Miss Wilmort burst into the classroom, her sudden arrival commanding everyone’s attention. "Please, follow me," she instructed the students, her tone firm but mysterious, as she led them out of the classroom.
Nadia and Octavius exchanged a brief, curious glance before standing up to follow the rest of the students. Together, they filed out of their building and began making their way towards the main Academy.
As they trailed behind Miss Wilmort, Octavius’s familiarity with the halls kicked in, and he realized they were being led to the grand auditorium, the very same venue where the previous tournaments had taken place.
His curiosity piqued, Octavius wondered if the council had decided to hold the purification rites there instead of a more open space as he had known the purification rites to be performed.
When they got to the auditorium, they found it abuzz with students, with more still trooping in, discussing amongst themselves cheerfully.
The casual tone of their conversations led Octavius to suspect that they knew nothing about the ’Purificaion De Fuego’ rites, happening.
It also confirmed his suspicion that Emery had shared the information without the prior consent of the Chief Mage. One of the key principles Octavius had learned while preparing to take over from his father was that sensitive information was not to be shared unless unanimously agreed upon in the council.
[No Mage is present, ] Void pointed out, drawing Octavius from his thoughts. He looked around, and indeed, he saw that no mage was present.
The ’Purification De Fuego’ rites required at least one or two mages, if not all of them, to be present.
[I don’t think the rite is being held today,] Void observed. [It pretty much looks like the commencement of another tournament to me.]
And true to Void’s words, it was indeed the beginning of another tournament. A woman, who had served as the spokesperson in the previous tournament, stepped onto the grand stage to announce the commencement of the second tournament.
"Welcome, students," the spokesperson began, and the crowd fell silent, hanging on her every word.
Octavius observed that the auditorium was even more packed than the last time, which meant the seniors from the previous year were present to watch due to the speculation from the previous one.
Octavius tried to find Thorne in the sea of bodies but he couldn’t. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of nervousness. Meanwhile, Erick had kept to himself after his argument with Nadia, and as a result, he hadn’t informed the class about the task they would be facing.
Octavius however, found reassurance in the knowledge that, despite being uninformed or not, they had fearlessly excelled in the previous tournament, and they might likely do well for themselves again.
"The time has come for the esteemed students of our Academy to showcase their skills and prowess in the arena," the spokesperson declared, her voice echoing through the auditorium. "Unlike the previous tournament, where your magical prowess was put to the test, this tournament presents a new challenge. The four factions - Conjurers, Healers, Levithans, and Architects - will compete against a formidable foe: half-breed demons."
"This round is known as ’Requiem of the Fallen,’ a trial that will push your magical abilities to the limit." The spokesperson paused, surveying the room. "The objective is straightforward: utilize your magic or talents to defend yourself against the half-breed demons. If you find yourself overwhelmed, you may concede by saying, ’I resign to reprimand the varmint.’ Those who emerge victorious will be one step closer to claiming the coveted Mage Heirloom, an honor that grants the title of Junior Mage within our Academy, accompanied by numerous benefits."
"With that said, Let the tournament begin!"
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Here’s a revised version:
Unlike the previous tournament, where contestants had been eager to take the stage and showcase their skills, the atmosphere now was different.
Everyone seemed reluctant to go first, their eyes darting nervously around the room as they hesitated.
The reason was clear: no one wanted to reveal their hand too early, lest they miss out on a crucial strategy or skill that a later contestant might display. The fear of being caught off guard and unable to improvise was discernible, and it seemed that each faction was waiting for the others to make the first move.
The spokesperson, noticing the hesitation, stepped back onto the stage and declared, "We’ll commence the first round by calling upon each faction student that ranked the highest in the previous tournament. If you’re aware that you’re the only top-ranked individual within your faction, or perhaps you outranked your peers, please step forward."
The students seemed to appreciate the spokesperson’s approach, and the tension in the room dissipated slightly.
Both the students who were going to take part in the tournament and those who had come to watch were eager to see how the top-ranked individuals would navigate the round, hoping to gain valuable insights and strategies to inform their own approaches when it was their turn.
Amy from the Healers Faction was the first to step forward, having successfully risen from an E ranking to a D ranking. She stood confidently, awaiting the next contestant.
Next, a commotion erupted from the Leviathans Faction. The boy who had attempted to play a fast one on Void in the hallway and had paid the price for it, pushed one of his fellow students forward. It turned out that two members of the Leviathans Faction had achieved a D ranking, and the boy, still nursing his wounds, was reluctant to go first.
With a mix of fear and cunning, he forced his fellow student to take the stage, leaving him to observe from a safe distance.
One boy who had been the only one to be ranked higher than his peers in the Conjurer faction, stepped forward.
Nadia, proudly bearing her A-ranking status, emerged last from the crowd.
The guards swiftly positioned the four contestants in a linear formation. A guard blew a whistle, signaling the start of the tournament, and the ground beneath them gave way.