Throughout the week, everyone had been busy at the academy.  You could even see the excitement dripping off their body. Classes were stopped for the week, and everyone trained hard.

And me? I wasn't training, I was undergoing torture, in the most brutal way. Why I ever thought Dean would be softer than Webline, is still a mystery.

As I am talking right now, I am in the healing wing, with the Healer, tending to my injuries.

Dean was a wicked trainer, and I knew that was the reason the headmaster wanted him to groom me.

Unlike the Webline, Dean was unpredictable, and he didn't care that he hit me, I got put on my butt uncountable times, and he literally had no damn expression whenever I cut down.

I wanted to be happy, Blue and others never failed to remind me of how much a privilege it was to be in my position. But I was not, my body protested against the training.

All the captains bluntly expressed their shock, when they heard about it, Jobber even went as far as choking on his food and nearly died in the process. (His words)

I was ill at ease, scared and spooky, I wasn't feeling the excitement at all. My body shook at the scourge of what was coming.

"Dear one!"

I jumped at the sound of the healer's voice.

"Hey, calm down okay, don't kill yourself with a heart attack even before your duel."

"It doesn't matter, she is going to kill me, and if by some miracle she doesn't, the elders will do it."

Grabbing my face with both hands, he whispered.

"Why, do you not believe in yourself?"

"Are you even hearing yourself, she is one of the best in this school,  and I'm still struggling to get into the right stance, how the hell is it possible to win?"

"When you are already sure you will lose, then what is the reason for fighting in the first place.

Listen to me, dear one. The first way to win this is actually believing that you can.

You haven't gone through all those brutal training to fail, because I'm sure, even if you don't get killed on the battlefield,  and the elders manage to spare you.

I don't think any of your trainers will spare you." The healer said with a smile.

"My trainers be damned! I'm fighting someone for real,  with a real sword in an arena, with hundreds of people watching.  Heck, my nerves might even kill me first."

"Then you  have to kill it first.

My advice to you is; see yourself as a warrior and you will win.

I have seen your progress,  the headmaster has even
confessed it to me.

Just follow, all you have been taught, and I trust you will survive."

I was almost in tears, his words were very comforting,  I didn't even believe in myself, and here was someone that believed in me.

I had no words to say, so I stood up and threw my hands around him, and he returned the hug, ruffling my hair.

I loud cheer echoed all around and I realized the tournament had just started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is so exciting!!" Taylor screamed along with everyone around us.

"Oh deity,  I can't believe it's happening, I am at the great Valhalla academy's tournament. This is a dream come true." Sammy supported.

I groaned, annoyed at them, they have been going on and on and on, none stop. Blue was the only sane person around me.

When I first stepped into the arena,  I thought it would be like the normal one, where we usually held our clash class and training.

But this was something else,  it was so huge, even bigger than a football stadium,  I think the seats in the stands would count up to a million, it was that big.

Different people from different places came to the academy, it was open to all. I was told there were witches, fairies, werewolf's, dragon tamers,  and all sorts of supernatural beings.

I became a laughing stock, when I asked if vampires were here also. Apparently, vampires didn't exist.

All of a sudden, the arena became quiet,  I looked around to notice the reason for that,  and realized that the captains were walking into the arena. They walked in silently, with the exclusion of Dean, he wasn't among them.

There was a special table arranged for them with couches as their seats. Of course the would be treated as royalty.

Jody and Jobber didn't walk to the seats, instead they walked to the center of the arena.

"Welcome to the Grand annual tournament!!" Jody's voice echoed loud and clear. It was as if in that location was an invisible microphone and speaker amplifying her voice."

There were cheers and whopping noise of shouts as everyone was excited. Before she raised her hand, and the place went quiet once again.

"With me, as the co- host is Jobber!!"

"Yeah!!" He screamed while raising his hands to the sky.

After the thunderous claps and shouts, she spoke again.

"This is a one true special tournament, that has never been seen before.

As you know, there are series of fights that I'm sure many anticipates."

Then Jobber took over.
"First of all, we have the competition for the best troop, and as for those that don't know,  R troop was the winning troop, of the last tournament, headed by Captain Jody here." There were screams and boos around.

We were all divided into our various troops,  I was fortunate to be in the  A troop, Meg's group.

Blue was in L troop, Ro's group.

Taylor was in the I troop, the Enga group.

Sammy was in Tharza's group Y troop.

"This year," Jody continued.

"We have added many interesting elements, coupled with the fact that we have a newcomer who will be defending the position of the A troop for the captain Meg against Molly Madon.

We have also made individual duels between us captains"

"That means, every captain will be on the battleground, in the three days that the tournament will hold," Jobber announced.

"That is not all people! We have the biggest match ever, the most anticipated duel, and the biggest challenge of all duels.

The Prince, Dean against Vic Madon. For the position of number one captain,  captain of the V troop." Jody continued.

And together they announced with one voice.

"The first match for this year's annual game is... 

A fight for the capital of the V troop!"

My heart was almost out of my mouth, I couldn't afford to start of the fight, I was thankful I wasn't placed first.

" With that said, let's introduce the judges." Jody said.

"Just as we said, this tournament is special, because for the first time ever. The judges that will judge the games are the great elders of Valhalla!"

Absolute silence was what occurred. I mean with how much everyone was shouting before,  you wouldn't imagine that the were capable of staying still and this silent.

The Elders walked in, one by one, while they were introduced.

The huge, dark skinned, bull looking elder, was the Elder of war. Why wasn't I surprised.

The man with the brighter eye amongst them, the one that almost killed Meg, was the wisdom elder. Shame, he was pretty dumb to me.

The woman elder, was the elder of heart. That was ironic, because I felt she had no heart.

The last elder, was called the Gift elder. It didn't suit him, he would have been better off as the lanky elder, or the weird elder.

They strolled in as if they planned to kill us all, so you can guess how terrified I was already.

Almost immediately, the pest in my head with the name Cicero decided to show herself.
" They are here, for us Redder."

"No shit, share lock, I didn't realize it."

" No need to be smart with me. They think we would lose, but all we have to do, is surprise them. Because Redder,  I don't know about you, but I ain't going to lose."

"You know what!  This is the first time I totally agree with you. We ain't gonna lose. No matter what."

"That is why we are one, and the best team. They won't know what hit them."

"Yes, and it would hit them hard, because I, no we, would not fail."

Just reaching that conclusion. Jobber announced.

"At the sound of the clang, the tournament will begin."

Just at once, a heavy, loud sound burst my ears.

" Let's give it up for the challenger, Vic!!

He walked in with so much confidence and as if he owned the place. There were both boos and screams upon his entry.

"Now, let's give it up for Captain Dean!!

The screams that broke out, coupled with the standing ovation he received, gave me a huge shock, was he loved that much? I believed I was the one who disliked him.

He strolled to the center as if bored out of his mind.

They were both wearing an armor. Dean's kind of looked like a second skin, he moved as if it bore no weight.

While Vic's looked like it was a weapon on it's own, he progressed to the center, to stand a couple feet opposite of Dean.

Just looking at them, I realized I was also excited to watch the match.

And at once, the clang rang, and they charged at each other.

_____________________
______________________

Now, now, now... Don't you guys like her spirit.

Interesting things are coming.

The awaited tournament is finally here.

Vote and comment please.
Signing out
Marvel.