To say that the Azar were in the festive spirit was to put it mildly. Teyva, Azrael, Elat, Paraklytus, and Nephral stepped off the lift to the lowest level of the city and found the crowds had almost doubled in size. It was hard enough to navigate the rushing groups of people on this level to begin with but now it was almost silly. Teyva had chosen to wear the restored gear Tiisha had given to her-though it had only been restored after a lengthy lecture from the rather irate craftswoman. Teyva had promised her that she wouldn’t put herself into a situation where such a serious injury would happen again. Teyva had also used [Alter Self] to disguise herself a little bit until they arrived at their destination. 

“So many people,” Elat grunted, stepping a bit closer to Azrael.

“I’ve honestly never seen so many come for the festival before, there are a lot more elves here than usual,” Azrael said, taking in the crowd.

“Not surprising given that your people opened trade with them some time ago,” Paraklytus pointed out from behind his silver mask, “I daresay the King will be pleased to see so many outsiders here.”

Teyva nodded, “We should get going, the messenger said that we should gather outside the eastern gate by noon.”

“Mother, where is Sir Batel?” Nephral asked from Teyva’s shoulder, the feline had been practicing shifting back and forth between his new form all morning and was now comfortable enough to react when necessary.

“He’s with the Akurai,” Teyva said, “They want to watch the festivities so he’s preparing them for what to expect up here on the surface.”

“A wise decision,” Paraklytus said, slipping his hands into his sleeves to keep them concealed from onlookers. 

The small group of five pushed their way through the crowds, making their way towards the southern entrance to Osan. It had been ages since Teyva had physically left the city walls and she was yearning for a little bit more sunlight than what she got from the garden window. As they stepped past the guards, Teyva stopped to wave at Garnett who was guiding visitors inside with his usual stoic benevolence. The other guards raised their fists to their chests when they saw Azrael and Teyva walking by, inclining their heads as they did so. Up ahead there was a large gathering of people beginning to form just at the edge of the short bridge that attached the city to the surrounding land. At the head of the group was a large hastily built structure designed to allow someone to stand and address the crowd as a whole.

“I don’t see the King,” Teyva said, “Or any of the Four.”

“Me neither, I figured they’d be addressing the crowd,” Azrael said, squinting at the raised platform. “Looks like it’s a member of Tiisha’s guild. You can see the crest on his collar.”

Teyva squinted as well but couldn’t make it out, “Damn you and your fancy wolf eyes,” Teyva shot.

“You’re just jealous,” Azrael laughed.

They arrived with the growing crowd and the man glanced up at the sky, squinting at the few clouds and position of the sun. He put his hands on his hips and broke into a wide, jolly smile. “Good afternoon everyone! I am Karx! Welcome to today’s festivities! As you all are aware today marks the first day of the Unification Festival! There’s a lot to see and do, but those of you who have come here today have only one thing in mind! To test yourselves against your kin!”

A few onlookers walked over to watch, “That said, there have been some rule changes this year as decreed by the King himself! Any and all who would like to participate, no matter your origin, may join us in this celebration of our culture and history! That includes you visitors!” He said, pointing to a group of Elves who looked at one another, surprised.

“Now! On to the explanation!” He paused momentarily and turned his head, his eyes widening. “Your majesty!”

The entire crowd turned, Teyva’s group included, as the King and the Four strode forward. The King was dressed in simple traveling clothes as were his companions. He raised a hand and waved, “Don’t mind us! Just running a bit late! Please continue!” He shouted back. 

Teyva looked at Azrael, both of them wide-eyed.

“D-do you intend to participate as well, your majesty?” Karx shouted.

“We do! I want to be here with you all, as do the four!” The King shouted back.

There was a round of cheers and shouts of approval from the gathered men and women. Teyva swallowed hard, this was going to be more difficult than she thought. She peered through the crowd to try to get her eyes on her target but so far hadn’t seen Niko anywhere. She turned her focus back on Karx as he began speaking.

“You heard him! There are two parts to this competition! The first half is very important to our people! It is a race! You will depart from here and travel east to the campsite belonging to the Eastern Cardinal Clan, when you arrive you will pay your respects to one of the elders waiting there and he will give you a talisman. You are to take the talisman with you and travel northwest from there to the Northern Cardinal Clan and do the same, then to the Western Clan and finally the Southern Clan! Once you have acquired all four talismans return to this place!”

He looked over the audience, “The first sixteen who arrive will enter the second phase! A competition of strength and power! But we’ll get to that when it comes!” He paused and took a breath, “Now for the rules! You may use your aspect abilities! However! You may not bring serious harm to your fellows! We expect some light fighting out there, but serious combat is forbidden! You will be disqualified!” 

Those gathered looked at one another, some grinning, some shaking their heads in despair. Teyva bounced on her heels, eager to get moving. She did have a feeling she should have picked that [Glasswalker] ability when she had the chance, but there was no going back now.

“All that said!” Karx grinned wildly, “Begin!”

There was a sudden pause, a moment of confusion as everyone looked at one another wondering if he was serious. Then a terrible sound erupted from nearby and everyone ducked for cover. Yaga Yftha dashed past the crowd, her body hovering just a few inches off the ground as the wind itself carried her away. Next went Tiisha, the very earth beneath her feet splitting and then carrying her forward as the dirt leaped aside for her. Argus Wo followed them, a column of water lifting him off the ground and jetting him forward. Barin Kot followed soon after, flames erupting from his feet and fists, sending him soaring. All the while, the King laughed. “Better get going!” He bellowed, and broke off into a run, moving so fast that Teyva couldn’t follow him properly with her eyes.

Shouting broke out, and the crowd began to move with all due haste. Teyva turned to run and another figure darted past her, one that reeked of crude oil. She gaped, “Conrad?” She shouted after him. The knight raised a hand and waved as he gained distance on them. Teyva and Azrael looked at one another and then back at Paraklytus and Elat. The two men nodded brusquely and the two women turned on their heels and ran. 

“Sorry Teyva! I’m not losing to that monster!” She growled, “Like the wind! Swift Footed!” She barked and the wind picked her up, carrying her forward as she moved faster and faster. Teyva groaned, pumping her legs as hard as she could. Fortunately, her stats were far higher than the average Azar and it took little time for her to peel ahead of the main group. She didn’t gain much distance on them, though, but that was a given. She wasn’t some monster like the King and the Four.

“It’s the princess!” One man shouted, “How did she get so far ahead?”

Teyva grimaced and kept running, coming up with a plan on the fly. She turned to look back at the runners behind her and waved at them, “Hi!” She called playfully, “Sorry friends!” She whipped her arm behind her and a line of walls rose up out of the ground. There was a raised shout of confusion as they came to the obstruction, immediately moving to go around it while others tried to climb over it. “Mother! Left side!” Nephral shouted and she darted to the right, keeping her pace as something cut through the spot she was just running in. She glanced to her left to see Niko, his arm rippling with green light. He looked forward and sneered at her before moving on, uttering the same incantation that Azrael had.

“Son of a bitch, I’ll…” She growled, her chain beginning to snake out.

“Mother, peace, no fighting remember?” Nephral urged.

“Right, right, I wish your Gnostisphinx body was large enough to carry me,” Teyva grumbled.

“Perhaps with the next upgrade, if there is one,” Nephral said confidently as Teyva jumped over an obstacle.

“It’ll be the first one I pick,” Teyva laughed, turning to create a few more sets of walls behind her while she ran. She alternated their positions, forcing the runners behind her to weave in and out of them. She needed to maintain a strong lead if she was going to place as one of the top sixteen. As it stood she was the very bottom of the pack that had pulled ahead of the group. Up ahead she could see the shape of the campsite becoming clearer.

“There!” She called and spotted a ripple of green dart away from the campsite and towards the north. “Damn, Yaga’s really moving isn’t she?”

“The other Four aren’t far behind,” Nephral added, “The King seems to be enjoying himself.”

“That’s what he meant last night,” Teyva grumbled as she passed the gates of the camp, “When he said he’d be watching ‘in a manner of speaking.” 

Nephral laughed, “A devious man. Like someone else I know!”

Teyva reached up and pinched the cat as she slid to a stop. There, an elderly woman was waiting with a basked next to her. Teyva stopped long enough to catch her breath, looking at the woman as she pulled a bird-shaped talisman from the basket. “May the Lord of the Open Skies watch over you, my young princess,” The woman said, inclining her head, “Be safe.”

Teyva forced herself to calm down and bowed as well, “Thank you elder, I will carry this with me.”

“Hurry now! Off with you!” The old woman chortled and waved Teyva away. Teyva turned and broke into another run. By this point she had peeled far ahead of most of the group behind her. Only one person stood out among the rest. He looked like he was from the green clan as well, and every now and then he would burst forward with a jet of speed as if he was using the same spell as Niko and Azrael. 

“I don’t like this,” Nephral growled, “He’s heading straight for us.”

“Bring it on,” Teyva grunted, hopping over a rock and turning to create a wall right in front of him. The man flipped, landing on the other side of the wall and kept running. “Shit! He’s quick!”

Before long the man was in shouting distance, “I am Kastel Tvar! Right hand of Niko Yftha! And I will stop you from desecrating this race, outsider!” He bellowed, whipping his hand forward and shouting a spell that she couldn’t quite make out. A blast of wind hit Teyva square in the face and she felt her body lift off the ground and begin to spin. Teyva gasped, struggling to get back on the ground as Tvar raced past her, laughing, “Serves you right, freak!”

“Bastard!” Teyva roared, whipping out her chain arm and embedding it in the ground. She tugged, hard, and pulled herself out of the whirlwind and into the dirt. As she did a few more men came running past her and she had to force herself to her feet. She growled, racing towards the next goal with every ounce of strength she had. “This is not over!”

The second stop was the northern tribe, here she was given a talisman symbolizing a serpent. She took it and put it with the other before giving the elder a polite goodbye. She tried to calculate exactly where she was in the running but she wasn’t entirely sure. Without much else to do but hope she kept running, pushing against the ground as she made her way toward the Western camp and the fish-shaped talisman. As she kept up her pace from there she began to see the shapes of two figures just a bit ahead of her on her way to the southern camp. When she saw who it was she bore her teeth. “Niko and Kastel,” Teyva growled.

“Mother…” Nephral warned.

“I know, no fighting, I won’t break the rules, I’ll let them do it to themselves,” She growled, darting toward the two men despite what she’d said. “Lets see how they like a taste of their own medicine!” She rumbled and threw out her hand, choosing the [Wind] element and casting [Summon Elemental] “Don’t hurt them! Just keep them busy!” She ordered as the creature began to take form in an explosion of sound and wind. Soon a living current of air had taken shape, its tornado-like body thrashing about as it tried to toss the two men this way and that. Surprised, Kastel and Niko darted away, going further from the path while Teyva raced by. “Good boy!”

When she’d gained enough distance, Teyva gave the mental command to unsummon the Wind Elemental, she didn’t want to leave it out there for too long. Ahead of her, the last camp was waiting. She slid to a stop at the Elder and bowed deeply, offering her greeting and was given a salamander-shaped talisman in exchange. After a polite goodbye she hurried off, racing toward the massive form of the city. She couldn’t even see the pack that was ahead of her anymore. Cursing and finally starting to feel the strain on her legs-thank you high endurance-she charged into the paths between the patches of farmland surrounding the city.

It was just as she saw the podium and the small crowd gathered around it that everything went wrong. Something latched around her leg and she was pulled down, hitting the earth face first. She let out a hostile growl and cupped her nose, blood leaking from the injury. She looked back at her leg and saw what looked like some kind of plant growing out of the ground. The tendril coming out of the plant wrapped solidly around her leg. Teyva turned her arm into a blade just as Niko and Kastel hurried by. “That’s more like it, payback for that elemental you bitch!”

Teyva snarled and swung, hard, but found that the blade wouldn’t puncture the almost rubber-like plant. Taking a different approach she savagely grabbed it and used [Chill Touch]. It took five precious seconds for the plant to rot and die, snapping apart. She struggled to her feet and broke into a run, sliding to a stop at the finishline.

“Number sixteen! Lady Teyva Akura!” Karx shouted, “Congratulations!”

Teyva dropped to her knees, “Last place,” she growled, looking up at Kastel and Niko as they sneered at her. Yaga came up from behind them and passed them by, stopping next to Teyva.

“You okay?” Yaga asked, pulling her to her feet.

Teyva shot Niko a lethal look before nodding, “I’m fine,” Behind Yaga, Niko’s face had gone red with rage. He turned on his heel and stormed off past Azrael and Conrad who hurried over to join them. Teyva looked up at Conrad first, “When did you get out?” She asked.

The fallen knight inclined his head, “Yaga spoke with me last night about the competition, it seemed to me a good way to demonstrate to you what I am capable of, mother.”

“You claimed him?” Azrael demanded, “When?”

“I told you I wasn’t planning on killing him when I went there a few weeks back,” Teyva said, “Elat was right, he wasn’t in his right mind. When I used my power on him it helped him think clearly again.”

“I don’t trust him!” Azrael bit out and turned to Conrad, “I don’t trust you, Wightling,” She hissed, “And I certainly don’t believe you’ll be of any use to Teyva. I’m watching you, hear me? I haven’t paid you back for crippling my Elat.”

“He was your mate?” Conrad said dourly, “I see…”

“I see? You could at least try to-” Azrael started but Teyva held up a hand.

“Easy, Az, why don’t you two settle this in the fighting part of the competition? You both placed in the top sixteen, right?” Teyva said.

“Yes, I was Sixth,” Azrael said proudly, “Right behind father and the Four.”

“I was seventh,” Conrad said, “Just a few moments behind Azrael.”

Teyva let out a sigh, “Well, obviously I was sixteenth,” She shook her head, “I had no way to keep up besides running, it didn’t help that tweedle dee and tweedle dumb over there made every effort to slow me down.” She bit out, nodding to the duo who had turned away at this point.

Yaga raised her eyebrows and looked in the direction Teyva was indicating, “Niko… again?” She squared her shoulders but Teyva put a hand on them.

“No, let me handle it during the fights. This is my problem to handle, not yours, okay?” She urged Yaga.

Yaga sighed and shook her head, “Fine, I only hope you can deal with my little brother. He is quite powerful.”

“As long as I can use my aspects, I can’t lose, don’t worry about me,” Teyva said, “I’m looking forward to a little showing off.”

“Good,” Yaga chuckled, “Because the first round is in a few hours.”