The great hall of Selenopolis was buzzing with worried whispers when the announcer climbed onto the stage. Caelum, still exhausted from the Burning Sun Trial, felt his heart racing. He glanced at his companions: Raven, her face impassive but her eyes alert; Kaela, her fingers nervously drumming on her thigh; and Dorian, whose furrowed brow betrayed his concern.

"For the next trial," declared the announcer in a solemn voice, "participants will face each other directly."

A deathly silence fell over the assembly, quickly followed by an explosion of frantic whispers.

"Bloody hell," Raven muttered under her breath, perfectly summing up the general sentiment.

Kaela leaned towards Caelum, her warm breath against his ear. "This smells fishy, old chap. What do we do now?"

Before he could answer, Dorian interrupted them. "Look at the other delegations," he whispered. "It seems some were expecting this."

Caelum scanned the room. Indeed, while most participants seemed shocked, a few - notably in the ranks of Solara and Noctis - wore satisfied smiles.

"Something's not right," Raven grumbled. "I bet my ass some were warned in advance."

"Language, Raven," Kaela teased, but her smile didn't reach her eyes.

The announcer resumed speaking, detailing the rules of the next trial. The fights would be drawn at random, without distinction of nation. The use of powers was allowed, but fatal blows were strictly forbidden.

As the crowd began to disperse, Caelum felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face Velyria, princess of Lunaris. Her face was a mask of calm, but her eyes betrayed her concern.

"Ser Caelum," she said formally, aware of the curious glances around them. "May I speak with you in private?"

Caelum nodded, ignoring the questioning looks from his friends. "Of course, Your Highness."

They found an isolated corner in one of Selenopolis' hanging gardens. As soon as they were out of earshot, Velyria's mask fell.

"Caelum," she said, abandoning formalities, "this trial... It's not a coincidence. Something is brewing in the shadows."

"I suspected as much," he replied. "But what exactly do you know?"

Velyria hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "Not here. Meet me at the library tonight, after curfew. There are things you need to know."

Before he could question her further, she slipped away, leaving him with more questions than answers.

Back with his companions, Caelum was bombarded with questions.

"So, what did the princess want?" asked Raven, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Caelum rolled his eyes. "Nothing of that sort, you pervert. She has information about the trial, but she couldn't talk about it here."

"Oh, a secret rendezvous then?" Kaela teased.

"Focus, you idiots," Dorian intervened, but a slight smile softened his words. "We have more urgent matters to deal with. Like the fact that we might have to fight each other."

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken words. Finally, it was Raven who broke the ice.

"Listen, whatever happens, we remain a team, okay? No matter who faces who, we don't let this damn trial divide us."

They all solemnly agreed, sealing their pact with a nod.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of training and strategies. When evening fell, Caelum made an excuse about needing to do additional research to slip away to the library.

Velyria was already waiting for him, hidden in the shadow of a bookshelf. Without a word, she guided him to a remote section, filled with dusty old manuscripts.

"I found something," she whispered, pulling out a book with a worn binding. "It talks about the Seal of Abnegation."

Caelum felt his heart leap. "The Seal? What does it have to do with the tournament?"

"Everything, maybe," Velyria replied. She opened the book to a marked page. "Look at this. The Seal was a legendary artifact from Myralis. It's said to have had the power to seal or release immense energies."

Stolen novel; please report.

Caelum leaned in, intrigued. The illustrations showed a medallion adorned with complex symbols, strangely familiar.

"Myralis..." he murmured. Then, driven by a sudden impulse, he added: "That's my home country, you know."

Velyria's eyes widened. "You're from Myralis? But I thought..."

"That Myralis was a fallen nation, forgotten by all?" Caelum finished with a bitter smile. "That's what many think. But we still exist, in the shadows."

Velyria stared at him intently, as if seeing him for the first time. "There's a prophecy," she said slowly. "A prophecy about Myralis and the Seal. It speaks of a champion who would rise from the ashes of the forgotten nation..."

Before she could continue, the sound of footsteps made them jump. They quickly separated, pretending to look for different books.

A guard passed by, scrutinizing them suspiciously, but eventually moved on.

"We can't stay here," Velyria whispered. "It's too risky. But Caelum, be careful. I believe some people know about the existence of the Seal and are actively seeking it."

"Who?" Caelum asked.

"I don't know yet. But I'll keep looking. Be cautious, and keep an eye on your friends. I fear we may all be in danger."

With these words, she disappeared into the shadows of the library, leaving Caelum alone with his swirling thoughts.

That night, sleep eluded Caelum. Elyndra's words echoed in his memory, mixed with the legends of the Seal and Velyria's warnings. He felt there was a connection, a missing piece of the puzzle he couldn't grasp.

A discreet knock on his door pulled him from his reflections. It was Dorian, looking grave.

"We have a problem," he said without preamble. "Raven intercepted a message. The Order of the Veil is involved in the tournament."

"The Order of the Veil?" Caelum repeated, frowning. "Those mysterious fanatics Rowan told us about?"

Dorian nodded. "Apparently, they're very interested in Myralis and its ancient artifacts. Raven thinks they might be behind the changes in the tournament."

Caelum felt a shiver run down his spine. The pieces were starting to fit together, but the picture remained blurry and unsettling.

The next morning, the atmosphere was electric among the participants. The prospect of facing each other weighed heavily on their minds.

"What will we do if we have to fight each other?" Kaela asked as they ate breakfast, expressing everyone's fear.

"We'll improvise," Raven replied with a forced shrug. "As usual."

"Great plan," Dorian muttered. "It's worked so well so far."

"Hey, no sarcasm before coffee, buddy," Kaela gently chided him.

Caelum watched them, his heart heavy. These people had become his family, and the idea of having to face them was unbearable.

The day passed in a haze of training and growing tensions. Throughout Selenopolis, one could feel the anticipation mixed with fear.

As evening fell, Caelum decided to return to the library. He needed answers, and he hoped the old books could provide them.

He was browsing the shelves, lost in thought, when a movement caught his attention. A hooded figure was sneaking into a rarely used corridor.

Intrigued and wary, Caelum decided to follow. The pursuit led him through a maze of secret passages he didn't know existed. His heart was racing, but curiosity outweighed caution.

Finally, he arrived at a hidden door. Muffled voices were coming from the other side. Holding his breath, he slightly opened the door.

What he saw froze him in place. Several masked figures were gathered around an object emitting a pulsing glow. With a shock, he recognized the symbol he had seen in the labyrinth, engraved on the luminous object.

"The Seal will soon be ours," one of the figures was saying. "And with it, the power to reshape the world."

"And the champion of Myralis?" asked another voice.

"A pawn in our game," replied the first. "Whether he knows it or not, he will lead us straight to the Seal."

Caelum felt his blood run cold. Were they talking about him?

Suddenly, one of the figures stopped mid-sentence and slowly turned their head in his direction, as if they had sensed his presence.

Heart pounding, Caelum was about to flee when a firm hand landed on his shoulder.

He turned abruptly to find himself face to face with Rowan, the renegade knight.

"Not here," Rowan whispered. "Follow me."

Without waiting for an answer, he led Caelum away from the secret room, through a maze of corridors to a small hidden room.

"By all the gods, kid," Rowan hissed once the door was closed. "Do you have any idea what you've gotten yourself into?"

"The Order of the Veil," Caelum replied, still in shock. "They're looking for the Seal of Abnegation. And they think I can lead them to it."

Rowan swore colorfully. "It's worse than I thought. Listen to me carefully, Caelum. This tournament, the Seal, all of it... It's bigger than you, than me, than all the nations combined. If the Order gets their hands on the Seal, it will be the end of everything we know."

"But why me?" Caelum asked, his head spinning under the weight of the revelations.

Rowan fixed him with an intense gaze. "Because you're the last heir of Myralis, kid. The last one who can either save the world or condemn it."

With these words, he opened the door, checking that the coast was clear. "Now, go. Return to your friends. Prepare for the trial. And whatever happens, trust no one."

As Caelum was about to leave, Rowan added: "One last thing. If you have to face one of your friends... Don't hesitate. They'll understand."

Caelum left the library, his head full of questions about Myralis and the Seal. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the hooded figure slipping furtively into a rarely used corridor.

His instinct told him something was wrong. Without thinking, he decided to follow the stranger.

The pursuit led him through a maze of secret passages he didn't know existed. His heart was pounding in his chest, but curiosity outweighed fear.

Finally, the figure stopped in front of a hidden door. Caelum held his breath and slipped behind a large marble column.

The door opened, revealing a secret room. Inside, several masked people formed a circle around a glowing object.

Caelum squinted to get a better look. His heart leaped when he recognized the symbol engraved on the object - the same one from the labyrinth!

Suddenly, one of the masked figures stopped talking. Slowly, as if they had sensed his presence, they turned their head towards Caelum's hiding place.

Panic overwhelmed him. He had to leave, fast!

But just as he was about to flee, a firm hand landed on his shoulder.

Caelum turned abruptly, his heart in his throat, to find himself face to face with...

The identity of the person behind him was about to change everything...