Chapter 63 - The King's Domain

I never would've thought I would see him again like this, it sure brings back memories, for now, the best I can do is cheer you from the sidelines, so win this and get in the Academy, I will wait for you, 

.

.

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Aaris." Historia left the library and went to her bungalow and the night descant.

Aaris finished up his dinner and went straight to the dorm, after worrying for while about what happened before in the library, 

Niran and others already were asleep and he moved slowly to his bed and crept inside his blanket.

"Damn! After I finish the second trial tomorrow I will apologize to her again." And he went to sleep.

~~ 4th Day of Grand Selection ~~

Just like always, he was senseless on the edge of the bed, 

"Do it" Niran spoke to Luke, 

"I am sorry, Rise but I don't think you don't want to get late again." Luke looked at Theodore and nodded.

Theodore snatched the blanket from Aaris and Luke threw a bucket of water at him.

"Tsunami!!" Aaris jumped out of his bed,  "Luke, wake up! We have infiltrators again! They are strong water users!" 

"There is neither an infiltration nor a Tsunami, but we woke you up, it's 8 o'clock already, don't miss your breakfast this time, and get ready." Luke put the empty basket on his head and Theodore slapped it.

After getting breakfast and putting on their uniform, they went out.

"Where is the meeting ground this time?" Aari, While walking out of the dorm and reaching the octagonal pillar and lawn, they halted.

"Check the back of your G.S.C card," Niran replied.

Aaris took a look at the card and the card gleamed, 

| All The Candidates Are Requested to assemble at the Octapylonas Garden at 10 o'clock sharp. |

| The Second Trial and its Rules will be explained then. |

"I see, so this octagonal pillar's name is Octapylonas." Aaris and others waited at his place patiently and one by one all the corridor arches glowed and candidates came out of them, in just ten minutes the garden was stuffed, and all the candidates were standing around the pillar.

-- Aaris - PoV --

When will this thing start? I am getting tired here, 

"How are you, Candidates?" This voice! Madam Tara?! I looked above and saw Tara standing on the pillar.

Candidates were astounded and seeing her like this, many started cheering and asking for autographs and she was all smug.

"How are y'all? As you all know, today is going to be your second trial, and- why am I tiring myself? Lilliana!  " she hopped from the pillar and sat down on one of the stones around every pillar corner.

All the candidates started to look around, to know where is Lady Lilliana will come from, then one side of the pillar glowed bright, 

"Lady Tara, you should've waited for me…" and Lilliana came out from the pillar.

Ho...how? How did she come out of that?

"Well then! Good morning candidates, I congratulate you on passing the actual first trial. All of you are aware that the second trial will begin today and I know all of you must be very excited! Believe me, we are too! Without wasting time, let's hear the rules." She seems gentle today, she must be a senior mage but she doesn't look much older though I have to say she doesn't joke around when it comes to the academy.

"I won't repeat again so listen carefully! The second trial name is, 

The Kings Domain Game, 

The game will be played in teams of 4-5 candidates, a total of 239 candidates have passed the first trial, so there will be a total of 47 teams consisting of 5 candidates and a single team consisting of 4 candidates, so a total of 48 teams will participate in the game and it will last for 36 hours.

Why are we doing injustice to a single team? We'll explain later, well now the rules and what is the game, 

You can see the pillar behind me, it's called the Octapylonas, you can see each side of the pillar in a particular direction, that's why we also call this pillar Atlas' Tomb.

The side of the Gate is named as, 

First Gate of North, 

Second Gate of Northeast

Third Gate of East 

Fourth Gate of Southeast

Fifth Gate of South

Sixt Gate of Southwest 

Seventh Gate of West 

And lastly Eighth Gate of Northwest.

The 48 teams will divide into 8 different troupes comprising 6 teams each and will pass through an assigned gate. 

After passing through the gate they will be teleported and reach an isolated man-made island named Lourenia constructed by the Professor's mages in the academy.

The island is divided into 10 different regions, first is the beach area surrounded by the ocean around the island if any team or candidate wants to give up just show up there and ask to withdraw, you can also escort an injured member with you if they are unconscious or somehow unable to exit the game on their own, a central part of the island of radius 7 kilometers, and the rest of the eight parts are divided into eight directions.

They'll reach a particular region of the Lourenia, the region will be the same as your side of Atlas' Tomb.

One more thing to remember is that the team in the troupe is not to be thought of as an ally, you will be sent off to the same region but at different spots.

Then the game will begin!

In each team, there will be a king, Mark of the crown will appear on his right fist, they will be chosen randomly and can be changed randomly too.

The team will then attack the other team's in their region first, there is only one way of defeating and eliminating a team that is by defeating the king.

Until you defeat at least two teams in your region you can not pass to the region, after defeating two teams you can move to the other regions or the center part of the island called the Throne.

Then the last stage of the game will begin to acquire and maintain a part of the throne until the game ends.

The team which has the most part will win the game and the whole team will move to the last trial while only selected candidates will move to the next trial based on the point system.

Let me explain your point system to you by an example.

A troupe passes through the First Gate of North, all six teams will be teleported to the northern part of the Island, then there is a team that has candidates A, B, C, D, and E.

In which A becomes a king, and the rest B, C, D, and E will be called Pawns.

The team of A takes down the other team, the whole team will earn 5 points, but whoever defeats the King of another team he will get 2 extra points, the pawns can be eliminated individually by defeating them.

Let's say A has defeated the king of another team and now has 7 points, you need a minimum of 10 points to leave the region and the defeated team will be teleported back to the Academy, and then the whole team will have to move to the Throne.

They can use their points in exchange for land, only the king's point can't be so he has to keep at least 1 point saved to keep his team on the game when the 36 hours is up and now a team of King A has the most area of land all the team has moved to the next trial and including the whole team of King A, top 64 candidates with most points will also pass the trial.

Remember once a pawn is eliminated and even their teams win the game, he will not move to the next trial.

Understand?!" She finished and took a deep breath.

So, simply put, kick the butt of kings of other teams, get many points, buy land in the center and we'll win! 

"Oh! I forgot to mention! There is also a special Rule!" Lillian snapped her finger.

"There is a special privilege given to every pawn,

Cold Promotion, it can only be activated at the Throne.

Under this privilege, a pawn can challenge the King of their own team, and if he/she manages to defeat the king they can take the crown for themselves, and the king will be eliminated! In this case, not the whole team will be eliminated, also keep in mind each pawn gets a single chance for Cold promotion."

What the? Why is there such a rule…

I wondered why they made such a ridiculous rule, and then I came to understand!

All the candidates came here to become a student of the Magus Academy for their own respective wishes and goals, it's simply for those who don't want anything besides the admission and are willing to do whatever it takes, but first telling them to fight as a team and then making them fight each other in desperation, in the end, are they all serious?! How could they do this!