Aha. Telsan saw his friend across the arched gate. Before, there seemed to be only one boy guarding it, one he didn't recognize, but Solis and that young Snowborn, Lane, came suddenly to look out eastward. Must have to do with those idiots breaking in through the middle. A lapse of judgment or control on Filian’s part, that. Telsan's companions had spotted the duo traipsing through the central gate for seemingly no reason other than to get captured—if indeed that was allowed. None seemed to know on that count.

Telsan tried not to let on what he was thinking, which was essentially, "How do I meet with Solis ASAP?" His companions were three, two of whom were quite loyal to Filian while the other was a keep-to-himself Ornis—of the clan with a human head but birdlike plumage on his neck, arms and the top of his head. While he couldn't speak for the other keeps, this one on the northeast corner of their side was a glorified pile of rubble, with sprawling walls that would confuse any attackers more than their defense would help.

The rule that Telsan and his companions had unearthed in this region of the map pertained to recruiting enemy team members, and specifically the legality of it. He had a plan that could result in all three of them winning this round, although he wasn't sure if that kid would get in the way of it. Knowing his friend, Solis was already more than frustrated at Lane for hanging around him. How had a lad such as he actually gotten approved for the tournament?

"Hey, guys, something's going on in the east!" one of the lookout members shouted, drawing Telsan's attention away from the gateway. A group of winged opponents were gliding over the high wall on the southeastern side, near the far keep of Telsan's team. "Should we tell the others?"

"No, I think they can see too," said Telsan's fellow Ornis from beside him. They were both watching the gate, while the other two scanned the sky.

The party of flyers was five strong. They would take the small side keep quickly, likely capturing Filian's men and carting them back through the gate to stash in the keep. That's what Telsan would do. He was half surprised that this was the first real offensive either team had made. I would have thought someone would be a little more gung ho. Or just plain foolhardy. The question was, who had sent those flyers over, and with what purpose? It wasn’t something the Erika Dolce he knew would do—assuming she was the one running operations over there—or at least . . . not without a plan.

“Well, Tissan, I’ve got an idea,” Telsan said suddenly, elbowing the feathered man. He’d put off voicing his plan to him for fear of upsetting the ill-tempered Ornis, but now seemed like a favorable opportunity.

“Hmm?” was Tissan’s only response save for a snort and a twist of his neck whose suddenness indicated annoyance.

Telsan ignored the gruff response and dipped his head toward the gate. “I’ve been thinking on our chances of barging across that gate and taking some prisoners for ourselves. You know . . . converts.”

Tissan rolled his eyes. “No. That’s stupid. If we took them by force, then how would we get them to willingly convert? And what would stop them from changing sides again once they know it’s legal? I don’t remember that message saying anything about a limit to how many times players could switch sides.”

Drat. He had a point. Telsan hadn’t thought that far, because he knew Solis would willingly convert. Lane as well, more than likely. “I have a solution for that, too,” he said, thinking quickly. “My friend Solis is one of the guards there, and we already had a deal to help each other win this round if at all possible. I think they split us up on purpose.”

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Tissan narrowed his eyes. “Weren’t you the one who was sticking by your girlfriend, the Fenabackan girl?”

A brief hesitation. “Yes.” He didn’t feel like denying that ridiculous claim right now. “But he’s our friend. If you just let me go in and talk to him, I can work something out.”

“Uh-huh. And what’s to stop you from betraying us? You could just join their team.”

“And I could also march on over right now and tell them whatever I wanted.” Telsan let the soft threat sink in. “Come on, man.”

He could practically see the thoughts processing in Tissan’s head. With a sneer, he at last relented. “Fine. Go ahead. But I’ll be listening in, and I’ll spread the word if I see you’re selling us out.”

Looking back toward the upper castle levels where their teammates stood watch, Telsan considered going to tell them as well. But he would only risk ruffling more feathers. Approaching the gate through the pillared archway, Telsan gestured to get Solis’ attention and sidled up to the gate. His Snowborn companion turned his head with surprised recognition. With an uncertain glance at Solis, the boy gave Telsan a brief wave and then signaled someone else, the other guard who had previously been the only one there.

“What’s up, Telsan?” Solis said softly.

“Found a way for all three of us to pass. We found a rule lying around that said how to recruit members from the opposite team.”

“Where did you get those weapons?” Erika Dolce’s voice was calm as she spoke to the two men who faced her. One was but seventeen or eighteen years and held a long pike, while the other looked to be in his forties. He held a savage axe.

“The armories, of course,” said the older one. “Guess we’re the first ones to it.”

Armory . . . No wonder there were no weapons in sight. Erika did not like the feeling that was budding in her chest.

“Oh, and Daryn sends his greetings,” said the young man. His face was just misshapen enough that it bothered Erika on some level. How many fights had he gotten into back at the village? Her brain worked frantically as she took in their menacing posture, the nervous elementalists hanging about, and her chances of talking her way out of it. The dumber the folk, the less diplomacy worked. Only minutes prior, a large fight had ended with Daryn and his faithful leaving the main castle to play the game on their own terms. The overgrown schoolyard bully had expertly stirred the discontent in many of the boys and men, possessing scant brains for anything else but . . . sufficient cunning to undermine her grip on the team. The idiot kind of cunning.

And now they came back with steel weapons.

“So we’re supposed to tell you to stand down,” said middle-aged rebel. “I suggest you do as we say, lass, because we’re all armed now. See, look?”

Two more men sauntered up the stairs, following cries of alarm. Both were armed with swords, carrying three between them both. The dual-wielder had blood on the tip of one of his swords. They took up threatening stances against the wingless elementalists, who technically could still overpower the attackers but were never going to. Even if it got them disqualified, one could not say what such men as these might do . . . and no one was in a hurry to risk dying to a Kinless.

“Stand down,” she said to the four, trying the only thing she saw left: persuasion. She didn’t get very far before Daryn himself came up, followed by the remaining two rebels who had sided with him. Each armed, Daryn himself brandishing a stout spear and a wooden shield.

“Sorry, Erika,” said the big boy. “Guess luck favors the strong. Resist, and we’ll start hurting your precious friends here. Maybe kill a couple. We figured out the secret to that, y’know? We’re allowed to kill teammates.”

Erika hesitated. Was he serious? That would seem to go against the pre-established rules the Magnates had outlined. “Very well. What’s your game now?”

Daryn gave a self-satisfied smile. “Anybody who wants can join me. We’ll get you outfitted with weapons and make you part of the new team. Everyone else is getting locked up.”

She nodded slowly, wondering what would come of the five-strong scouting part she’d just sent out. It had been his idea, no less. “All right, then. Boys? Girls?”

The elementalists looked to her, some with shrugs, others with grumbled complaints. Naturally, most of them would rather work with her.

“Oh, but one thing.” Daryn approached Erika, and then lashed out with the butt end of his spear, catching her on the shoulder. “You’re getting locked up either way.”

He raised his spear, then struck again.