The grand Arena of the academy was full of whispers and laughed and somewhere on the closed doors- students were preparing for "The Iron trials".
The trai which held in every 2 years between often used to:
• Train nobles and warriors
•Settle inter-house rivalries peacefully
•Display teamwork, tactics and discipline
• To check their skills
It includes:
•Team-based strategy
•Mock combat
•Physical and mental challenges
•A symbolic prize for winning team
1)Team format
•10-16 teams, each representing academy
faction
•8 members per team, with different roles ( like a strategist, archer, defender, etc.)
2)Main challenges (Rounds)
1. 🚩Capture the banner
• Classic strategy-based event: steal the other team's banner and protect yours.
•Encourage stealth, decoys, teamwork
2.⚖️ Defend and fort
• One team defends a wooden structure, the other attacks under a limited time.
•Soft weapons, like padded swords and wooden shields
•Points given for tactics, not just wins
3.🗝️Commander's Trial
•Teams are given a war puzzle or tactical senarioto solve in real-time.
4. 🏹Marksman's Rings
• Each team's archer or thrower must hit long-distance targets under pressure
• Could incluide movong targets or blindfolded guidence byteammates
5. Obstacle guantlet
•A physical course: climb walls, crawl under ropes, move large shields together
6. 🏟️Honour Duel
•One-on-one mock fight between chosen members (no injuries, just points for technique, balance, and sprit)
•Judges award scores forstyle and form.
7.🏛️ Final siege
• Two top teams face off in a simulated siege.
🎊🏆️Scoring system
• Based on strategy (40%)
•Team coordination (30%)
• Combat skill (30%)
Team formation:
1) Grafe. 2) Wisdon. 3) Marble 4) Maze
• Cirion • Caleb •Calton • Evan
•Ana •Abigail •Avery •Brooklyn
•Mary •Amelia •Bella •Camila
•Ruslana • Ethan •Charlotte •Jace
•Yuna •Mason •Easton •Maveric
•Naida •Lincolin • Jack • John
•Charles •Aubrey •Delilan •Aubrey
5)Mount 6)Lion 7)Olive 8)Halo
•Issac •Jayden •Levi • Mathew
•Faith •Harper • Isabella •Olivia
•Eleanor •Joseph •Aaron •Damian
•Ashton •Grace •Jasmine •Cooper
•Hunter • Zyaden •Luke •Ruby
•Ella •Hailey •Layla •Noah
•Evelyn •Hazal • Jose •Leon
9) Ember 10) Nova 11)phonix 12)Swan
•Ryan •Nathan •Riley • Lincoln
•Stella •Mason •Landon • Natalie
•Theo •Scarlett •Weston •Kaiden
•Zoey •Ryder • Peyton • Gael
•Jett •Lydia • Myles • Liam
•Colson • Ruby •Joshua •Mia
•William • Nora •Maiz •Lucy
13)Falcon 14)Eclipse
•James •Grayson
•Aurora •Lily
•Lydia •Lucas
•Finn •Evan
•Jack •Leah
•Declan •Gabriel
•Julius •Malthe
Inside the Dormitory
Ana, Mary, Ruslana, Cirion, Charles, Yuna and Naida was there inside of their Dormitory. The atmosphere was full of charge and a bit of fear.
Aria entered in the Dormitory and went towards them.
"So all of you are ready?" She asked.
"We are!" Mary exclaimed.
"But…a little bit of nervous" Ana claimed.
Aria knelt before Ana grabbing her hand and said-
" Nothing is easy Ana-but doesn't mean it's impossible. It doesn't matter you win or loss but the real thing will be-you will try. And i am sure you all will give your best and… my support is always with you two" Aria said.
"But the win and loss matter in a real war" A voice came from behind and everyone turned and there he was-
Darius.
"But it's not a war" Aria replied.
" It's been a while when last time we met" he claimed.
"I didn't know you missed me too much" Aria teased.
"How I could stay calm when a beautiful lady is just before me." Darius purred.
Aria stiffid for a second before Ruslana interrupt.
"You both met before?" Ruslana asked-confused.
"Yeah. Only at once but for a long time" Darius murmured-gaze locked on Aria.
Ana and Mary giggled in the corner.
" Is it funny?" Aria exclaimed.
"No. But we never saw you like this-helpless."Mary scoffed.
Aria gave both of them a deadly glare but Darius eyes never left her.
And she felt that and turned towards him.
"By the way, why are you here?" Aria asked.
"To see you" he replied suddenly and the Dormitory fill with silence. Aria felt her chest heavy and her face became pale as if she kicked him out if he say something again.
"Sorry sorry" He giggled then added " i am here for my sister."
Then Aria realized that Ruslana is the princess of Dagon kingdom so-she is his little sister.
Then someone who was just watching the interaction-approached.
"My honour to finally meet you now. I am Prince Charles-prince of Akania. I heard many goods from Ana and Mary." Charles bowed.
"But it's my honour to meet you prince Charles. Akania kingdom played an important role on trade and goods with Minoan kingdom and all of the Minoanies are very honored by Akania's kindness." she bowed back.
Then Charles turned towards Darius.
" Heard many things about the youngest emperor of all time. Amd i hope i can learn many things from you" he bowed again.
" It will be my honour to teach you but this time i am here just for my sister so i hope we will meet again and on that time we will think about it" Darius nodded.
" I am Naida from a noble family of Dagon kingdom." Naida approached
" I am Yuna-princess of Morching dynasty and little sister of Cirion" Yuna continued.
"I hope i don't need to introduce myself" Cirion said.
" How could i forget you. You are a very important person to me." Darius said.
"I think we need to go now before we become late" Aria said.
"So we"
Everyone went out of the Dormitory-except Aria and Darius.
"Don't you have to go?" Aria asked already walking towards the door when he called her name.
"Aria"
She paused for a second and turned to him.
"Let's go together" he said.
Then she turned and he was after her walking just some steps afar from her-not beside, not touching- just there to feel her presence.