“I choose Kirin Vulender as my representative for this year.” Carmine’s words echoed around the makeshift stadium, the silence quickly shifted from a respectful one to an utterly oppressive one. Murmurs of confusion and shouts of anger quickly filled in that silence while shock froze me in place.

“Oh?” The elderly man seemed quite intrigued by Carmine's words, his lips spreading into a grin. “Well, where is sh—”

“You can’t be serious!” Lushia shouted out, her commanding voice drowned out every single sound that dared to whisper out. “Daedrik. This is outlandish, even for you.” Lushia hissed out through clenched teeth, bile filled every word she spat out at him.

“I’m afraid I am in agreement with Lushia, Daedrik,” Levi spoke calmly. His head shifted effortlessly towards the elderly man, while his gaze furrowed into a deep-set glare that settled upon Carmine. “It is both outside of Carmine’s rights, and a near death sentence for the girl.”

“I beg to differ, Levi,” Carmine spoke before Daedrik had a second to answer either of the complaints. Her smug grin widened ever so slightly as her gaze met Levi’s defiantly. “I’ve been watching her and I’d say she’s doing far better than you’re giving her credit for. And I know for a fact you weren’t barring them from entering the competition, only withholding your right to have them represent you during it—Sooo, it is within my rights to choose her.”

“She’s right you know,” Daedrik replied with an amused clap of his hands. “And this is far too amusing to let go by unnoticed! So you’re both overruled.” Daedrik chuckled to himself as his gaze turned to the crowd. Everything fell silent, everything other than Lushia’s sputtering rage.

“But!—” Lushia started. But the instant the words left her lips an absolute silence was cast about.

“Lushia,” Daedrik spoke with heat to his voice. I could feel the heat even from where I sat in the stands, it was like everything had jumped up several degrees from a single word. “This is my school, you will listen to what I say. Now,” The increase in heat quickly washed away as the threat left his tone. With a smile he turned to face the stands, spreading his arms wide. “Let us greet Kirin Vulender to the stage!”

Only the echo of Daedrik’s words could be heard. Not a single soul dared to whisper, they all just looked around; searching for me. I pleadingly glanced at Tulip, but she just gave a reassuring shake of her head—And a not-so-gentle shove to my shoulder, forcing me up.

I could feel thousands of eyes settle on me the instant I moved. It was like every being in the world had set their predatory gazes upon me at once. I felt their gazes like daggers digging into my skin, I could barely even breath—Every motion left a feeling like my bones were crunching against each other.

I took in a desperate breath, pleading for it to steady my motions even slightly as I took my first step forwards. I kept my gaze low, watching the stairs as I walked down each step meticulously. There couldn’t have been more than two dozen, yet it felt like I had to walk down two thousand. Every second spread into a century, by the time I got to the base of the seating I was pulling at my jacket.

I was desperate to be covered more, to hide from the world around me—To hide from the prying gazes digging into me. Once my gaze finally moved away from the stone tiles I walked upon, and up towards the stage I felt even more alienated.

Only a single person seemed to welcome me to the stage, Carmine. She had one arm to her side, while another motioned casually for me to speed up a little. But the last thing I wanted to do was to approach the stage, especially when she stood directly next to Lushia—If looks could kill, I would have been dead a thousand times over from the woman.

Daedrik looked me over with a smile, he didn’t seem to be in any sort of rush at least. Nenema kept her blind gaze indistinctly facing forwards, while Levi didn’t even look at me. I couldn’t even come close to reading his face, his steeled expression hid any hint of recognizable emotion from his gaze.

I forced in another deep breath as I began up the stairs. My gaze remained firmly locked past Lushia and Kendrick, locked onto Carmine’s gaze as I approached her. I stopped beside her, on her right side in the same way Kendrick and Silva stood next to those they represented.

“Now!” Daedrik spoke in the instant I stopped. “We have our three representatives for this year, which means amongst all of you there are five positions to compete for! The first event of the Skyliner Festival shall be in eight months,” Daedrik cast his gaze around the crowd as he spoke, yet once he reached the mentioned deadline his gaze settled solely upon me. “You best all get ready for it.”

The elderly man turned his gaze back forwards, clenching both hands into fists he pounded both against his chest like a resounding drumbeat. The echoing boom of his raw, primal strength left the ground—No, the entire island shaking.

I nearly fell off of my feet, and I very well would have if Carmine hadn’t flashed an arm out to catch me by my jacket. As she pulled me back up she finally whispered gently.

“Sorry to put you through this.” She spoke softly, though I couldn’t tell if her words were genuine or not.

I barely had the balance to keep myself standing, my gaze shifted towards Carmine as she spoke but she just gestured from the ground, then up to the barren night sky. I could feel it now, the island was taking off—I could see the distant clouds growing closer, I could feel the wind fading away as a shimmering translucent barrier grew in to cover the sky in a dome.

“Welcome one and all to SilverSky!” Daedrik shouted out. Gone were the tensions that had filled the air when I walked to the stage, jubilations now filled the night air. I could hear cheers, shouts, whoops of joy—I almost wanted to join in with them.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

But I could feel the oppressive presence of the two people standing just on the other side of Carmine. I could feel the unfiltered, raw hatred that Kendrick and Lushia exuded. It left a cold sweat to form across my brow, racing down along the edges of my face until it uncomfortably fell away at the bottom of my chin.

I wanted to move, I wanted to run away again—Or to really just do anything. But all I could do was watch the crowds, all I could do was meet Tulip’s gaze when she met mine. I could see vaguely what she mouthed out for me.

“Calm down. It’s fine.”

I let my eyes close tightly, giving Tulip a gentle nod in response. My jaw clenched down tightly before unclenching in the moment my eyes opened. Turning my head slowly I met Carmine’s gaze, a warm smile sat on her face—A reassuring one. I couldn’t quite feel comforted by it, but it did help me somewhat.

“Your classes shall all begin in the morning! I recommend that you all head to rest now—And may you all ascend to the skyline!” Daedrik called out to the crowds. A smile spread across his lips—I felt a surge of magic rush through the air, and the large sections of seating began to lower themselves into the ground.

Soon, all that was left was the stage and the people on it. I searched the crowds frantically, desperately trying to find a glimpse of Tulip, but Carmine’s voice snapped my attention to her.

“Sorry about that, Kirin,” She offered with a nonchalant smile. “You left me a little too curious and I wanted to see what you can really do.”

“What did you even sign me up for?...” I asked anxiously. My glaze flicked over to the other figures on the stage for a moment, Levi and Daedrik were talking in a hushed tone while Nenema and Silva began to walk away. Despite being visibly blind Nenema walked with absolute confidence in her stride.

Lushia and Kendrick were both on stage still, but they gradually moved away with their own hushed conversation. I could hear the hatred in their voices even from the distance I was from them, it left another wave of bubbling anxiety to rise up from my chest.

“The Skyliner Festival—It’s a yearly tradition of SilverSky,” Carmine offered. She waited for my gaze to move back to her before she continued. “Eight competitors are chosen a few months into the year, four are chosen by some of the teachers while the last four spots are competed for. In this year's case it’s five given Levi waived his rights to a representative.”

“Competitors for what exactly?—You can’t be expecting me to fight other students, right?” I asked pleadingly. But Carmine just shrugged in response.

“No idea, Daedrik keeps the competition hush-hush until it’s about two weeks before, then the competitors are informed. However the last event is always the Skyliner duel, the last two competitors are sent into the arena within Arcadia, whoever wins is labeled a ‘Skyliner,’ a rather prestigious title that comes with some rewards.” Carmine answered honestly. Her gaze shifted away, glancing at the other groups as they scattered away.

“What sort of rewards?—And you are expecting me to fight people? How?! I… I barely even survived the last time I had to fight anyone…” I shuttered just thinking about the desert. I could see Geldin’s smiling face, I could see Andrew’s sneering grin, I felt it prying into me when I closed my eyes for a moment.

“And you never knew how to fight,” Carmine stated bluntly. “Levi has no choice but to train you properly now, and after your classes every day you will be meeting me outside for an extra training lesson. One far more specialized for you.” She offered a reassuring smile, extending a hand out she once again let a hand ruffle my hair.

“So don’t you worry, by the time these eight months are over you’ll be a fighting machine!” Carmine spoke with such confidence that I honestly wanted to believe her. But I could still feel an itching feeling that it was wrong, or that I wasn’t ready. “Oh, and you’ll want the rewards—This year is especially valuable. A thirty pound ingot of Mythril, so we’ll be sure to have you trained in a weapon of choice by the time you win that.”

“Wait what?!—You’re expecting me to win?!” I shouted out, utterly bewildered. I had thought she wanted to send me into it as a joke—Just to laugh and watch me fall on my face the moment danger actually arose.

“Of course! I wouldn’t have picked you if I didn’t think you could win,” Carmine chuckled softly. She pulled her hand back, smiling wider. “Go and get some re—”

Carmine’s words, no, everyone’s words got cut off at once. A terrible, booming roar echoed across the sky. It sent the entire island shaking as if the air itself was quaking in the presence of something. The wind began blowing like a hurricane, whistling and hounding against the buildings—The bushes and trees whipped around violently. I only remained in place thanks to Carmine once again catching me.

I felt my heart racing in my chest, my eyes darted around the empty, black sky to search for a source of the disturbance.

“What just happened?” I wondered. I didn’t dare break the imposed silence, nor the imposed stillness that was cast across the island like a veil. The wind slowly lessened, replaced by an almost soft-sounding echoing clap.

A long shadow slowly crawled across the land around me, dragging my gaze upwards.

I saw a beast, impossibly large. Crimson colors reflected in the iridescent moonlight directly behind it—A massive tail whipped out behind it that must have been twice as long as it’s entire body. Its wings shape like that of a bat’s jutted out of its shoulders, spreading easily fifty feet out from its main body in either direction.

Its scaled underbelly was a deep black color that blended into the night sky, yet as the scales climbed its sides they dyed themselves a fiery crimson color. Its head was elongated like that of a dog’s while it had a crown of jet-black horns. I could see only a single white dot surrounded by a ring of red where its eye should have been, focused entirely upon me as it flew onwards into the night.

I could feel a pressure in its gaze—Not like that of hate, but examination. It watched me as it circled once, and then twice. Finally, another beat of its grand wings carried it out into the distant night, the pressure it left chased away with it.

I felt my body shaking, my ears left ringing from the pressure which had just crushed my body. As the faint ringing faded, it was slowly replaced by a laugh from Lushia.

“Oh my… even Infernus, our great guardian, is against your choice, Carmine.” Lushia spoke with a sneer to her voice.

“Is he against her? Or is he perhaps approving? After all, why wouldn’t a dragon smite her if he hated her bloodline,” Carmine replied coolly. Her gaze shifted back towards me, her lips narrowing into a thin line. “Go and get some rest Kirin. You’ll have a long day tomorrow.”

I didn’t give a verbal response, I just nodded my head. I was ready to take any excuse to get away from Lushia. Levi and Daedrik both glanced at me as I hurried past them, but neither of them gave more than a passing glance—Their concerns seemed to lay elsewhere as I ran off, finally able to return to a warm bed for the evening.