JOHN STRICKLAND DE SHAPAINE
I stared blankly at the map laid out before me as my instructor an old man in his sixties pointed at a continent shaped like clench fist.
"Come on Sir. I know all of this already and I might end up being late for the tournament." I said complaint.
"You still have three hours till the tournament little lord. Now what is the name of this nation and name at least one or two notable houses and rulers of the land and oh I nearly forgot you must say their house words and describe their coat of arms as well."
I sighed as he tapped the stick to the top most of the fist shaped land.
"The Vale of abondance, rulers the Flanagan's sigil a sage holding a snake on a field of green their house word As strong as nature. Notable lords the McCarthys their sigil a green falcon soaring towards blue sun on a field grey."
"Their house words?" He asked with one brow raised.
"Don't know don't care move on old man." I snapped.
The old man sighed placing his cane slightly bellow the north most nation of the Northern continent. It was shaped like an inverted boot situated in the Western edge of the continent.
'This is tedious every child would know that his pointing at Britannia.' I though in annoyance and answered quickly.
"Britannia rulers the Pendragons, sigil a gold dragon on black, crown with a crown of branches since Joffrey is king their words hmm Hail Zero."
'Such stupid house words.' I thought cringing.
"Notable lords?" He asked in his usual calm tone.
"There's so many though!!." I said in protest incase he asked me to name all the houses of that damned conservative nation.
"Name two lords John and I will ask your lord father to seat you in the high box with some of lord De Fontaine's sons."
"The Vermilions sigil a red phoenix on field of blue words Beneath the flesh the bitter flame, the Lionhearts sigil a silver lion on blue words Ours is the tundra."
My eyes blazed as I began naming the two most influential houses in Britannia.
"Ahem I see you quite energized now however I am afraid we have to move on." He said pointing his cane at the Eastern most nation of the continent shaped slightly like a flower.
'Come on old man I know mine own homeland.' I drawled in my terrible high lingo.
"Persan our beloved homeland, rulers the Clermonts sigil a blue saber on a field of grey words as pure as spring."
'What was the first king of my homeland thinking when he made up that...rubbish.'
"Notable lords the De Fontanes hail lord Phillip." I said praising my liege lord from the bottom of my heart. "Sigil an aquatic wolf on a field of whit house words None is above honor!."
I point at myself with a finger and said. "Other lords include the Stricklands our sigil is a leaping black shark on blue and our word are we do not flee."
"Very good, two nations and four more continents and you still have two hours until the tournament." I smiled not disheartened at the slightest because after all two out of the four continents only have one nation each.
He points at the middle of Britannia and Persan next.
'So its the sky lands of science next.'
"The republic of Wissland, rulers the council of wisdom their sigil is a white tower with an eye on blue they have no house word because, well their not house."
"However they still have nobles so go ahead lad."
I sighed
"Notable lords the Kuhns sigil a grey dire wolf on blue their words are our eyes are sharp. Another notable house from the skylands are the von Starks their sigil is a crow wearing a monocle on a grey and red sky their fucking words are chaos is coming."
'Which are the most troubling house words I've ever heard.' I though with mild discomfort.
My old instructor nodded and pointed at the bottom of the fist shaped continent.
"Kingdom of Midgard rulers the council of five their sigil a gold Valkyrie soaring toward a gold moon on white they have no words because their not a noble house."
"Correct and don't forget they were known as the council of four some three hundred years ago. Now since you've done so well with the other northern nations I'll have you skip both the central and Western continents."
I beamed at him. "Thank you Sir I'll have my father increase your lowly wages for that."
"Do you want a clap in the ear?" He shot back. I chuckled to the old man and motioned him to continue.
"Next is the Southern continent which only has three nations so go on."
He said pointing his cane at the top of the skull shaped continent.
"Penglai empire oh Lucien said the whores from the are to die for anyway where was I ah rulers the Hans their sigil a green Southern.."
"Loong!" The old man snapped.
I sighed once more and carried on. "A green Loong soaring on white and blue sky their house words are severing heaven."
'Which I must say sounds truly epic, now if only their princes would cut their hair a little shorter. I thought in amusement.
I stretched my neck as I spoke. "Notable lords the Songs their sigil a plum tree on a field of gold I don't know their house word and no I could not careless whom I seat next to as long I get out of this boring lesson that I do every fucking!! day!."
"You should try to curse less." He said ignoring my complaint instead he points to the eastern most part of the skull shaped continent.
"Ha...the Ishin empire I hear the food the is to die for any way I digress ahem rulers the Sugawaras their sigil is a scholar dressed in black seated in a lotos position on a field of yellow their words are be ware the eastern wind."
As I remember some of the most notable lords of Ishin I smiled. "Some notable lords would be the Okumuras their sigil is a flaming azure sword on black their words are we never lose our way. Other known lords are the Sarutobis they have no sigil because..."
"Shinobi don't need sigils but they still have a way to be identified." He finished in my stead. I nodded grimly and continued.
"The are also the Kamijous of Oden who's sigil is a golden stag prancing on a violet field their words are tramping without mercy."
"How much time before the tournament?" I asked growing bored.
'If this were one of my uncles little books that he likes to read so much this would be considered a terrible world building section.'
"You still have enough time don't worry." The old knight said pointing at the last nation the west.
"Ah the place with the best wh..." He cleared his throat interrupting me. I shrugged. "The Yeon empire rulers the Sungs their sigil is a sword piercing a moon on stary black their house words are be ware our shadows."
"Other lords include those crazy guys from the Gu family who's sigil is a white lotos on steely grey their words are as stern as steel."
"And lastly the eastern continent." He declared pointing at the bottom of the heart shaped continent. "Ah the place were a noble like me would be considered a peasant." I said chuckling. "Ahem the Ogun kingdom rulers the Ororons their sigil is a golden elephant on a field of green their words we own stars. Which I must say are the most arrogant house words I've ever heard but I think they might be true." I said scratching my neck. "Notable lords would be the Nkosis of course their sigil a golden lion roaring atop a mountain on black their words are we do not kneel. And of course the best house not only in Ogun but in the whole damned continent the Ngozis because you know the most beautiful woman in the world is from the...."
"Ahem...true" The old knight said to that I grinned and extended a fist to him he did the same to me as our fists collided we both nodded because we ne that we not student and teacher at that moment but man who could appreciate beauty. "As I was saying their sigil is a silver panther on a field of stormy blue."
He points at the east of the continent next. "Amazonian empire rulers the Bellonas their sigil a violet leviathan on a black sea their house words are as formless as water. Notable houses include house Caesar and other house who's names and house words I don't know because I am fucking losing my mind just seating here."
Noticing my inpatients the older man decide to skip over the Raa empire which I was currently visiting and not mention lounging in one of their guest rooms.
He points at the south of the eastern continent. "Finally the land of musings and olives ahem...the Hermes republic current rulers the Thyestes hail great storm, their sigil is a red leopard on a field of black their house words are duty, discipline, conquest."
I stretched as at last I finished the tedious everyday lesson. "Very good my lord, we may depart the cab now."
'So we've finally maid it.' I thought looking at my reflection on the tinted carriage window. My hair is short and black my eyes sharp and lake blue I look like most young Persanians.
"I hope I don't face the young lion in the first round." I muttered to myself.
"A one last question for you my lord." The old man said. I nodded already have expected this. "Why? do you think the is no southern nation in the southern continent." I knew this hell even the son of whore would know the answer to this question. "Because the nation once know as Sumeru was annihilated some two thousand years ago in an unknown....disaster." I drawled.
ATREUS THYESTES
I stand at the highest viewing box of the stadium Mithra around me are the few members of my household who decided to attend this little event celebrating crowned prince Darius Amonn's 28th birthday.
'I even heard we're celebrating the fact that he has taken yet another woman to wife, his sixth wife from what I've been told.' I mused. Then someone patted my shoulder I glanced back to see a young man who looked similar to me but, the man is far more handsome than I with thick fire red hair, brilliant red eyes and skin that was a darker shade than olive which was one of the famous traits of house Thyestes.
He flashed me a smile. "Well brotherman I heard you are getting married to two beauties once you enter manhood during your eighteenth birthday and yet...you look like that." He said to me in his usual charming tone.
"Hello to you as well Alex!." I responded wanting to forget about yesterdays ordeal. "Have you seen Ajax up and about man?" I asked changing the subject. "No...his probably polishing that damned golden armor he won from me last year. I know, I know I should have never challenged him to a bloody swimming contest." I chuckled softly. "Oh I remember grandfather had to save you and you punch him in the face when he was slapping you so you could wake up... ha that was the most comical site that I've ever seen."
"Yes, yes both you and Diomedes couldn't stop laughing at me. I remember very much. But I hope that Ajax completely destroys the competition today because after all...none would dare challenge me or you." He say with a broad grin. And of course he speaks the truth after all both me and him are the sons of Lorn Thyestes's most famous sons my father Cassius hailed as the young storm Alex's father Castor known as the untamed storm our fathers even married women from the same family my mother's family the Sigmaleos. With both our parents dead me and him shared a similar childhood in a way.
'But he did not see his mother getting eaten alive in front him while screaming in agony!' I thought darkly but despite all of that I've embraced him as my brother just like his embraced me as his.
"I know where Diomedes and Ajax are but where is Aria?" I asked. "Oh she's....ah, with her lover in the city."
"Ah the indulgence of man." I said stoically. Alexander grimaced. "Please don't start one of your ramblings about discipline, the nature of the universe or about how all man should live according to nature."
I looked at the crowd which mostly consisted of locals and some folk from the other nation of the east however I also saw some people from outside the continent as well. The stadium itself is titanic enough to accomodate nearly three million people which was a staggering amount. The I heard trumpets blurring I looked up and saw that my brother was looking at the sky wiht a grinon his face I followed his gaze to see twelve individuals floating over the stadium then howl place went up in cheers.
"Thyestes, Bellona, Ngozi, Nkosi, Pendragon, Lionheart, Vermilion, Kuhn, De Fontaine, Gu, Han and Okumura." Alex chuckled. "The twelve leaders of the strongest and most influential families are all here."
I looked at the standards of the rulers of my world they are all unique and different however above all other standards two stand out a golden lion roaring atop a mountain the Nkosis Zeke's family then next to their standard is my family the Thyestes a red leopard on black. The is also a thirteenth standard which depicts a white gun on green.
"Hm they should call them the thirteen instead of the twelve." I said but my voice was swallowed by the sound of the crowd roaring.
Then out of nowhere I stop hearing the crowed I tapped my blue toga but the fine linen did not make sound Alex taps my shoulder he tries to say something to me however no sound comes out his mouth. Then I hear my grandfathers deep hoars voice.
"Apologies good people of Pangea however I am far too old to raise my voice." He declared in the most perfect high lingo I've ever heard.
"We are all here to celebrate the 28th birthday of prince Darius." Cheers for prince Darius are allowed to pass for some time. My grandfather raised his hand silencing millions.
'No wonder he thinks he can make me do whatever he wants me to do.' I thought resigned to my fate after seeing how my grandfather could silence so many people with just a gesture with his hand.
"However, this is also an event to test the next generation of mages whether they be highborn or common-born. We must all remember that you and I are Pangean, sons and daughters of the gods despite the wicked trying to tare our world apart we must all keep one fact in mind that being....." He paused for dramatic effect. "All man are created equally those who have told you otherwise have deceived you." He gestures to the high boxes were all the nobles reside. "You have been told since you were young that you are special perish the thought! A highborn knight from the North can find himself washing chamber pots in Agea while a woman from humbler beginnings can rise to be an admiral of a fleet." For a moment all eyes shift to the white death. Once the daughter of a farmer now the supreme admiral of the Libertesian navy.
She floats amongst the twelve 2 and 20 or so I am told yet already 12star mage which is the peak strength any mage could reach. The woman herself has an aloof aura, her skin is ivory her hair is a pale silver her eyes a striking grey she is dressed in a green military uniform with a white silk coat draped over it.
'Who wears a silk coat?....only someone who has known poverty and does not hesitate to flont how far they've come.....but at what cost?!'
All attention shifted back to Lorn Thyestes however as he smiled stoically without any arrogance. "Decadence is the death of talent and potential." He declared as if he would know what it is like to have ones potential snuffed out for the sake of the household. "Today all of you here shall make your mark on the world! Prove to us that you are not special just because you were born in great nation prove to us that you are not just special just because your ancestor did this and that a thousand years ago. With that said and done let the tournament begin!!"