An early breeze of warmth fluttered about the streets of Bournington, as the city awoke the morning of the Contest of Champions with great excitement. For many, the contest was a crucial steppingstone because of the King's confident choice to label it the face of his reign. It was something not to be missed. The streets also took the great opportunity to bury their battered past, with the cheers of the contest chiming through everyone's minds. The streets were merry once again, and they carried charisma that had been lacking since the attack which left the city in a crumbling ruin of its prosper.

The ringing of this parading had abruptly woken Axel up from his sluggish slumber. His drool was stringy, and it had been slathered across his torso, but his biggest issue was his head. The inside had been drumming from side to side as soon as he lifted it. This banging sensation of torture furthered, when the door to his home had an impatient set of knocks. At first blocking the thuds out with his pillow, the sound intensified until he angrily threw the door open to see the commotion.

"Ugh, who is it?" He asked grumbly.

"Axel! Wha! You, eek!" Squealed a soft voice.

Tired, his mind had taken no thought as to who his visitor might actually be, and this caused particular panic when his visitor was Annette. Her shrieks were expected, as Axel had been stood there in a half-naked slumber that passed over for a few seconds.

"Yes? Oh. Oh no. The contest. You're here about that!" Axel cried out.

"No! Put some clothes on first, you idiot!" Screamed Annette, her fingers masking her face.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't really expect you to get so flustered, but oh well..." Mumbled Axel in reply, his body swayed around to his clothes for the contest.

"I'm not flustered...I just um...oh wow..." Mumbled Annette as she caught a glimpse of his body, biting her lip in a betrayal of her own chastity.

"Okay, I'll be out ready soon. Have the carriage ready, we are going straight there." Said Axel, his mind focused on other problems. "She must be flustered by my smell of alcohol!" He thought.

Swiftly, the two left, with Axel helplessly vomiting through the whole journey, to the arena of the Contest of Champions. Surprising the pair, they had found themselves relatively early, but their appearance was certainly not the first. Ahead, a stunning stallion steered a jewelled carriage into the arena, causing a jaw drop to captivate the crowds of citizens. The sponsor and their lucky candidate left the carriage to confront the crowds with an aroma of rich warmth to them. Just above the masses on a raised platform, a speaker silenced them and began to introduce a wave of clapping.

"The lovely Ms Victoria Magika, and her candidate, Caspian Cull!" She called out loudly. "And just behind the two, is the angelic Annette Summers, with her candidate, Axel Astrix." She added.

Victoria appeared in high spirits for the crowds with a gleaming smile of beauty, but her candidate was in a state of slight disinterest. Caspian's heart was set on the contest and pleasing his sponsor, but his mind had wandered off into a corner of his mind that was locked away. Victoria sensed his discomfort, and this seemed to cause her concern too.

"Hmm, what seems to be the matter? You won't let me down, will you?" She nudged him lightly.

"Huh? No, I won't let you down...krff…krff!" Caspian coughed out.

"Oh, Caspian! Perhaps a meeting last night was not a good time." Said Victoria, slightly disheartened.

"No, I am not fragile. The cold did not make me like this." Said Caspian.

"There is no need to hide it. Between me and you, I'm sick too." Muttered Victoria, but her words fell short at the sight of a menace to her cool blue eyes.

Fiery with a thirst for fight, the general was stood side by side with Chadwick, the two burning with anticipation. Looking up, the general sharply locked eyes with Victoria, and the two harshly battled a fight of fire and ice within their eyes. Chadwick, however, was on a completely different wavelength as he pursued Caspian with a gentle handshake and a caring smile.

"Good luck." He said simply, as their moment was being crushed by the rising tension nearby.

"Isaac, good...goo...go...I can't say it! You're an idiot! You left me out alone last night, I had no clue where I was!" Exclaimed Victoria with a stamp of her foot against the ground.

"What?! You fool. Why didn't you speak up then? Instead, you acted so timid, so shy and quiet." Isaac was caught off guard but quickly found his footing again.

"Oh, but Isaac, you were the one to call me so late out at night...and to do those things to me...you really, really teased my heart, you know..." Victoria smirked, as a crowd began to focus on the group.

"Enough! I didn't realise the two of you were, how do I put it? Lovers?" Chadwick tried to grasp the situation.

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"Mmm, I think you have it wrong. I have no interest in him, your boy seems to be infatuated with me!" Dramatically said Victoria.

"What, no! Why would I fall for her? Look, Alsop Dusseldorf, you were there last night too, come here now!" Isaac quickly demanded, as his eyes found his only source of support.

"You can't ask Alsop, you hurried him off because you wanted me to be alone with you!" Said Victoria.

"It sounds like I wasn't even there last night..." Alsop nervously chuckled.

"You don't happen to be joking around with us, Ms Magika?" Maxwell asked as he joined the group.

"Yes, simply a tease to throw off Isaac! You better stay away from my Caspian, who knows what secret tricks you're hiding!" Said Victoria, her stance shielding her knight.

"Right, Caspian. Isaac, come here with me for a second." Chadwick said as he pulled him along.

"Grr, she really is wicked! If anyone else was her candidate, they'd be my first target!" The general scowled aloud angrily.

"Well, good. I have a request, no, an order for you. Do not use the mana draining rope on Caspian Cull. I believe the lady has cast protective magic on him." Said Chadwick with such seriousness, that Isaac sweated a drop of fear.

"What? He is using foul play then!" Outraged, Isaac exclaimed.

"No. This magic does not offer him any real advantage, it seems." Said Chadwick.

"Eh, very well then. I will restrain myself because he is a friend." Said Isaac.

The candidates and sponsors dispersed like seeds onto a field of neutrality as soon, their friendships would pause momentarily. Alsop and Axel, in particular, had been together for the first time in a while, as Alsop's two-week hiatus of being a knight had its toll on their friendship. Alongside them, their sponsors had a relationship that was even worse. Annette and Maxwell were both timid to the spot as they reclined themselves to silence.

"Good luck Axel. Need I say, you will need it!" Said Alsop.

"What?! Your confidence is something to envy! But good luck too, my friend." Said Axel with a surprised smile.

"Mm, yes, good luck." Maxwell said to Axel faintly.

"Alsop, good luck. You know what you have to fight for." Said Annette, with a crushing stare into Maxwell.

"Do you really have to do that here?" Asked Axel.

"You two are still settling that? Why?" Asked Alsop.

"Well, I'm sorry Alsop. But this man, he could have - " Annette had been quickly cut off by Maxwell.

"The matter is over, Anne, I'm sorry, so I ask you to forgive me." Said Maxwell, his eyes prodding towards their candidates.

"Right...just for today, I forgive you slightly, I guess." Said Annette, as her eyes finally saw into his.

She had only now recognised the true melancholy that tortured his precious body.

"Silence! The King now enters." A voice had gathered the crowds. "My lord, all contestants are here, except for Alister Sinclair and his sponsor, Frederick Hirving." Said an attendant to the King.

"Forget him, the games won't be faltered by his incompetence. Have them all go to their chambers and prepare." Said the King, his stern stares shunning all.

"Al isn't here yet?" Alsop whispered with worry.

"Heh, that would be because of an issue at the forest. I heard there's a fire over there. You care for the old man then?" Questioned Chadwick.

"He was my mentor." Said Alsop.

"Ah, and then you took a break. After your wife died." Said Chadwick, a slightly manic sneer to his lips.

"Get out of here, Chadwick. You foul-mouthed fool." Maxwell scorned as he shoved him off.

"Treating me like the usual then, Maxxy. You're sharp with your words, but not with your power, are you?" Grinned Chadwick.

"Huh! I may not use my power often, but I get my jobs done. And I do your jobs too, you slacker!" Repelled Maxwell defensively.

"Don't call me that, the names taken, isn't it? That old idiot, Frederick, he hasn't come out to help us in months." Said Chadwick disgustedly.

"Ahem, it's good to know you're still as delightful as ever, Chadwick." Emerged Frederick, as he and his contestant had finally arrived for the games.

"What?! You're not the real Frederick!" Snarled Chadwick in surprise.

"Great to see you, Max." Said Frederick.

"Oy oy, I'm right here, don't just ignore me!" Exclaimed Chadwick.

"I heard there were some issues?" Asked Maxwell.

"You heard that from me!" Mumbled Chadwick.

"The situation is being sorted." Said Frederick.

"Since when did you two get so chummy anyway?" Muttered out Chadwick in defeat.

"Ah Chaddy, feeling a bit jealous?" Smirked Maxwell.

"Jealous? Grow up. Now be quiet you two, look." Said Chadwick as he pointed to the King's attendant.

"...ten elite Knights will face off in this Contest of Champions. The very best will be granted a space in my lord's highest ranks. We will do our best to provide each candidate with a final score, mostly calculated by their performance. However, some of our finest magicians will provide a regularly updated leader board of the rankings. Just simply look up at the roof of our magically built protective barrier. Such a barrier is in place for your safety, as the battles may get gruesome." The King's attendant had been providing the crowd with information they came to relish.

With the experience for spectators made clear, the candidates were free to prepare within their chambers. For Alsop's chamber, a single, momentous door completely eclipsed his preparations. As if an avalanche had plummeted from the skies, a vigorous echo pounded into the ominous door, trembling everything in the chamber. A fierce storm of ice-cold bullets, pounding and pounding into the blistered wood of the door. This was no enemy for Alsop, rather it was a foe for all. Opening his designated door with a defying kick, a flurry of ice had tarnished Alsop's sight in an instant. His sight was white. His skin was cold. His hair was soaked with ice. His ears were met with a haunting howl from death. Without a doubt in his cold senses, Alsop had found himself in the middle of a storm of sorts. Such a place deep in the depths of a blizzard was a position many would appreciate not to start their Contest of Champions in.

At the very least though, Alsop was not alone in his torturous starting place for the contest. The crowd provided an ecstatic warmth that vibrated across the frost Alsop laid upon, but to his heartache, their chanting was for another name.

"MAG-NO-LIA MAR-GRA-VE!" Was the fierce roar raging through the crowds, as a heroic shadow of villainy navigated through the thick layer of snow ahead of Alsop.