The kingdom of Reguus, situated beneath the vast Deserts of Unud on the continent of Kuunis, was nestled against a massive mountain range. This range was rich in common ores vital for armor and weapon production, forming the backbone of Reguus' economy. The kingdom's survival relied on the export of these ores to sustain international trade.

Ruled by the Reguus royal family, the current head was King Thalorian Reguus IX. He was a mysterious leader who had taken personal command of the Reguus Army, an unusual step following the recent passing of the former Supreme Commander, the renowned "Sword of Reguus," Vaim Kindral.

Reguus operated as a feudal society, with various nobles governing their own territories, enjoying relative autonomy from the capital. These territories were linked by the shared need for mountain ores and the nobles' desires to foster connections through the Reguus Academy.

East of the Royal capital, the vast Aguire Lake stretched out, its waters flowing into a complex network of tributaries and distributaries. These waterways served as the primary means of travel within the nation, with smaller rivers connecting to numerous small fishing towns.

Among these towns was the Lormodra Barony, the largest fishing town in Reguus. The town's architecture was designed around the lake, with various bridges connecting districts on either side of the river. Small boats navigated the river's gentle currents.

The Lormodra family had remained stagnant for generations, as the fishing trade grew increasingly less profitable. The current barons had struggled to produce an heir, placing the future of their rule in jeopardy.

In this fishing town, a young boy lay on the cold, hard ground in a back alley, gazing up at the sunny sky dotted with growing grey clouds, an unusual sight in the usually sunny Reguus, espeically in Lormodra, a town approaching the coastlines of the continent typically getting sun year round.

The boy's unkempt, long hair, stiff and dry, sprawled over his head, obscuring his features. His slender frame was draped in mismatched, hole-ridden rags.

Beside him lay a sack, its contents known only to him. He sat up and reached into it, his gaze fixed on the sky, his expression shifting from complexity to curiosity, and then to contemplation.

From the bag, he pulled a stale piece of bread and began eating it slowly, each bite a laborious effort, taking minutes of chewing before he could swallow without discomfort.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

He ate as he watched the dark skies above him growing ever larger, eventually forming a spiral, spinning in a way that was almost hypnotizing.

As he finished the bread, a blue light flashed from within the swirling clouds above, followed by a deafening boom of thunder that caused the boy to cover his ears.

The blue light continued coming, tracing the swirling pattern in the sky, each flash accompanied by thunderous echoes, the sound becoming as hypnotic as the swirling pattern of the clouds.

The boy, entranced by the clouds and patterned sound, forgot to cover his ears, drawn deeper into the spectacle. Then, his eyes widened unnaturally, glowing with a piercing blue light, his long hair seeming to defy gravity before settling back down.

After a few moments to collect himself, the boy's eyes widened further, realization dawning upon him. His expression shifted to anger, and then to a guttural scream that rivalled the thunder.

Soon after, an eerie calm washed over his face, and he gazed upwards again. The gray clouds had dispersed, leaving a sunny sky in their wake.

Deep in thought, the boy's face brightened as he whispered to himself, "The tournament! I can enter that."

With newfound determination, he sprinted away, his scrawny frame moving at an astonishing speed, surprising even himself, as he continued to run.

Reguus' noble families were granted one free entry to the academy each year. This seemingly minor advantage was amplified by the academy's global reputation. Nobles from around the world sent their children there, but Reguus families retained priority. This was a significant advantage of being a noble under the kingdom's rule, as opposed to an independent entity.

However, the Lormordra family had no one to send to the academy, let alone an heir. They decided to host a tournament within the city, open to all. The victor would secure entry to the academy and be adopted into the family, preserving the Lormodra name in the event that a legitimate heir failed to emerge.

Originally, the boy sprinting toward the tournament had no interest in it. He struggled to secure enough food for survival, let alone to compete against other children, some from families of skilled fighters.

However, something had recently shifted within him, an epiphany known only to him. It had altered his perspective on the matter entirely.

As he raced toward the tournament grounds, his face displayed a spectrum of emotions, shifting from sadness to anger and finally settling into a serene calm as he processed the newfound information he received just moments ago.

Lormodra, despite being a fishing town, held baronial status and was larger than one might expect for a fishing community. The boy spent at least ten minutes navigating through back alleys, his speed far surpassing that of most humans.

Eventually, he arrived at the tournament grounds, a sprawling estate that dwarfed all nearby structures and lands. The two-story brick house, constructed from the same brown bricks as the surrounding buildings, exuded an air of opulence. The backyard seemed to stretch endlessly as it descended into a forest.

In front of the estate's entrance gate, a small table had been set up, with a line of eager participants waiting their turn. Upon seeing the shrinking line the boy sighed with relief, knowing he had arrived in time.

He joined the line and eventually when it was his turn to sign up, he approached the young woman seated at the table, who was busy recording contestant information. She glanced up at him, her voice bored as she asked, "Name and age?"

The boy stared at her for a moment before responding, "Lavaad."