The fire in the barracks burned brightly, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Nearly 7,000 soldiers had gathered on the martial arts field, their dense ranks stretching across the entire expanse. Shoulder to shoulder, they stood in near-perfect silence, a testament to the strict military discipline that governed their every move.
The barracks were eerily quiet, with only the flickering firelight providing any semblance of warmth. The stillness was broken by the sudden "rumbling" sound of horse hooves, echoing through the air and drawing the attention of the thousand-man captains standing on the high platform. The adults had arrived.
Despite the massive crowd, the martial arts field remained eerily silent, the soldiers standing in neat rows, their eyes fixed on the platform. The sound of hooves grew louder, then gradually faded as the riders slowed to a halt beside the platform. One hundred riders, their armor gleaming in the firelight, dismounted and stood at attention.
