Reality struggled with disbelief. The fading of the magical pillar heralded the return of the stars high above. What had previously been a desperate battleground, the scene of frantic fighting and a furious assault, now fell quiet, illuminated by an indifferent moon. Fresh night air alternated with the smell of woodsmoke every time the forest breeze blew through, rustling the hair of multiple students who suddenly found themselves standing quietly, the fight over.
Marlon was getting back to his feet, his shield glowing a bright blood red just like everyone else’s. Kaylin jumped down from the wall and started jogging over, just as something crashed into Yaric’s side. His shield ensured he didn’t feel anything, but he still stumbled sideways, turning in time to see Li Na land after her flying shoulder check, her usual smirk replaced with a wide grin.
“We did it!” she shouted over her shoulder, already running past him and into the building to collect the flags.
Kaylin arrived just then, now accompanied by Kaeden. Fist bumps, high fives and excited grins flew wildly, only to repeat themselves when Marlon made his way over as well.
“Guys! I need help!”
Yaric rushed through the building and up the stairs, joined by the rest of his squad and a few curious onlookers.
They found the room with the flags brightly lit. A large dome of golden light swirled around the entire stand, extending 3 meters from the base. It looked like a protective globe, inside of which glowing gold flakes hung suspended like dust. The illusion was so complete that the dust seemed to dance and shift when Yaric moved his hand through, yet he couldn’t feel anything from the apparently solid light.
Li Na was struggling with the base. She was one of the most naturally gifted when it came to augmentation, but the stand was so bulky and awkward that it would need at least two people to move, ideally four.
The entire squad hoisted it onto their shoulders, marching out together, followed closely by their curious opponents. Li Na had to brace it on her head in order to make up for the difference in height.
A small group waited quietly outside, watching the softly glowing light make its way toward them from the yawning darkness that was the pitch-black passageway.
They all took turns congratulating the winners, walking around to shake hands and get a good look at the beautiful display of magic. Most were very gracious with their defeat and made sure to congratulate every one of the Shadows before leaving to make their way out of the competition.
And that brought the first problem. Getting the flags and the large stand out of the fort. Fortunately, there were still others inside, and they immediately noticed the problem when Yaric and his squad began discussing how they were going to lift the stand over the wall.
They were still talking when they heard the thud of axes, turning as one to watch in mute appreciation as many of their former opponents got to work creating a new doorway, large enough for the flagbearers to make their way through.
‘Why did we have to use that name last year? It would have been perfect now.’
Their own fort was the closest to the exit, or at least the original camp site that they had abandoned was. It wasn’t particularly far, but carrying the awkward load through the forest was slow and difficult, so Yaric sent the others ahead, leaving him and his squad to follow in their own time.
It also gave them time to celebrate as a team.
All five Shadows marched through the silent forest talking excitedly. Golden light from the dome surrounding them illuminated their path, giving their surroundings a rich golden hue and creating a beautiful, magical backdrop to the hike. With the bright moon casting everything further out in white light or deep shadow, their own light created vibrant color, chasing shadows around trees as they walked past. Their mage shields, still active, added a soft red glow over the gold, leaving the Shadows walking within a second bubble, this one of life and reality, passing through the pale dreamlike scenery of the dark, moonlit forest.
Everything within their bubble came to life. Outside of their bright glow was silence, while inside, leaves crushed underfoot and twigs snapped, but most of all, people talked.
“Did you see how I shot that guy just before he jumped?”
“My flame wall worked so well; I can’t believe it!”
“Who saw the mound I made under my position? I smashed everyone that got close.”
“Did you see how many people I kept away from the door?”
“We were both fighting four at the same time.”
“I can’t believe we won!”
“I can’t believe anyone doubted we would win…”
“Team Shadow!”
“Team Shadow!”
“Team Shadow!”
They were all still high on adrenaline, but the walk was long when you were forced to travel at more mundane speeds, and they eventually ran out of things to say, settling into a companionable silence. The occasional hoot of an owl or flapping of a bat swooping down was the only thing to remind them of life outside their bubble, all the way through to their old camp and on to their own team’s supply trail.
Finally, less than half an hour from the boundary and only an hour away from their destination, the distant horizon began to lighten, glimpsed occasionally through gaps in the trees. The sky started shifting through its own reds and golds, lifting the filter on the forest around them and shrinking their bubble until eventually, just as the sun began to break the horizon, their bubble faded away, bringing all five Shadows back to reality.
The forest was now alive with color and movement, filled with animals waking up and beginning their day, from squirrels chasing each other up trees to birds flitting from branch to branch. Sunlight began to filter through the trees and dance across the students’ faces when they rounded the last bend and saw the entrance to the main camp ahead.
It was packed.
Every team was there and waiting, in their original groups, forming a half circle just on the other side of the entrance. Every team except Team Shadow, who all stood in front of the others, forming their own half circle.
Shouts and cheers erupted when the five Shadows came around the bend holding their flags high. Every team applauded, but none louder than the forty-five Shadows waiting inside.
Li Na stopped pretending to be helping and skipped ahead of the procession, taking the lead and dramatically marching with her head held high. Then she raised both hands in front of her mouth, as if she were holding a flute, and let out a surprisingly good imitation of a trumpet, leading the way to even louder cheering. Spurred on, Li Na swung her shoulders from side to side and struck up a marching song, leading the squad all the way through the entrance, where the rest of her team were waiting.
Yaric watched as Li Na disappeared, enveloped by their teammates who had already rushed forward to meet her. She soon popped up again, now carried over everyone’s heads, and a moment later Yaric also found himself surrounded, pulled by multiple hands one moment and lifted above the crowd the next. All five students were carried through the other teams, along with their trophy, until they made it all the way through the crowd and came up to the line of waiting instructors.
Yaric was quickly put back down.
“Well done Team Shadow,” Wizard Serina Asiri said, smiling understandingly. “We’ve arranged a place of honor for your prize, right in front of your cabins. There is also a large breakfast on the way so please wash up, your belongings will be arriving shortly. I’m sure everyone can agree that your victory was well fought,” she added, starting to clap.
The rest of the assembled students and staff soon followed, with cheers and whistles quickly added, until Serina stopped clapping and raised her palms to the assembled students for them to quieten down.
“I admit, you’ve caught us flatfooted. That is not a common occurrence for Lekton Academy. In order for certain preparations to be made, your departure will be delayed until late tomorrow morning. Tonight, we will have a celebratory feast, and well-respected inns have been booked in Lekton for you to stay in tomorrow night, as a special treat. You will only return to the Academy the day after. Come and see me if you have any questions, but for now, you have the day off. Enjoy!”
Team Shadow quickly pulled their newly returned teammates toward the cabins, where a large plinth stood right in the middle, between their two large firepits. The stand was placed in the middle, its glowing sphere swirling visibly even in the direct sunlight. Everyone hung around for a few minutes to watch, with most even stepping forward to touch the stand, but it had been an exceptionally long night for everyone, and they all needed to wash up.
Two hundred students gathered around a large buffet, freshy washed and in clean clothes, piling plates high with everything from eggs and bacon to rice and salads, their first proper meal since the competition began.
Breakfast was boisterous. There was so much to catch up on, with stories passing back and forth between mouthfuls. Li Na almost spat out her food when Lauren described what had happened with Yaric’s net, and Sven had laughed at their description of the temporary wall of fire, nudging Kaelyn in appreciation.
More than one plate was cleared by each student with only a fraction of the stories told, but sitting in clean clothes and with full stomachs, reality came down hard. Not the excitement of winning, or realization of their achievements, but bone deep fatigue. High stress decisions followed by nonstop combat, with such high stakes on the line, left Team Shadow feeling exhausted. Yaric found himself struggling to follow the conversation, but was saved when Lauren stood up.
“I need to lie down; I can hardly stay awake.”
The reaction was immediate, with half of Team Shadow following right behind Lauren, and the rest quickly finishing their breakfast so they could do the same.
Yaric was sharing a cabin with Sven. It was well lit, featuring high windows in the east and west facing walls, the former permitting bright beams of sunlight to strike the floor in the middle of the cabin and give off a warm, homely feel.
Yaric barely noticed. He lay back on his bed, intending to take off his boots as soon as he could get the energy to sit back up. All intentions were lost to the oblivion of sleep.
Loud voices woke Yaric up. He dimly noted that the sunlight had switched sides, now streaming in from the west wall, before he groggily lifted his head to hear better.
“But I’m not here to disturb them,” an annoying voice was saying, disturbing Yaric's nap. “I just need to talk. There’s been a mistake - I know they will understand.”
“There’s been no mistake Prospect Neilson,” Serina replied, her voice making clear that she was annoyed and didn’t quite believe Andrew. Whatever they had said before now had clearly made her suspicious.
“The flags were taken to my camp. I won! I know they didn’t do it on purpose, but they handed me the victory. They did all the work for me, and I’m not unappreciative, but…”
“No,” she replied, cutting him off firmly. “That camp was no longer yours. No one but you has any doubts as to the victor.”
“Of course it was…!”
“Prospect Neilson! Do I need to remind you who you are talking to?”
…
“No Wizard Asiri. I’m sorry. I hope you can sympathize, I’m just frustrated with this misunderstanding…”
“The misunderstanding is yours,” Serina interrupted again, her voice now cold. “The guard you left behind was taken out of the game by Team Shadow, who in doing so captured your camp and took it for themselves. They stayed there, with no one from The Behemoths, added to the defenses, and successfully defended it from you! Your own assault on the camp makes it very clear to me that you fully understood the circumstances. I will not…”
“That’s not how it works!” Andrew replied, practically shouting in frustration and daring to cut a wizard off mid-sentence. “They got lucky last year, and now everyone just assumes they’re in the right about everything! They didn’t win!” he shouted; his voice almost pleading.
“I already know all about them! Sven’s family are influential nobles – he was an heir before anyone discovered he was an arcanist. Lina was sponsored by the Council Head and gets special treatment from everyone. And we all know the kind of people Yaric mixed with before…”
Yaric’s stomach knotted up, knowing where Andrew was going, but a sudden pressure descended to cut Andrew off once again. The entire camp seemed to fall into silence. It was several moments before anyone spoke again.
“I will not dignify those aspersions with a response. To call any of those people into question…” Serina paused abruptly, her voice laced with anger. “I know it would have been made clear to you last year, but perhaps you need a reminder. Your first five years at Lekton were exceptional. We all considered your talents extraordinary. Seldom has a student stood so far ahead of their peers.”
Yaric almost groaned right then, seeing Andrew’s cocky smile in his mind’s eye. Glancing over at Sven’s bed, he saw Sven also sitting up, looking shocked but listening intently.
“And then you found yourself foiled last year. For the first time, you faced students capable of standing up to you, capable of beating you. And for the first time, we got to see how you react to failure. As you’ve been told many times, it was your reaction to your failure that got you held back. Despite this, your teachers felt that your otherwise exemplary performance warranted a second chance, so we allowed you to be captain of a team again, hoping you would learn from your experience.
“We clearly made a mistake. This conversation will be reported in full, along with your attempts to remove Team Shadow’s trophy…”
Yaric was wide awake now, his heart beating quickly.
“… and subvert the results of this competition. You were held back last year, yet this year your behavior verges on disobedience. I will not speculate on your future, but that is something you should keep in mind for the remainder of this outing.”
“How can my future be threatened, I’m the best in my year?!”
Yaric buried his face in his hands, listening to Andrew interrupt the angry and annoyed wizard yet again. His emotions certainly had the better of him.
“Speak again and I shall personally escort you back to Lekton with a recommendation for expulsion. Now, to make clear once and for all. You did not win this competition, Team Shadow did. You did not even come close this year. You are not the best student in your year, not anymore. That position isn’t even limited to the four students you keep directing your misplaced anger toward. There are many exceptional students in your new class, some of whom weren’t even in Team Shadow. And finally, you will not touch, talk to nor interact with anyone from Team Shadow until we are back at the Academy. Is that understood?”
Andrew must have nodded in reply, at least partially mastering his anger, because Serina continued a moment later, her previous anger now muted.
“Then off you go. Get back to your cabin.”
Yaric and Sven stared at each other for almost a minute, holding their breaths and listening intently. They were just about to speak when they caught themselves, hearing Serina’s footsteps as she started walking away, evidently having first watched Andrew leave.
“What just happened?” Yaric mouthed slowly.
“Can you believe that?” Sven replied, doing the same in return.
They got out of their beds, well off the bed in Yaric’s case, and went to the chairs in front of the fireplace, whispering furiously.
“That was insane. He just tried to steal our flags!”
“Sorry, I know you heard what he said about you. You know that he’s talking…”
Yaric raised his hand to interrupt. “It’s fine, I’m just impressed that even he knew how corrupt you nobles are…” Yaric replied, getting a grin in response.
“At least now we know why he was made captain again. But why did Wizard Asiri talk openly like that? She must have known she would be overheard.”
“Maybe she thought we were all asleep?”
“No, she probably knew exactly how many of us were listening. Maybe she was extending a warning to us as well?” Sven asked, leaning back and staring at the ceiling in contemplation.
“She was also angry, maybe she didn’t think of it?”
“There’s no point trying to guess. They should be long gone by now, let’s go see who else heard,” Sven said, getting up and moving to put his boots on.
“I hope someone heard from the beginning,” Yaric said optimistically, already dressed and moving to the door.
Lauren and Li Na had both heard, and they were already huddled together with Kaylin when they arrived. All three smiled reassuringly at Yaric, even Kaylin, but Yaric found that he actually wasn’t all that upset about what had been said. He was angrier about the things said regarding his friends.
The conversation immediately continued when Yaric and Sven sat down.
“I used to think he was so cool,” Kaylin was saying. “He was like the best of the best, no one could touch him, and he looks the part too,” she added, giggling. “Who knew he was such a sore loser.”
A few more members of Team Shadow tracked them down, leaving the cabin cramped, but the discussion continued until it started getting dark. Going outside, they found the firepits being piled high with firewood, and the mouth-watering scents from their promised feast already being carried on the cool breeze.
Drinks were handed out as soon as the fires were lit, creating a steady stream back and forth from the fires. It only took a few minutes for the streams to form between the fires as well, with students mixing between teams and trading stories.
Yaric was taken aback when Chris walked over, carrying two large tankards.
“Well done,” he said, holding one of the tankards out.
“Thanks,” Yaric replied awkwardly, taking the offered drink and then shaking the now free hand that Chris held out immediately after.
“I just wanted to apologize for almost picking you at the start. I wasn’t thinking about where people wanted to be, only who I wanted on my team.”
Yaric was stuck speechless for a moment, his head spinning to try and catch up with everything Chris had just said. There was so much to unpack in only two sentences.
“No need to apologize,” he replied, scrambling for a response. “I appreciate the thought.”
Chris nodded in acknowledgement. “Well, I just wanted to congratulate you myself, before things start getting crazy.” Chris then raised his tankard and turned away, heading back to his team. Yaric just stared after him, at a complete loss.
“I told you to give him a chance,” Sven said, walking up next to Yaric and watching Chris walk away as well.
“I don’t know what to do now.”
“But I just told you,” Sven replied, turning to look at Yaric with his eyebrows raised high.
Stuart came over to congratulate them as well, looking deeply embarrassed. It was the first time anyone had really spoken with him since he’d been kept back in the 5th year.
No one treated him any differently, but his discomfort was obvious. Just before he could escape back to his team, Anton stepped forward and put his arm over Stuart’s shoulders.
“Hey, I know what it’s like to be kept back a year.”
Stuart turned red and started mumbling something about how it was fine.
“I know. I just wanted to let you know, being kept behind was the best thing that ever happened to me. Look where I am now!” he exclaimed, sweeping his hand in the direction of Team Shadow. “You get the chance to build a better foundation during the only period when you can, and you get to experience these competitions three times instead of two. I’ve met Simon, you’re going to do great.”
Stuart did settle down after that, and even ended staying, slowly joining in the conversations more and more, until it was as if he had never left.
The light eventually started fading completely, with the orange and crimson sky above matching the light cast by the fires below. Team Shadow’s area became especially popular once true darkness fell. The shimmering dome over the flags, with the specks of gold suspended throughout, shone spectacularly in the dark.
Sven particularly enjoyed hearing about the attack on his camp from the other side. He hadn’t realized just how demoralizing the first rush had been, or how frustrating it had been to watch everyone escape up the cliff face, even though they had expected it. Li Na kept pestering Stuart to repeat his story about being knocked out by the siege bows, convinced it had been her shot that hit him, despite the utter and complete lack of evidence.
Others were pestering Li Na as well. She had apparently made quite an impression when fending off so many attackers during the final minute of the competition, and it didn’t escape anyone’s notice that almost all of the attention was from the guys. Sven looked annoyed, but hung back, knowing that Li Na could handle herself.
Yaric was shocked to discover that Li Na had never said a word about how she had knocked Andrew out of the competition, almost literally. Lauren listened in disbelief while he explained everything that had happened.
“Then she just swung her mace and hit him straight back the way he’d come. No, I’m serious! His shield was just one big dent, and he went flying like meteor, directly into the fire. He even burst into flames on the way down, he looked… I’m not making this up, it’s exactly what happened! It was incredible. One second…”
Yaric stopped when he was bumped hard from behind, causing him to spill his drink and almost hit Lauren. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Li Na’s short blonde hair bouncing as she walked past behind him.
“Of course it was incredible,” she called back over her shoulder, smiling widely, before shamelessly adding, “I’m a-MACE-ing.”
Yaric was certain he actually heard Lauren’s eyeroll, but she was smiling just as widely.
Sven eventually spotted Grizzly at the far side of the camp, eating a quick dinner with rest of his own team. He had to drag them over and ended up needing to recruit Yaric and Delmar to help. Even then, it was only after the addition of Anton and Gerrick, along with Lauren and Li Na cheering them on, that the porter team reluctantly came over to join the students.
“This food is for your team,” Grizzly objected. “It’s to celebrate your victory.”
“No,” Sven countered, “this is for our team, to celebrate our victory. How could we have won without you guys?”
Some of the porters were grinning in embarrassment, but within half an hour they had all joined in, getting to know the students whose supplies they had been delivering over the last 3 weeks. It didn’t take long for Chris to notice and do the same, pulling in his own porters, followed closely by Cormac and Simon. Soon everyone had joined the feast, and the teams started breaking up more and more to mix with their friends.
Yaric’s only regret was not getting to celebrate the victory as Team Shadow, but having the other teams come to celebrate their win was nice in its own way.
Tall flames danced all around the camp, trying to outdo the students, constantly fed by teams competing to see whose fire could climb higher. Their energy perfectly matched the fires, because as people started getting tired and winding down, so did the flames, until everyone was sitting around the fires, talking quietly to each or staring into the softly glowing coals with the small tongues of flames that occasionally flickered lazily above.
Li Na had seemingly tired of the attention and was now sitting next to Sven, who loomed protectively over her. Kaeden and Kaylin were both popular as well, each with their own group still talking excitedly. Yaric wouldn’t have thought anything of it usually, but Kaeden’s group was decidedly female, just as Kaylin’s group was mostly male.
The competition had ended so much earlier than usual that the weather was still warm, but Yaric was nevertheless grateful when Lauren came over after midnight, taking a seat next to him unfolding a large blanket, exactly as they had done the year before.
Li Na noticed and came over as well, dragging Sven behind her. Within seconds, all four were wrapped in the blanket, leaning against each other and joining the others in staring into the fire.
Just 24 hours earlier, Yaric had been shooting arrows at his opponents as fast he could, jumping off walls and fighting with sword in hand. Li Na likewise had been frantically fending off the assault, clubbing her victims and sending assholes back the way they’d come. Not much earlier than that, Lauren and Sven had been facing down the combined forces of every other team, each engaging multiple attackers at once and forced into a fighting retreat, desperately trying to delaying an overwhelming force and buy as much time as possible.
The peace and quite felt almost jarring, but Yaric would have given anything to make that night last longer.
It was a slow morning. Everyone knew they had plenty of time before they left, so most slept late, an extremely rare luxury. Even so, they were ready and waiting when Wizard Asiri came to talk to them one last time.
“Usually, we do this on the journey back to the Academy, but there won’t be time this year.” Serina looked over to where Team Shadow sat together and smiled gently in their direction. “I think we all know who to thank for that.
“Tonight you will stay outside the campus grounds. We’ve booked rooms across multiple inns, but each team will stay together. Tomorrow morning you will need to be ready, as once we enter the Academy, you will be given a short speech, after which you will go immediately to your room to drop off your things. There will be very little time as you will proceed straight to your assessment. The customary hour has been waived due to the nature of your arrival.
“Events this year necessitate an award ceremony first. Everything proceeds as usual after that, with your team debriefing, evaluation and point distribution. Your points are distributed much like during a Solstice Tournament, but as a team.
“Then you will have your personal evaluation. Each of you will be assessed by three staff members, a member of the Council, one of the staff present at this event, and whoever sponsored you. They are highly individualized, so you will find out what they entail after your assessment starts. Listen well, because these assessments are as much about giving you guidance and helping you improve as they are an assessment of your progress.
“Now, if the 5th years could please head back to their rooms, I need to talk to the 6th year class alone.”
Four teams stood up together and made their way back to the cabins, while Yaric waited to discover what he had missed out on the year before.
“Things are slightly different for all of you,” Serina continued once the 5th years had left. “You will all write an exam before your team assessments.” She held up her hand to stave off the barrage of protests that followed her announcement. “There’s no point complaining, this is how things are. You were never told about when the exam would be, and if you didn’t ask, you only have yourselves to blame.
“We do this on purpose anyway. There will likely never be a time where you are warned before facing a difficult legal question. Most decisions will have to be made on the spot with little or no notice. We need to have confidence that you can follow the laws correctly even a month, year, or decade from now. If you need advance notice and last-minute cramming, then you are simply not ready. And not a word to the other class! Now get ready, they are going to be brought back now so we can leave.”
Two hundred students formed up behind them, and all eight teams set out for Lekton, led by Team Shadow and their still glowing flag display. Sven had made a litter for the stand just that morning, making the journey much easier.
It was still very late when they arrived back in Lekton, getting split up and sent off to nearby inns. Team Shadow found themselves in one of the higher-class inns, complete with a two-story tavern. There was even a stage on the ground floor, with various musicians and, occasionally, even patrons taking their turn to provide music for everyone.
Team Shadow didn’t waste any time, getting their keys one after the other and rushing up to their rooms so they could drop off their bags. Then they all met downstairs again, taking over five tables near the back.
Finally, Team Shadow would get to celebrate as a team.
Drinks were soon poured, and dishes were being brought out one after the other across every table, to a backdrop of music from the musicians on stage. An hour and a half later, Lauren worked up the courage to go onstage, after unwisely telling everyone about her singing lessons when she was younger.
Mouths dropped across the whole team. The entire tavern gradually went quiet, until every face in the building was turned to Lauren, listening with rapt attention. Silence rained when her last note faded away, instantly broken by loud cheering and shouts from every table. Lauren made her way back to her table with her ears glowing like they had their own medallion active.
Li Na immediately slipped out of her chair and headed to the stage as well. Yaric, Lauren and Sven followed her progress through the tavern, disappearing and reappearing as she went since she was too short to see over the people scattered throughout.
She skipped up to the stage, her short blonde hair bobbing behind her, only to find that she was too late. Not happy with going all the way back, Li Na waited impatiently for the musician on stage to finish, then hopped up to take their place.
“What kind of music did Lina learn?” Yaric asked, curious to see if she would be singing or playing an instrument.
Sven shrugged, while Lauren looked confused, watching Li Na with her head cocked to the side. “She’s never said anything about music before.”
Li Na was talking to the musicians at the back of the stage, obviously preparing to sing.
“I’m sure she’ll do Team Shadow proud,” Sven confidently declared.
“Well, she won’t be able to top Lauren,” Yaric replied, studiously looking straight ahead.
Li Na did not top Lauren. Nor did she do Team Shadow proud. Not unless there was another last stand taking place, and Li Na was fighting off her attackers using only her voice.
Lauren leaned over to face the others, looking alarmed. “What key is she singing in?”
Yaric didn’t know anything about music, though he realized in that moment that he would like to.
Sven hesitated, cutting himself off every time he started to answer, looking very conflicted. “All of them?” he eventually got out.
Some of the patrons look perturbed. Li Na was singing a popular song about a village under attack by trolls, and how they all banded together and marched out to face the danger and defend their village. It also doubled as a drinking song, so the reaction it received as Li Na confidently assaulted everyone in the tavern was unprecedented.
Completely oblivious, Li Na skipped across the stage, moving to her left and still singing loudly. As soon as the chorus repeated, Li Na waved to the people on that side, urging them to join her. Few did.
Shaking her head as if she were chastising a child, Li Na skipped across to her right, repeating her antics. The result was slightly better, but not by much.
This time when she went back to the left, at least half of the patrons raised their mugs and joined her. When Li Na came back to the right side, almost all of them joined, singing as one. Li Na turned to the left, pointing excitedly, jabbing her fingers at the right side with both hands, as if to say, ‘these are the winners’.
Everyone on the left stood and started trying to usher her back to their side, eager to prove their worth. Li Na played it up, still singing as she acted hesitant, then finally walking very reluctantly back to the left side.
In an effort to redeem themselves, they tried to raise the roof, singing and dancing and taunting those on the right as they went.
Then the song ended, without giving anyone on the right the chance to respond.
“Stay! Another!”
“Don’t go!”
“DO ANOTHER ONE!”
Everyone started screaming for her to repeat the song, some even going so far as to try and block the stage.
Li Na was grinning from ear to ear when she turned back to the musicians, talking quickly. It didn’t take long for her to turn back, and everyone immediately quieted down, waiting expectantly. Then the musicians began to play, and everyone cheered, recognizing the song immediately. It was a song about two rival villages, situated far from any other settlement, one made up of farmers and merchants, the other consisting of cattle herders and blacksmiths.
Once the song began Li Na started gesturing for those on the left to stand.
‘They steal our corn, they swipe our grain, if they can’t learn to behave, we’ll teach them pain,
We lock up our stores, we talk in vain, if they stay on this course, soon fire will rain…’
Then Li Na skipped to the other side for the reply, using each opposing side in the tavern to sing the opposing verses from the two villages.
‘They take our cattle, they loot our tools, if they don’t have manners, we’ll have to show those ghouls,
We watch our flocks, we lock up our jewels, if they carry on this way, we’re gonna beat those fools…’
Li Na skipped back and forth, her voice utterly drowned out by the zealous singing of the rest of the tavern, her moving lips the only indication that she was still attempting to commit a crime.
Yaric found himself sitting with his mouth open again, but this time due to the reaction inside the tavern. There wasn’t a single patron who wasn’t standing and singing along, swinging their mugs as they did and taunting the other side when their turn passed.
Staff ran frantically between tables, delivering orders as fast as they could be poured. Outside, people passing by heard the celebrations going on inside, and many came in to have a look, most quickly deciding to join the festivities instead of continuing ttheir previous destination.
Soon the place was packed, and a resounding chorus of boos followed Li Na when she politely refused to do another, red faced and sweaty, but still beaming from ear to ear. Toasts followed her as she weaved her way through the tables, rejoining her team with a massive smile on her face.
“That’s how you’re supposed to sing,” she huffed, leaning forward to educate Lauren. “You can’t just learn talent like mine.”
A few minutes later, a large, elderly man made his way over to their table, followed by several of the tavern staff, all holding trays loaded with drinks.
“Hello, my name is Emmerson, I’m the owner of the Flaming Turkey. These drinks are for your party, as a thank you. But if you would like to have everything on the house, let me know. I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren asked.
“Well, if your friend here will agree to a few more songs, say, three every hour, you can order anything you want at no charge. Your current tab would be included, of course.”
“Does that include all of us?” Sven immediately asked, gesturing to the rest of his team.
Emmerson blanched. “Well… no, I can only include this table. But how about this? Every song she sings will also include a round of drinks for all of your friends.”
Li Na didn’t respond, she just slid off her chair without a word and started making her way back to the stage. A chorus of cheers greeted her when she jumped back up.
“Your next round is on the way!” Emmerson exclaimed excitedly, pointing his finger to the ceiling and twirling it, before turning and rushing back the way he’d come, looking around eagerly at his festive patrons as we went. Emmerson could already hear the coins falling.
Li Na spent much of the night up on the stage, even pulling some of her friends up with her. Sven gallantly played the part of a hero during one song, mock fighting a leviathan in step with the lyrics. Yaric found himself on stage with Lauren, singing a duet while Li Na smirked evilly behind them, though he was saved by the crowd immediately joining in. Not even he could hear his own voice as he fumbled his way through the song, his ears burning.
Li Na’s final song of the night was one about victory. The desperate last stand of a kingdom, besieged on all sides, and how, when all hope seemed lost, their army rose to the occasion, vanquishing their enemies and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
All of Team Shadow were brought up for the final song, and as the song included toasts and parts where the singer was meant to drink, they all squeezed on to the stage with drinks in hand. Singing and toasting along with the crowd, only Team Shadow knew who they were really saluting. Only they knew what the song was really about.
Seven teams against one. Two final stands. Eight flags adorning their display.
One final victory...
One Team Shadow.
