>>6290026It occurs to you at that moment that Elric might have to answer for anything stupid he did while under the influence of Mystletainn. Was possession by an evil spirit a valid defense in a court of the Knights of Seiros? You sure hoped so. The last thing you’d want would be to free Elric just for him to spend 50 years in prison.
“Time has concluded!” Reza announces. “The first stage of the competition for Princess Yulia’s hand is now over!”
You count the contenders currently huddled around the tower’s entrance. 60 of you had left the manse an hour ago. And now, that number has been cut neatly in half. 30 contenders had been eliminated. Most of those had been killed, and not by the trial, but by their own rivals. With the exception of the Dagdans and your own two compatriots, everyone was giving each other a wide berth. Suspicious and accusatory glances were being thrown left and right, and you wondered if the Yasha that were present would be enough to keep things from coming to blows.
“T-this is madness!” A man cries out. You recognize him as one of the mages that had accompanied Oswald. His puffy cheeks were red with exhaustion, and his eyes were bloodshot. “You said nothing about contestants being allowed to fight each other! My friend was stabbed in the back! Without even a chance to defend himself!”
“The only thing that was required.” Reza starts. “Was for you to reach the Tower of Illusions in under an hour. So long as you succeeded in that endeavor, everything else was fair.”
The mage stumbles over his words. He looks left and right, hoping another contender might come to his aid and show Reza the error of his ways. However, no one does. Anyone who might have died during the first stage. The only ones left were the strong. Those that were willing to do whatever it took to win the contest. A kingdom was on the line here. There could be no room for doubt or mercy.
“You will be allowed a short respite before the commencement of the second stage.” Reza announces. “Take the time to patch up your wounds. Those of you that have made it this far should commend yourselves. But only one of you here will soon be the future King or Queen of Morfis. If you wish for that to be you, then steel your heart. The stages still to come will make this one appear as mere child’s play.”
>A): Speak w/ Saoirse and Uriyan>B): Speak w/ Arios>C): Speak w/ Leonora>D): Speak w/ Butch>E): Speak w/ the Dagdans>F): Speak w/ Thomas>G): Write-in 