PREPARATIONS

Luciana, Norval, and Jalon were all seated on the bench in front of the entrance to the sports complex's head office, where the manager normally sat. Their professors had summoned them to the office for an unscheduled meeting. Because the IAA had closed, the candidates needed to know what they should do after the trials. It was going to be a long, arduous month, and they had to be prepared since the school was closed indefinitely, which meant they could have to return home after the trials were through.

It was going to be a long, arduous month, and they had to be prepared since the school was closed indefinitely, which meant they could have to return home after the trials were through.

From inside the office, the secretary called to them. The door had been wide open, and there were two entries inside the office, one leading to the secretary's desk and the other, which had been locked, leading to the manager's office shortly after someone had been cleared to enter the office with the secretary. The candidates approached her, and she was courteous enough to smile and welcome them formally.

“How are you all doing?” the secretary inquired as she laid down her water flask and replaced her earpiece.

“Everything is OK. Sunset City is a wonderful place, albeit a little rocked by the weather,” Norval observed. His fellow candidates mistook him for a rapper since he spoke so quickly.

“Please accept our apologies for the inclement weather. After all, Sunset City is among the hills, so the weather is to be expected. The management is delighted to welcome the Ithea candidates here. I'm sure you've all had a busy day and are ready to relax, but the IAA has issued some orders to us, which we will pass on to you. So the manager will be happy to meet you in his office to discuss this further,” she concluded with a smile.

“Thank you again, Miss,” Luciana expressed her gratitude. She was the first to knock on the door, and the others soon followed. She reached for the knob and began to twist it slightly until she felt it being yanked from the other side of the locked door by a heavier force. She was a little startled; she hadn't expected it. The manager stepped out of the office, adjusting his polo shirt and tucking it into his faded khaki jeans as the door swung open. He was wearing a promotional hat that stated ‘Olympus Sports Complex' and had the names of the sports complex inscribed on it.

He apologized for keeping everyone waiting. The students were taken aback by his voice. His thin body, cheeky glasses dangling from his bridge of the nose, and the outfit he wore gave off the conventional initial impression of a nerdy manager who was the company's lap dog. The students imagined him as a twenty-year-old adult still living at home with his mother, but they were not prepared for him to have such a deep voice. His sentences had a heavy foreign accent to them as well.

It took some time for the candidates to react to his request. Luciana came inside his office and could smell the cheap fragrance in the air right away. She examined the space and saw promotional posters for the ‘Olympus Sports Complex' all over the place. When someone walked inside the workplace, the room was pretty drab; nothing piqued their interest. She searched about for a seat, and her gaze fell on a sofa behind the door, which was adorned with the Company emblem and brilliant colors. Jalon and Norval trailed her, and Jalon wasn't as stealthy as his peers. Norval and Luciana tried to hide their displeasure, but Jalon's lips curled in disgust as he entered the office, and he even let out a sound effect to emphasize how unimpressed he was with the décor.

On the other hand, the manager did not appear to be offended by his reaction and simply walked over to his desk. A couple of pencils, a stack of filed documents, and a half-eaten packed lunch sat on the desk. The manager dashed over to the desk, closing the open tin that contained a half-eaten lunch and stuffing it into one of the drawers.

“I apologize for the mess; it was a busy day, and I didn't have time to prepare it,” 

None of the kids responded; instead, they smiled and took their seats on the same couch as Luciana. As he seated, the manager changed his polo shirt's name tag, which spelled out his name, "Terrence." He grinned back at the pupils, and they were still amazed at how deep his voice sounded.

“I assume you've received a thorough tour of the facility?” he inquired.

“Yes. Luciana replied It's extremely impressive." It seemed like the others had unconsciously appointed her as their spokesperson.

“Yes, we endeavor to provide our consumers with the finest service possible. But enough of that; let me get right down to business. I'm sure you've heard of the catastrophe that has befallen your school director?”

He shifted in his seat.

“It was surprising, to say the least. And that came as a shock to us,” 

“I'd like to express my condolences to the school. He was a decent individual. The school had contacted us to establish your condition, and I told them that you are all extremely secure here. They have, however, stated that they wish to intervene..”

“How are you going to intervene?”

“They claim that the lodging we have provided for you and your lecturers does not provide them with assurance. They believe you are in danger and that letting the public know where you are could put you in danger. I'm sure you realize how highly the school regards you. As a result, they've recommended that you sleep someplace else today and for the remainder of the tournament. You'll still be registered as guests here, but you'll be staying somewhere else. They believe that is the greatest way to strengthen your security and keep you safe. I've already discussed this with your lecturers, and they've agreed; we've divided them into groups, and they've already been transported to their hotels.” According to the manager. The pupils did not respond until Luciana became uneasy and decided to respond.

“We don't think it's fair to subject you to all of this just because of a hoax!”

“It doesn't bother me; in fact, I agree with them. If you accept, we will arrange for transportation right once, and you will all be escorted to the hotel where the other international students are staying,”

“Does the hotel offer decent service?” Jalon eventually ventured to ask.

“I promise you, sir, that is the nicest hotel in the city, and I strongly advise you to stay there,”

“I promise you, sir, that is the nicest hotel in the city, and I strongly advise you to stay there,” “Well, I can't speak for the rest of them, but I don't see the value in it,” Luciana remarked. “However, I am willing to follow the school's rules and will stay at that hotel.”

Jalon pulled out his phone and remarked, “Well, as long as it has a bed and we stay in separate rooms, count me in.”

“I feel the same way.” Norval adjusted his tie as he spoke.

“Great, then I'll arrange transportation right away; don't worry about your luggage; we'll all take care of it. Just sit here and wait for me to contact you so we can get you to the hotel in no time,” the manager stated. He leaped from his seat, and Luciana took note of his shoes as he walked out of the office. They were old moccasins, and she began to wonder how he got the job as the sports facility manager, given his peculiar nature. Perhaps she should not judge people just on their appearance.

“Oh, there's one more. As he scrolled through his phone, Jalon stated, "The police say the poison used to kill Mr. Starkridge doesn't even have Ithean Alchemy components."

“What exactly do you mean?”   Norval inquired, bending in close to examine the paper he was reading.

“It was a chemical that had been synthesized. It was not created by alchemical procedures, implying that it was most likely created by scientific methods,"  Jalon tapped his shoulder into Norval's jaw when he was leaning in a little too close for Jalon's liking. Norval drew his head back and rubbed his chin.

“A Seolaran chemical used in the murder of one of the most prominent Ithean figures. I'm not sure what else will cause political strife if that doesn't?” Norval said, his hands cushioning his jaw.

“You're not mistaken. This might lead to a global crisis between us and Seolara, and we don't want to be on their bad side,” Luciana explained. She stepped up to a bowl of mints on the table and picked one out of the bowl, unwrapping it. She then proceeded to cram it into her pockets after tossing it into her mouth.

Jalon put out his hand as she returned to her seat, aiming to signal her to give her some of the mints, and the bargain appeared to be effective. Luciana took one from her pocket and hurled it at Jalon. Before he unwrapped it and placed it on his outstretched tongue, it juggled in his palms.

Norval inquired, "Why don't we want to be at odds with Seolara?" His peers were taken aback by his lack of knowledge. They were shocked he didn't know what Luciana meant for a man who enjoyed reading and having information at his fingers.

“Are you serious, dude?! Have you seen what they've come up with in terms of technology? Those guys are creating things we can only imagine. Alchemy would never be able to compete with the benefits that their research is reaping from the manna fields.” Jalon's speech was distorted because he tried to speak while his tongue was still fighting the mint capsule in his mouth.

“But don't we have our own advancements?” Norval stated, attempting to defend his magical arts' name.

“I mean, we do have an advantage over Lorth and Yulcite's divinity magic arts because they're bound to their sacred scriptures and can't progress as far as we can. But W, on the other hand, what edge do we have against Seolara? A fresh take on the latest vials and beakers for transporting our concoctions? Those men are creating new

weapons every minute, weapons that are far more powerful than any of our new potions or mutagens. I doubt we'll go to war with Seolara for more than a day,” Luciana replied, sliding her tongue over the mint candy.

“You folks don't believe in your own skills, and that's all I'm hearing,” Norval added.

“Well bro, if I doubted my capabilities I would never be here participating in the trials now would I? All I am saying is that we are strong, but it would be foolish of us to overestimate our power, especially going up against Seolara. I mean have you heard about their laws in the first place? I would never last a day there!” Jalon said.

Just as their conversation was heating up, the manager returned and ran through the door with unmatched enthusiasm.

“Okay guys, the bus is loaded and the driver is waiting for you guys downstairs. I hope I didn't take too much of your time?” he said, leaning on the door. The students got up from the couch and greeted him and her secretary as they headed for the exit. They walked over to the elevator and boarded it.

As they were making their descent, Jalon turned to Norval, “If you still doubt the capabilities of Seolara, wait till I show what that Eadmer Todd kid has up his sleeve,” he said.