and you'll be more relaxed there than in the midst of the families. I have to go."

"You're not staying with me?" Mia half-yelled, partly to be heard through the crowd's noise and partly because the prospect didn't appeal to her at all.

"Oh, shoot, Arry didn't tell you? The fairies have a special stand closer to the field to tend to the injured. I have to work, you know," she explained with an apologetic grimace.

"True, that makes sense. Sorry. I'll be fine, go on, you're already late."

"Sorry..."

They covered the last few steps separating them from the end of the tunnel together. Just before the exit, a staircase led further into the heart of the mountain. Lily waved goodbye and disappeared, leaving Mia alone.

Mia exhaled deeply as she turned towards her destination. From here, she could see almost nothing. The excessively bright light completely blocked her view. After one last breath, she stepped through the opening.

Her eyes blinked a few times to adjust to the new brightness of the environment. Before she could start observing the surroundings, she was stopped and asked for her ticket. Nervously, she pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to a woman in her forties, who returned it to her after verification.

When Mia could finally scan the area, her breath caught in her chest. She was on a gigantic stone plaza, on the mountainside and on the other side of the school, covered with stadium benches rising several meters high. The place seemed to merge with the mountain as if it had intentionally made room for it. At the start of the benches, a small ledge separated the plaza from the void by a few meters. The entire structure overlooked what she assumed was the arena. In a way, it reminded her of the immense ancient amphitheaters in her world. Except that this structure was twice the size of the Colosseum itself, and the stands didn't form a complete circle around the arena, but rather a half-circle covering a quarter of its surface.

Her gaze then landed on the crowd in the stands. At first glance, they all seemed human, some chatting, others already cheering for the fighters. For a second, it felt like she was watching a football match. Except it was about confrontations between potentially deadly creatures encouraged by other potentially deadly creatures.

Upon closer inspection, Mia could see an area without stands reserved for centaurs farther away on the plaza. She observed them for a few seconds since it was the first time she had encountered them other than hearing their hooves in the distance. They were discreet, and she suspected they didn't roam the liveliest corners of the castle.

As she expected, their anatomy was divided at the waist between horse and human. Their hair resembled a horse's mane, made of actual horsehair. Most individuals had long hair styled in thick dreadlocks. Their human and animal skin was uniform in colors ranging from white to black. Each seemed to have their unique pigmentation, as none looked alike. It was as if individuals representing all the human skin colors from around the world had gathered in one place, offering an impressive display of diversity. It briefly saddened her to think that such unity of diversity was rare in her world.

While she was lost in her observation, a grip seized her forearm, pulling her forward. She had been dragged a few steps before fully comprehending what was happening. When Mia recognized her assailant, she tried to maneuver her arm to free it, but he held on and continued to pull her forward.

"Will you let go of me, for crying out loud?!" she shouted, oblivious to the attention they were drawing.

"Shut up and keep moving," he ordered, "everyone's staring at you."

She wanted to protest, but he silenced her again. Swallowing her pride, she realized that indeed, some were staring at her excessively. To ease the situation, Mia convinced herself that she was remaining quiet because she didn't want to make a scene, not because he ordered her to.

Finally, the vila released her in front of an empty bench and gestured for her to sit down, which she adamantly refused to do. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was becoming obedient.

"What was that all about? What do you want from me? Last time I checked, we don't know each other. This is starting to feel like harassment," she exclaimed, frustration in her voice.

He grimaced, clearly annoyed by her tirade, taking a deep breath to calm the irritation rising within him. At least it wasn't hatred. He seemed to have swallowed that enough for his gaze to stop shooting deadly glares at her.

"You were standing there like a statue in the middle of the entrance with your mouth half-open. Everyone was looking at you as if you were a dimwit, which is probably exactly what they expect from a human. You could at least thank me. I could've let you embarrass yourself even more," he sneered.

The embarrassment she initially felt when he described her behavior quickly faded, replaced by annoyance. Who did he think he was, anyway? She shook her head, rolled her eyes, and waved her arms, playing the ditzy act.

"Wow, thanks! What would I have done without you? My savior!" she retorted, dripping with sarcasm. "Do you want a medal and maybe a cookie with it?"

"A human with a dogged character and the most irritating voice imaginable, that's a lot of flaws for such a small person!"

"You..." she began, instantly interrupted by a symphony of horns signaling the start of the tournament.

Her nemesis took the opportunity to move a few meters away and sit on one of the benches above hers. She had the feeling he had chosen that exact spot to be right behind her, watching her every move. It's not like space was limited, since for the few dozen people that could fit in this tier, there must have been a group of five or six students occupying the seats farthest from his. Not all the students who weren't participating wanted to watch the tournament. It was the same every couple of weeks, after all. Some preferred to watch the event with their families, leaving these benches empty.

Before sitting down, turning her back on the vila, Mia shot him one final glare, to which he responded with a sly grin.

What a detestable man, she thought.

Although she had to admit that this time, the hatred and disdain in his look and behavior seemed to have slightly diminished for a reason she couldn't explain.

Not wanting to ruin the experience of her first tournament, Mia preferred to erase any trace of the vila from her mind. In any case, she didn't care much and didn't want to waste a single moment trying to understand his attitude. He didn't deserve it.

Finally, the tournament began.