Phoenix Flight

Olivia regretted her words instantly. In all the comics, books, or shows she was constantly consuming, the main character would declare their name as loudly as they could and then announce that they had what it took to achieve their goals. She had always thought something like that was badass, but now that it was her doing it, she realized how cringey it sounded.

Her embarrassment only grew when she saw the looks everyone was giving her. They weren't the ones she had been expecting. She thought maybe someone would laugh or snort at her, or someone would cheer, but instead, it was an awkward silence, followed by a brief moment of judgmental stares, before the crowd returned to its previous activity.

"Why did you yell that out?" Davi asked as he stood next to her. "You said it really loudly. Who was that for?"

"I just thought it would be cool." Olivia turned away from the raven-haired boy, and she quietly took stock. "I guess we're here."

Past the doorway she and Davi stepped through was the colosseum itself. It was a large, open area that was circular and about the size of a blitzball field. The ground was made out of sand, and there was no roof showing the sky above. Up where the walls were, sections had been carved out, forming bleachers and stands where people could watch and stare down at those in the field. They were currently mostly empty, though, with only a few guys in suits or low-ranking Knights standing around.

Despite the large field, the entire area was also very crowded, as many people had come to take this year's test. At the minimum, the number of people that were scattered around was in the triple digits, possibly even the quadruple digits. People all over the world, not just those in the Estiria Kingdom, would come to try to become knights.

Every nation, kingdom, and country had their own form of protectors, like Mordheim, who had the Spell Swords; Gallenth, who had the Mystic Rangers; and Rossum, who had the Martial Cultivators, but none of those could compare to the gifts becoming an Arcane Knight could provide, which was why people from other nations, even Mordheim, would pay top dollar to arrive in Estiria and take the Knights entrance exam.

Very few foreigners would be able to pass, with most heading back home and joining their nation's group rather than retaking Estiria's exam the next year. This was because there was only a limited number of spots available every year.

The only way to become a Knight was for a Guild Captain to vote for you during the exam period; however, the Captains only had eight votes they were allowed to use. Since there were eight Captains, that meant in total only sixty-four people could actually become a Knight.

That number was even smaller, though, since if a person taking the exam showed great promise, two or even more Captains could vote for that person.

This was primarily done to prevent the Knights from becoming too large. There was only so much of Haru's mana that could go around, and the Knights also technically didn't work for the kingdom itself and instead were more like hired help the kingdom constantly kept around. Some people in power were afraid that if the Arcane Knights gained too many members too quickly, the Knights would overthrow the government, which was why they limited the number of possible Knights each year.

These same individuals often ran the police or military forces and would 'offer' jobs to promising people who got unlucky and didn't receive a vote from any of the Captains, taking those people for themselves.

The system was a bit disorganized…

Olivia quietly eyed each person up and down. Depending on the type of test they were given this year, some of these people would either be her teammates or her enemies.

Many of the people in the crowd were her age. Most looked like they were young adults who just finished their final year of combat lessons and were excited to try and face the Knights' exam. A few others in the large crowd were a bit older and looked more stern. They wore bits or even full suits of armor and had their weapons ready to go. This likely wasn't their first time taking the exam. Also scattered throughout the crowd were young or older people dressed in traditional armor or clothing from their homelands, but it was the last group of people that Olivia truly settled her gaze on.

Scattered through the crowd were men and women who were well past the age of twenty. They had sunken eyes or pale skin and often wore scraps of armor or cheap, hastily put-together gear. Their eyes held no light, and they looked like they would collapse at any moment.

They were the people who tried taking the exam every year, and each year they would fail. This would lead to them spending more money taking extra combat lessons, buying new spells or magic items, and putting in more work, only to once again fail to become a Knight. The people who failed so much that they gave up but still showed up because it was all they knew how to do anymore.

The kind of person she knew she would become if she didn't pass.

Olivia felt disgust.

"I'm going to do this."

Davi patted Olivia on the back, and together the two of them stepped forward and began to make their way through the crowd of nameless faces. "I have no clue what I'm getting into," Davi admitted. "Are we going to be in a dungeon or something? Do we fight a boss?" Davi looked around, and then he spotted something.

"I don't know," Olivia admitted. "The tests are never the same. It's always something different, but they tend to follow a theme. Hopefully, if we're lucky, it'll be a team-based test that we can join forces on and beat together. What's important right now is we stick together." She reached up to pat Davi's shoulder, but her hand only slapped at empty air. "Davi?" She turned and found the raven-haired boy was no longer next to her…

Davi had wandered off.

"Wow, Master Rowan, I can't believe your father actually bought you that armor." 

"Yeah! It looks so good on you!"

Many people in the crowd that filled the colosseum mostly kept to their inner circle or friend group and formed small sections where they could be alone. It was in one of these sections that Rowan Zyne casually leaned against a wall, a sly and confident smirk on his face.

He was a rather handsome boy, and he knew that. He had brown hair that was straight and neat, as well as a pair of eyes that looked like two pools of crystal-clear water. His skin was fair, and he wore light armor that draped itself over him. It consisted of a silver chestplate as well as gauntlets and boots. It looked more stylish than practical and would require the user to expend their own mana if they wanted to prevent the armor from being scratched or banged up.

"Yes, well, my father wanted me to be ready for today," Rowan said, speaking in a slightly smug tone. 

Standing before him were his two admirers. Sera was a little short with raven-black hair and green eyes that were transfixed on Rowan. Ashley was the second girl, and she was significantly taller, with blonde hair and yellow eyes. Neither of them was dressed in armor, but they also weren't dressed in the expensive gowns many of the noble ladies wore. Instead, both girls wore a black and white maid outfit.

The two of them were personal servants of Rowan and had been tasked by Rowan's dad to watch over him and ensure he passed the exam no matter what.

"It makes you look very dashing, Master Rowan," Sera stated.

"Yes, you look just like your father." Ashley agreed.

Rowan's grin just grew. The two girls were literally paid to follow him around and compliment him, but he still enjoyed having his ego stroked. "Well, my dad is a Knight, so he was, of course, able to pull some strings and get me gear that was vastly above my typical grade level. If you think my armor is great, then take a look at the sword he gave me." Rowan reached for his belt and casually drew a blade that rested at his side. "Behold!"

The sword, unlike his armor, wasn't as pretty or stylish. It was designed to be a real weapon, and merely holding it caused Rowan's wrist to hurt. The blade itself wasn't all that big and was a double-edged straight sword that lacked the reach or thickness a typical longsword would have. It also lacked a crossguard that could keep someone's hands safe while they swung it around. Despite this, though, there was no doubt the weapon itself was sharp and dangerous, the very air around it seeming to bend and twist. It whistled as Rowan swung it around in the air. Despite the blade being slightly thinner and smaller than a longsword, the handle was designed to be held with two hands, even though such a sword was typically used alongside a shield or held in a fencing style. This was because there was only one proper way to use this sword.

"This is an A-grade magic item," Rowan explained. "It's a sky-cutting sword from Mordheim. A dungeon had opened up in a city my father was guarding. Space and time got so messed up that the dungeon existed in both that city and a city in Mordheim, connecting the two places together for a bit. Naturally, my father easily dealt with the boss of the dungeon, but while he was doing that, he was attacked by a warrior of Mordheim who wielded this very blade. It was a tough battle, but of course, my dad came out on top, and so he gave me this weapon." Rowan bragged. A weapon that was ranked as an A-grade was scarce, and usually, only Knights would be allowed to carry a blade such as this. "This sword has a special enchantment placed on it. It's made to be extremely sharp and durable, and it greatly improves anyone who holds it, giving them a boost to their physical power. Just by holding this sword, I'm at least twice as strong."

"That's amazing," Sera said with wide eyes. "I can't believe your father gave you such a powerful item."

"Wow!" Ashley said, also in amazement. "With something like that on your side, you're bound to pass the exam for sure, Master Rowan."

Rowan snorted, and he lowered the sword and held it out sideways. "Would you like to feel it? Careful, the blade is sharp."

Sera and Ashley both let out nervous laughs and were about to say no, but before they could, a hand reached out and clutched around the blade, catching not just them but also Rowan totally off guard. The hand ran along the edge, feeling the sturdy metal.

Rowan shook his head and followed the arm that was connected to the hand, finding a man with raven-black hair, blue eyes, and an ugly burn mark around one of his eyes, who was now standing between Ashley and Sera, casually toying with the magic weapon Rowan held.

"Who the hell are you?" Rowan pulled his arm back and sheathed his sword, not letting the stranger touch it anymore.

"Davi Hawker," Davi said casually, and he finally pulled his arm away. "That's a cool sword. Gimme."

"W-What?" Rowan asked, baffled.

Davi let out a hum. "Oh, so you're a little dense, huh? I guess that explains why you have two maids with you."

Rowan's face turned red in rage, and Ashley and Sera both gasped at Davi's blunt remark. "Who do you think you are!"

"Are you also deaf? I said my name was Davi Hawker." Davi made a face and stared at the noble boy, who was getting more and more ticked off by the second. "So? Can I have your sword?"

Rowan growled louder and stepped forward. He grabbed Davi by the front of his shirt and pulled him forward so he could glare into the man's eyes. "I don't care who you are; you can't speak to me like that. I'm part of the Zyne household, do you understand?"

"Nope."

Rowan's eye twitched when he heard that. It didn't help his anger that Davi's face was blank, primarily, and his tone seemed a bit mocking due to the little emotion he showed. "You little shit." Rowan's eyes roamed over Davi up and down, taking in the cheap clothes he wore. "Why the hell are you even here? You're not someone who has a chance at passing this exam. You're just a sewer rat."

"Wanna know a cool fact about rats?" Davi asked.

Rowan's anger only doubled. "Are you stupid-" Then Rowan felt a wave of pain as Davi's foot rammed into his ankle. The next thing the nobleman knew, the arm that was clutching onto Davi's shirt twisted as he was flipped over and smashed down onto the ground.

"Rats don't like it when they're insulted," Davi said sternly. Then his body glowed with a faint blue energy. His mana sprang up just in time and blocked Ashley's strike as the maid rammed her fist into the back of his head. Due to how much mana he poured into his body, though, all Ashley managed to do was hurt her hand, causing her to let out a loud yelp and stumble back. "Sorry for messing with your sword." Davi placed his hands in his pockets and turned away. "Next time, just say no, though, okay?" And then he casually walked away.

Rowan pushed himself up, his eyes glowing with restrained mana as he glared at Davi's back. Several people had noticed the exchange, and Rowan could feel their mocking stares. He clenched his hand into a fist and then stood up. "Ashley, are you okay?"

Sera was looking over Ashley's arm, which was a little bruised and banged up. "I'm fine." Ashley winced. "That guy had a crap load of mana, though. I didn't even harm him."

"How dare he attack Master Rowan!" Sera said, offended. "We need to tell one of the Knights or something what that guy did!"

"No." Rowan shook his head.

"Master?"

"I have a better idea." Rowan looked out at the crowd, but he no longer saw Davi. He placed his hand on the handle of his sword. "I'm going to deal with that bastard myself. Not only did he harm me, but he also harmed one of my precious servants. He. Will. Pay."

And that was how Davi Hawker made a sworn enemy out of the Zyne family.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Olivia was shuffling through the crowd, doing her best to find Davi, but there were just so many people that it'd be next to impossible. Worse yet, she kept bumping into people, and some of the exam-takers this year were the kind of individuals who had a lot of money and power and would likely be jerks about it simply because they could.

"Davi!" Olivia shouted, but it didn't do much good. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, and some people were even doing mini sparring sessions or doing last-second training sessions before the tests, so between all the spells that were going off and the volume of voices, no one could hear her. "Damn it! Why did he have to run off!" 

Right as Olivia was starting to sulk about this, she felt herself crash into someone. She had been so busy looking for Davi that she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. This wasn't a simple bump either. She felt her forehead smack into someone, and she completely stumbled back and grabbed at her head, wincing.

"Ow!"

"Watch where you're going." Olivia groaned when she heard the tone of the voice. Already, she could tell this was one of those rich people. "You made me lose concentration. Now I have to start my focus all over again."

Olivia looked up, about to say something, but stopped when her eyes landed on the person she had crashed into. Growing up, she was always someone who could appreciate the looks of both men and women, and the woman who stood above her was quite beautiful. 

Not to the same extent as the silver-haired Knight she had come to admire or Lady Tori, but this woman was definitely a close third. She also had the typical mean-girl face, which was just bonus points in Olivia's book. She liked girls who were a little mean to her, and she should probably consider seeing a therapist about that.

The woman in question was a little taller than her and looked to be a year or two older, likely being around Davi's age. She had fair and beautiful skin, as well as short, shoulder-length, reddish-brown hair. The woman's green eyes were filled with annoyance, and most notably, she was wearing an outfit from Rossum. It looked like a mix between a martial arts gi and a royal dress. It hugged the woman's body nicely and showed off some skin but was still relatively modest. It was red, save for a sleeve that was black, and various golden lines formed along it, woven together into symbols. It screamed of money, and hanging from the woman's ears were a pair of ruby gems that were worth a small fortune at the very least.

The woman's hands were clasped together almost as if she were doing a prayer, but her fingers were perfectly straight, like she had clapped.

Since Mordheim was currently in the middle of a war with Rossum, many of Rossum's citizens had ventured across the sea in order to escape the fighting. A lot of those people ended up in Estiria, and some even used this as a chance to build a new life for themselves and take the entrance exam, but this woman was different. Olivia could tell. She looked more like a noble than a refugee and likely came here willingly rather than being forced to, like the rest of her people. She also doubted that this woman struggled all that much.

"Sorry for bumping into you," Olivia said sheepishly. It was best just to say sorry and move on with these types of people.

"You should be." The red-haired girl said, cocking her head to the side. "I was building up my spirit and gathering up my chi when you ruined it all by bumping into me."

"Sorry?" Olivia said again, a little more confused. She went to stand up, but the woman kicked at her feet, causing her to let out a yelp as she landed painfully on her butt. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You need to say sorry properly." The woman folded her arms under her chest and looked down at Olivia. "You can either beg for forgiveness or kiss my boots. That's the proper way to show respect to a superior in Rossum." 

"Okay! I like mean girls as much as the next pervert, but I draw the line at sadists." Olivia went to stand up again, and this time she jumped back, avoiding the woman's leg sweep. She went to draw her wand, but before she could, the red-haired woman moved with blinding speed and reached her. Olivia felt a sharp pain as the woman grabbed her wrist and stopped her from reaching any further for her weapon.

"Damn Estirians, always so uncivilized." The woman said, her eyes growing sharper as her hand squeezed down on Olivia's wrist.

"Oh, and you're racist, okay, I'm not into you anymore at all!" Olivia winced as the hand grew tighter around her, and she tried to pull her arm back, but it wouldn't budge. Even after using mana to improve her stats, the woman holding her was just way too strong. The people in the crowd also weren't willing to do anything since, like her, they could smell the money on this woman.

This wasn't just any random Rossum citizen she had pissed off. This was likely a full-on noble.

"Do you know how hard it is to gather chi in this awful place?" The woman asked, cocking her head to the side. "Back home, doing something as trivial as gathering energy can be done while breathing, but your lands are so terraformed and corrupted that it's basically impossible. I had to put in serious mental work meditating and gathering that power up in preparation for the test, and you ruined it."

"How is it my fault your stupid meditation can be ruined because some random person accidentally bumps into you? That just seems like a shitty skill!" She really needed to stop hanging around Davi because she had just spoken without thinking and didn't filter anything she said.

The woman gave a dangerous smile. "I can tell we're not going to get along. Why don't I save future me some trouble and get rid of you now-"

"That's enough." A voice said sternly, and the woman stood still as a wand pressed into the back of her head. "Let her go. Now."