After a month of grueling training, the trial is set to begin at any moment. The trio confidently heads outside the city, ready to impress their teachers and show the kingdom that they're among the elite.
At the designated meeting location, everyone from the tournament of glory and all four of the pillars are present with some new and some familiar faces being added to the mix. The crowd of new warriors stands in front of the current Four Pillars talking amongst themselves.
King Gokuro emerges from a tent behind the Four Pillars, ready to get the trial underway. "Welcome, everyone. Today's going to be the start of your journey to officially become warriors of the Sura Kingdom. Though, as you know, this isn't how we'd conduct this test, I have word that a looming demon threat to our home has presented itself."
Mareyaki and Queen Mena step out of the same tent as Gokuro smirking like they have something sinister planned. Mareyaki walks next to his father.
Shiku and Houki both sneer at the sight of Mareyaki. Kasumi looks at them understanding their disdain for the prince but tries to keep her composure in front of the rest of the royal family.
King Gokuro waves his hand toward the crowd, "The Four Pillars will be the captains leading the four teams. They will be responsible for selecting their own teams. Except for one." King Gokuro announces.
"Yes, Gorran you will be "leading" my team," Mareyaki says with a sinister smirk on his face. "I might as well get my whole team out of the way. Shosai, Isohi, Rishin, Hitaka." Then he chooses one other male but didn't bother learning his name so he just points at him.
Queen Mena observes her son with a subtle nod of approval, clearly pleased with the choices he has made. Around her, the crowd buzzes with lively conversation, much of it centering on the prince's decision to include Shosai, the tournament's reigning champion, on his team. With many spectators expressing their belief that this gives the prince's team an unfair advantage, sparking a debate about whether they truly had the best team in the trial.
"Of course, he stacked his side," Shiku mutters under his breath, a mix of frustration and resignation in his tone. He stood with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie, fingers clenching tightly around something hidden within. As he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Can't fight fair to save his life."
Houki leans forward, arms crossed, his void-colored aura faintly rippling at his back. "He's not aiming to fight fair," he says coldly. "He's aiming to humiliate us. To make sure no one forgets he's the king's son."
Kasumi exhales slowly, forcing her fists to unclench. "Let him. We didn't train for a month just to bow to his arrogance."
King Gokuro slams the butt of his scepter into the earth, silencing the murmurs. The ground rumbles beneath the warriors' feet, and the air grows heavy. "Enough chatter. Pillars—choose your teams."
The crowd tenses as the Four Pillars step forward, each radiating authority. Their eyes scan over the dozens of warriors.
The next one to choose is Aeryn who steps forward confidently, her eyes sweeping the crowd before settling on Okagoro. After a heartbeat of tense silence, she first calls. "Okagoro."
Okagoro, the winner of Tournament Group C, is a magnetism mage and a tall brute. Clad in armor and wielding a one-handed war hammer in his right hand, he slowly walks toward Aeryn with a serious expression.
As the tension in the air thickens, the crowd waits with bated breath. Suddenly, a voice rang out, calling for "Kasumi." The unexpected announcement sends a shockwave through her; being chosen this early by Aeryn, the most tactical of the four pillars, is a significant honor. Whispers fill the air, rippling through the crowd as some express their jealousy, while others look on with admiration. Many in the crowd couldn't help but think that Kasumi must possess exceptional strength to have caught the attention of such a revered commander.
As Kasumi walks toward Aeryn and Reina, she can't help but glance back at Shiku and Houki, feeling a sense of pride swell within her. Shiku, beaming with enthusiasm, flashes her a cheerful two thumbs up, his smile radiating encouragement. Meanwhile, Houki nods in approval, acknowledging the hard work and dedication she has put in. The support from her friends fills her with confidence as she continues on her way.
"If Aeryn expects this much from me… I hope I actually deliver?" Kasumi thinks to herself.
Aeryn confidently proclaims that the rest of her team will consist of Kaede, Hana, Reina, and Yamao. She believes that this carefully selected group would effectively showcase her exceptional skills in battle knowledge and tactical warfare. Each member brings unique strengths to the team, and Aeryn is certain that together they will excel in their endeavors.
Reina walks toward Aeryn calm and elegantly but in her head, she is ecstatic to be getting chosen by the person she idolizes.
As the final four members of the team walk toward Aeryn. Yamao shudders as the weight of the pressure gets to him. Hana notices his nerves, steps closer, and offers him a reassuring grin. Still, Yamao's hands clench tighter as Lucen, the next pillar, ambles forward to make his first selection.
"Houki," Lucen breathes, his voice a fragile whisper that somehow pierces the air, drawing everyone's attention to him.
Houki steps forward, his movements calm but deliberate. The crowd parts instinctively, whispers rippling like waves at his passing.
"Isn't that one of the boys who interrupted the tournament…" one voice hisses.
"No way he should've been picked before me." another voice says.
Houki ignores them all. His eyes meet Lucen's—steady, unwavering. Lucen tilts his head slightly, as though peering into a soul only he can see. For a fleeting moment, Houki feels the faint brush of Lucen's mana probing against his own, like an echo testing the edges of his void.
"I like the way to block out the noise," Lucen says softly.
Without another word, Houki takes his place beside him.
The murmurs grow louder—already the balance of the teams is shifting. With Houki and Kasumi chosen by separate pillars, the trio's bond is being stretched thin. Their eyes turn now to Shiku, who bounces impatiently on his heels, waiting for his name.
But the next few names Lucen chooses are Takeru, Saiya, Ashisine, Yoribo, and Chiho. Choosing his team by basing it on not only magic types he knows work well together but also matching his style of assassin-type combat.
Takeru, the winner of tournament group B, a shadow mage, is a short and slender boy, with quicksilver eyes that flick restlessly between teammates as he adjusts the black scarf hidden beneath his collar. As he moves alongside them toward Lucen.
Saiya, a blood mage, is a tall girl with jagged scars, who moves with a predator's silence. Slightly annoyed by not being chosen by Aeryn but tries to hide her frustration with a calm smile.
Ashisine, a mineral mage with sharp, angular features, walks stiffly toward Lucen. Her crystalline gauntlets catch the sunlight, casting glimmers across the crowd. She avoids eye contact, her expression locked in stoic determination.
Yoribo, a beast augmenter with broad shoulders and untamed hair, cracks his knuckles as he joins. His fox-like grin unsettles those nearby, his presence more feral than civilized.
Chiho, the last, is a mind mage—slight in frame, but his steps are measured, deliberate. She carries herself with quiet precision, as though already calculating a dozen ways to use the terrain.
Lucen gives the faintest nod, as though pleased with his carefully assembled mixture of stealth, instinct, and precision.
Meanwhile, Shiku nearly bounces out of his skin. His fists clench, his teeth grit, and his crimson eyes burn with restless energy. Both his teammates have already been chosen, and yet no one has called his name.
"Come on already…" he mutters, rocking on his heels. "What's everyone waiting for?"
A sharp laugh slices through the air. It's Vael, the fourth pillar, stepping forward with a grin that radiates confidence.
"I'll take Daintaro," he declares, his voice booming with absolute certainty.
Daintaro, the winner of the Tournament Group A, a gravity augmenter with a streak of silver running through his dark hair, smirks as he steps forward, his hands faintly shimmering with the hint of power coiled tightly beneath his cuffs.. His eyes flick briefly toward Shiku with a competitive glint, as if daring him to hope he won't be picked.
Vael rests his hand casually on the hilt of the great curved blade slung across his back. His posture is relaxed, but his presence commands attention—like a storm that hasn't yet broken. His gaze sweeps across the candidates, sharp and searching, until it lands squarely on Shiku.
"You," Vael says, jabbing a finger in his direction. "The hothead with the grin. Step up."
Shiku nearly trips over himself in his rush forward. "Finally! I thought you guys forgot about me!" he blurts, drawing a few laughs from the crowd.
Vael laughs. Slapping his fist together, studying Shiku as though peeling back layers. "Fire that burns too fast leaves nothing but ash. Let's see if yours can last."
Shiku blinks at the weight in his words, then straightens, grinning wider. "Trust me. I burn forever."
Vael smirks faintly, almost amused, before turning his attention back to the crowd.
One by one, he names the rest of his team: Tsutan, Selphi the sound mage, and the twins—Riku and Roka, mirror mages who move in eerie unison. The team gathers behind him, their mix of raw strength and trickery giving off an unpredictable aura.
At last, the four teams stand assembled.
Mareyaki's squad radiates sheer brute force and prestige.
Aeryn's team brims with balance and tactical precision.
Lucen's picks are shadows and daggers, subtle and lethal.
Vael's lineup hums with volatile power, like a powder keg waiting for a spark.
The air grows tense as the reality sets in. Friends, rivals, strangers—they're all bound now by the captains who chose them.
Shiku, Kasumi, and Houki exchange glances across the field. No words are spoken, but the unshakable bond forged through training lingers in their eyes. Even apart, they carry each other's strength.
❧
Then King Gokuro steps forward once more, his voice rumbling like thunder.
"Now that all teams have been formed I will now begin to explain the rules of this trial. First, the pillars will not engage in battle unless necessary. Secondly, the four groups will split into different sectors of the kingdom corresponding to their pillar's sectors. And lastly, this isn't just a mission to defeat the demons I've had some of the royal guards hide artifacts throughout each sector —your success depends on finding them quickly. Each artifact contains a seal of Sura. Without collecting them, your team cannot complete the trial."
Mareyaki leans in closer to his father, interrupting his speech just long enough to whisper something in his ear. With a sly smirk playing on his lips, he then turns his attention to Shiku, Houki, and Kasumi, his expression brimming with mischievous challenge.
The king's eyes narrow just slightly as he listens, and though he said nothing, a murmur of unease rippled through the air—as if even the earth itself recoiled from Mareyaki's idea.
King Gokuro clears his throat as he turns his attention back towards the crowd of chosen and unchosen warriors. "My son has suggested that I make this a competition of a sort."
"What a wonderful idea I think that would be great to show these new warriors that they'll always need to strive to be better," Queen Mena chimes in trying to hide her sinister true intentions.
Shiku's fists clench at his sides, Houki's eyes darken, and Kasumi's breath catches in her throat. Whatever Mareyaki has planned, they knew this trial was no longer a test—it was a trap.
As the designated groups board their carriages, the creak of wheels and the snort of horses fill the tense silence. The warriors wave, shout, and joke among themselves—but for Shiku, Houki, and Kasumi, the air feels heavier than iron. From the steps of Athedon, Mareyaki's smirk lingered like a shadow, promising that the trial ahead would demand far more than strength—perhaps even their lives.
❧