On the first day of the training grounds tournament, Alistair and Yui Staav had already proved themselves to be a formidable force. The two had worked their way up the rankings until they both reach the quarterfinals, each on the other side of the bracket. Yui watched from the sideline as he saw his brother duel, curiously recognizing the opponent from somewhere… but he couldn’t quite make out where from.
As the two clashed weapons, on the first parry, Alistair noticed that something off about the sound of the clash. As the two combatants circled each other, Alistair narrowed his eyes at his opponent's sword. The blade glinted brightly under the sun – a clear sign that this was no training weapon.
"Real steel…" Alistair muttered, anger bubbling beneath his skin. "You think you can cheat your way through the ranks?"
The young man in front of him gave a dirty smile. “Sure I can. Don’t it sound familiar to ya?”
Suddenly, things clicked for Yui. “Watch it, Alistair!” he called out to his brother. “These are friends of Reuben! The ones who jumped us at the dock!”
"Shut up and fight!" his opponent spat, lunging forward. Alistair tried to block with his wooden sword, but the metal bit through the wood, leaving him defenseless. He gritted his teeth and parried again, but this time the blade sliced through his hand, drawing blood.
"Stop the fight, damn it!" Yui yelled out, as he decided to take matters into his own hand by rushing inside the makeshift arena. He charged towards his brother and tackled Reuben's friend to the ground, restraining him with a fierce grip. "You dishonor this tournament, and yourself!"
"Get off me!" the fighter growled, struggling to break free. But Yui held firm, his eyes radiating pure conviction.
"Enough!" A resounding voice boomed across the arena, silencing the now rowdy crowd. A member of the Sun Guard emerged from the shadows, their golden armor reflecting the sunlight, making them appear as if they were forged from fire itself. They moved in swiftly, dismantling the skirmish and apprehending the cheater.
"You and your friends have disgraced yourselves," the recruitment representative declared, his voice filled with disdain. "By my divine authority as member of the Guard, you will not set foot in this barracks ever again!"
As the members of Reuben’s gang were led away, Alistair clutched his bleeding hand, gritting his teeth against the pain. Yui took a look at him.
“Is the hand well?
“The hand is fine. My dignity is what I’m worried about. Should’ve had sharper eyes and seen that false blade much sooner.”
Yui patted his younger brother on the back. “All in due time. At least we’re the ones still fighting as Sun Guard.”