Zteel

"Alrighty now, everyone. It's the moment we've all been waiting for! Soon underway, the action is set to begin!"

The intercoms continued to announce the long-awaited arrival of the cadets as all twenty-one of them stood in place and arranged themselves evenly at the center of the coliseum, the crowd raging on as they arrived.

Again, Nyota glanced at Sage and Kilo beside him as both looked back and nodded. Then, he looked around in search of Enki, Idalia, and Tatius.

After locating them, he finally turned his gaze to Cadel, Faris and Shiloh, studying them from afar with a troubled facial expression.

Jora and Trifon found their seats in an area designated for campus leaders and other high-profile personalities.

"I'm liking the view," Jora said.

Trifon sat with his arms crossed and let out a simple, "Mhm," his eyes fixed on the center stage.

Jora, noting Trifon's indifference, looked away to his right. Much to his surprise, or at the very least, catching him off guard, he recognized a familiar face.

Chills ran down his spine and his heart rate accelerated.

"Noriko…"

Noriko was seated mere rows to the right and ahead in a special platform section personalized for her, aligned with center stage. Rather than a standard seat, hers was a throne.

Around her stood Elwin with a few other Lunanova officers.

Jora continued to stare from a distance for a while longer. This was until Elwin caught his gaze, prompting him to immediately turn away.

"Elwin," Noriko snapped her fingers and called his name, observing the cadets at the center of the coliseum with an empty alcoholic beverage glass in her right hand.

He intently stared at Jora for a moment longer, scowling before walking over to Noriko's side.

"Have someone fetch me another dry martini." She handed him her glass. "I cannot risk having my elegant image tainted during the inaugural tournament."

"Right," he responded as he grabbed at her glass, still meditating on Jora's view as he found it slightly suspicious.

Noriko's grip on it tightened as she gently looked over her shoulder. "It's either 'Yes, Director' or nothing at all. You know this."

"Apologies," Elwin replied apprehensively. Noriko let go of the glass, sending Elwin to give it to a nearby butler for a refill.

He returned with her drink and handed it to her on a platter. She grabbed it and took a sip, continuing to gaze over the cadets.

"Wait a moment," she frowned, leaning over the edge of her seat. "There are supposed to be twenty-four cadets, and yet I count three less."

Elwin counted as well. "You're right! Who must I speak to? I'll have this dealt with right aw—"

Noriko raised her hand as a means to silence him. She closed her eyes and exhaled. "No matter. Let the show go on, I'm certain all will sort itself out."

Moments later, Airrion found a seat beside Jora and Trifon.

"There you are! I was looking for you two. Got lost earlier after we left the atrium."

"Well, welcome back!" Jora responded. "And right on time, the battles are set to begin shortly."

Trifon remained seated with his arms crossed, eyes remained ahead. "Clumsy. Enlighten me on how you were put in charge of instructing the best-performing squadron on campus, and yet you're a complete halfwit.

Surely, your cadets are as intelligent and tactful as they are completely of their own will and diligence."

Airrion waved him off with a smile. "Oh, Trifon, you grumpy old man. Well, of course my cadets are simply amazing because of their own work ethics. It's my teaching that makes them better.

After all, they do love me. Imagine if only your own could think the same of you."

"Oh, yeah?" Trifon growled. "Don't let your insolence be the reason they lose their instructor."

"Oh my, did I poke the bear?" Airrion teased. "What are you going to do about it, see me on a court? Or perhaps, a brawl right now would satisfy your nerves."

"Alright guys," Jora chuckled nervously. "How about we save this for later, huh? Let our students settle the dispute for bragging rights of the better instructor."

Returning his gaze to center stage, he noticed the shortage of cadets. Wait, why are there twenty-one? There should be another team, right?

Trifon, with his arms still crossed, closed his eyes and scowled without response.

"That's strange," Arrion commented. "There should be twenty-four."

Both Jora and Airrion observed between them as Trifon appeared to be visibly disturbed.

"Um… Trifon? Is everything okay?"

"Alright ladies and gentlemen," the intercoms announced once again. "May we all stand for the national anthem of our great nation, the District of Lunanova!"

Everyone grew silent. The crowd stood tall, forming a closed fist in their right hands and placing them onto their hearts as their left arms remained stiff and still down their sides.

Nyota observed as Sage, Kilo and other fellow cadets did the same, all eyes turned toward the nation's large flag suspended in the air above Noriko's platform.

Nyota waited to observe if Noriko would do the same as everyone else, in which she did.

Sage gave a quick glance to Nyota, as though to signal that he knew what he was thinking.

Kilo bore a disturbed expression.

Though unfamiliar with the practice, Nyota did as everyone else had.

"Soon, Nora. Soon, I'll be out of this place, and you'll finally tell me everything we've both been waiting for me to hear."

Everyone began to sing in unison, their voices echoing for even those beyond the coliseum to hear as the music began to play. The lyrics were as follows:

"Oh, Lunanova, it's pleasance is bliss

Born as a haven, a humble abode

A land for the people, divinity granted

To saveth our kind and live by the code!

Oh, Lunanova, gathered to the north

Under one alliance, with one common goal

To live with both decorum and faith

Allegiance alive to whom we extol!"

Everyone cheered and rejoiced after the recital. Meanwhile, Nyota and the brothers stood in place, unamused.

Elwin applauded and turned to notice as Jora, too, appeared dissatisfied, arms crossed with a hand rested underneath his chin.

"Something isn't right," he thought to himself as he continued to study him from a distance.

Simultaneously, the intercoms rang on before each cadet was introduced by name with their respective squadrons and teams.

After the cadets were introduced, they returned to their respective tunnels and all rendezvoused to the atrium where they had been before.

Nyota, Kilo and Sage sat for a moment to recap.

"I haven't the slightest memory of doing any of that, ever," Nyota began.

"Weird," Sage added. "Especially considering you were an orphan. I'm sure they'd have you doing it all the time."

Nyota shrugged. "She had a throne and everything. Has everyone always had to put her on a pedestal like this?"

"Yeah, ever since she's come to power. Our father used to tell us on various occasions that the way things are now in Lunanova hasn't always been the same.

Though, he never spoke too much about how, let alone whether it was a good or a bad thing."

"Seems like an interesting way to get the people to bow to a person rather than a collective idea." Nyota shook his head. "It's clever on her part."

"You think?" Kilo asked satirically. "You don't even know just how much I can't wait to win this thing. Then after that, that mystery woman or whatever in your head gives us the details we need.

If we have to end up going against the grain on all of this," he clenched a fist, embers of fire briefly emitting from it. "At least I'll get a chance to have some fun."

Inspired, Nyota looked at Kilo for a moment, finally nodding as a sign of affirmation. Together, the three looked overhead at the nearest large monitor that displayed the events center-coliseum live.

Meanwhile, Raphael, Colt and Khafra were called back to center stage, all eyes on them.

"Alright ladies and gents! For our first match of the day, we have Squadron 1-D, one side represented by Colt Bransen, Raphael Cortis, and Khafra Mana!"

Once again, the crowd raged on in anticipation until it eventually died down into complete silence.

"But hold on," the intercoms called. "What's this? There seems to be an absence. We've just received word that Squadron 1-D does not have a set second team to represent it."

Raphael covered his face and Khafra chuckled nervously.

Colt shook his head. "Well, this is embarrassing."

The silence in the coliseum extended for another few moments.

"Well, that's not my squad," Airrion spoke, he looked over to Jora who shook his head.

"Not mine either." The two of them looked at each other blankly before noticing.

Their eyes lit up as Trifon sunk in his seat.

"Wait a minute!" They turned to him.

Airrion broke out into laughter.

"Oh, boy," Jora smiled, shaking his head. "Care to explain?"

"Don't patronize me!" Trifon growled. "I got carried away with leading training, so I forgot. I put all my eggs in one basket."

"Oh, man!" Airrion cackled. "Typical."

"Ah, don't worry," Jora assured him. "Happens to the best of us."

"Does it, though?" Airrion rebutted smugly. I know I treat all my talent the same."

Without providing response, Jora felt a hint of conviction tug at his chest.

The announcer interrupted the silence with an update. 

"Well, that's quite the way to start things off. Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse us for the inconvenience. The second team representing 1-D was never set, so we only have one team representing the squadron.

So, according to our newly-found rulebook, this implies a forfeit, meaning the lone team standing automatically advances to the second round.

So, congratulations to our first victors of the tournament, Raphael Cortis, Colt Bransen, and Khafra Mana as they advance!"

The silence after the announcement lasted a moment longer before the crowd applauded en masse, though this time, there was little cheer.

Back in the atrium, Nyota, Sage and Kilo watched as the situation played out.

"Um… okay?" Kilo scratched his head.

"Well, that wraps up the first match," Sage spoke. "That's one closer to showtime."

Meanwhile, Idalia, Enki and Tatius were set to spar against another trio of cadets from their squadron, 1-A.

Not only that, but they were also projected to defeat them with relative ease. After all, the entirety of Sub-District 101 knew of their prowess, of course this popularity would spread throughout the coliseum, let alone the geographical area.

They were preparing to leave the other atrium and travel through the opposite tunnel to be introduced.

Enki was seated before standing to earnestly look Tatius and Idalia in their eyes.

"Ready?" He asked with a grin.

The two nodded back. "Yeah."

Altogether, the three of them walked through and waited at the end of the tunnel where they could overhear the intercoms prepare to announce their names.

"Alright now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, on our other team for Squadron 1-A, we have the fighters you've been waiting for!

True warriors, they're also set to graduate very soon, as they prepare to choose which factions and agencies to become a part of. EPSA or RSAA, only short time will tell. 

Dare I refer to them as the highlights of the tournament, they're feared by all their peers.

Referred to as an urban legend of sorts, from your highest-ranked squadron in the area, introducing Enki Thorsten, Tatius Paxton, and Idalia Alejo, your Big Three!!"

They looked at each other once more, nodding in affirmation before walking out to center stage as the crowd erupted.

--

"And they get such a grand introduction, why?" Kilo scowled.

Nyota laughed. "The people love them, it's understandable."

Nyota and the brothers remained in their atrium, watching the match on the big screen.

"I know one thing, they better give me a grand introduction like that, otherwise they're not doing their jobs right." Kilo crossed his arms. "I can't wait to go head-to-head with them for real for the first time."

"We've got to get there first, to the last match." Sage replied.

Nyota added. "My main goal is getting far enough and making enough noise for Noriko and other higher-ups to notice us.

That'll put us in the best position to safely get into good leadership positions as early and as much as possible.

But hey, might as well have some fun. Let's go for gold."