GUARDIANS

III. The Third Member

UCA Stadium

The first two battles of the tournament's opening round ended swiftly, and now, before Faith could fully absorb the thought—it was their turn. The realization hit like a jolt. Prof. Flora approached them with a steady gaze, chanting a protective spell around them. It was standard for each match, ensuring that no injuries would be fatal. Faith felt a flicker of reassurance, but her heart continued to pound.

"All set?" Prof. Flora asked, gesturing to the right. "Just head that way, and you'll find the entrance to the stage."

Faith nodded, swallowing hard to calm her nerves. She glanced at Wynter, who was already gripping his weapon with quiet confidence, his expression focused but calm. Together, they made their way to the entrance, where the rumble of the crowd's excitement grew louder with each step. When they stepped onto the stage, the stadium exploded with cheers. The crowd's voices echoed around them, a deafening mix of excitement and anticipation. Faith noticed that much of the applause was directed at Wynter; she could even hear scattered calls of his title, "Legend." She knew why—he was the son of the Top 2 Guardian, a figure of respect and awe.

She took a steadying breath as she gripped her bow, whispering to herself, "This is where I make my first impression."

Wynter gave her an encouraging glance, a hint of a smile breaking through his usually stoic expression. "This is where first impressions start."

Across the stage, their opponents, Politan and Elliott, appeared, weapons at the ready. Politan's confident grin made it clear he was looking forward to this. His eyes glinted with a mischievous energy as he locked his gaze on Faith.

"Hope you're ready, girlie," he called out, smirking. "I won't be going easy on you."

Faith exhaled, grounding herself. "I'd be insulted if you did."

As they faced each other, the surroundings on the hexagonal stage began to shift, morphing into the distinct landscapes of their chosen battlegrounds. Faith noticed that their side was transforming into a dense, shadowy forest, with thick clusters of trees obscuring most of the view. Just behind her, the darkness grew thicker, and she realized the opposing team's setting was materializing as a steep, craggy mountain range, rocky and challenging, with the enemy's flag visible at the very top.

Wynter quickly scanned the terrain, his mind already strategizing. "Alright, our flag is somewhere in the forest. We'll have to go deeper to find it," he said, voice low but determined.

Faith glanced around, trying not to appear too obvious as her eyes searched for any hint of their flag. "Nothing yet," she replied, squinting through the shadows.

"Then it's farther in. I'll hold off Politan and Elliott here," Wynter said, his eyes focused. "You go ahead and search for our flag. If you run into trouble, handle it the best you can."

Faith nodded. She felt the weight of her bow in her hands, reminding herself of the countless hours she had trained for this moment. "Roger that," she replied, steeling herself.

As they readied their stances, the crowd began counting down, their voices building the tension with each number. Faith could feel her heart syncing with each beat, her nerves mixing with an adrenaline-fueled focus. She locked eyes with Wynter one last time before setting her gaze on the forest shadows ahead.

"Three...two...one—"

The horn blared, and the stage erupted into action.

The Day Before the Tournament

In the dimly lit training room, Faith watched as Wynter paced back and forth, outlining his plan with a focused intensity she hadn't seen before. The scent of metal and leather filled the room, a reminder of the countless hours they'd spent preparing for moments like this. But even with their preparation, there was an unexpected complication.