TWO HOURS BEFORE THE GAME COMMENCES.

The dusk has finally settled upon the empire, shrouding the entire capital in darkness filled with menace, but the townspeople's excitement was unabated. They lit lanterns everywhere, and soon over, magical orbs of light started floating in the air to drive the crawling darkness away. Slowly, the twin pair of crescent moons, Hiraya and Lamyak graced the eastern sky, their ethereal beauty resting over the solemn night sky surrounded by stars whose lights have dimmed from their brightness. Few more nights, and the twins will be full once more. Such was a rarity for the twin moons only became full once a year, where the two would join and merge to become one.

Hidden from the bright light of the twin moon, Inside a chamber where Estil and her companion have been staying for the past couple of hours, the completed members of the team were finally gathered. Ueno stood by the center, his expression unreadable as the flickering flame of the lamp danced across the soft features of his pretty face and his blue-green eyes turning ocean blue in the poorly lit room as he paced inside the chamber.

"In several minutes, the game will commence. No one in this team is allowed to withdraw. So anyone who wants to back out, your only chance is now."

Estil frowned. Allowing players to leave after going this far of gathering team members? No way.

"You see," Ueno continues, "once the game starts, no one is allowed to leave. No matter the reason or the circumstance." He stopped pacing. And gave each one a straight look.

"And if by any chance, anyone in this team dares to become a deserter, no problem. But." He suddenly held the grip of his blade and slowly unsheathed his sword--the infamously long, sharp looking scimitar  meticulously forged from the remnants of a flaming blue meteor that happen to fall over hundreds of years ago. How he got those blades in his possession, nobody knows. The flame of the candle glinted over the sharp blade of his scimitar, emitting a bluish glow from the edges of its arched blade. When the blade was finally out of its scabbard, Ueno gently ran his fingers from the base of his scimitar down to its tip, before lifting his eyes to meet the nervous glances of the people inside the room. He smiled; a cold, calculating, cruel, smile.

"This blade will be the thing you'll see last."
He swung the blade swiftly, slicing through the thin air and eliciting a gasp from Elois and Diego, and a flinch from Hiraya and Estil.

"Mind you, there won't be any escaping from me. I promise that I can hunt you from any corners of this world down to the deepest depths of hell if needs be."  He said those words in a rather indifferent tone, as if the words were of little importance but they all knew he meant every word he had said. Ueno finally sheathed back his sword. A sigh of relief escaped the lips of the players inside the chambers save Estil.

"Gather your belongings. We'll set off to Castle Square in a few minutes."

Everyone did as was told, Ueno watching them with a dispassionate expression in his face.

"On the contrary," he interrupted, "I think we should hit the capital first." He sighed, then continued after clicking his tongue after his keen observation. "Wouldn't wanna get into the game with a team looking like it was beaten by some group of bandits."

The bard chuckled. "Yeah. You lot look like you wouldn't even pass the preliminaries."

"Surely you jest." Hiraya replied in a disdainful manner.

"You wouldn't talk the first couple of hours, but now you won't stop talking."

"Miss Lumierre was right. You make it hard for anyone  to like you."

"Hey, everyone loves me!"

It wasn't until Estil scolded them that the two had stopped their bickering.

×××

FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE GAME COMMENCES

"You're Majesty."

Leonhardt made a deep bow, his forehead touching the marbled floor between his widespread palms, awaiting any reply as he prostrated before the Emperor.

"Grand Vizier. You need not prostrate yourself before me. Please rise and join me to finish this hearty dinner."

He rose from his kneeling position and saw a festive meal was prepared on a table spread before his bed. That was an indicator that the King was feeling better. His skin had some of its colors back, too. Not as ghastly as a dead man when he had seen him months before.

"I'm glad how much you've recovered, my liege."

The Emperor smiled. "I'm only glad that I can finally eat solid food. Now won't you join me?"

"I'm afraid I cannot, your Highness. I actually have tons to attend to. The preliminaries are but a few minutes away."

The emperor who was about to swallow a forkful of meat paused, as if regretful, and dropped down his utensils. "Oh."

Was he sad? No, he couldn't tell. Regretful? Maybe. Afterall, this game was in honor of him, and all sacrifices were made for him. Surely he wouldn't feel sad now, would he?

"The gods wouldn't let me rest, would they?" He chuckled, then picked up his utensils once more. "I'm only glad I get to eat solid food."

Leonhardt observed the king eat his meal, his expression unreadable.

"That being said, Your Highness, I wonder if you can grace us with your presence tonight. On the opening?"

Again the Emperor smiled, but it lacked any warmth nor any expression. Leonhardt felt a slight shiver on his body.

"Ah, Leo." The emperor swallowed down his food with wine, and as he placed his chalice down with a clank, Leonhardt flinched. Incredible, he has barely recovered his strength and mana, but he could feel this much power from him? Incredible!

"I've always disliked violence, it's inevitable, but I hate it-- even a while back when this empire was just the size of the Dwellings. Ahh. Takes me back in the days of yore." He sighed. "I cannot attend the opening. Perhaps the Queen would love to."

Then in another regretful tone, the emperor continued, "Why, oh why. On the verge of death I long for life, and now that I feel like life and strength is coming back to me, I long for rest? Why, Leo?"

The grand Vizier did not know what to reply, so he only said, "Such irony, indeed."

"Leo." The emperor set the table aside with a single gesture of his finger. "Tell me, what happens if I pass on?"

"The empire would not survive, Your Majesty. The entire empire will be plunged into war to take superiority between kingdoms. People will die, and thousands of them. The crops and the establishments you've built this far shall be destroyed, then mana will be depleted, and without mana the monsters will take us over. More people shall meet their demise. Soonover, the entire empire will collapse."

"Indeed." He nodded repeatedly. "That's why we must continue." The emperor eases himself out of the bed, and slowly but steadily, stands on his own feet.

"Hundreds of sacrifices, I can finally stand. Thousands of more, and I shall be back to normal. Replenish me, and I will answer to all the needs of the empire. Feed me with life, and I shall heed the needs of our people. Of my people. But Leo," the king tried to step, then faltered and fell down the carpet.

"Your Majesty!"

He hardly made any sound as he landed, and Leonhardt was about to assist him but the Emperor shook him off. He sat up by himself and laughed, he laughed until he was in tears. "Leo, tell me, why does it pain me so?"

Leonhardt bowed on his knees. "I am sorry, your Highness. Forgive me, your Highness." And he kept apologizing as he prostrated before his King.

×××

The Players have returned to Castle Square to enlist again, this time, as a team. But compared to the first day of Enlistment, it was quite noticeable that the number of players have been reduced to almost a quarter, but the hall remained crowded still as thousands of the remaining players enlisted their names in teams. Each member of the team would write their names on a sheet of parchment and sign it with their blood, and once everyone had listed and signed their names, the parchment would be burned and its ashes were strewn to the crystal floating overhead. Each time a parchment was burned, the crystal would glow brightly for a moment before returning to its normal color and brilliance.

Soon as the Enlistment was over, they were once more graced by the presence of the Grand Imperial Vizier, but this time he was not alone. The Queen of the Empire was present, too. The Queen, Alina Perov was known across the empire for her great beauty. And as she stood before the people that day, seen by the players in person and broadcasted live throughout the empire through recording orbs floating everywhere, the talk about her beauty was proven to be no myth. Dressed in a regal golden gown that embraced every curve and lines of her body, exposing nothing to the eye but leaving a powerful image in the mind and imagination of many, she stood there with an elegance and sophistication no other nobility can ever rival. Her golden hair was swept upwards in an intricate fashion, and above her head was a crown which appeared to be too heavy to be sitting on her head. But she seemed to love it instead, for on her face was a beatific smile that reached her sparkling purple eyes, sucking people inside to peer into its very depths. No wonder, many men of nobility all across the empire were willing to stake their lives to be named one of her Royal Consort.

Estil glanced at Ueno, watching for his expression. People from the Dwellings knew that Lord Rubius de Arlo of House Azalea was the Queen's personal pick and favorite. Lord Rubius gave up his position as the heir of House Azalea and abandoned his seat on the Royal Council to become the Queen's Consort. Up till today, Lord Rubius was still one of the Queen's favourites. It was even rumored that the Queen wouldn't sleep without his presence.

Now that Estil was observing Ueno, he seemed to display nothing on his face as he stared up at the stage. He then glanced at Estil and caught her staring. She immediately looked away.

"If clothed elegantly and groomed carefully like the Queen," he suddenly says in a soft voice, "You'd be prettier than her."

A gasp of surprise escaped her mouth, and stared back at him in horror. "You dare utter such an insult to the Queen!"

His eyes were once again smiling down at her. "But Estil," he returned his gaze back at the stage, "You are such a beauty too. You probably have no idea how much, though."

Heat crept up her face, and decided to ignore him. The man was really good. He probably realized she was watching him and decided to turn the tables. Afterall, only her knew his deepest secret.

The Grand Imperial Vizier stood before them, and spoke in a loud and powerful voice, "You are back here, and that means every face I'm seeing right now has passed the preliminaries. I congratulate everyone for your success in making it back here, alive."

The Queen smiled at the words.

The vizier continued. "Today, we are graced by the presence of the Great Queen of the Empire, Her Majesty Alina Perov."

Everyone cheered, the Queen smiled and waved, but refused to speak. Her eyes were sparkling and was filled with excitement as she busily scanned the crowd for personal favourites and bets.

The Vizier understood right away that the Queen was not interested in boring talks, so he proceeded to the main part.

"Without further ado, we shall now begin the Game of the Empire!"

The cheer this time was louder than the last one, for people even outside the Castle Square watching from recording orbs placed almost everywhere where hooting and shouting in excitement, too.

The vizier was smiling." Why don't we proceed straight to the game?" He snapped his finger, and from nowhere hundred of scrolls appeared floating in the air above the players.

"Here is your task-- the first to get a copy of this scroll will be able to get a pass to proceed on the next level." As if on cue, a large portal appeared in front surrounded by dark energy sizzling and buzzing with life.

"Anyone who dares to attempt to pass through this portal without a copy of the scroll shall be hurt. So be sure to obtain a copy of the scroll as your ticket to pass this portal. It will get you through the next level."

Everyone looked above their heads eagerly. Thousands of team players have enlisted, but there were only a hundred copies of the scroll. Blood will surely rain today.

The vizier's arm was raised, and happily he said, "Best of luck!" And the moment he dropped his arm, the scrolls dropped, too.

And so it began.

×××

Sorry it took me a while to release the next update! Stuff happened, is why. Stay tuned for the next chapter's release, since we'll enter the new arc! Best of wishes to everyone always! xoxo