Moonlight cascaded through the window, illuminating the room with pale silver beams. The stars crawled across the sky, slowly leading in the new day. It was a few Seraphina was intimately familiar with. On her frequent restless nights, she had little more to do than observe the stars. Most moved predictably, and she had learned to tell a lot from their positions in the sky from her small outlook. Now, she was using them as a signal.

Half an hour before sunrise there would be a shift rotation for the guards at both the church and the castle. It would be her best opportunity to escape. She had spent the past month watching, planning, and failing on various attempts. Today she would have her last opportunity. After a lifetime of subjecting herself to the authority and rule of the Church and the Kingdom, today, for just a moment, she would grasp her freedom.

The tip of the Lion’s Spear dipping beneath the horizon signalled her to start moving. She put on her most casual garb, making sure to grab a cloak to conceal her identity, and slowly opened the door, scanning the hallway. No one should be moving around at this time. The High Priestess tended to rise with the sun, so Seraphina had some time. She had learned from her failed escape attempts. She skulked down the hall, sticking close to the walls so she could stay in the darkness as much as possible.

Her first obstacle was the staircase. It was narrow, with nowhere to hide. If she got caught on the way down her chances of success were as good as zero. She listened for a moment, straining her ears to try and hear if anyone was close on the floor below. No sound came to meet her, so she moved down, taking care with every step, ready to retreat at even the slightest murmur. She continued past one floor, remaining on her toes. The lower she went, the greater her odds of discovery became.

When she reached the landing on the second floor she peered out into the hallway again. Her heart pounded in her ears as she dashed across the hallway, ducking back into a dark corner. Voices drifted to her ears, faint and distant. She rushed down the hall and turned left, trying to keep her footfalls light. At the end of the hall, a small beam of moonlight through a slightly open window beckoned her closer. In the particularly warm summer months this window was never closed, allowing a cool breeze to flow across this floor of the church. It also provided Seraphina with her opportunity.

Her heart raced even faster. This was her most daring attempt. Glancing left and right at the intersection at the end of the hall and determining that she was safe, she approached the window. Gently she pushed it further opening, wincing as it creaked loudly. She dragged a nearby table with some ornate equipment on it closer, using it as a step to get onto the ledge of the window.

“Hey, what are you doing!” a voice shouted. Seraphina whipped her head around to see one of the altar boys staring her down. She tried to motion for him to keep quiet. “That is dangerous! Get down from there!” The boy approached her. He was still very young. He would not understand her desire to escape.

“I just want to see the tournament. This is the only way,” she said in a harsh whisper. As he got closer, recognition dawned.

“Saint, is that you!?” he asked in alarm. “You have to get down from there! What if you get hurt?”

“Please, do not tell the High Priestess,” she pleaded. Before he had the opportunity to object further she stepped through the window and onto the roof outside. She had a small ledge to stand on before the roof slanted down aggressively. She began manoeuvring down the ledge, ignoring the alter boy desperately calling after her. She noticed his calls for her shift to a call for help from the guards. Soon the whole church would be in uproar. She had to move fast.

At the far end of the ledge was the rear facade of the church. Along the slope of the roof was a thin and steep stone staircase, left there from the construction to provide access to the roof. It was still used whenever external maintenance to the building needed to be done, so it was well maintained. She carefully moved down it, watching her footing. If she slipped, she would almost surely die.

Her nerves made her spend longer than intended descending the stairs. Soon daylight would break. The stairs let out onto a tiny balcony, where a rickety ladder provided the final descent to the ground. Seraphina’s breathing was ragged and her confidence was waning, but she made it to the ground before the first beams of light managed to break over the mountains.

She glanced around to make sure she was still unseen before pulling her cloak over her head and walking quickly to the square in front of the church. Once there she veered sharply to the right, walking away from the church and down the nearest street that connected to the square. She was so absorbed in her own worries that she nearly crashed into a young man walking towards the square

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked, deftly catching her before she fell. When he was satisfied that she would not fall he took a step back, trying to give her space.

“Yes, I am fine,” Seraphina said, bowing slightly. “My apologies, that was incredibly careless of me.”

“Please, there is no need for that,” he replied. Seraphina looked up at him, getting a good look at him for the first time. His eyes twinkled with kindness and despite his well-trained physique, she felt no threat from him. “I am equally at fault. I was so caught up with everything around me that I did not pay enough attention.”

“I understand, it can be very overwhelming,” she said, smiling. Something about him drew her eye. Something below the surface. She could see it deep in his eyes. A distant shout from behind her pulled her from her thoughts. It could only be the guards, out looking for her.

“Promise me you will not tell anyone you saw me,” she quickly asked.

“What do you-” the man began.

“Please, promise me!” she insisted.

“Alright, I promise, no one will know I saw you,” he said, sincerity and worry plain on his face.

“Thank you,” Seraphina said, granting him another smile. “I have to go.”

Before he could respond she rushed down the street and into one of the alleys nearby. Part of her wanted to go back and ask him to come with her. Her curiosity burned to know what she saw in his eyes, but it would need to wait for another day. She could not risk staying that close to the square.

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She kept going, weaving her way further and further from the church. As she moved the city woke up around her. Merchants went to set up their stalls, people lazily completed the first of their chores, and children began playing in the streets. Her progress slowed to a crawl as she took it all in. An older woman swept the entryway to her home. Two children threw a tightly wrapped ball of fabric between each other. A man carried a crate filled with fruit to a nearby stall.

Seraphina regretted for a moment that she had not taken a coin from the offering chest. She would have loved to participate in the activities these people busied themselves with, but an opportunity likely would not present itself.

“Hey lady, could you throw it back!”

Seraphina looked to the source of the voice. One of the two children waved at her, then pointed to the ground near her, where the ball of fabric rested. Hesitantly she bent over to pick it up. The children both smiled broadly, raising their hands slightly to catch it. She reared back and threw the ball. It sailed wide to the left, completely missing her intended target. She winced and began to apologise, but was interrupted before the words could escape.

“Thank you!” one of the boys called, rushing over to pick up the ball.

“You are welcome!” she responded, waving. Her smile returned. She watched the boys play for a few more minutes, before continuing on. It only dawned on her later, as the sun climbed ever higher, that she had no idea where she was going. Without thinking she reached out to the nearest person, tapping his shoulder. She was shocked when she felt nothing but bone beneath her finger.

“You need something?” he asked. Seraphina took a step back. He was thin, almost sickly. Despite that, her instincts told her to be worried.

“I am trying to find the arena where the Royal Tournament is taking place,” she said, looking him up and down.

“I’m also heading there,” he said. “Just go to the castle and follow the crowd, I’m sure you will find it.” He began walking away, appearing eager to end their interaction.

“Hold on,” Seraphina said. “Are you alright?”

“Soon, I will be,” he said, barely audible as he kept walking in the direction of the square. She wanted to pursue him, but something about his presence unsettled her, so she waited for him to disappear into the mid-morning crowd before setting off herself. Getting closer to the church and the castle was a risk, but it seemed like she would not have any other choice.

Luckily the crowds only grew denser as she approached, providing some camouflage. She made sure to keep her head down to avoid recognition, trying her best to match the movement of the crowd. It proved to be hard work, and she frequently apologised for bumping into those around her. The crowd seemed to either not notice or not care, each person too absorbed in their own affairs.

The people thinned out as they reached the spacious square, leaving her more exposed than she would have liked. She kept her head on a swivel, looking every which way for someone who could spot her, and in doing so she neglected to watch where she was going, crashing into yet another person. Metal rattled as she staggered back and fell to the ground, her cloak slipping from her head.

“Miss, are you…” the guard began, turning to see if she was alright. His words dried up, and he quickly scrambled to find new ones. “My lady, we have been searching all over for you! The High Priestess will be delighted to hear you are alright.”

Seraphina stared back with wide eyes as the guard took a step closer. Her goal had been in her grasp, and then she made such an idiotic mistake. Each inch the guard closed in on her felt like another bar of her cage being placed back around her. She knew he meant well. He was only doing his job. She had no other choice but to allow him to escort her back to the church. She could see her room in her mind’s eye, her window the only glimpse of freedom she would have.

“No,” Seraphina said. The guard paused.

“I am afraid I do not understand,” he said. She lifted her hand, aiming her palm at his face. She had been denied so much. She had no friends, few good memories, and barely anything one could consider a childhood. Even when she was encouraged she disappointed those around her. The Church and the Kingdom expected her to be some holy figure. Someone powerful. Now she could show them how powerful she was.

“I said no!” she yelled, pouring all her anger and frustration into the only magic she knew. A blinding beam of light shot from her palm. The guard stumbled backwards, throwing his hands over his eyes. The beam drew the attention of everyone in the square who had not already been watching the commotion unfold. Seraphina paid them no mind. She got to her feet and started running in the direction of the arena. Banners decorated the street, leading the way.

“Saint, stop right there!” a voice behind her called. More guards had gathered, and they were quickly closing in on her. She ducked into side streets again, weaving as much as she could, trying to keep track of her direction of travel. She pulled her cloak down again, hoping to disappear in the throngs of people. Decorum went out the window as she forced her way through the dense gathering. The sun scaled the sky. Every guard uniform in the corner of her eye sent her heart racing. They knew she was here. It was only a matter of time before they would find her.

Rounding a corner, the arena finally came into view. The building was a marvel. It was set into the ground, only rising above it a couple of stories. People slowly streamed into it. Seraphina studied their movements. Those clad with more expensive fabrics and more intricate patterns headed for the upper levels, while those with patchwork clothes went to the section below ground. No one was enforcing this rule, but it seemed that some societal conventions were baked into people’s behaviours.

Seraphina decided to follow the commoners to the lower levels. Those with riches who lived nearer to the castle would be more likely to recognize her. Down below she would have some amount of anonymity. She could hear the arena buzzing with life. Cheers echoed out as those inside observed the spectacle. Soon enough, she began catching glimpses of it too. Flashes of light, clashing steel, and dust thrown all about. Her smaller frame allowed her to push through to the front of the crowds, where she could get a proper view of what was happening.

Her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape as she saw two combatants crash into one another, going to the ground. They wrestled with one another, each trying to get the upper hand. Eventually one managed to pin the other down. He raised his fist, but before he could bring it down his opponent announced that he yielded. The crowd once again went wild, deafening cheers rising from all around her.

The energy was infectious, and she became so lost in the spectacle that she forgot her position, allowing herself to laugh, wince, and cheer with the crowd as the battles unfolded. The time slipped past her as more combatants came and went. The sun arced overhead, descending down. In time, the last bout was announced.

The combatants entered the arena, each wearing a stern expression. The mood of the crowd shifted. Seraphina could feel it deep within her. Something about these two was different. She could not place it before, but now she knew. The balance of power she was used to was tilting. She looked up to the King’s booth and saw the King, the Archmage, the Commander, and the High Priestess leaning over the ledge to observe the match more closely. They could also feel what she was feeling. A feeling of raw power rippling out. A miracle unfolding before their eyes.

“Combatants, are you ready?” the announcer called out. The larger of the two drew his sword and took a combative stance. The smaller just seemed to take a deep breath and lifted his hands, keeping his palms open. Both nodded to the announcer.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are in for quite the bout! Without further ado, combatants… Fight!”