Chapter 59: Execution

    The Greenleaf Tournament, one of the best events of the Astraen Kingdom, had finally been celebrated, and the Astrid Arena had been used after months of inactivity. Almost everyone in the kingdom had come to watch or participate in the event, as the heat increased every time, helping the sun on the clear sky in releasing sweats.

The bleachers elevated one level to the next, and were now filled with crowds cheering and gossiping. The arena below used dust and sand of gold as ground, surrounded by locked doors that might lead to the competitors' lounges.

Unlike the outdoor part of the dome, in which heat poured to the thousands of people, the competitors' lounges were shaded under the bleachers, and the crowd wasn't that many as the audiences.

The long corridor had two different sides, one in which revealed the wide streets of the capital, separated by stone pillars in lime, and the other where metal doors with the same design were lining up. These are the lounges for the participants.

Dalary and Pholly, holding the key, started walking towards their lounge. Thankfully, the staff in-charged for the registration, accepted their permission to be in the same room as they stated that the roommates will be random. Pholly never wanted to be separated to her sister as her purpose in this journey was to protect her.

"That pesky pigeon…" Dalary mumbled, with her arms crossed on her chest. Her eyebrows furrowed deep on her eyes, and her mouth never lifted up. Even until now, she couldn't get over the fact that she had to participate.

"Don't be childish, sister." Pholly tried to discipline her, but she was more irritated than before after hearing it. But she couldn't help but to admit it. So she removed her annoyed face and calmed herself down.

"We have to look for that man Heron." She added, now turning her head in any direction. "Do you know what he looked like?"

"Blue coat with a hood, mask with the same color, trident lance on his back," Dalary responded as she counted it in her fingers. Before leaving, Vison gave them clues on what he looked like to make their search easier, "And skull-and-bones tattoo on the wrist."

After that said description of the man, they started searching on one of the participants with using their eyes. Unfortunately, none of them looked the same as mentioned, especially the tattoo. They never expected it to be that easy, since there's a chance that he could change outfit or remove the mark.

As they were about to give up with just looking, a person caught Dalary's attention, in which she had in eyes for minutes. There, in a far distance, was a lady with the same age as them physically, wearing sleeveless teal blue cloth that was twice as large as her body, revealing a part of her undergarments inside, and a pair of black trousers that only reached the lower parts of her knees.

Her black hair that was cut on her shoulders curled at each end of the strands, darker than her almond skin. Her purple eyes glowed under the shade which gave her beauty more, despite her unenergetic attitude.

Dalary felt something on her, but she couldn't be able to explain, thus she continued to pursuit of that strange feeling that she didn't move on her position. Pholly, who was questioning her sister's sudden actions, followed her gaze and also ended up seeing the mysterious lady.

She was also captivated by the aura she was releasing, not just the strange beauty, but the mystery surrounding her whole appearance. Both of them didn't have any idea where she came from, but they were sure that she was never to be underestimated.

***

It's been his fourth sigh since his comrades started leaving him behind with the cargo and the horse Dino. He covered his face with a hood to keep others from seeing his true identity.

Kandani had trained for days in order to fight against evildoers, but he didn't expect that this will be his role in this mission.

Cainne and Meria searching through the audiences, and Dalary and Pholly searching through the participants, was much better than him just looking out from the outside. The streets are quiet, with few residents passing by, and no sign of danger.

Cainne gave him magic orbs that could send what's on his mind to other person's. He was instructed to not use it yet unless he will have suspicions of the outside environment, so what he was doing right now was to wait.

He should be travelling towards Atlan in order to stop his friend Tasan from taking the ice relic, but he couldn't be able to leave Meria and the others. He owed them for saving him after all. His friends trusted him as a lookout, then he should try his best.

***

As the crowds cheered for the opening of the tournament, Meria couldn't help but to be amazed at the grand party that she didn't ask for. Living in Deravon, not to mention as a peasant, didn't give her good experiences like this. So now, she became a child that first time saw tendrins in their neighbourhood.

But she finally came back to their task, which is to find Heron, the key towards knowing where Ritensore is, as she felt Cainne's warm grasp of her arm, being pulled to the right. She lifted her head and looked at him in the eye.

"We mustn't waste our time. If there's a chance that Heron was on one of these bleachers, then we must move faster before we'll lose our sight of him." He explained as he struggled to breathe in between the people, trying to squeeze in. She was also having a hard time, much more than him.

But realizing that her friends were more motivated in executing the plan for her sake, she couldn't help but to think of herself as a failure, not to mention, she brought them into danger every time. Now, she decided to protect her friends first before making her goals the top priority.

She also received the description from Vison about their target, in which surprised her earlier, especially the skull-and-bones tattoo that he mentioned. It wasn't written in the books and only rumours, so she didn't believe it at first. But now that she heard it the second time, she was sure it was true.

In the east side, there was a rumoured group that raids small villages and loots goods from empty houses. They called themselves 'land pirates' and their camp were beside the Miran Port. To present their membership, each of them was marked with the mentioned tattoo in a part of their bodies.

She never thought that they were searching for a pirate, in which might be a risky mission. She also told what she knew to Cainne in order to prepare them against danger. And she also couldn't help but to be worried for the others.

"There will be only one winner of this tournament, which will receive 10,000 gold coins!" The announcer yelled once more after the welcoming remarks.

She didn't turn her head around, but hearing it surprised her. The prize was much more than her total salaries. It couldn't be helped. She just started her work as a librarian a year ago.

But she never thought she couldn't be able to go back to the library and to Leonard. Not to mention her brother that was captured. She promised to go back to him once everything about her was settled. And together, they will improve their lives.

"And the powerful weapon blessed by the God of Nature, Dystrius!" The announcer added, which now, made Meria turned her head to the stage. "The Scythe of Growth, Embrion!"

A scythe with a large curved blade showed up under an elevated platform, and a hard wooden holder with fern color, in which the other end that was grabbing the blade carried a glowing emerald gem, surrounded by carved vines and leaves. It was majestic and gave the feeling of nature in it.

"And here are the contestants that will take home this trophy!"

After the announcer said those words, the metal doors surrounding the arena finally opened with a slow pace, screeching as their edges slide through the metal doorway. Once the doors were completely opened, a total of hundred people started walking out, and one of them was Pholly and Dalary.

The crowds cheered for them, waving the banners and clothes that they were carrying, which made Cainne and Meria's travel much harder. They aimed to reach for the highest seats, beside the stage to be specific, to have a wide view of the audiences.

Encantors had higher senses than those of the humans, so Cainne might see the people's faces closer. But with people standing and cheering, covering each other, he knew it wouldn't be that easy.

"So… let's start the tournament!"