By the year 7022 M.E., it was clear that the matter of Imperator Vagnar Savtron's succession was going to cause strife within the empire.
To survive the upcoming turmoil, everyone had to pick a side.
Aristocrats of the Eastern faction allied themselves under the more war-oriented first prince Bertram and those of the Western faction united under the banner of the more happy-go-lucky second Prince Viktor.
Everyone had to pick a side, everyone except for three families whose influence spanned far and wide beyond the confines of the empire's politics.
These three were known as the three great families and they were the Lorella Oxborns, the Direwood Ballards and the Harlston Ronens.
...
FIRST IMPERIAL SCHOOL
As the first match of group two was about to begin, Hade felt a soft hand tap him on the shoulder from the back.
"Hey you," said a very familiar feminine voice.