Many people cheered, many people were in an uproar at the losses they had taken. But the fun was far from over as the patrons now headed for the taverns and pubs for the evening and to count their winnings or lick their wounds over drinks.

  The teams now having been escorted out of the arena by guards and back to their dorms. They were informed the next match would be by noontime tomorrow.

  Juni and Taiga taking half of the dorm with wall divider's pulled out to give them privacy. Eugene having laid down for the night himself, he was still recovering from having forced himself to train so hard to reuse his magic.

  Having changed now she sat out the balcony looking out at the city below still bustling and alive. A bottle of wine rested on the stand by her chair, as she gently swirled a glass in her hand.

  "Could you tone down the murderous intent sister? Jeez, making me nervous." Taiga said snapping her out of her thoughts as she plopped down in the chair beside her and pouring herself a glass as well

  "Sorry... it's my eyes again. Keep getting agitated." Juni apologized taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes some now

  Taiga looked her with some concern as she took a sip of her own drink.

  "I often get Deja vu when I'm around you, you know that?" Taiga said now l

  This seemingly stopped Juni making her look Taiga's ways in utter confusion.

  "You never told me that..." Juni said in shock

  "I didn't think anything of it at first. Eugene has always been there, but when we met you. We both sorta, could feel it. Then I found Aaron while heading home from the store one night, that's when I knew I had to find you." Taiga explained now "Then we met Cole. And that's when I could really start to tell there was something wrong, out of place, pieces that don't fit." She tried to further expand upon thought struggled to find the words herself

  Juni herself going wide eyed by these revelations.

  "Why haven't you told me about this before?!" Juni whispered in shock

  "I don't know what this is! I can only feel bits and pieces, see fragments, when I'm around you, or Aaron, or even Cole. I feel... like I'm myself again. Like I'm starting to wake up from a dream and I didn't even know I was asleep." Taiga tried explained to Juni now

  Juni still couldn't comprehend this. But to some degree, in the deep recesses of her mind, she could feel connections snapping into place. But could not recall fully...

  The smell of salt in the air, the cool wind blowing in from the ocean, the familiarity of a small town, the feeling of going out to bright and colorfully lit places and having fun with loud music playing, riding around in some kind of contraption to seemingly nowhere.

  As Juni came out of her haze she stared out at the moon. Nothing made any sense except it did. Just as Taiga had explained it. These memories she could feel. They were not hers, yet they were all the same.

  What did it all mean...?

  —————————————————————

  Meanwhile in Cole's team dormitory...

  Cole himself couldn't sleep either, he was still far too restless for his own good. So much was happening here too, and he couldn't stop it in time, that much he could tell. He couldn't see when the Dragonborn attacked Serene, and those people got hurt. Now here he was, the one place he didn't want to be, but knew this was where all roads to the one he was chasing led to.

  Standing on the precipice of destruction or salvation. The people unaware and going on down below in the streets as they celebrated the night without a care in the world, saving their troubles for tomorrow. It was anything but easier to see this all again. It wasn't any easier, this ache in his heart. It was like knowing the ending to a story before you got there.

  "You shouldn't stress yourself on such a fine evening, my Lord." Tigress said now snapping him out of his thoughts as she leaned against the railing beside him and looking out at the city below "Do you really think you could change anything if you told them? All those people down there? The princess or even king themselves? Would they listen?" She asked him now, but knew the answers well enough

  His silence and continued gaze on the crowd below said enough. He didn't have an answer.

  "Your empathy is a great thing my lord. But you must stick to your convictions, your principles. You cannot afford to let doubts cloud your judgment, if you truly believe in what you're doing, then do not second guess yourself. You cannot turn back from a path you have committed to." She reminded him

  "People are going to die." He said looking her way now, his tone serious "And I'm walking headlong into, again." He added as well

  "You don't know that for certain." She said more softly only irritating him more "And you know better now. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, now would you?" She asked condescendingly almost "I'm going to take my leave for the evening then." She finished having said her peace

  Cole once again looked out at the swathes of people who continued to move in an endless sea of directions. Even here on Oronia, he wasn't too far gone from what he knew. His old life...

  'No... I have to keep my thoughts forward. I can't allow my thoughts backtrack now.' He thought trying to fool himself but knew better

  The weekend before he had disappeared, before all of this. He and his friends had gone out to the beach. They barely had money, practically no way to get there, the water was freezing and the cool breeze didn't help either. But they had fun. By nightfall they were sitting by a burning driftwood fire.

  His memory faded as he came back to still gripping the railing of the balcony. But that was gone now. He had chosen his way, this path of the Phoenix...

  —————————————————————

  Iris and Faye were moving fast and leaping through the trees to the outskirts of the capital. Having been sneaking around the capital and slipping into places they shouldn't be. Getting into locked rooms that were only for the most upper echelons of royalty to be behind.

  "Did you find anything? Anything at all?" Iris asked as she helped set her partner down now back at their camp

  Having gone a full day of using such strenuous methods of magic to camouflage and allow for stealth had taken a toll on the two.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Nothing. These guild's are seemingly clean. Their records were very thorough." Faye said still panting from the sheer exhaustion of her aura "This land seems the most adjusted. Early on in their settling the guilds did come to war. But it's the reason this tournament exists." Faye explained recalling the history of this land she had combed from the archives "Though I did manage to skim more information on this land's Dragonborn's..." she added finally able to breathe

  Iris snapping in the direction of her partner with a look of bewilderment as she had been working on getting a fire going.

  "That.. can't be true. They died out, they were hunted to extinction, the only few that remain are far removed from the world and its dealings!" Iris said truly at a loss recalling her own offhand knowledge of these obscure Demi humans

  "They're still very much around. Three guesses where they fled." Faye said as Iris opened her mouth to argue more but was stopped at her

  "You've got to be kidding me?" Iris retorted realizing where she was talking about her eyes shifting to off in the distance, the Snowtop mountains

  "The king of the time went to great lengths to conceal such a secret. The records spoke of another, though they were infuriatingly vague, it was enough to deduce a Phoenix was involved. No doubt Kori or Akina. But it's hard to say for sure, even I don't know the depths of such legends." Faye furthered her intel she had gathered

  Iris truly lost herself. Even after three centuries and all she had seen in her travels of Eden, she was still learning herself of truths that still seemed impossible.

  "You need rest yourself. You've walked enough in shadows for a day." Faye said motioning for her to come sit beside her

  Iris stared at her awhile longer before sighing and slipping down beside her partner. Staring into the fire she had finally managed to get going. Her mind seemed so static by everything, everything that had been happening, that was going on right now, the more layers that were peeled back, the more things to drop off or go in circles.

  "Rest, my dear. Close your eyes, sleep. I will be right here when you open them again." Faye assured her looking her way

  Iris still continued to stare into the fire but slowly rested her head against Faye's shoulder, her eyes starting to get heavy. Before she knew sleep had overtaken her...

  —————————————————————

  Meanwhile in the Manaan Legio Dormitory....

  The team leader representing Manaan Legio sat on the floor cross legged and tending to her blade. Coating in some kind of substance and using specialized clothes to wipe it. The blade even now still seemed to simmer and burn but had returned to its natural state of a charred black.

  Scattered throughout the room were her other teammates, man in white robes meditating on the balcony, as well Kai Sennei. Just as well they had guests, the team members of Castle Tsukuyomi, all three had glasses of wine. They weren't supposed to be here, but not every guild followed the rules.

  "You haven't spoken a word in two days dear Emberith." A pale skinned man said looking her way as he swished his glass gently

  Emberith's yellow eyes snapped up to meet his red eyes, momentarily catching a glimpse the fangs of his teeth as he took a drink again.

  "Never was one to waste words." The white robed male said joining them now

  "Count Drahonst. So good you could join us, surely your meditation has brought you clarity of mind." A dark skinned elven woman retorted

  Drahonst sneering at the elven woman beside Lord Vladar.

  "Are we actually going to discuss the matter for which we are here? Or have I wasted my time cleaning my weapon out here for nothing?" Emberith said sternly as she slid her sword back into its sheath

  The room now turning more serious once again. One thing Emberith hated was pointless banter. Her own heritage not too far off from Kai's, descendants of those cursed even now.

  "Very well Lady Emberith. You're aware of the one." Vladar said after taking a moment

  "I am indeed. He did not fight today." Emberith remarked simply

  "His pet did his bidding..." Garrick growled now

  "Careful Garrick. Don't get so worked up." The elven woman said jokingly "You only lost one match after all." She added

  "And I didn't ask for your opinion Nimara!" Garrick spat

  "Is there any orders from the master? Beyond entering the tournament." Vladar now asked feeling the temperature of the room rising now

  Emberith now calmed down as the heat seemed to die down some. But she was still far irritated by such petty squabbling amongst themselves.

  "Nothing beyond what we don't already know what to do. Though I have informed him of these developments, he has given us the order to continue on with the tournament as planned. Dorn will be healed by the time the tournament concludes, and we will be ready this time. This time, the king will burn. I swear it." Emberith relayed the orders, adding her own vendetta

  "Very well then. It seems well all have to put our best foot forward and really shine for tomorrow's match." Vladar said his own dry joke not amusing even Emberith still

  "I bid you a good night then, Lord Vladar." Drahonst said as well bowing some now

  "I bid you all three the same." Nimara said in return nodding her head as they all three departed

  —————————————————————

  Meanwhile in the Garden of Ligeria Dormitory...

  The three women were all sipping glasses of wine and contemplating the day's events. Plenty was so well outside the norm for this year's tournament. Manaan Legio was hiding something, and the unrest between Terra Spire and Castle Tsukuyomi over the last few years. The attacks from the rogue sand mage several years ago, just as well as the emergence of an ancestral clans. Then just a month ago the attack on the village of Serene by another rogue mage.

  "You felt it in that other did you not?" Aquaria asked referring to the boy who lead the other freelance team

  "I did, he carries a great burden. Something weighs heavy on his soul." Rosa spoke up the most concerned

  "I still think it's a little too far fetched. I haven't been able to smell anything on those of Manaan Legio and Castle Tsukuyomi." Sierra said voicing her own opinions

  Both her teammates looked her way, they never once doubted Sierra's instincts. But even the best could be fooled.

  "I will admit, that Demi human with the freelance team, she reeked of death and blood. How any could stand to be in her presence is beyond me." Sierra added being honest as they seem to believe this more

  "She is a distraction. The boy burns brighter than any I have seen, like the legends foretell." Aquaria added

  "You can't be serious! The Phoenix is a legend, just an old fairy tale." Sierra retorted waving off the notion of the old bedtime story

  "One who burns brighter than the sun and is a Paragon of unity and understanding will step out of the darkness and guide the people into an eternal path of progress. The Phoenix shall overcome corruption in forgiveness." Rosa recited now

  "Rosa, you can't be serious. It's just an old story that we were all told when we were kids." Sierra said still not buying any of this

  "And who do you think told our parents?" Aquaria countered as this caused Sierra to fail to find a counter "There's always shades of truth in fiction or lies that are fabricated. It's how we discern the facts from the lies and half truths." She added

  "It's still too soon to be sure of such assumptions. Jumping to such conclusions will certainly not help any of us." Sierra said still sternly in the belief of rationality and logic

  "I'm not saying that either, I'm merely pointing out the signs. Who's to say what will come of it, but something to be aware of." Aquaria clarified though Sierra was still not convinced either way

  —————————————————————

  Meanwhile in the Terra Spire Dormitory...

  Welfen, Bail and Val had been discussing very similar matters for the last few hours themselves.

  "I will say that young sand user is quite talented. The way she outmaneuvered me was quite impressive." Welfen commented

  "I think it impressive such a magic has gone this long undiscovered. I also heard one of their other teammate posses a lava attribute. They're all incredibly young to be entering." Val Rok added having got his own intelligence on the competition

  "I've heard two of them are siblings, their family being quite staunch supporters of the guild for a long time." Bail Aero chimed in earning the other's attention "I even heard whispers the sand mage hails from the lost clan, the Dawnsythe's." He added leaning forward some as both teammates looked perplexed

  "We have quite a line of potential competition and enemies in our crosshairs. Everyone around us knows so. But who will be the first to snap?" Welfen mused now leaning back in his seat

  "And that raises the question, who are the true enemies and allies amongst us?" Val spoke now as this all had them thinking now

  "We should put this rest for the evening. Debating such matters will not solve anything until more of this elaborate web unravels itself." Bail said both teammates agreeing to this

  —————————————————————

  Meanwhile in the Juno Tower Dormitory...

  Vespera was sitting at the desk writing a letter to her husband and son back home in the village near the Guild. They'd be watching for her no doubt on the television, or listening on the radio. She could just as easily call them and tell them how things were going as the rotary phone sat just inches away from her.

  "You really are old fashioned, girl." Lisa teased as she was busy doing various stretches

  "Look who talking kid?" Vespera joked as she sealed the letter

  "Hey! I may be in my twenties, but I'm not like those other twerps who freelanced." Lisa retorted making Vespera chuckle

  She now looked out towards the balcony of the dormitory, Seryn was by herself as per usual, sipping on her third glass of wine now. Vespera gently moving towards the widowed warrior.

  "You know, it's not healthy to drink alone." Vespera said hoping to cheer her up a little

  "Sorry. I know I've been distracted, so much going on." Seryn said as she set down her glass and poured Vespera a glass as well as she took a seat

  "Is it still too soon for you to be back in the fight?" She asked as she accepted the glass

  "Not that at all, it's these newcomer's. The stories I've heard. Impossible." Seryn clarified as Vespera looked confused but slowly pieced it together "The second freelance team, the one named Cole, he and that Demi human supposedly survived over a month in the Death Forest, they and two elves supposedly. From the rumors and reports of the attack on Serene Village. Yet no Elves are here to fight with him in this tournament. That Tiger-like woman, and a boy his age are his team." She further elaborated on what she had observed about the various teams

  Vespera now a little more curious as was Lisa as she had joined them both now.

  "You think there's something more going on detective?" Lisa said a little sarcastically as Seryn looked her way not pleased by this remark

  "What do your instincts tell you?" Vespera asked seriously as this calmed Seryn

  "They're too ordinary. But everything about them is not ordinary. Their aura is far too wild and erratic to be common freelancers trying the latest get rich quick scheme. They've experienced the fires of battle. But not here, not in Oronia, that much is clear." Seryn said seriously as her teammates looked in awe of such accusations

  "That's... impossible. No one has come through the fog in a thousand years since our ancestors first landed here! The barrier's cannot be crossed. Our best shipwrights have put to the test many ships and none have returned or were destroyed by unfathomable creatures of the deep." Lisa countered

  "Just as I also said, impossible. But everything else adds up and cannot be ignored. Intel can lie or be manipulated or fabricated. But this much I know is true, that Cole and his companions are not of these lands." Seryn said looking out at the moon

  "Only time will tell whether they're truly from somewhere else or not. For now, let's not get in over our heads with overthinking it." Vespera said calming them all down