(Ivan)
Despite getting little sleep, Ivan woke up early. Yawning, he poured himself a glass of water and headed toward the balcony. The sea breeze tousled his hair. He took a few sips of water and set the glass down. He leaned against the marble balustrade and soaked in the scenery. The early morning sun tinted the sky with a kaleidoscope of warm colors. A pelican glided leisurely above the ocean. He looked down. The cliff below was besieged by nesting birds. He saw blueheaded seagulls, wandering albatrosses, and garnet cormorants.
His mom had taught him the names of these birds ten years ago. She loved animals. Her favorite bird was a type of hummingbird called the colibri. She had shared the mythos about the little bird with him. It was known as the messenger between the living and the dead. It was a symbol of hope. Ivan thought that he should share that story with William, and the two of them could go looking for one of these hummingbirds before leaving the island.
After he stretched and warmed up, he headed out. He started with a run around the fortress. Two laps in, he saw Kala up ahead of him. It took him another two laps to catch up to her.
He nodded and she nodded back. They continued to jog together in silence for about half an hour. The final lap turned into a sprint, as each tried to outrun the other. Ivan thought that Kala had won by a hair, but it was a close call.
“We should do that again!” Kala had her hands on her knees and was trying to catch her breath. It was the first time Ivan had seen her smile.
He wiped the sweat from his brow. “That was fun!” He leaned against the wall and drew in gulps of air. “I hope we get to do that a few more times before we leave the island.”
“Oh, yeah, we’ll definitely do this again. I’m not sure who won this race, but I’m winning the next one.” She laughed.
“I think you had me, but I’m looking forward to the rematch.” They bade each other goodbye, and Ivan jogged toward the sparring field.
For the next few hours, he worked on his swordsmanship with Rose and Rob. They practiced defensive maneuvers, like the Elusive Dancer and the Subtle Scorpion. Rose shared some insights on both techniques before Rob took over the training.
“Fighting styles are great for practicing and improving your skills,” Rob explained. “Some fighters use a style as the perfect execution form. In a real fight that’s impractical. Use only that which works and take it from any place you can find it.”
He paused for a moment as they circled each other. “Though you already knew that, didn’t you? You make adjustments on the spot. Improvisation is one of your strengths. For example, you’ve used this modified counterstrike against the Raging Rooster.” He demonstrated the move. “When I was your age, it took me days of practice to perfect that. You picked it up just by watching me. Your skill is formidable, and you keep getting better.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.” Ivan smiled.
They continued to practice and focused on modified parries and unorthodox counterstrikes. They switched between the Slicing Blades and the Viper Strike techniques.
At the end of the practice session, Rob clapped Ivan on the shoulder. “Great practice.”
“Yeah!” Rose jumped in. “To the untrained eye, your movements appear as practiced responses, instead of on-the-spot fluid reactions. But with every step and swing, you put yourself in a position to counter what’s coming next. It’s almost like you can slow the passing of time. You transform a swordfight into a strategy game like Proving Grounds.”
She laughed. “You’re like a crazy cook that doesn’t follow the recipe.”
After training, Ivan spent part of the afternoon watching his brother. All the casters were there, helping William to prepare for the competition. Taran and Lisa reviewed defensive spells with him. Drake covered different Mirror Image strategies.
William was forced to use his newly learned Light Shield spell almost constantly, since Rose kept hurling pebbles at him. Between bouts, they took booster bar breaks.
Ivan saw Toby jogging toward him.
“Hey, Ivan.” Toby waved at him. A big grin was plastered on his face. “So… I heard that… you were hanging out with Kala this morning.” He elbowed Ivan playfully and waggled his eyebrows.
“We were just jogging.” Ivan shrugged.
“Whew, that’s good.” Toby exhaled. “So, I was told that she spoke to you and even smiled.” Toby raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen her smile.” He had a dreamy expression on his face. “She doesn’t talk to me.” He pouted. “So… can you like… introduce me to her? I love her hazel eyes. A warrior woman that can do magic… She has definitely cast a spell on me.”
“Just go and talk to her.”
Toby’s shoulders slumped. “I smiled at her. I waved at her. I even did my crazy eye roll at her. Nothing! She just gave me a stony face. Like I wasn’t even there.” He raised his hands up in surrender. “I’ve tried all my go-to moves on her.”
“Girls like it when you talk to them.” The corner of Ivan’s mouth curved. “Better yet, they like it when you listen to them. Let’s see. Kala has the competitive nature and spirit of a warrior.”
Ivan tapped a finger on his chin. “So, here’s my advice. Try to find common ground. You have extraordinary archery skills. She might enjoy a practice session with you. Invite her to the archery range. If she joins you there, don’t go easy on her. I have a feeling that she’d be insulted by that.”
“Ohhhh, that’s a great advice.” Toby grinned. “I’m going to do just that.” He turned around and dashed toward the keep.
Ivan smiled and shook his head. He had sounded so much more experienced on the topic of women then he actually was.
I guess, reading ‘Men are from Tor'Sal, women are from Cea’Nia’ might not have been a complete waste of time.
Ivan turned his attention back to his brother’s training. William looked determined. He wondered how his brother would fare against seasoned casters from the other realms.
Will his versatile magical repertoire counter his lack of experience? Will they disqualify him for using magic outside of the Nature school? He stretched his arms above his head. Well, we’ll find out soon enough.
The start of the Spirit Competition was only two days away.
#
(William)
The day before the competition William had a light training session with Rose in the morning. The focus was on Shifting, Mirror Image, and Levitation while maintaining Light Shield. He was done by late morning, which left him with plenty of time for sightseeing.
It was time for him and the boys to explore the island. Ivan, Toby, and John joined William.
Their first stop was the Tempest. They reached the leviathan an hour before noon and passed by the Dicers Den to exchange some coins.
Next, they headed toward the Thaumaturgy Shoppe. It was the shop for enchanted items. William had brought all his savings.
“I’ll finally get my own enchanted item.” William pumped his fist. “I’ve got one gold and forty-seven silvers for the floating magic sponge that washes dishes.” His whole face lit up. “That’s all of my coins, plus I had to borrow from Ivan to get the full amount.”
“Woah, wait,” John objected. “Wasn’t that the asking price for the sponge?”
“Well, of course,” William replied.
John slapped his forehead. “No one pays the asking price.” He groaned. “That’s just a suggestion for the rich. Don’t worry, I got your back. Give me that gold coin and don’t talk. Watch me, and I’ll show you how it’s done.”
As they entered the Thaumaturgy Shoppe, John looked exceedingly bored. He wandered around looking at different items and scowled. He occasionally flipped the gold coin, indicating that he had money to burn.
He picked up a dictation quill and tested it on a piece of parchment. “Hey, how much for this quill?” John held up the item in his hand.
“This is the enchanted golden quill of Lord Bigshot,” the attendant proclaimed. “It writes about fifty pages per ink refill. It’s quite an exceptional item. It can be yours for only eighty silvers and three coppers.”
“What!” John looked genuinely shocked. “For that much money I can employ a personal scribe.” He shook his head and sighed heavily.
William watched John with admiration. His haggling skills were beyond impressive. John would negotiate, smile, frown, counteroffer, raise his hands in desperation, appear to be in deep thought, ask other patrons for their opinion of the goods, and nitpick the tiniest flaws of the merchandise. When everything was said and done, William had his new magical sponge that cleaned dishes and it only cost him one gold and five coppers. It was such an incredible item that it deserved to be named, like the legendary weapons of old.
I shall call you Bob!
“John, you’re my new best friend.” William clapped him on the shoulder. “Boys, lunch is on me.”
“Oh, I know just the place,” said Toby. “Follow me.”
Ten minutes later, they walked into the Pigfish Pub and ordered the house special for the day, the Hog’s Harvest. The name was misleading because it was a fish dish. The stone snapper was sautéed in a sauce of seasoned sea-spices and served with seaweed salad.
They spent the afternoon exploring the island. William and John flew to the top of the Temple of Tor’Sal, while Ivan and Toby raced each other up the winding staircase around it.
They saw the entire island from the top. The coliseum was right below them. It was already buzzing with activities and merchants selling souvenirs. The golden Temple of Cea’Nia was magnificent. The docks were mostly deserted, except for the area around the Tempest, which was swarmed with tourists. The central bazaar was also jam-packed with shoppers.
Their next destination was the Temple of Cea’Nia. She was known as the Goddess of Earth and the Mother of Life. William knew that Cea’Nia was revered by the monks on Eel Island, just like Tor’Sal.
“The exterior of the Temple of Cea’Nia is an alloy of gold and atinum,” Ivan informed them. “It’s one of the great wonders. The outside is only a small portion of the entire structure. A complex labyrinth extends deep underneath the pyramid. The labyrinth is filled with traps, and as far as we know, it’s mostly unexplored. The place is so dangerous that they won’t even let you in without a guide.”
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“What are we waiting for,” William blurted. “Let’s go get us a guide.”
It cost them two coppers each to join a tour group.
“Ahem!” The nasally voice of Seth, their guide, echoed throughout the cavernous entrance. “Today, we’re only going to explore a small portion of the top tier.” Seth had a sunstone attached to his walking staff, which illuminated the area. “Make sure to follow my instructions. Don’t stray outside of the designated areas. The traps and portals on our route are clearly marked. Look, but don’t touch! This place is extremely dangerous even for experienced cave divers. We’ve lost many guides who have attempted to uncover the mysteries of the underground temple. My job is to keep you safe.”
For the next hour, they explored a portion of the maze. Seth pointed out some of the portals and illusions. As he had told them earlier, they were clearly marked. William’s favorite part of the tour was walking through a waterfall illusion. It was so realistic that he even felt the force of the falling water, but his clothes remained dry.
Scraps, how is that even possible.
At the end of the tour, they walked through a portal, which transported them to the gift shop. Toby purchased a tear bracelet for his sister and John bought a horse figurine for Mary. Tired, the group made their way back to the Nature Kingdom fortress, just in time for dinner.
That night, William went to sleep early, so he could get plenty of rest.
In the morning, he woke up early on his own.
“Wohooo!” he whooped. “The day of the Spirit Competition is here.”
The Nature Kingdom’s party left the fortress after breakfast and headed toward the coliseum. Only some sentries were left behind to man the fortress. William overheard a few of them grumbling.
“Bah, I drew the short sword,” one of the sentries complained. “I really wanted to spend the whole day in the coliseum.”
“It’s not that bad,” the other guard replied. “Our shift will be over in six hours. Besides that, we’ve got a pouch of living earth. We can still watch the action from here.”
“Come on, you know it’s not the same,” the first sentry retorted. “I’d much rather…”
Even with a partial ear shift, William could not hear the rest of their conversation.
“Hey, Aunt Lisa, what’s living earth?”
“Oh, it’s enchanted sand from Eel Island. It mirrors what’s occurring at the coliseum. The floor of the arena is lined with runes, which are magically linked with the enchanted sand. The living earth allows people from distant places to watch the Spirit Competition. Every major city has at least a few barrels of this sand. If you and I were in Pike right now, we could visit the local arena and watch the competition from there.”
“Wow, I’m having a hard time imagining that.” William frowned. “Are the competitors made out of moving sand?”
“That’s what I thought the first time I heard of living earth,” his aunt replied. “The mimic enchant actually makes the view quite realistic. It’s almost as though you’re right there.”
“That’s nippy…” William’s eyebrows furrowed. “Uhhhh, I didn’t realize that so many people would be watching.” He gulped.
“Pfft, don’t worry about that.” Mary waved her hand dismissively. “The moment you enter the arena, you’ll forget all about it. You’ll be too busy crushing those stinking Shadowlanders.” Mary smirked impishly. “I can’t wait to see the reaction once you start casting spells outside of the Nature order. There is bound to be pandemonium! They’ll be quaking in their boots when they see the Snowmonster coming for them.”
“Ha,” John exclaimed. “The Snowmonster! That’s a great moniker for William. Though I’m sure we could come up with something even better. Let me think about it.”
William felt better after hearing Mary’s little pep talk.
They traversed a winding road through a sparsely forested area. The wildlife was friendly. A herd of elk crossed the road just ahead of them. They reminded William of his moose, Swifty. He wondered if he had found others of his kind in the wild.
I really miss my moose.
Further down the road he saw a nimbus peafowl. It was perched atop of a giant tortoise, which was leisurely grazing in one of the meadows.
Once they reached the base of the hillock, the shady canopy of the oak trees disappeared. The tall palmas swayed gently in the breeze. The road merged onto a well-maintained cobblestone pathway. He could already hear the excited crowd in the distance.
“Some of the locals go to the coliseum a few days in advance, so they can secure good seats,” Lisa told him. “The wealthy prefer to watch the events from the Temple of Tor’Sal, where they can be waited on hand and foot. The luxurious balconies there can accommodate about a hundred guests. They use various magnification, mimic, and manifest gadgets to get the front row experience, without having to sit next to the commoners.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to sit next to me either,” William replied. Mary and John cracked up.
William continued to banter with the twins. He strategically joined forces with John so they could take Mary down. For her part, Mary gave as good as she got and then some.
They finally arrived at the coliseum. It was magnificent. The five-story seven-sided building was situated close to the Temple of Tor’Sal. Large balconies, supported by giant statues, jutted out from the structure. The granite walls of the building were smooth and covered in artistic paintings.
“I wonder how long it took to make one of these statues.” William craned his neck.
“Based on the Magnificent Structures almanac, it took seven years for a team of seven craftsmen to complete a single statue,” Lisa replied. “The walls of the coliseum are broken down into seven different sections. There are seven hillocks on the island, each one with its own portal and stronghold. The walls ahead of us depict events from the Nature Kingdom. The Evergreen Realm and the Shadow Lands have their own motifs. Three sections are completely blank. Hero Dot’us, a prominent historian, believed that the artwork on those walls had been removed to erase past events. The last section is known as the Grand Illusion. It doesn’t look like a painting. It looks as real as you and I do. It appears as a forest with trees, Sprites, and all kind of animals. The illusion extends beyond the borders of the wall and often interacts with people. The locals also call it the Mischief Illusion because it lures visitors closer and closer to the wall until they run into it. Twenty years ago, I saw a man from the Evergreen Realm chase after a beautiful Sprite and run headlong into the wall. He knocked himself out cold and had to be taken to the healers.”
“Oh, I saw that section yesterday when I was flying around.” William nodded eagerly. “I saw a lot of Sprites down there.”
Excited people flooded the coliseum from all directions. Monks tossed flower petals, bonbons, winged-whorls, and confetti from the balconies. They waved merrily at passersby. The Nature Kingdom’s party walked through the archways and emerged on the other side.
“Here come the champions and delegation from the Nature Kingdom,” a booming voice announced their arrival and the crowd cheered.
The party was escorted to their reserved seats on the first tier.
William looked around. The first four tiers were already packed with spectators. The only available seats were marked as reserved. People congregated based on their allegiances. A large section of seats on the east side were taken by the Evergreen Realm, clearly identified by the flags that waved. The Shadow Lands section was on the west side. It looked like their champions had yet to arrive. His group had been seated on the south side. The local monks were spread throughout the coliseum. They were easily identified by their white and coral robes.
“Hey William, look over there.” His aunt nodded her head toward the east section of the coliseum. “That man with the crown and gilded armor is the legendary Victor Restic. He’s the king of the Evergreen Realm. He’s one of the most renowned champions in recent history. Forty years ago, he dueled with Taran and their match ended in a draw. He won the 395th and 396th competitions that followed. The 396th competition, is when he and your dad were the finalists. On the 397th, your dad evened the score. That’s the year that Victor finally retired from the games.”
“Oooh, I forgot that dad beat the Evergreeners’ king!” William looked delighted. “Do you see any other former champions?”
“Hmm, I only see one other. Do you see that the man over there? The one standing next to the judges’ table. That’s Calin Hope. He won the Sword Event in the 396th Spirit Competition. Hmm, I don’t see anyone else, but I’ll keep looking. Oh, the young man sitting behind Victor Restic is his son, Julius. He’s quite well known for his sword fighting skills and I wouldn’t be surprised if he competes this year.”
William looked around the coliseum and his excitement grew. The lower tiers were packed like peas in a pod. The announcer sat on the ground level not far from them and used a Screamer Shell to amplify his voice.
“Please welcome the visitors from the Shadow Lands,” the booming voice proclaimed. The crowd’s reaction to the new arrivals was much more subdued.
William knew that there was a lot of animosity on the island over the invasion of the Nature Kingdom. Some of the spectators even booed and jeered. He heard muffled cursing from his left and turned around. Bay Valks, the bigheaded boy from Ivan’s class, glared at the contingent from the Shadow Lands. His face was contorted in rage. The young woman sitting next to him placed a hand over his clenched fist and whispered something to him. Bay visibly relaxed and nodded to her. William turned his gaze back to the Shadowlanders.
“Is that the Queen of Dirt?” asked William. “I thought she’d be old and ugly.”
“Yes, it is,” his aunt said frostily. “That’s Queen Esmeralda Sapphire.”
William shifted his vision to get a better look. The Shadow Queen was tall and moved with dignified elegance. Everyone in her vicinity was eclipsed by her presence. Even from this distance, he could tell that the queen commanded attention. There was something unnatural about her that drew the eye. She was a beautiful woman but looked heartless and coldblooded. Even her skin looked unnatural. It was ghostly pale.
The Shadow Queen gave one of her guards a contemptuous look for not moving fast enough. The sentry promptly got out of her way, and she ascended toward the royal platform. Her cloak looked like it was made of liquid obsidian. It was as dark as night. Upon it, a silver crescent moon gleamed as she moved. After reaching the royal platform, she lifted her amethyst gown and sat on a cushioned throne.
(Ivan)
Ivan intently watched the woman walking behind Queen Esmeralda. He could not take his eyes off Jane Sapphire. To his surprise, Jane looked in his direction. He thought he saw a hint of a smile on her face, but he had probably imagined it. After all, she was too far away.
“Hey, who’s that woman behind the Shadow Queen?” asked William. “She looked straight at us and then she smiled. I bet she is taunting us.”
“Yeah, I saw her stupid sneering smile.” Toby spat.
“That’s Jane Sapphire,” their aunt replied with obvious disdain in her voice. “She’s the queen’s younger sister.”
“I don’t see much of a resemblance,” William said. “Pfft, I don’t like either one of them. I bet they both die young without a husband.”
John and Mary cracked up.
The inner gates closed when the stadium had filled up. The thumping sounds of drums reverberated from underneath the coliseum. Several of the ground level doors retracted and drummers hopped out like prairie dogs popping out of their burrows. The crowd stomped their feet in rhythm with the drums. Ivan felt the stands underneath him vibrate. The drummers created a circle around the perimeter of the arena. A second group of musicians beating boom-sticks above their heads filed out. They formed a second ring, which marched in the opposite direction of the drummers. A line of thunder-bell players emerged and created a third inner ring, which moved in sync with the drummers.
The music galvanized the crowd, reaching a crescendo. Abruptly, the musicians stilled, and the coliseum was engulfed in silence.
Everyone in the stands turned toward the Temple of Tor’Sal. A massive horn, called the Behemoth, was mounted at the top of the temple.
Ivan held his breath and looked at the Behemoth in anticipation. The horn blared, like the bellow of the Sky God himself.
The crowd cheered raucously when figures wearing hooded cloaks entered the arena. The musicians played in unison.
Boom… Boom… Boom!
The cloaked figures marched in tune to the beat. They formed a smaller inner ring and the Behemoth blared again. The performers raised their hands. Perfectly timed with the tempo of the music, the monks from the inner ring shot a series of Light-bolts into the sky.
The Behemoth blared and the streams of Light-bolts collided in a massive explosion high above the arena.
The magical blast slowly coalesced into a fiery scorpion with its pincers snapping wildly. The spectators from the Evergreen Realm erupted.
The blazing scorpion morphed into a large crescent moon surrounded by smaller balls of fire. The Shadow Lands audience exploded.
The balls of fire spiraled inward toward the crescent moon until they collided in a burst of light.
A fiery acorn appeared and burst into a blazing oak tree. The Nature Kingdom roared.
The tree transformed into an open hand with an eye embedded in the center of it. The Monk Order cheered.
The Behemoth boomed once more and the performers dropped down on one knee, heads bowed.
“Today we celebrate the awakening of life,” the announcer’s voice thundered. “With the favor of Cea’Nia and Tor’Sal, we welcome you to the 398th Spirit Competition. The long winter has finally come to an end and spring has graced us with beauty and hope. On the first day of the competition, we shall start with Might. The very best weapon masters and elite archers from each realm will face off in a series of elimination rounds. It is time to present the selected champions.”
The crowd roared with fervor and chanted, “Might… Might… Might!”
“The champions from the Monk Order are…” The announcer could barely hide the excitement in his voice. After a dramatic pause he continued, “…Calin Hope and Verti Grace. Calin is known as the Deadly Viper in the local fighting pits. He won the Spirit Competition twenty years ago. Verti Grace, the Whirlwind, is renowned for his speed. He is just as deadly. Please welcome the monk champions.”
Calin was the first to enter the arena and Verti followed closely behind. Both monks had formidable physiques. Calin’s chiseled body looked like it had been sculpted out of stone. The monk champions raised their hands and the crowd applauded.
“The next contenders are from the Evergreen Realm. Julius Restic, the Unforgiving Blade, has won five consecutive victories at the Warsong Tournament. Fin Gothic, the Blazing Inferno, is the current titleholder of the annual Evergreen Realm Hack-n-Slash. Please welcome the Evergreen Realm champions.”
Julius and Fin stood up, waved at the crowd, and headed toward the champion stage. The Evergreen Realm section shouted and cheered.
“Representing the Shadow Lands are Rock Stump and Jane Sapphire,” the announcer bellowed.
Ivan was so startled to hear Jane’s name that he missed the next part of the announcement.
Jane is a champion.
Ivan’s heart skipped a beat.
I might face her in the arena.