Northstrider looked up to the flying paradise with its crystalline waterfall spilling over the edge.

A second later, another figure stepped out of nowhere. He was shorter than Northstrider, but just as broad, with chiseled and handsome features that looked as though they belonged on the statue of an ancient king.

Lindon had heard that the Monarch of the House of Shen was a sacred lion, and indeed this man’s gold-tinged white hair and beard blended into one majestic white-gold mane. He was dressed like the Arelius family in a white linen skirt that fell to his feet and a white wrap across his chest.

In contrast to Northstrider, the newcomer’s simple clothing looked like intentional fashion. The cloth was pristine, his belt was made of shimmering goldsteel links, and jeweled rings glinted on every finger. He held a golden goblet in one hand, and he gestured with it toward the column of rainbow light, which had frozen along with everything else in the world.

The light streamed down once again, and Lindon heard the Ninecloud Soul draw in a breath. However, she never lost her professional tone as she announced, “Guests from all over the world, history has been overturned! We are joined by the legendary Monarch Northstrider himself! We ourselves believed he fell in battle years ago, but no rumors can constrain him!”

Deathly silence met her. Everyone else was still frozen. Lindon was starting to suffer for the lack of air.

“Wise Monarch of the Hungry Deep,” the voice said gently, “would you release your hold on the audience so that they may celebrate your presence?”

Northstrider still faced his opposite, and made no reaction that Lindon could see, but his restriction released. The wind blew, the fireworks drifted down from the sky, and Lindon heaved in a breath as the crowd took in a collective gasp.

The other man, who Lindon assumed to be the Monarch Reigan Shen, clicked his tongue impatiently.

Rainbow light flowed around him as the voice of the Ninecloud Court spoke. “It is our honor to present the Emperor of the Rosegold continent, who needs no introduction! Sacred artists, prostrate yourselves in humility before the greatest of lions, the creator of the Path of the King’s Key, Monarch Reigan Shen!”

Thunderous applause. Lindon and most of the other competitors joined in; no one wanted to have their breath stopped again.

The Arelius teams, he noticed, did not clap. They stared at the Monarch as though daring him to strike them down.

Reigan Shen spoke without quieting the audience, but his languid voice filled the arena nonetheless. “Northstrider! We are pleased to see you here. We knew you would never have fallen to a mere serpent.”

Shen might as well have been talking about the weather for all Northstrider reacted.

“I judge this tournament now,” Northstrider announced to the entire arena, and his tone left no room for debate. “The contestants will fight under my protection and according to my will.”

Reigan Shen shook with silent laughter, waving his goblet through the air. “That hardly seems fair, does it?” he asked, voice amused. “Who is to stop you from declaring your own team the victor? Or exiling our team to the void? Not that we would accuse you of such...petty conduct.”

He sipped from his goblet, watching Northstrider over the rim.

Lindon didn't know what he expected to see. Northstrider's face might as well have been carved from stone.

Finally, Shen waved a hand in irritation. “Fine. If none of our peers has an objection, then we have none. You are certainly...overly qualified to supervise the squabbling of children.”

If Shen was attempting to get a visible reaction out of Northstrider, he failed. The Monarch of the Hungry Deep walked away, and the Ninecloud Soul sounded shocked as she made her declaration.

“On behalf of the Ninecloud Court and in the name of Monarch Sha Leiala, I announce a…sudden…alteration to the rules,” the voice said. “Rather than our distinguished panel of judges and experts from all across the world, the competition will now be judged by a Monarch directly! This is an unprecedented honor to the contestants, and a mark of glory for what will surely be the greatest tournament ever held!”

The audience gave some confused cheers after that, though Lindon stayed focused on Northstrider.

The Monarch paid no attention to the lesser sacred artists around him. His eyes moved from one Monarch platform to the next, as though watching for something that Lindon couldn't see.

He was looking for the reactions of his equals…or perhaps challenging them.

Reigan Shen stepped into nothing and disappeared, and no other Monarchs objected. When he had finished turning to each of the other seven towers, Northstrider folded his arms and closed his eyes, waiting for the Ninecloud Soul to continue her speech.

Obviously, in his mind, the matter was settled.

[He’s going to watch us directly!] Dross said breathlessly. […what if he doesn’t like how I look? What if he thinks I have too many arms? Or not enough?]

As if Lindon didn’t have enough to worry about, this brought a new source of panic. Now Northstrider would be watching their fights closely…and if he looked closely enough at Lindon, he would find Dross.

Would he consider Lindon a thief?

When the Ninecloud Soul paused in her speech, Northstrider spoke again without opening his eyes, and his voice reverberated throughout the arena. “As all participants are under my protection, they should fight freely. None may die unless I allow it, and they will be restored to perfect condition when necessary. So it shall be.”

The pillar of rainbow light shone brighter. “The Ninecloud Court thanks the Monarch for his support! Now, with all surprises settled and no further changes, we come to the beginning of the opening round! Monarch, we begin at your will.”

Lindon drew himself inward, breathing steadily, cycling his madra. He could feel Dross doing something similar, focusing his attention.

“Begin,” Northstrider said.

In a flash of blue light, everyone vanished.

~~~

When Lindon found himself in a dark cave, he immediately extended his spiritual perception and realized he was alone. There were powerful constructs buried beneath the ground and many scripts in operation, but no other living souls.

Why divide us into teams just to separate us? he wondered.

[False hope,] Dross said confidently. [Lift up your spirits and then just smash them to pieces.]

Lindon stood in a cavern of dark, jagged rock a few dozen feet wide and the same distance high. Lights speckled the ceiling like tiny stars. The cavern was much longer than it was wide, perhaps three hundred yards distant, and he could see no entrance or exit.

Before he could adjust to his new surroundings, the ground shook. A white dome split the rock beneath his feet, rising under him. He tried to leap off, but an invisible barrier prevented him, keeping him standing on the dome.

Dross screamed. [The earth is attacking! Kill it! Kill it!]

The dome rose up to the height of a house, giving him a look to the far end of the cavern. Against the distant wall, a black dome rose in exact parallel to the white dome on which he stood.

In front of his white dome, soldiers made of matching white rose up from the stone. The size and rough shape of men, the soldiers rose in three rows, each with about two dozen figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder. The edges of their line scraped the walls.

The ones in front carried shields and spears, the second row carried bows, and the final row were all individual sacred artists with their own Paths. Some of those had claws, some conjured flame, and some had haloes of light around their head.