261 Team
[Ren Hilton POV.]
"Do you think this is going to work just fine?" Blaze asked as he jumped on my shoulder. I was leaning on my chair while I looked down at my feet in the dark behind the curtain.
...I slept, I slept well. It was a good sleep. I tried my best to ignore a lot of things and just focus on my rest.
Why am I telling you this? Because I just wanted to.
"Yeah, this will work," I answered him.
"Ren Hilton!"
It's time. I got up from my chair as I passed by the already lifted curtain that led to the stage.
It had been two days since the last selection match. Vexa won, marking the final person on the imperial academy's team for the Mage's Gambit, and after that, everything went silent for the next two days. I didn't meet anyone because, for some reason, fatigue took over me.
It was a weird type of fatigue—one where you just don't want to move at all.
I followed what I felt and just slept—till Blaze himself woke me up.
*Step*
My boot tapped on the wooden stage as the sound reverberated through the silent hall. The eyes of the students tracked me with their judgmental gaze.
I looked at Aron and Isolde, who were already standing beside Stormborne, who was in the center of the stage.
His eyes met mine, but he just looked away as if he wasn't even interested.
I lined up beside Aron.
"Erik Weller!" He called out, and I saw Erik walk up the stage with wobbly legs, trying his best to maintain composure amidst all the applause he was receiving.
"I don't think so," I might be the one being talked about the most? Nah... I don't think so.
As Headmaster Stormborne ascended the platform, a hush fell over the assembled crowd. His commanding presence filled the grand hall, silencing even the faintest whisper. With a regal air, he adjusted the lapels of his impeccable robe, the shimmering fabric catching the dim light, emphasizing the authority he held.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty, and honored students," his voice boomed, resonating through the hall. "It's time we unveil the location for this year's highly anticipated Mage's Gambit."
A collective murmur swept through the audience, anticipation crackling in the air like static before a storm.
"In the Kingdom of Reva, where the ancient tapestries of magic and mystery interweave, where every corner echoes tales of arcane wonders, we have chosen a place of exceptional significance for this year's Gambit," Stormborne declared, his words weaving a spell of intrigue.
".....Eshmera," he announced, and the name reverberated across the hall, drawing gasps of awe and reverence. "In the edge of Reva Kingdom, nestled amidst the enchanted forests and shimmering lakes, Eshmera awaits. A city steeped in it's own legacy, a haven where spells dance upon the wind and secrets whisper in the stones."
"The departure of our esteemed team is imminent," Stormborne continued, his voice commanding attention. "The selected members shall embark on this journey of discovery and trials as emissaries of our academy's legacy."
A tangible excitement filled the air, students exchanging eager glances and exchanging murmurs of preparations for the upcoming departure.
"The team shall depart at dawn's first light," Stormborne announced with gravitas. "Gather at the Academy's Grand Archway, where the first rays of dawn shall bid them farewell on their quest to Eshmera."
With a final sweep of his gaze across the audience, Stormborne's presence lingered in the air like an unspoken promise of wonders to come. "Prepare yourselves, for this year's Mage's Gambit shall set forth from our hallowed halls to the mystical embrace of Eshmera."
As he stepped back from the platform, an electric anticipation lingered, signaling not just the end of the announcement.
What he didn't mention was...the Ruins of Eshmera are going to be the place where the selections are to be held.
"This is going to be a fun ride."
[A/N: This marks the end of this volume....I have something to say but I'll hold it in for next chapter, If you don't wanna hear or read it....which I respect please skip the next chapter as it's just a epilogue and few things that I wanna share with you...you don't even have to buy the chapter,just join the discord server - I'd paste the message there for y'all to see.]
[Discord Link in my bio.]
[End Of The Volume ~]