"Number 6 is unprecedented because two contestants slayed the same exact number of winged but their feats are vastly different." the announcer said and the crowd began to murmur.
"Under normal circumstances the 5th position would have been given to whosoever slayed the right amount for rank six first but due to unforeseen circumstances, the rankings from here on out have been disarrayed." the announcer said and the buzz of the crowd grew.
"At 6th position, with ten winged on his belt the stage welcomes the son of the Earl, Maldareth Morando." the announcer said and Maldareth stepped on stage under the confused but enthusiastic claps from the audience.
"What did he mean when he said the feats are vastly different?" Maldareth thought in confusion.
"At 5th position with 15 winged on his belt the stage welcomes the commoner, Aleron McGrath." the announcer said and the audience roared.
Stepping onto the stage with his usually passive expression and stony demeanor, the crowd cheered as Aleron took his position beside Maldareth.
"They are only cheering for you because they think you are like them." Maldareth said begrudgingly.
"You have always been so quick to remind me that I am not of noble status," Aleron said cooly.
"But now that I am gathering applause for being a commoner, am I suddenly not classified as one in your eyes?" Aleron asked in a calm tone and without a single change in his expression.
"You!" Maldareth hissed in anger but Kaelrix quickly shushed him.
"Not here." Kaelrix muttered and Maldareth calmed down.
"At 4th position with 20 winged on her belt, the stage welcomes the daughter of the Duke, Esmira Montain!" the announcer said and the audience screamed in excitement.
Stepping onto the stage with elegance that poured off her in waves, Esmira took her position beside Aleron.
"At 3rd position with 23 winged on her belt, the stage welcomes the daughter of the Marchioness, Rassera Dawnspire!" the announcer said and the audience cheered at Rassera's appearance before they began to murmur.
"Isn't she supposed to be second place?" asked someone in the audience.
"I counted the amount of winged she slayed and the only one higher than her was Princess Marina." said another in the audience.
Clearing his throat in front of the voice transmitting box created by a person blessed by the spirit of fire, the announcer said "At number 2, with thirty four winged on his belt, the stage welcomes the commoner Aldric McGrath." with a smile and the crowd gaped at the announcer before loudly clapping and breaking into discussions simultaneously.
"When did he?" someone from the audience asked in confusion as the rest of the audience roared.
"Didn't he only slay ten?" another asked in confusion and soon enough the whisperings began to outweigh the excitement in the Arena.
"Aldric McGrath," the announcer said and the crowd stilled.
"Obtained his position because of the hidden event of the hunt." the announcer said with a grin and the crowd gasped in shock.
"Every year," The Sun of the empire said and everyone's attention turned to him immediately.
"The hunt of the winged has a hidden event called the hunt of the blackbirds." The sun of the empire said and everyone gasped in shock.
"Not many encounter blackbirds in the hunt and not many can successfully say that they escaped or slayed a blackbird that is why this hidden event has been hidden from the public for so long." said the Sun of the empire
"The points for Aldric McGrath goes as thus; 10 points for the ten winged and 24 points for the successful slaying of twelve blackbirds." the announcer said and the audience clapped in excitement.
Stepping onto the stage sheepishly, the crowd roared louder as Aldric took his place beside Rassera.
"Now at number one," the announcer said and the excitement of the arena could be visibly felt.
"With forty winged on her belt and two blackbirds to her name, the stage welcomes the third star of the empire with a whooping total of forty four points, Princess Marina Chase." the announcer said and the arena shook.
Stepping on stage with her weapon in her right hand and a freshly worn uniform, the arena shook as Princess Marina was directed to the center of the stage.
"Beating the victor of last year and the year before that with a whooping twenty and fifteen points, Princess Marina holds the highest current record of the hunt of the winged within three years." the announcer said and the crowd roared.
Stepping down from the throne he was sitted on, the Sun of the empire levitated from his place under the canopy of the royals to the stage and as he approached his daughter, servants hurried to the stage with gifts. Opening a medium sized red box, the Sun of the empire took out a broach the size of a fist made of gold and rubies and pinned it to Princess Marina's shirt.