“Tondon,” Nally smiled from ear to ear. “We are finally here!”

“You can say that again,” Hitto sighed while pulling the ropes that held their captives. “I can’t wait to turn these lot in.”

“Why!?” one of the men wined. “Just let us go. We swear we won’t bother you guys anymore!”

“I can’t trust you,” Hitto snapped. “Not when you guys tried escaping last night.”

“Oh, c’mon! You can't blame us. It was our last day to try!”

As the entrance came into view, they arrived at the outskirts of the walled city. Nally observed a long line of fellow travellers stretching into the surrounding area. Wearing a displeased expression, she gestured for Hitto to accompany her as they joined the queue.

“This is ridiculous,” one man muttered.

“Did they raise security or something?” another woman added. “I’ve never had to wait in a line before…”

Surprisingly, the line moved relatively quickly, and eventually, they stood face-to-face with the city guards. They looked at the two sternly – or, more specifically, at the people they held captive.

“What’s going on here?” One of the guards gruffed. “Why have you tied up these men?”

“They attacked us on our way here, so we deemed them a threat,” Nally answered. “We were wondering if you could take them off our hands and have a word with them.”

“What did they do?” the guard questioned.

“They tried to forcefully sleep with me, but we stopped them.”

“I see,” he frowned. “Yup, we can take them in for questions. If you were looking for a trial, you’d have to contact Lawt Law Enforcement.”

“No! No trial,” Nally smiled while rummaging a few coins out of her pouch. “Just see to it that they are properly questioned.”

She placed the ducats into the guard's hands, who gave a little smirk. “Of course. Enjoy your stay at Tondon.”

The city gates opened as Hitto handed over their captives. They walked in together, amazed by the impressive buildings along the streets of Tondon. The city was unlike anything Hitto had seen, with tall structures made of glass and metal towering above.

No matter where they turned down the winding streets, children could be seen running about through stalls as busy merchants tried to sell their goods. People could also be seen laughing outside taverns, playing card games in parks, or enjoying a good old street performance.

“Don’t these people work?” Hitto questioned. “How do they have the time to be out here when it's midday?”

“That’s Tondon for you,” Nally smiled. “It’s the best place to make coinage that doesn’t involve long hours and physical labour. Unless you’re joining the Warrior Association!”

“Speaking of that,” the boy began. “Do you know the way there? Or have we been walking aimlessly?”

“Of course I do!” she tooted proudly. “I’ve been following the city map Sir Alfonso gave me. I read it so many times over the last few days that I practically know the whole layout of this place.”

“Coolio, Ms. Smartpants,” Hitto shot while sticking out his tongue. “Take me there then!”

After a few more twists and turns, Nally finally stopped in her tracks and pointed at a large colosseum building surrounded by neatly organized shrubbery. There was an all-white paved path that led to its entrance filled with people roaming about and chatting idly.

“This is the place,” she smiled.

“It’s epic,” Hitto marvelled with dilated pupils. “How on earth did they make this? How long did it take them to do it?”

“I don’t know!” Nally squealed. “Who cares! Let’s just go inside and register!”

Excitedly, they sprinted towards the entrance and spoke with another guard before gaining entry. Once inside, they were welcomed by a flawless, glossy, marble-white interior where even the ground reflected their face.

Hitto pointed at the only structure in the room. A receptionist desk where a lady wearing a suit and round glasses sat holding up a sign that read ‘register here.’ The two walked over towards her, and Nally pulled out their papers. “We have letters of recommendation from Alfus Alfonso to compete in this year's Warrior Examination,” she stated. “Could you please check the seal and confirm it?”

“From Sir Alfonso!?” The woman gasped as she snatched the papers and read it. “It's true! How do you guys know a Guild Master!?” 

“He was sent to my father’s estate to assess some problems happening there,” Nally responded. “We helped him solve the issue, so he gave us these as a reward.”

“How nice of him!” the woman beamed. “Wait one second, I’ll upload you two into the system now.”

Hitto watched as she flicked open a grey box that resembled a sideways book. She then placed her hands on it, and a horrible clicking sound filled his ears. “What's going on?” he asked. “Is that the piano I heard about?”

“No,” the woman smiled. “It’s a computer—the Research Guild's latest invention. It helps us store information in one place. It's very useful.”

“Computer,” the boy muttered as he watched on in awe. “Nally, did you know about this?”

“Nope,” she answered. “First time I’ve heard about it. Very cool.”

“Well!” the woman stretched. “I’m done uploading your information into the system, so you’re good to go. The exam will begin in another hour or so, so you can relax till then.”

“Sounds good! Thank you!”

The receptionist smiled as she handed back the papers. “No problem! My name is Hilda, by the way. If you ever have any questions, I’ll be here to answer them!”

The duo excused themselves from the desk and found a spot off to the side. Hitto began to rummage through his bag for a bit before settling it down next to Nally. “Could you watch this for me?” he asked.

“What?” Nally questioned. “Where are you going?”

“To look for those guys who beat me in a fight,” he answered. “I want to talk to them.”

And just like that, he took off towards the exit, once again leaving her alone. It seemed like he was always on his feet, which was fine, as she was used to this behaviour. It's how he always was at the compound, after all.

The only thing that concerned her was him getting into fights. That had to stop. How on earth were they supposed to work with their future guild members if that continued? She let out a sigh as she clasped her face in her hands. The time will likely pass slowly.

“Um, excuse me miss,” a voice called. At first, Nally ignored it until it called again. “Miss?”

Raising her head, she encountered a boy around her age. He had almond coloured eyes and curly brown hair, offering a gentle wave as their eyes connected. He was dressed in a brown button-up shirt, black trousers, and boots. What was most noticeable, however, was the expensive-looking sheath that held a sword by his hip.

“Yes, hello?” she answered.

In response, the boy awkwardly sat next to her and rapidly began to exhale and inhale. Then, his cheeks flushed red as he turned to face her. “My name is Jonah Harp!” he shouted while extending an arm out to her. “I thought you were very pretty, so I was wondering if you could join me for coffee after the exam!”

“I prefer tea or hot cocoa,” she giggled while shaking his hand. “And my name is Nally Stenner.”

“Tea would be fine, too!” he stammered quickly. “I’m more interested in your company.”

“Really?” she smiled teasingly. “So, why do you find me pretty?”

He quickly retracted his arm as he took a moment to think. “Probably your eyes,” he began. “When I saw how deep you looked in thought, I was captivated.”

“I see,” she smirked. “You definitely came prepared with that line.”

“N-no! I just thought of it now!”

“I’m joking!” she laughed. “And I’ll get back to you on your proposal. Right now, I’m solely focused on the exam with my friend.”

“That guy you were with earlier?” he asked. “Are you two dating?”

“No!” Nally laughed again. “And you asked me on a date without confirming! You really are brave!”

“Sorry. I didn’t really think this through,” he mumbled. “It’s my first time.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’m just teasing you,” she grinned while getting up. “It was nice meeting you, Jonah, but I have to find my friend now.”

“No problem!” he responded. “Could I help you find him? I could carry his stuff for him.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. But I don’t want to bother you.”

“Don’t worry about it!” he beamed while picking up Hitto’s bag. “Where did he go?”

“I think he left the building, so follow me.”

Stepping out of the Coliseum, they were welcomed by a sizable crowd gathered just outside. The group had formed a circle, and the air was filled with sounds of cheers and chatter. Instantly, Nally recognized the familiar atmosphere from her time in Vika. She was certain that Hitto was among them.

As they approached, the chatter became more audible, “Hitto! Hitto! Hitto!” they cheered. “Rurah! Rurah! Rurah!” another group bellowed.

Nally pushed her way to the front, where she found her companion shirtless, engaged in a match with a colossal-looking giant. Locked on their faces were enthusiastic grins as they each tried to get the upper hand on the other.

“Rurah, c’mon, I put money on you, big guy!”

“Hitto! That better not have been all talk!”

Then, the giant tightened his hold on Hitto's shoulders, forcefully driving him into the ground with tremendous strength. The crowd erupted in cheers as the boy struggled against the immense pressure, his boots slipping through the mud. Eventually, he dropped to one knee.

“He’s gonna go down!”

“No! My money!”

“What on earth!” a voice called from beyond all of them. A path cleared as a frail-looking old man wearing a black robe waltzed into the centre. “What on earth are you two doing?”

Instantly, Hitto and Rurah broke their embrace as the latter stood forward. “I apologize,” he started. “We were simply engaged in a clean bet. We should have found a better time to do it, Dr. Scale.”

“Rurah?” the doctor hissed. “I didn’t expect someone like you to be entertaining tomfoolery like this!”

“How come, old man?” a voice shouted.

“Yea? Who are you?”

“What’s the big deal!” we are tryna have fun before the exam!”

“Silence!” he shouted, now red-faced. “I’ll have you all know that I am the administrator of the Warrior Examination and head of the Research Guild. My name is Ferron Scale, and you shall address me as Dr. Scale. If you still care about joining the Association, then head inside so that I can explain the rules.”

Silence befell them all as they filed into a line and followed the old man. Nally and Jonah joined up with Hitto, who was trying to contain his laugh. Upon seeing the state of him, Nally slapped his neck. “What were you doing!?” she asked. “And where is your shirt?”

“Right here,” he pointed towards his waist, where a dirty-looking rag hung. “And that was the guy who beat me in the fight. I asked him to pay for my broken axe, and he said sure and apologized. I wasn’t expecting that. He's a totally cool guy.”

“Then why were you fighting him?”

“Oh, that,” he smiled. “He was so strong when we last fought, so I wanted to go at it with him again. And he agreed. That’s when a bunch of other people came who wanted to place bets.”

“Okay,” Nally sighed, shaking her head.

“And who’s that?” Hitto asked, staring at Jonah.

“Oh! Right! My name - ”

“Alright then!” Dr. Scale snapped. He now stood on a podium in front of a crowd of over four hundred people. "I'll be giving a brief overview of this year's exam format. More details will be provided during each of the actual stages."

He then held up three fingers. “The exam will be broken up into three sections, where a final cumulative score of sixty-five percent is needed to pass. First, we have the written examination, which will test your knowledge. Then, we have the martial tournament, which will test your skills. Finally, we will end with the appraisal exam to test your potential. Any questions?”

Towards the rear of the group, a lone hand shot up. Even from a distance, Dr. Scale could easily spot the person due to his imposing stature. His closely shaved head and thick, bushy eyebrows accentuated his piercing black eyes. A clear expression of discontent adorned his face.

Damon Crowe, the doctor frowned. Of course.

“Damon, correct?” he asked. “What is it?”

“Let me into the exam hall right now,” he glared. “I’m tired of waiting.”

The room tensed with whispers as silence took hold of the group. The pause lingered until the administrator's lips curled into a grin. "I'm pleased to see your enthusiasm," he smirked, reaching out as a person in black materialized beside him, deftly handing him a document.

Scale quickly read it before raising his head. “I will now read you the terms and conditions you must all agree to before entering: One, breaking rules established during an exam is strictly forbidden. Two, you agree to the broadcasting of results and your performance. Three, any life-altering injuries or death of the examinees is not at the fault of the Association. That is all. Any last questions?”

He quickly took a scan. “Well then, follow me. It’s time to begin the written exam.”