Lucien and his team walked through the tunnels toward the tournament arena. The walk there was silent. No one dared to utter a word. Everyone was deep in thought, hoping it would turn out well.
On the inside of the tournament grounds, silence was nowhere to be seen. Lucien could hear the rampant cheers from the tunnels, the ground beneath his boots vibrated as he stepped.
"They're quite lively," Corin chuckled as they reached the entrance.
As the team walked into the arena, they also received a few cheers. They weren't as loud as the other teams but nonetheless they still received one. The arena was packed, hundreds of students sat in rows that stretched across the entire grounds. It was organised exactly how he expected. Commoners on the lower rows, nobles above.
As the team lined up alongside the others, they got a few dismissive looks from the nobles in the audience. Multiple students noticed Corin's ruby crest glistening in the sunlight, eyes widening in disbelief.
"Why is a member of the Zenon family participating under another banner?"
"He's from one of the 3 great houses… he should be the captain…."
Whispers like those rippled through the audience.
The cheers and whispers stopped abruptly as the tournament official stepped into view, his voice loud and clear, commanding attention.
"Silence."
After a moment, the head of each noble family walked out a separate tunnel on the top row of the viewing stands. Duke Arok of the Valmont family strode in first, tall and muscular. His red hair catching the light and an arrogant smirk on his face as he watched the competitors. Duke Alaric of the Zenon family followed, expression neutral but lingering briefly on Corin with mild intrigue over his decision.
The rest of the noble heads walked out, moving toward their designated seats. Still drawing recognition and cheers from the audience, but not as much as the first two. The last to take his place was Kael Nox, of the Nox family. Lucien's father.
Lucien's eyes met his, noticing how much his father had changed. He hadn't been around the estate much, even before Lucien joined the academy and it showed. His dark hair was thinning, his eyes heavy with fatigue.
Lucien looked away, his mind snapping back to the present as the cheers from the crowd still hummed in the background. It was clear now how hard the decline of their house had been pressing on his father, and how much this tournament mattered to him. A flicker of shame passed through Lucien. He had never truly felt the weight of his family's decline.
The official raised his hand, the motion instantly ending the cheers from the crowd.
"And now… everyone rise for the royal family."
The doors at the far end of one of the tunnels opened. King Edward Caldris walked in first, his presence filling the entire arena before he even spoke. Lucien could feel the shift from the crowd, the respect that gravitated toward the king as he moved with authority.
Princess Lilian followed, her steps lighter but no less commanding. Lucien looked over with interest, he remembered her from the awakening ceremony when she had awakened an unclassifiable skill. Now seeing her here again, he noticed the sharp, calculated look in her eyes that wasn't present before.
The crowd remained standing, all attention fixed on them both. Lucien found himself standing straight, arms to the side. Corin did the same, his relaxed demeanour fully shifted into one of compliance for the king's authority.
King Edward's eyes swept across the multiple teams that were competing in the tournament, then at the noble students and the rest of the crowd, still whispering in small hushes. His voice, deep and calm, carried effortlessly across the arena.
"Welcome everyone. May this tournament be a testament to skill and honor," he took a moment before continuing. "Those who do well, will be noticed."
The crowd stiffened for a moment, before a wave of cheers and applause echoed across the grounds. Satisfied, the king nodded slightly and took his seat. Almost instantly, the tension in the arena seemed to ease. The crowd leaned back, conversations resumed, and the excitement returned.
The king's words echoed in Lucien's mind longer than they should have.
"Those who do well, will be noticed."
The phrase didn't sit well, leaving a strange unease growing inside him. The idea of being noticed by the royal family and other noble houses made him tense. Not because he doubted his team's ability, but because of how some nobles behaved when someone they considered beneath them showed potential. The fear of being bested by someone lesser.
He shifted slightly, trying to shake off the feeling, but the thought still lingered. Recognition was a dangerous thing. It could open doors or create targets. And for someone like him, with an influence based skill from a declining family, it could be the latter.
The official stepped forward again, clearing his throat.
Silence fell over the arena once more.
"The teams for the group stage will be announced," he said, his voice carrying over the crowd. "Each team will face two battles. The top four teams from the group stage will advance to the single elimination rounds."
A wave of whispers ran through the crowd.
Lucien listened closely as the official read out the matchups, each name causing a ripple of cheers in the arena. Teams shifted with tension, exchanging glances at each other, some with confidence others with nervousness.
The group stage battles would be a capture the flag objective, a test of strategy, teamwork, and skill rather than raw combat. These early rounds would set the tone, and every team knew that a single misstep could make the difference between advancing or being eliminated.
Lucien glanced at his teammates, noting their quietness. He also stayed quiet, he knew this tournament would determine the future of his house.
The official's voice rang out again.
"First match… Team Nox vs Team Arcei."