The gentle flow of the lake caressed Dollar’s ears as he stared at the water. Above him swam a hundred colorful fish, and one large grec, twirling in the water in what could only be described as a choreographed dance routine. Bill flourished in the water, his horn swiping from side to side as he moved alongside his new friends, and when he spun around, the fish spun with him, and Dollar spotted the uni-pig’s gleeful grin as the sea creatures accepted him into their pod.

Dollar sighed. Four weeks had passed since meeting Ayia Tiberius, and Bill had decided to integrate into the local population. Somehow, the grec had succeeded.

“Really gets you thinking, doesn’t it?” Mitsy asked.

“What does?” Dollar asked.

“How some species can live in harmony, but others can’t,” she replied.

Dollar turned to face his companion, but she was busy scrutinizing the gravity symbol. Ever since he’d told her about the trip to the city of Tiber she had been training. The stones in the area were dust, sacrificed to a mad girl’s increasing skill levels, and the glossrocks they’d collected from the remains were enough to last them a lifetime.

“Are you thinking about our invisible assassin? That big jellyfish hasn’t popped up on our radar for weeks now,” Dollar said. “Maybe we scared them off.”

“You’re using those weird words again,” Mitsy chuckled, shoving Dollar playfully.

“Well, I’m not sorry, but I’ll try not to,” Dollar shook his head.

Again? I am really slacking off. Dollar thought. I’ve been growing too comfortable with this place.

Staying in one place wasn’t his style, and being allowed to fall into complacency was a new experience. Every now and then he slipped back into English, using expressions and words from Earth. Mitsy hadn’t asked about his other language, but she did ask what the words meant whenever he said one. Every now and then she adopted a few of them and some English metaphors for use in her own speech. She was enjoying the experience of new things, and he swore the mystery of the word’s origins was only motivating her to embrace their use.

It led to some very embarrassing moments, especially when he’d asked for the ‘fork’ and realized that word in English sounded suspiciously close to the Ioan word for ‘darkness’.

Mitsy had thrown a darkness box at his hand, almost breaking a finger.

If I had a [skill] for the language would it translate my words automatically? Dollar wondered. Probably not. Most of my abilities are intuitive. They don’t function by controlling me.

“They’re more likely waiting for us to lower our guards,” Mitsy shook her head. “Jellyfish or not, I think it’s still out there. Waiting for us on its radar.”

Dollar narrowly avoided slapping his forehead in exasperation. “That’s not how you use that word.”

“Really? Damn, I thought I had it,” Mitsy said, not showing a smidgen of embarrassment. One of the qualities she had that Dollar couldn’t fathom was her lack of unhelpful critique and willingness to make mistakes and move on just as quickly.

She was growing at a rapid pace because of it. In fact, she’d been rising so high that Dollar was worried she might legitimately kick the aura in the lake and break it one day. Which Dollar and Bill had both agreed was nearly impossible, but the slight possibility was also a terrifying idea.

“No, so, radar means-”

The next few minutes went by like a breeze, Mitsy nodding studiously as she explored the different uses of the word. She was a quick student when she wanted to be, and Dollar suspected she had more intelligence stat points assigned than he’d realized.

He couldn’t count the number of English terms she knew on two hands anymore.

“Why are you so keen to learn?” Dollar asked, genuinely curious.

“You’re not the only one who can train like a mad man. We’ll be in a fight to explore the lake soon,” Mitsy said, glancing up at the aura still blocking the surface of the water. “That cover is weakening every day, and by the time it breaks the city will be filled with adventurers and symbologists. By the time you learn the gravity symbol and craft us an artifact that lets us go down to explore, I think we have to expect a few early arrivals. When that happens, I can chat to you using your words, and nobody will understand us.”

“Like a secret code,” Dollar blinked in surprise. “That’s a great idea.”

“Of course it is, I’m the one that had it,” Mitsy beamed.

Speaking to someone in English in order to remain unheard. Dollar tilted his head curiously, dragging his eyes away from the sand and giving the dome a thousand-yard stare. It’s so unintuitive to me. But it makes perfect sense in a world where the language doesn’t exist.

“Well…” Dollar paused. “There is another thing we can do.”

“Oh?” Mitsy leaned forward, curiosity beaming through her eyes.

“My father uses hand signals to communicate,” Dollar replied. “House Tiberius can decode them, but nobody else can. With the help of the movement symbol, we should be able to use them underwater.”

Mitsy pulled back with a pensive expression. “That’s a good one as long as we can see each other. Let’s add it to the list.”

The sand darkened as a shadow enveloped the duo, and Dollar spotted Bill’s stomach above them, blotting out the sun. He chuckled, and Mitsy laughed beside him, standing up and raking her hands through her hair, undoing the ponytail she’d tied it into and walking to the edge of the dome.

With a single push against the sand, she bolted into the water, chasing after the mischievous grec. Bill was graceful and elegant in the water, his movement symbol constantly activated.

Mitsy floated higher with each step. She was forced to swim to catch the animal, fish darting around her and nibbling at the edges of her hair.

That’s why we need the gravity symbol. Dollar frowned.

His companion’s nonchalant attitude didn’t fool him for a second. At times, he would see Mitsy walking into the lake in a silent and pensive mood. On those days he didn’t hear the sounds of breaking rocks, or trembling sea stones. Those days were rare but as time passed he knew they would only grow more common.

“Being excited about buried treasure can only get you so far,” Dollar said, mostly to himself. “She’s stuck here when we go to the city, and that’d grind at anyone’s gears.”

His friend was an extrovert starving for action, and yet she was cut off from almost everyone around her. It was a problem he intended to remedy by giving her something to do. To do that, he needed to learn the gravity symbol.

Dollar waved his hand and three objects appeared on the ground: Two books, and Agni.

The dagger vibrated in his hands as he picked it up, the symbols within calling to be used. There hadn’t been a huge need for flames and stabbing, but Dollar liked to keep the dagger outside whenever he could.

“I’m thinking of upgrading you,” Dollar said.

Agni vibrated in his hands, and Dollar took that as a good sign. Then he shook his head.

Now I’m wondering if even my dagger has a personality, Dollar thought. I might be going crazy.

He placed the artifact in his lap and turned toward the other two objects.

Both of the books looked brand new, and Dollar prided himself on keeping them that way. The first was the notebook of the Unseeing, his trusty companion in research. He’d started using the notebook every day since meeting Ayia, but its eye hadn’t blinked or shifted in that time.

“You can talk to me,” Dollar cooed, trying to encourage a reaction out of the book.

The notebook didn’t reply.

“Fine, be that way.”

Sighing, Dollar placed the notebook to the side. He had been drawing symbols in it for practice, using chalk he bought whenever he went into the city of Tiber. The gravity symbols he drew always failed, but it was easier to see why they’d failed when they were written in a book compared to when he outlined them in sand.

Finally, he opened up the second book. It was the dossier on the Tournament of Kings, and Dollar had marked a single page for reading.

The Tiberius Household:

General information: A symbologist household of the southern continent, the Tiberius Household is tenuously considered one of the seven biggest households in Cresta, the southern continent. They have been granted one seeded slot in the Tournament of Kings in recognition of their claim to Mount Halcyon, one of the seven peaks of Cresta.

History: The Tiberius Household is a new power, and one to watch. Years ago they claimed their fame by having two participants enter the Tournament of Kings and reach the top sixteen of the symbologist tournament. One of those participants is the now famed patriarch of the Tiberius Household, Parelius Tiberius. Marcus Tiberius, brother of Parelius Tiberius, was the other participant and also reached the top thirty two of the main tournament. It is rumored that he has secreted himself away to hide his growing power, as it is known that he was part of a platinum-ranked adventuring party for a time despite being a symbologist.

Likely participants: Tiberius, Ayia (main family/Unseeing). Tiberius, Jasper (main family).

Note: Several branch members have the ability to enter the tournament but will likely be disbarred from doing so via seeded slot as the patriarch aims to solidify his hold over the household.

Abilities: All Tiberius members are taught symbology from a young age.

So, dad’s circumstances aren’t known to everyone. Which makes sense, since people would think of House Tiberius as weaker if word got out that one of the two people responsible for their rise was exiled and more likely to fight the household than join it in battle against enemies.

Dollar flipped to the section that listed potential participants, finding two entries of note. One was preempted by a disclaimer.

Author’s disclaimer: I am loathe to write on the members of the Unseeing, for even I fear their wrath, but I believe that since their including of miss Ayia has been so public, the Unseeing would not mind me writing about her magnificent capabilities, and strong foundation. Now then, let us begin.

Ayia Tiberius:

Expectations: High.

Tournament: Main Tournament.

Affiliation: The Tiberius Household. The Unseeing.

Seeded entry: Ayia Tiberius is a curious case in which she has access to two different seeded slots. The Tiberius Household claims one, and the Unseeing are not denied when they choose to claim one for themselves. This means Ayia can represent either party, though not both, and as an Unseeing candidate it cannot be assumed that all of her past ties have been cut off like her brethren. She may yet represent her household and if she places high enough, we may see the rise of a new powerhouse within the southern continent.

Abilities: Unknown.

History: Those with the gifts valued by the Unseeing are often found early in their lives and brought into the fold of the organization without issue. Ayia Tiberius was no different. Two years ago she was approached by the Unseeing and the rest is history. She accepted their offer of candidacy and is in line to become one of the youngest full-fledged members in history. It is unknown if her rise is due to natural talent, or abilities which have yet to be revealed.

It is important to note that throughout Ioa’s history, the Unseeing’s participation in the Tournament of Kings has been rare. When they do appear, no member of the Unseeing has ever placed lower than the eighth place, or higher than it. Nobody knows the reason for this, but the world fears what will happen should that pattern ever be broken. Many take it as a guarantee that should Ayia enter, she will join the ranks of esteemed champions and heroes that have reached the upper portions of the tournament.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

The world watches her closely, though all are wary because they cannot know if she is watching them back.

“Ayia is terrifying.”

Dollar glanced at his notebook, and on a whim placed the dossier in front of its eye and showed it the passage.

“She was going to be in the tournament, but she came here instead and now she’d missed her chance,” Dollar read her passage thoroughly. “Does that mean House Tiberius isn’t sending anyone to this tournament? Jasper is still in the city. I think.”

As usual, the notebook didn’t respond, but he thought he caught a glimpse of movement as its eye flickered over the page.

“Here’s another one you might be interested in,” Dollar said.

The Unseeing:

Evaluation: Top 8 Powerhouse*

*Caveat: The Unseeing appear to purposefully stop once they have reached the top 8 of the tournament. It is unknown why this is so, but many speculate they could go far higher if they wish to.

Based in: Unknown.

Organizational leader: Unknown.

Organizational hierarchy: Unknown.

Organizational structure: Worldwide. Consists of people from all continents.

Powers: It's suspected that each member of the Unseeing has reached their third class evolution, though none know what that class is, or how the Unseeing level so quickly and so young.

Note: The Unseeing always come in groups of three. No more. No less. Should you see a member of the Unseeing alone, assume they are not. If you see people claiming to be Unseeing but having less than three members or more than three members, they are likely fakes.

Candidacy: Every sixteen years precisely the Unseeing accept two candidates at a time to become full-fledged members, no more and no less. Whether these new members are replacing deceased members or merely bolstering the ranks of the Unseeing is unknown, as is the method by which they are chosen. All that is known is that there are barely a dozen candidates per sixteen year cycle, and each has the potential to become a powerhouse on the world stage. Those who are approached by the Unseeing are immediately considered candidates to join, whether they have accepted their offer or not.

History: Nobody in living history knows the origin of the Unseeing, except perhaps the Timeless Emperor, Bataille. If the esteemed emperor does know, then he has not spread the knowledge. According to their teachings, the Unseeing appeared when the world was created, guided by a newly freed fate. What that means is also unknown, but many have tried to decipher the words and failed. Some have speculated that their origins are linked to their strange candidacy rituals.

“Ah, I saw you move!” Dollar pointed at the notebook, drawing back the dossier.

The notebook of the Unseeing stayed innocently still, not giving him the satisfaction of proving his suspicions.

“Fine, keep your secrets, just know that we’ll probably see Ayia again,” Dollar said. “And those two people with her.”

He was going to use the word Unseeing to describe them but found himself hesitating. If even the emperor didn’t want to reveal information on the Unseeing, then he wasn’t sure he wanted to be saying their name out loud either.

Dollar pinched his side, chastising himself. “Don’t be scared of a silly rumor. You know better than that. Unseeing. There. I said it.”

Is that a breeze crossing over my spine? Dollar shivered.

Turning his attention away from the dossier, and the stubborn notebook reading it, he faced the subject of his weeks of research.

There were four new symbols he had to learn, but he hadn’t been slacking these past few—

“—Oiiiiinnnkkkk.”

Bill’s shrill cry echoed across the dome as the grec sank through the transparent wall of the dome and landed softly on the sand. He’d been thrown at the dome from somewhere deep in the lake. The uni-pig was followed closely by Mitsy. When she exited the water she had a grin on her face, and a surprising topic left her lips.

“The tournament is coming up,” Mitsy said. “Dad’s going to be busy.”

Dollar sat back, ignoring his symbol learning for once and paying full attention to his companion. The Tournament of Kings was approaching, which was a blessing and a curse. It was a curse because Grisham was going on a dangerous quest without Mitsy by his side, and Dollar knew that she cared deeply for her father, even if she was trying not to show it.

“Even I’m starting to miss the old man,” Dollar said. “I hope we can catch up with him soon.”

Mitsy froze, and then her arms trembled as she let out a barking laugh. “He’s going to lose his non-existent hair when he hears what you’ve done with his reputation.”

“Psh, he’ll never find out.” Dollar waved his hand dismissively.

The blessing of the tournament was that it had single handedly saved Dollar’s chances at claiming the symbol in the lake. The entire world was focusing on the tournament and they couldn’t drag their eyes away from it.

“All of the most powerful beings, from the five guilds, to the major households, and even the gods that roam the continents of Ioa. They’re attending the Tournament of Kings, right?” Dollar asked.

“Yep,” Mitsy nodded. “And it’s presided over by one of the chosen children of the emperor.”

“Not the emperor himself?” Dollar blinked in surprise. “I thought he was there.”

“The tournament is held in the capital where his palace is,” Mitsy replied. “But the emperor himself hasn’t left that building in a long time. I’m not sure why, but I assume it has something to do with his [class].”

“Huh,” Dollar tapped his chin pensively. “Doesn’t the outcome of the tournament determine the fate of countless humans, and other races as well? How does that work?”

“What do you mean?” Mitsy asked.

“Well, it’s just a tournament,” Dollar shook his head. “But the prizes allow clans to take over other clans, households to rise in power, and people to become powerhouses. Besides, that’s just what I know from my dad. I don’t even know what the prizes are.”

Dollar laid out his qualms in succession. He’d held back from asking Mitsy about the tournament because of her father’s situation, which was part of a new thing he was trying out called ‘respecting others’. Now that she had brought up the tournament herself, all of his questions were rising to the surface.

He continued, his voice turning into a growl as he spoke. “Not to mention it's only held every seven years. That’s too much power shifting in too little time. I don’t get it.”

The muffled sound of hooves clopping against sand entered his ears, and he glanced to the side to see Bill trotting happily up to the group. The grec paused as he heard Dollar’s word, and saw Dollar’s growing frustration. For a moment Dollar and Bill stared at each other, and then the grec smiled widely.

With a mighty heave, the uni-pig shook its fur, dumping a shower of lake water onto Dollar.

Dollar spat out a glob of water and shuddered as he gazed down at his wet clothes. “Ugh. Why?”

“Oink,” Bill squealed with laughter.

“One day, I will eat you,” Dollar sighed. “Mark my words.”

Bill let out a shrill oink and pounced behind Mitsy, ignoring the fact that she was nowhere near tall or wide enough to hide his presence. The scene was almost comical.

“Don’t be rude to Bill,” Mitsy frowned, patting the grec’s fur lovingly. “As for the time, well, it’s not as short as you think. I forgot how it is to be young, thinking you have all the time in the world.”

“What do you mean?” Dollar shook his head. “I’m seven going on eight. That’s two tournaments. Are you seriously telling me the world has shifted powers so drastically in that timeframe?”

“No, not every tournament leads to a drastic change. The prizes are determined beforehand based on how humanity is faring. Keep in mind, seven years doesn’t seem like a long time when humanity can be brought to the brink of destruction in a week,” Mitsy shrugged. “Port cities are destroyed by monsters in hours. The wildlands continuously try to reclaim their lost territory. And battles between households often turn deadly. Things change quickly on the continents. Maybe a little less quickly than before but not slow enough to change the tournament timetable.”

Ah, this would be some of Ioa’s common sense that I’m lacking in. Dollar shivered. I guess time is measured quicker for me because Earth was safe. Or at least safer than here. She’s right. Even a year is a long time to those who don’t know if they’ll live another day.

“So, when my father and uncle entered the top sixteen and managed to claim a place among the top seven households, that must have been a bad seven years for humanity?” Dollar asked.

Technically, they weren’t given a place in the top seven households. Dollar thought. They were just given the right to contest for the position. That’s still a big change.

“Very bad,” Mitsy’s eyes darkened. “That was before my time, but even I heard about it.”

Dollar raised his hand to ask a question, then lowered it. He was curious, but right now he had bigger issues to deal with. He’d spent several minutes not focusing on his symbols, and that was far too long of a break for him.

He had one final question to ask. “What are this year’s prizes?”

“The prizes are variable, and most people want different things,” Mitsy said. “The top eight can lay claim to new territories, a rift, or an item. Usually, claiming territory is a right exercised by non-human races since they find the concept fascinating. Most of the top eight take something for themselves or their clan, like a weapon from the emperor’s vault or even claim a rift entrance. The top four all receive offers from the gods for an apprenticeship for a year. That’s what everybody envies and wants. The actual winner…well, that’s different. They get whatever they want. Even the chance to become one of the emperor’s chosen, provided they can defeat one of the current ones. Though that number hasn’t changed in twenty eight years.”

“The emperor’s chosen, you mentioned them earlier,” Dollar’s eyebrows furrowed. “Who are they?”

“Not who. What.” Mitsy tapped her side, and Bill glanced at her. “The emperor’s chosen are his children. Seven in total. Five are adopted into his family. Two were born into it. Each can lay claim to his throne when he abdicates, though he hasn’t done so for hundreds of years.”

“So they’re the next in line to rule the world?” Dollar tilted his head, his eyes expressionless. “Interesting.”

He turned toward the sand and focused on the artifact that lay atop it. The band that had been made by his uncle years ago.

Within it was the gravity symbol.

“Breathing. Movement. Light. Gravity.”

A deep breath helped ease his mind, and he started the slide into a state of intense concentration. Breathing had been mastered, and movement would be conquered next, but Dollar knew that time waited for no one, and if he was going to grow in power he needed to learn and memorize all that he could.

“Two down. Two to go.”

Dollar put his head down and began drawing symbols in the sand, leaving his notebook and dagger to the side. There was a sense of urgency wrapping around his mind that only grew as the days ticked by, but it drained away as he focused his attention on the task before him. Every second of his time needed to be spent on studying this symbol. Even then, he couldn’t be sure he would learn it before he needed it.

He only had a few months before the lake opened up and he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.

Until his work was done, there would only be himself, and the symbols.

****

Joie, the central continent of Ioa, was a beautiful place. Across Grisham’s vision were lush grassy knolls spread out across vast plains, and between them were cities teeming with life. The plants and flora called to him, just as they always did, and he responded with a brush of magic, paying them the attention they so desired. Humans and non-humans alike mingled and chatted, checking their status screens and walking merrily without a care in the world, and there was magic in the air, mana ruffling through hair and clothing as it danced and twinkled under the light of the sun.

Despite the horrors of the world, there was a semblance of peace among the citizens of the central continent. Grisham wished that his daughter could be here to see it. To feel the breeze and the magic.

No. Grisham’s thoughts grumbled. She’s safer there.

The lone adventurer strode through the street of Cenovis, the city that guarded the entrance to the central continent from the south. It was a fortress, and an embassy, with various races from the wildlands gathered within. Most were hoping to watch the Tournament of Kings in person, and several would-be participants were being crowded by stragglers on the street hoping for a brush with glory.

Grisham ignored them. The true contestants of the tournament wouldn’t be walking with their heads held high. They were beyond petty fame and glory. Those who were bragging were the people that were entering the pre-tournament selection, unseeded and factionless. There were tens of thousands of them every year, but only a fraction would make it through to the main tournament.

Passing by them, Grisham soon found himself staring up at a large building, its upper levels nearly touching the skies.

It was the magician’s guild of Cenovis.

“Finally,” Grisham grumbled.

This would be his final time entering a guild until reaching the central continent’s capital, where the tournament was held. He couldn’t afford to have his enemy find out about his arrival in advance.

The moment he stepped through the entrance of the guild, an attendant appeared at his side. She was dressed in fine clothing, and an aura of power emanated from her eyes as she watched Grisham carefully.

“What do you require, sir?” The woman said, her tone polite.

“Food,” Grisham replied. He held up his magician’s badge and handed it to her. “And an update.”

“Right away,” the woman nodded.

She waved her hand and disappeared into a darkened mist. Grisham tensed, then relaxed. That type of magic was rare, but in the central continent the rarest of magics could be found on a street corner. It was a far cry from the rest of the world, where mana was wild and refused to be tamed. In those places, magicians were rarer because mana never gave them a chance to explore a friendship with it.

The woman reappeared a moment later with a stack of papers in her hand. Each one glowed bright and transparent, and he knew that only he and the authorized guild members would be able to view what was within. It wasn’t a perfect arrangement, but if the guilds couldn’t be trusted then nobody could.

“Master Grisham, it is an honor to make your acquaintance. To meet a man who has hidden his talents for so long is a rarity, especially in our guild," she said. “Little did we know of the caliber of man we had recruited into our guild. To choose now as the time to reveal your secrets, we can only wonder what you have planned. Not everyone shares your generosity, or your kind heart. and some do not agree with your methods. But as a person who believes in sharing knowledge and artifacts I hope you can continue to make a difference here as you have been in the southern continent. Though you have only just begun to reveal yourself, the guild can see you have been preparing for this for a long, long time.”

“Excuse me?” Grisham paused.

A gleam entered the attendant’s eyes, and she chuckled. “As expected from your reputation, you’re an excellent actor. You would have to be to have fooled both our guild and the adventurer's guild for so long, but your disciple has been very thorough with your orders to spread your name.”

“Disciple?” Grisham frowned.

The woman offered the papers and he took them in hand. The moment he did so, the papers disappeared and the System opened up a screen with the text on it. Grisham looked over the words with narrowed eyes. They were the update he’d asked for, which was a ledger of all his deeds. Every guild member had one, and it was free to check the records, but barely anyone knew about them. Most people never checked their ledgers, but Grisham had found that it was always useful to know what information the guilds had on him. After all, if they could gather the information, then his enemies could as well.

What he read inside the ledgers left him with more questions than answers. Grisham looked up at the attendant, seeing a faint and knowing smile on her lips, and then back down at the papers.

“What?” He asked again.

Grisham read through the pages once again, scrolling through the System screen several times over. Then he sighed, and a rumble grew within his chest, flowing through his through and out of his mouth in the form of strangled laughter.

When he finally regained his composure, a single word bellowed from his lips.

“DOLLAR.”

****

Mitsy continued to train in the waters of Lake Tiber, her eyes shut tight as she focused on the movements of the creatures around her. She was starting to understand how Dollar could spend so much time focusing on a single discipline. It had been tedious at first, and she had spent the first few weeks fighting her mind’s attempts to distract her from her training. Then she spent months entering a flow of training and envisioning battles in her mind, and conquering old opponents. Mitsy smiled as she exited the house and began the new day with a blue box floating at the side of her vision.

She had lost track of time, but it all felt like the blink of an eye, and now she was a vision of perfect poise and movement.

Then, as it always did, reality came crashing back down.

“I DID IT.”

Dollar’s voice crashed over Mitsy, causing her to jolt and miss her footing, her face planting into the sand. Her leather jacket scraped against the ground, her white shirt mired by sand.

Ow.

Mitsy pushed herself off the ground and turned toward Dollar, spotting the excitement in his eyes. In front of the boy was a mist of sand floating in the air, in defiance of physical laws. A symbol glowed underneath the sand, and she stared at the gravity symbol as it drank in its newborn existence.

It’s beautiful. Mitsy thought.

“Just in time too,” Dollar said. “Ugh. Wait, what month is it? What year? Did the lake open?”

“It’s about to,” Mitsy said. “As for the month… Oh.”

Mitsy glanced up at the lake. There were cracks in the aura, and it was shifting into something new. A portal, maybe, or perhaps a gate. Purple mist spilled out of it, and she was reminded of tales of a land her mother called Ikurra.

Judging from the position of the sun beyond the cracks, nine months had passed since Dollar had last visited the city of Tiber.

Which meant the Tournament of Kings had begun.