Lumeria motioned to the throne next to Emperor Solaris, where his daughter was seated. Vi released Taavin’s hand and stood, waving to the crowd. She looked confident, but not boastful.Almostdemure in her modesty. The crown princess had many facets, Eira had learned. There was the young woman who chased love across the seas, the broker of treaties, the executioner she had seen weeks ago punishing her enemies by flames, and there was the leader of the Court of Shadows.
Which one was the true Vi Solaris? Eira couldn’t be sure. Though she suspected they all were. The princess was a chameleon, fitting in to whatever the situation called for, and was all the more dangerous for it.
“At the culmination of these games, we shall sign our treaty and enter into a new age of prosperity,” Lumeria continued. “But first, we shall celebrate. This tournament represents that the only conflict our nations will hold for each other, henceforth, shall be that of friendly competition. That even if we fight, it shall be in good spirits. Underneath it all will be the wish to see each other succeed. To the victors, honor, glory, rewards, and the pride of their nation.”
After the applause subsided, Lumeria motioned to Vi Solaris. It was interesting that she was being given more deference than her father, the actual Emperor of Solaris. But here on Meru,Vi was more of a known entity. Moreover, she was going to be one of them once she married the Voice of Yargen, Taavin. On this soil, and even to the other nations gathered because of this treaty she brokered, she was arguably more important and powerful than even the Solaris emperor. It struck Eira just how much power and influence the woman had amassed—enough that Ulvarth would no doubt find her as threatening as the treaty itself.
“It has been agreed upon by every nation that the tournament shall proceed as follows.” Vi spoke with the same magical enhancement as Lumeria had, her voice reaching every edge of the coliseum. It must be some kind of Lightspinning magic and Eira wondered if someone else was performing the magic for Vi, or if she was subtly, secretly, doing it for herself. How Vi had mastered both Lightspinning and Firebearing was a mystery Eira wanted to one day solve. “The games shall proceed at varying intervals over the next two weeks. There will be five games in total, one designed by each kingdom—three team games and two individual games. The winning kingdom will be decided by the team that gathers the most points at the end.”
Vi raised a hand and a torrent of flame rose behind the large glass vessels at the top of the arena behind the royals. Eira could feel the heat from all the way down on the arena’s dirt floor. It was a wonder those on the upper rungs weren’t singed.
“First place in a game will win five points, four points will go to second, three points to third, and so on. Every team game will bemandatoryfor all champions to participate in. Individual games will be voluntary participation from the champions.”
“Individual and team competitions.” Noelle hummed in thought. “I’d been expecting to compete as a team the entire time.”
“Me too,” Alyss whispered. Eira nodded as well.
“In addition to the points awarded to the team competitions, there will also be individual merits,” Vi continued. Every royal produced a ribbon, weighted down by a golden shield that Eira could only assume bore the signet of the tournament. “These individual merits are given to outstanding competitors who exhibit skill, bravery, cunning, teamwork, and are overall exemplars for their kingdom. These merits will be given at the sole discretion of the nobility and are limited. They can be awarded for any reason the noble finds fitting. However, the nobility cannot give these awards to their own champions.
“Winning these merits is not only a prestigious honor, but it will give the team or person they are awarded to certain privileges that will offer advantages throughout the tournament as well as highlight the riches of each of our great nations.” Vi turned toward the crowd as she continued speaking. “This tournament was designed to celebrate our shared strength. So it is only fitting that every nation has an opportunity to show off their most valuable exports to our competitors. Further, in the spirit of collaboration and friendly competition, the champions have been sequestered into their own village with merely their basic needs met. This will ensure that the only advantages given are earned through trial and triumph. Moreover, it will offer the champions an opportunity to share their magics, and spoils, with those they so choose.”
Eira scanned the merit ribbons. She wasn’t sure how many each kingdom had—just the one they were showing, or many. Perhaps there was no limit. But if she was going to get one, it would have to come from someone other than Vi or Aldrik Solaris. That might work in her favor, all things considered, given how she seemed to have a knack for upsetting the royalty of her own nation.
Lumeria stepped forward once more, giving a nod to the princess as Vi finished. The sheer fabrics that enveloped herfrom head to toe hung in the air behind her movements. The veil she wore over the face was almost thin enough to see through in the bright sunlight.
“These games are meant to try you, they are meant to bring out the best in you,” the queen addressed to the competitors. “They will be intense. There might be blood as the competition becomes fiercer with each passing day. But it is a challenge that will harden you, lift you up, and show your true merit worthy of glory. This arena will be the crucible by which you will be made into the champions you were destined to be. And we will all”—she outstretched her arms—“bear witness to your greatness. For you are the champions of the five kingdoms.”
The crowd erupted with cheers once more. They seemed to be even more eager than before. Eira scanned the masses, wondering just how far some of the spectators had come. For the first time, she felt like a champion. The excitement and fervor caught her in its embrace, holding her tightly. Her anxiousness tingled all over her body, causing her to shift her weight from foot to foot.
Her sense of anticipation proved accurate.
“Now let the tournament commence!” Lumeria said, lifting her hands. “The first competition begins…now.”
8
Aloud, low horn rumbled underneath the cheers that followed Lumeria’s announcement. The draconi king Tortium stood and stepped forward. Eira could see his son in his sharp features and the small bumps that turned into ridges rising from his nose to the back of his head. On the king’s left cheek, trailing down his neck, was a gnarly scar, raised and discolored.
“The first competition was designed by the Kingdom of the Draconi.” His voice was softer than Eira expected. It was almost a whisper and she had to fight to make out the sounds of the words even when magnified. Perhaps the portion of the wound that was on his throat had damaged deeper than skin. “It is inspired by our culling trials that all young men and women must go through upon reaching adulthood.
“Every competitor will have a small pennon of their nation pinned to their chest. If the pennon is removed, they will be removed from play. The winner will be the final team to still have a member bearing their pennon on the field.”
As he spoke, the attendants that had marched in with them shifted from being musicians and parade officiants to game organizers. At the bottom of the baskets of flower petals were theaforementioned pennons. Within moments, every competitor had one pinned over their left breast.
“If I had known that we were going to compete right out the gate, I wouldn’t have worn my grandmother’s good rubies.” Noelle was in the process of quickly removing said rubies from her hair, neck, and fingers, and shoving them deep into her pockets. The rest of them were doing the same with their own, gifted gems.
“You don’t think we could bribe another team to remove their pennons with the gems, do you?” Alyss asked. “After all, this tournament is supposed to be about highlighting the economic exports of our kingdoms.”
Eira chuckled. “That’s a good idea, actually.”
Her friend grinned in reply.
“Maybe if this was a few days from now,” Noelle said. “But I doubt anyone will be willing to step out of the games this early. Plus, we’ve no idea what their nations have promised—or threatened—them with.”
“Threatened?” Alyss asked.
“Ducot was telling me they were promised awards on return to the Twilight Kingdom depending on how they performed—a bit unfair, if you ask me, that we were not offered the same. But he said what awaited the draconi was harsher, more of an ‘or else’ approach to the competition.”
Eira and Alyss both grimaced.
