After that awful feeling, I didn’t hesitate to make my way back to the resort as fast as possible.

It’s not like I hadn’t experienced something similar since I got to the capital, after all there are many Kings here in every corner.

But for some reason I felt like it was different this time... it was cold and creepy... terrifying.

While I was walking into the fancy resort, I ran into the Valkern twins on my way as they were heading out.

Riven raised her sunglasses revealing her dark eyes. "Look who’s here, Caius Astroweild... I haven’t seen you the past two days, are you upset because of what I said that day?" Her voice echoed full of sarcasm, but unlike her Silas stayed quiet without saying a word.

It’s not like I stopped to chat with her.

Without caring I passed by the two of them leaving them behind me, as I heard Riven’s complaint. "Oh... so cold." With those words the two of them kept on their way out while I walked into the open space of this resort.

The place was gardens and restaurants and cafes open to the outside, dozens of students moved here and there, and you could notice they were forming small groups... you could even smell some sparks here and there... not literally of course.

But yeah, the mood is really charged here.

I was planning to go up to my room and get away from all this until I heard footsteps coming toward me followed by an excited voice full of charisma. "Oh, look who we have here guys... Caius Astroweild in the flesh."

Why do I hear my full name so much these days?

I looked over my shoulder at the source of the voice to see someone my age, with sky blue eyes and platinum blond hair, his sculpted face shining with that confident smile full of charisma or whatever.

It was none other than Theo Arlin from Erebus, with a short girl following him closely holding a phone in front of her face and pointing the camera lens, following Theo and hiding her features as she filmed us.

"Haaa." I let out a long sigh... maybe I should have come back at night.

And while I was thinking about my life choices, this strange person arrived and wrapped his arm around my shoulder like we were the closest friends, his face staring into the camera the girl was holding toward us. "Alright viewers, as you asked we have an interview with Caius Astroweild, the last of the survivors of the disappearance incident, and one of the most prominent participants in the Game of Kings."

He winked at me confidently as he went on. "So, as one of the most controversial figures in the Axis, will you tell us about your amazing adventure live on the stream."

I looked at the camera... what sweet words from this kid.

Without delay I pushed his arm away as I gave him a confused look. "And who exactly are you?"

This famous star’s smile got a little tense before he got it back. "Oh sorry, I’m Theo Arlin... or as my followers call m—"

I looked him up and down, cutting him off. "Okay, I don’t care... but if you’re bored why don’t you go touch some grass."

With that I ignored him and turned to leave, at that moment I heard the short girl say something. "That’s the third time you’ve been ignored today."

Theo cleared his throat as he smiled at the camera again.

...

In the end I heard he went to interview Izel, but she burned his camera without hesitating, and Ellen had to step in so it wouldn’t turn into a public fight between people from different Empires.

Anyway, time passed peacefully for me as I stayed away from all the trouble... that reminds me of someone I haven’t seen in a while... Kyle.

Since I hadn’t met him at the Axis or even here, I thought he was, you know... hiding in the shadows like he usually does.

But it turns out he’d just come one day before the opening ceremony... I bet it’s because of his family matters, well what would it be if not his little sister.

Anyway, the opening ceremony was tomorrow, and it would be held at the Imperial palace on the edge of the capital... well, it’s not a ceremony in the literal sense.

Yeah, there’s free food and stuff, but it revolves around wearing formal clothes and standing in groups with discipline and listening to the speech and the rules of the game that would be revealed.

At least the rules of the first stage that determine who qualify for the second and final stage... the simplest and the hardest for me.

The individual matches.

...

The opening day arrived.

Every party had to wear its own uniform provided by their Empire... and ours was a uniform in black and gold that looked a lot like the official uniform of the Axis.

After putting it on and checking myself in the mirror... and of course I was stunning like every day... I went down to one of the big halls in this resort where one had been assigned to each Empire to gather before teleporting them directly instead of walking the whole way.

Like I always say... teleportation is the best.

When I walked into the hall, many people were already there forming small groups wearing the same uniform I was wearing.

Some of them looked tense and nervous, and others excited.... I spotted a certain group where Elliot and Kyle were, and also Leona and Emeris who were having what looked like a fun conversation... those two really get along.

I walked toward them, and nodded in acknowledgment to Kyle who answered me with the same thing.

At some point when the hall filled up Alicia appeared at the end of it and with her the Director... that heavily built old man with that short, rough beard, he stood there scanning us one after another, his rough voice echoing in the place saying things like, "You’d better choose death over losing, you rats, because if you don’t I’ll roast you alive."

What a dictator... and while he was openly threatening us, Emeris leaned in and whispered near me, "Who’s this old man?"

It looked like she really didn’t know him... I shrugged. "Just a strong lunatic."

At that moment Alicia narrowed her eyes at me in silence, which made me scratch my head in confusion.

Then finally this dictator finished his threats and looked at Alicia. "You can move them now."

Those words set off a series of collective sighs... even Alicia and Kyle sighed audibly.

And before the Director could add anything or comment on our sighing, we’d already been moved.

...

We appeared in a vast courtyard, surrounded by high walls from behind, there you could see an entrance overlooking the big street where the city stretched along it.

The street outside the walls was packed with people pushing to look through the open gate... even though all of this would be broadcast soon, there are still people who want to see everything with their own eyes.

The courtyard was filled with guards in every corner, and it was divided into four parts you could tell from the Empires’ flags raised at the front of each part.

And in the center in front of the flags, there was a high platform set up for the coming announcement, and there behind it the Imperial palace rose towering above us.

It’s true it wasn’t as tall as the skyscrapers in the city, but it was still majestic with those domed towers that rise high, a mix of white and bright red consuming our whole view.

I looked at the guards spread apart and some figures here and there from the nobles and the professors, then at Ellen near me as she stared at the palace with her arms folded under her chest.

"You’ve got a nice house here."

She raised her head toward me, staring for a few moments. "If you want it you can take it."

Take it... how would I take the Imperial palace?... maybe lead a coup against the throne.

And while we were being led to stand in the part assigned to us, the other groups arrived in their assigned uniforms and stood lined up in the part assigned to them too.

Then finally, the waiting time was over.

There above us a big projection of the platform appeared which let everyone gathering in the city streets behind us see it... and I didn’t see that, but I knew we were being broadcast now to the whole world.

Everyone looked expectantly at the platform and the person climbing the stairs slowly.

I thought it would be the emperor, but what I saw was a young man a little older than us, with black hair carefully styled and bright red eyes like Ellen’s.

It was none other than Prince Zen Asterval.

He arrived in front of the platform with a calm, calculated smile on his face, tilting his head and staring at everyone before he clapped, silencing all the whispers in the courtyard.

[Hello dear participants, and viewers too... welcome everyone to Solaria.]

[I think everyone knows me... but there’s no harm in confirming it.]

[I’m Zen Asterval]