[Scene Loading...]


    [Location: Leoncrest Castle - Grand Courtyard]


    [Date: October 15, y. 485 of the Fourth Age]


    The next several weeks passed in a blur. Zeke spent every spare second of the morning training with Victoria, who was more than willing to assist him in getting ready for the tournament, particularly when she heard how he had been manipulated into joining.


    In the afternoons, he went back to Ralph''s aunt, Professor Gilda de''Arnette, who directed him to her husband, Professor Donald de''Arnette. He was a jovial blacksmith and an expert in Enchanting - the practice of infusing Aura into items as they were forged, ensuring that the chosen magical effects were permanent.


    It was slightly different than what Zeke needed to know, but Donald was advanced enough that he was able to give Zeke quite a few pointers, and Zeke began to progress in that route once again. He also began to learn a very little bit of basic forging techniques, alongside Ralph, who had been eager to get past the theory and onto the practical side of his chosen progression path for some time (but who, apparently, was quite bad at test-taking).


    During these weeks of preparation, Zeke had thrown himself into training with a determination that surprised even himself. Every morning before dawn, he was in the courtyard with Victoria, practicing sword forms until his arms felt ready to fall off.


    Every afternoon, he was at the forge with Professor Donald, learning to channel his aura into metal. Every evening, he studied strategy and tournament rules until he fell asleep with books scattered across his bed.


    "You''re improving faster than I expected," Victoria had told him one morning after he successfully executed a complex parry-and-riposte sequence. "But technique alone won''t be enough. Diocletian will have tricks prepared. You need to be ready for anything."


    "Then let''s practice ''anything,''" Zeke had replied with a grin, setting his stance again. "Throw your worst at me."


    By the time the day of the Fall Festival arrived, Zeke had developed calluses on his hands and a quiet confidence in his movements. He wasn''t deluded enough to think he was the best swordsman among the first-years - not even close - but he was no longer the helpless novice who had arrived at Leoncrest barely able to hold a blade properly.


    When the day of the Fall Festival came around, Zeke made his way down through the castle and out into the Grand Courtyard, which was located directly to the west of the castle. It was huge, sprawling across several acres, and had been fully decked out for the occasion.


    There were long tables of food set up, a handful of fighting rings, and even jousting arenas. Zeke watched in amazement as a few riders began their practice runs, and Elise walked up to him.


    "That looks like so much fun!" Ralph joined them, stretching in the early morning light. "Oh, I can''t wait until I can do that!"


    "Jousting is reserved for the upper years," Elise pointed out. "It''s an incredibly dangerous sport. Students have been killed doing it before, you know."


    "Really?" Ralph turned white. "Hey, Zeke? You''re really good at that sort of thing. You ride, I''ll cheer? Get to share in the glory, and all that?"


    Zeke just rolled his eyes. "We''ll see." His stomach churned nervously, and he started walking toward the food line. "I''m going to grab a bite to eat before the fight."


    "No, you''re not," Victoria seemed to appear out of nowhere and grabbed his arm. She handed him a small plate of nuts, and he scowled. "Here, eat these. You''ll still be hungry, but it''ll settle the jitters. You can eat when you''re done."


    "Come on," Zeke scowled.


    "If you want a chance at winning, and trust me, it''s going to take a miracle, you need every opportunity you can get," Victoria snapped. "More than a few warriors have been brought down over the years because they over-indulged on the eve of a big fight. Come on, eat up."


    Zeke sighed and started to eat, and Elise leaned over, looking at a paper that Victoria was holding.


    "Is that the fight schedule?"


    "Yes," Victoria nodded. "Zeke will fight here in about an hour. Come on. Let''s go watch and see how this is going to play out."


    Zeke nodded and followed her toward one of the rings, where a few people had started practicing already.


    "So what does this look like?" Zeke asked.


    "It''s a tournament," she answered. "You''ll be fighting with blunt swords, but they still hurt, trust me. Single-elimination. You defeat your opponent, you move on. You lose, you''re out. Students are grouped by age, so you''ll only be fighting for champion of the first-years."


    "Got it," Zeke frowned.


    "Just remember everything that I''ve taught you," Victoria assured him. "Do that, and you''ll be fine."


    The group found seats on one of the wooden bleachers that had been set up around the main fighting ring. All around them, students and professors alike were gathering, many carrying food or small pennants with house colors.


    The atmosphere was festive but charged with competitive energy.


    "Look, there''s Diocletian," Ralph pointed across the ring where their rival was surrounded by a group of admirers. "Acting like he''s already won."


    Zeke watched Diocletian laughing and gesturing grandly. "Let him enjoy it now. The fighting hasn''t started yet."


    "That''s the spirit," Elise smiled, bumping her shoulder against his.


    As they waited for the tournament to begin, Zeke studied the other competitors warming up. Most had clearly been training their whole lives, moving with the fluid confidence that came from years of practice.


    In comparison, his few weeks of intensive training seemed woefully inadequate. But there was no backing out now - nor did he want to.


    The rest of them did their best to reassure him as well, but he spent the next hour more than a bit nervous. When the tournament finally started, a crowd gathered to watch, and Zeke found himself entranced as Diocletian climbed into the ring with a student from House Faure.


    The moderator dropped his hand, and the two of them went at it.


    Their swords clattered against one another, again and again. Suddenly, Diocletian spun and hooked his foot around the other student''s ankle.


    The other boy went down hard, and Diocletian''s sword cracked across the back of his neck.


    "And that''s the fight!" The moderator called out.


    "Brutal," Zeke muttered.


    "But effective," Victoria noted. "Watch his footwork - he''s always looking for ways to trip or unbalance his opponent. Keep that in mind."


    The next several fights went more or less the same. With blunt swords, the students seemed much more willing to get in close, whacking each other with the hilts or otherwise using their aura to wreak havoc.


    Still, though, there were a fair number of fights that ended when a sword stroke hit the other person across the chest (or gut, or other vital organ) in what was deemed a "killstroke," or rather what would have been a killing blow had the sword been real.


    「???????????????????? ????????????」


    【Event: First-Year Sword Tournament】


    【Format: Single Elimination】


    【Current Stage: Opening Rounds】


    【Next Match: Zeke de''Godfrey vs. Thaddeus de''Stragga】


    Finally, it came time for Zeke''s fight, and he slowly climbed over the ropes and into the ring. His opponent hopped over as well, sporting colors from House Stragga.


    He sneered, and Zeke frowned. It was one of Diocletian''s goons, he was pretty sure of it. Zeke held out his hand as the sword was passed to him, and Elise cheered.


    "You can do it!"


    The moderator raised his hand, and Zeke tensed. An instant before it fell, though, the Stragga student lunged, and Zeke only barely got his sword up in time.


    "Hey!" Victoria called out. "That was illegal!"


    The moderator didn''t seem to hear her, and Zeke was forced into a defensive battle. His sword flashed through his hands, moving through the strikes and parries that he had been taught.


    It was much like his battle with Diocletian, where he had very little experience actually fighting, but a fair bit of experience in theory. It wasn''t much, but it was just enough to keep him afloat.


    "Come on," the other student snapped. "Go down, will you?"


    Zeke gritted his teeth, then lunged forward, throwing his shoulder into the other boy''s chest. There was a clatter of armor, and the other student went down, hard.


    Zeke slashed his sword across the back of the neck, leaving a red welt, and stepped back.


    And, to his surprise, the other student slowly climbed back to his feet.


    "Hey!" Elise called out, along with a few of the other students, even ones that Zeke knew were from houses that hated him. "That was a killshot!"


    The moderator seemed to have grown deaf, and the Stragga student grinned.


    "You can''t win this," he sneered. "Not unless I yield."


    Zeke sighed, then leapt forward. Knowing that it was liable to get him killed or expelled, he poured his aura into his sword and swung it as hard as he could.


    Blam!


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Stragga student was lifted off his feet and sent back through the ropes, where he hit the ground with a loud whack. Zeke stepped up to the ropes, his palms stinging fiercely, but knowing well that he couldn''t show an ounce of weakness.


    "Then yield."


    He did.


    A mixture of cheers and boos erupted from the crowd as Zeke climbed out of the ring. Victoria met him at the edge, handing him a waterskin.


    "That was risky," she said quietly. "Using that much aura could get you disqualified."


    "Not much choice," Zeke replied, taking a grateful drink. "He wasn''t going to acknowledge a fair hit."


    "The moderator is clearly in Diocletian''s pocket," Ralph observed, joining them. "You''ll need to be even more decisive in your next matches."


    Elise pushed through the crowd to join them, her face flushed with excitement. "That was amazing! The way you charged him and then that finishing move!"


    "Thanks," Zeke smiled, genuinely pleased by her enthusiasm. "But that was just the first round. It''s going to get harder from here."


    The second round of the tournament then began, and Zeke watched as the champions of the previous round fought each other. There were still almost ten fights to get through, making it another thirty minutes before Zeke climbed into the ring again.


    He found himself facing another of Diocletian''s goons, and sighed.


    "Come on. Are we really going to do this?"


    The student snarled and charged, once again before the moderator had given the signal, and Zeke threw himself into the midst of it all. Their swords came crashing together again and again, and Zeke grimaced as he felt the other student pushing him backward.


    Zeke was still just a bit slower than he would have liked, a bit less powerful.


    Still, though... A few months earlier, he would have been flat on his back within seconds, so it really was good progress.


    That said, he knew that he had to win the fight. Good progress or not, it wasn''t going to be enough to keep him safe. Maybe if he made it on to the semi-finals, but even that was a gamble.


    After thinking it through for a few long moments, an idea popped into his head, and he gritted his teeth.


    Once more, he lowered his shoulder, and made as if to body-slam his opponent. Likely anticipating the move, the other student lowered himself, preparing to meet him head-on.


    As such, instead of actually lunging forward, Zeke launched himself to the side, where his opponent was now exposed. His sword crashed firmly across the goon''s shoulder, and knocked him partway to the ground.


    "Yield?" Zeke snapped. The other student started to turn, and Zeke leapt forward, sweeping the boy''s legs and sending him crashing to the ground.


    He placed the tip of the sword on the back of his neck, and felt a smile flicker across his face. "Just how much pain do you think that you can endure?"


    A moment later, he had yielded, too.


    "That''s two!" Ralph shouted excitedly as Zeke returned to the sidelines. "You''re halfway to the final!"


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself," Victoria cautioned, but she was smiling. "That was good thinking, though - feinting with the shoulder charge and then changing direction. He fell for it completely."


    "I figured he''d be expecting what worked last time," Zeke explained, rolling his shoulder. "Had to mix it up."


    "Smart fighting," Victoria nodded approvingly. "Keep that up."


    Between rounds, Zeke took the opportunity to study the remaining competitors more carefully. Most were from noble houses allied with Diocletian''s family, as expected.


    But there were a few wildcards - a quiet, unassuming boy from House Byron who had dispatched his opponents with textbook precision, and a tall girl from House Reinfir who fought with a speed that reminded Zeke of Victoria.


    The third round had five fights, for the ten winners from the previous round. This time, Zeke found himself facing off against a student that he didn''t recognize.


    Apparently, the organizers hadn''t believed that Zeke would be able to get past round two. In any case, it was a fairly boring fight, as the student (House Byron), refused to play dirty.


    House Byron was known for upholding strict chivalry in all circumstances, and the boy repeatedly passed up opportunities that the moderator gave him. Doing so, unfortunately for the sake of chivalry, did more than simply level the playing field, as it made the House Byron student actively hang back, and Zeke soon defeated him.


    As Zeke climbed out of the ring after his victory, he noticed something unusual - members of several different houses were now watching him with interest rather than derision. He had expected to be treated as an amusement at best, but it seemed his unexpected success was changing perceptions.


    "You''re gaining attention," Victoria observed, following his gaze. "Good attention. Representatives from House Levayne and House Burgson are taking notes."


    "Is that good?" Zeke asked.


    "It means you''re being taken seriously," she replied. "Which is exactly what we wanted."


    The fourth round included two fights, with Diocletian receiving a pass to the semi-finals. It made Zeke frustrated, but there was nothing that he could do about it.


    That round was easily the toughest of all, and Zeke found himself facing off against one of Victoria''s cousins, another student that he had often seen in their early-morning sessions.


    She was good, but in the end, Zeke had just a bit of height on her, and was able to land a killshot across her leg. She had been much more willing to take advantage of early movements and such things against him, but even she was willing to acknowledge the loss upon receiving the blow, and she retreated.


    As he prepared for his match against Victoria''s cousin, Zeke felt a newfound confidence. He was no longer just trying to survive each match - he was actively looking for ways to win.


    Victoria had drilled technique into him for weeks, but something else was emerging now: instinct. He was beginning to feel the rhythm of combat, to anticipate rather than just react.


    The match itself was fast-paced and technical - Victoria''s cousin, Lydia, fought with the same precision that ran in the Reinfir family. But where Victoria was aggressive, Lydia was cautious, preferring to wait for openings rather than create them.


    Zeke used this to his advantage, intentionally creating false openings to draw her in, then countering when she committed.


    When he finally landed the decisive blow across her leg, there was genuine respect in her eyes as she acknowledged the hit.


    "Well fought, de''Godfrey," she said as they shook hands. "Victoria''s taught you well."


    "Thanks," Zeke replied. "You nearly had me with that feint to the left."


    "Nearly isn''t good enough in a tournament," she smiled. "Good luck against Diocletian. You''ll need it."


    Zeke was breathing heavily, and was just climbing out of the ring when the moderator waved at him.


    "Not yet! It''s time for the semi-final. Diocletian de''Minziar against Zeke de''Godfrey!"


    Zeke groaned as he realized the predicament. With three people remaining, the "semi-final" had been rigged. Now, fresh off an intense battle, Zeke had to return straight into combat, while Diocletian had just had a good rest.


    Zeke sighed and bit his lip, then nodded and slowly took up his position.


    "Alright, Godfrey!" Diocletian practically leapt into the ring. "Now it''s time to teach you good!"


    Zeke looked Diocletian over. He was bouncing with energy, and Zeke had the distinct feeling that he had been looking forward to fighting him.


    The only problem was... Well... It seemed like there was something more than that. Diocletian was more than simply eager to fight him, more than simply happy that he had been given a rest, while Zeke hadn''t.


    Something else was going on, and Zeke couldn''t put his finger on it.


    And then, as Diocletian spun and waved to the crowds, Zeke caught a glimpse of something beneath Diocletian''s robes. It was another sword, identical to the ones used in the tournaments.


    Zeke already had his sword, which meant...


    He watched Diocletian carefully. As a sword was handed across to Diocletian, the boy gave it a twirl, and spun in a circle, allowing his robes to billow about.


    As he did so, Diocletian slashed his sword downward, and, with a movement that Zeke could only imagine had taken hundreds of hours of practice, switched the swords. Suddenly, as he spun back, he held an identical weapon... But to what end?


    Zeke knew the answer almost immediately. It was almost certainly enchanted, or poisoned, or something. One blow, and he would be dead. Not just out of the running, but dead.


    Victoria, off to one side, caught his eye, and she gave her head a shake. She had seen it, too. The moderator, of course, was utterly immune to it.


    As both of them raised their swords, Zeke suddenly saw a chance, and he bowed his head.


    "I yield."


    "You what?" Diocletian blinked in surprise.


    "I yield," Zeke shrugged. He passed his sword to the moderator, who took it in some surprise. "You have a distinct advantage on me. I congratulate you. I know I can''t win this fight, so I''ll save myself the trouble of being crushed. Fantastic job, and thank you for convincing me to join! It really has been a great pleasure, and I''m so, so grateful for the invitation."


    Diocletian''s eyes narrowed. All around, there was a ripple of confusion, and the moderator sighed.


    "Well, in that case, de''Godfrey? You''re out! Can we please have the next-"


    "Ah, one point of order," Zeke held up a hand. "I do believe that it''s required to turn over your swords between each round? Helps prevent cheating, and all that?"


    Diocletian''s face turned white, and the moderator sighed.


    "I suppose so. Seems silly to do it like this, but..." He caught a glimpse of the Headmistress approaching, and he shrugged. "Hand it over."


    Diocletian was caught, and he reluctantly passed the sword over. As the hilt touched the Moderator''s hand, he froze as still as a statue, and shouts and cries of surprise rang around.


    "The sword was enchanted!"


    "He''s been fossilized!"


    "Cheater!"


    Headmistress Florence hopped over the ropes and waved a hand in annoyance, and the sword clattered to the ground. The moderator reanimated and blinked a few times in surprise, and she glanced sharply at Diocletian.


    He took the hint and vanished, and then she turned to Zeke. Zeke simply held her gaze, and shrugged.


    "And now, no one will remember that I yielded," he bowed slightly. "Is that the way you''d like me to play the system?"


    She snorted, softly, but he could see that she was, at the very least, impressed that he had wormed his way out of it. He hopped over the ropes and started to walk away, and Victoria, Ralph, and Elise joined him.


    "And where are you headed now?" Ralph complained. "My legs are tired."


    "I am heading for that buffet," he glanced over at Victoria. "What''s the healthiest thing over there?"


    "The nuts and apples," she answered.


    "Good. Then that''s the only thing I''m not grabbing," he sighed as the tension slowly flowed out of him. "And then, we''re going to celebrate."


    As they made their way to the food tables, Zeke found himself surrounded by students who had watched his matches. Many congratulated him on his performance, and a few even apologized for underestimating him.


    The change in attitude was striking - just weeks ago, most of these same students had ignored or mocked him.


    "Looks like you''ve made some fans," Elise observed as Zeke piled his plate high with roast meat, bread, and sweets.


    "They''re just impressed I made it to the semi-finals," Zeke shrugged, but he couldn''t hide his pleased smile.


    "It''s more than that," Victoria said, joining them with her own carefully selected plate of food. "You exposed Diocletian as a cheater in front of everyone. That took both courage and cunning."


    "Speaking of Diocletian," Ralph lowered his voice, "what do you think the Headmistress will do to him?"


    "Probably nothing," Victoria replied grimly. "His family has too much influence. But his reputation has taken a hit. Everyone saw what happened."


    "And that might be punishment enough for now," Zeke said, taking a huge bite of roasted turkey leg. After weeks of Victoria''s strict pre-tournament diet, the food tasted like heaven.


    They found a spot under a large oak tree at the edge of the courtyard, away from the main crowd. As they ate, Zeke found himself truly relaxing for the first time in weeks.


    The tournament was over, he had performed far better than anyone had expected, and he had exposed Diocletian''s treachery without having to fight an enchanted sword.


    "So what happens now?" Elise asked after they had eaten their fill.


    "Now I prepare for the second Trial," Zeke replied. "The Headmistress said it would be a sparring match, two weeks after the Festival."


    "A sparring match should be straightforward enough," Ralph said optimistically.


    Victoria shook her head. "Nothing about the Trials is straightforward. There will be a twist, you can count on it."


    "Then we''ll figure it out when it comes," Zeke said confidently. "Today was supposed to be my public humiliation, and look how that turned out."


    As the afternoon wore on, they watched the final match of the tournament - the winner of the other semi-final against Diocletian, who had been allowed to continue despite the sword incident.


    Diocletian won easily, but his victory celebration was subdued, with only his closest allies cheering enthusiastically.


    Later, as the sun began to set, musicians took up positions around the courtyard, and the Festival transformed from a competitive event to a celebration. Students and professors alike danced to lively tunes, the tensions of the tournaments forgotten in the festive atmosphere.


    "Come on," Elise grabbed Zeke''s hand. "They''re starting the dancing!"


    "I don''t know how to dance," Zeke protested, but allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.


    "Neither do I," Elise laughed. "But that''s not going to stop me from trying!"


    As they joined the crowds of dancers, Zeke found himself surrounded by students from all houses, many of whom nodded to him in acknowledgment or raised glasses in his direction.


    It was a strange feeling, this new respect, but not an unpleasant one.


    For tonight, at least, he could enjoy it. Tomorrow would bring new challenges - the second Trial loomed just two weeks away, and Diocletian would surely be looking for revenge after today''s humiliation.


    But Zeke was no longer the untrained, uncertain boy who had arrived at Leoncrest just months ago. He was changing, growing stronger and more confident with each challenge he faced.


    And as he dancedunderthestarswith his friends, Zeke allowed himself to believe, just for a moment, that he might actually succeed in completing all 34 Trials after all.


    "To the Fall Festival!" Ralph shouted, raising a cup of sweet cider. "And to Zeke de''Godfrey, who made it a lot more interesting than anyone expected!"


    Zeke laughed and raised his cup. "To the friends who helped make it possible!"


    As they toasted and continued celebrating, looked and saw the Headmistress watching him from across the courtyard. Her expression was unreadable, but she nodded slightly before turning away.


    Whether it was out of respect or simply acknowledgment of a game well played, Zeke couldn''t tell.


    But either way, he had survived the Fall Festival.


    [Scene Close]


    [Earned Emblems:] Heart of the Warrior, Endurance


    [Active Quests:]


    [Be Prepared: Get ready for the 2nd Trial]


    [Watchful: Keep an eye out for retribution]