Arcane Era-Chapter 39: Event Begins

The next day arrived, and the Event Hall of the Outer Court was nearly filled to the brim with attendees whose excitement for the Recruitment Event was beyond palpable. Their presence only served to further accentuate the beauty of the vast expanse they occupied.

Shaped in a wide, oval arc, the hall’s structure rose in layered terraces of deep polished stone and embedded luminous lines, softly glowing with the gentle pulse of refined minerals. Though it bore the scale of a coliseum, it carried none of the crude brutality.

The walls were constructed of gleaming white granite veined with light-gold tracery, and high, arched ceilings bore delicate etchings of stars with an eclipsing sun at the center. Suspended overhead were luminous crystals that diffused light throughout the space, bathing the room in an almost heavenly brightness.

Rows upon rows of seating curved gracefully around the central stage, a massive circular platform with gilded edges. The stage’s surface shimmered faintly, clearly the effect of an Arcane Instrument which made it able to withstand devastating impacts and chaotic energy bursts. Along the walls, elegantly curved walkways and pristine railings allowed easy access to every level, from the modest seats of guild staff to the more luxurious lounges near the top.

The Guild’s Combat Staff, Academy Instructors, and several other interested staff filled the lower terraces—hundreds of them, their robes or light armor denoting rank and specialty.

Above them, lining the sides of the middle tier, the VIP balconies jutted out with architectural grace. Carved from pale-blue stone and enclosed with golden filigree railings, each box offered a private view of the event. Within these balconies sat guests of significant repute: ambassadors from Nations of the Mainland, potential investors, heads of various kinds of institutions, and wealthy patrons seeking alliances with the Ak’ashi Guild.

Their formal wear glinted under the warm lights as their eyes gleamed with quiet calculations. They were most certainly interested in the events of the day, and the rest of the week, for obvious reasons that pertained to self-interests.

Despite all of the grandeur displayed, everything dimmed in comparison to what towered at the very top of the hall.

A domed chamber overlooked everything—suspended in the very center of the hall’s upper arc, it appeared unreachable by any stair or lift. Gilded glass surrounded it, translucent enough for the audience to see the silhouette of a man seated upon a massive throne.

It was his seat.

The Guildmaster’s Chamber.

The room glowed faintly, elevated above the common crowd like a sun above the world. The Guildmaster sat cloaked in ceremonial attire that seemed spun from golden sunlight itself—a majestic robe of white and bright amber, with a regal crest stitched across his chest.

His bright golden hair and eyes complemented his pristine attire, and the three aides present in the room with him only complemented his dominating presence.

After all, they were all members of the Zenith.

The moment the Guildmaster leaned forward ever so slightly in his throne, the entire hall seemed to draw breath. Eyes lifted. Backs straightened. Conversation ceased. Even the luminous stones above seemed to shimmer just a little brighter.

His gaze scanned the room like a sovereign regarding his kingdom.

He did not need to speak, as his presence alone stirred something in the hearts of all who sat below. With a mere wave of his hand, the long-awaited event began and a figure stepped onto the stage.

He was dressed like a gentleman, with a hat that perfectly matched his three-piece suit and walking cane. His monocle firmly remained on his face as he took off his heart and bowed to greet the audience that surrounded him.

"Greetings, everyone. My name is Claudius, and I will be your host for today." He said with a calm tone, yet his voice traveled all over the entire hall.

Such could only be achieved through the power of an Armament, and the glowing brooch he wore seemed to be the culprit.

"I welcome you all to this year’s Evaluation and Recruitment Event of the Ak’ashi Guild!"

The hall erupted into thunderous applause and murmurs of anticipation.

"This year’s event," He continued, "will span one week. A full seven days to evaluate potential recruits, the finest who have gathered from all over the Mainland. For the next three days, we begin with the Combat Exams. The remaining days will be dedicated to the other Non-Combat Examinations, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves."

He gestured toward the side of the stadium.

"And now... let us welcome the thirty-two contestants selected for the Combat Exams!"

A door opened with a hiss, and a line of figures marched out onto the stage—eight at a time, in synchronized steps. Their boots echoed on the smooth floor, a sound that vibrated through the bones of the onlookers.

Each wore a number clipped to their shoulder, from 1 to 32. Their appearances varied wildly: some clad in traditional battle gear, others in regular clothes or hybrid armor. A few had weapons already strapped to their backs, while others walked with only the force of confidence in their eyes.

They stopped in four lines of eight, standing tall beneath the golden light.

"Each of these candidates," Claudius announced with a particularly sharp glint in his eyes to complement his sadistic grin, "has passed preliminary trials and background evaluations. Today, their true test begins."

He turned, and a female assistant brought forward a crystalline bowl. Inside it were sixteen neatly wrapped pieces of parchment.

"The first sixteen numbers shall draw their opponents randomly from this pool. Upon drawing, the exams will begin in order from the first to sixteenth round."

Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd.

This was a little different from how things were usually done, but there were no complaints from the audience. The randomness added a spice of excitement to things, so they quite enjoyed the increased tension brought about by sudden uncertainty.

The nervous faces of some contestants felt refreshing to the crowd who watched.

They couldn’t wait to see the results of the draw.

The bowl was held forward by the assistant, with the numbers 1 through 16 stepping forward one by one, to pick their lot. Arlet, as number one, was as calm and composed as ever, so he wasted no time with his draw.

This was followed by Theo and then the rest.

Once they had all gotten their pieces of parchment, they were instructed to reveal the numbers hidden within.

As Theo did this, a myriad of thoughts flowed in his head.

’I expected the Mercenary Crew to pull something, but this is unexpected.’ He glanced to his side and noticed an incredible sight. ’The man I watched burn to death is here, alive, and so are the others who passed the Preliminaries back then.’

What did this mean? Had he been wrong this whole time? Did they really not die?

’Maybe it’s some sort of resurrection? No... that’s impossible, right?’ Theo thought. Healing Armaments were the rarest of all, and even the most sophisticated kind could not bring someone from the dead.

The only explanation that made sense, given the situation, was that impostors had taken the place of the dead participants using the power of a disguise Armament.

’What does it matter?’ He sighed, taking his mind off the issue. ’I should focus on the Exams and not be thinking about stuff like this.’

Right now, Shen Ak’ashi was present in the room—along with three members of the Zenith. Even from where he stood on the stage, though he had to squint his eyes, Theo could see Drake, Terra, and Dinah standing beside Shen’s magnificent seat.

While staring at the bright chamber above, he remembered the last words Shen told him before leaving him in Sarvos.

"We will meet again, Theo. And when that time comes, I hope you can amaze me like this once more." A flash of light shone in Theo’s eyes and a smile formed on his face as he vividly remembered that scene.

’This is as good a time as any to achieve that!’

He looked at his parchment and saw Number 29, belonging to one of the few who went out of their way to wear armor to the Exam. One look at his opponent, despite refusing to succumb to overconfidence, told Theo he was going to win.

Clenching his fist with determination, he prepared himself for the second match as Arlet informed their proctor of the number he drew.

"17...?"

The moment Theo heard this, he froze.

He knew the person who had that number, and the moment Claudius glanced in the direction of the boy, he felt a shiver assail his entire body. Beads of sweat formed on his face, but as much as he didn’t want it to be true, there was nothing he could do.

"Looks like our first match has been decided." With a bright smile on his face and a loud voice encompassing the entire hall, Claudius announced the draw result.

"Number 1, Arlet Bouli’jer will face Number 17... Kaycee!"