UNIFIED W

Chapter 1: The Meeting

KEEH-KEEEEH!

Wake up..... Wake up!

Kai jumped out of bed, fell to the ground, and looked around his room.

'Just as I thought, it's one of those dreams again—the same terrifying yet still soft so...'

Before he could finish his thoughts, someone knocked at his door.

Zeru's voice echoed through the room as he entered.

"Are you still asleep, Kai? We need to train with grandfather before he goes to the meeting."

"Ow! Never mind; you've already begun your training."

Kai just realized he was half-naked, covered in sweat, and it looked like he was doing push-ups. But that wasn't the training Zeru was referring to.

"I know, I know. Just let me put on my tracksuit, and I'll be out in a minute."

***

As soon as Kai stepped outside, a warm breeze hit his face, and he immediately felt warm inside.

The sky was clear, and the sun was at its highest point.

Von City has become extremely crowded this year, which shouldn't come as a surprise since the big event that occurs every three years is about to start in a few days.

"Kai, I want to look up something in the nearby arena. Can you tell grandfather that I won't be late for the training?"

"Alright. But try to hurry back as soon as possible. You know how your grandfather gets when he's angry."

"I know. I'll be back before you even realize I was gone."

Zeru ran into the crowd and soon disappeared, while Kai started his warm-up by running around the block to prepare for the training.

Kai returned home sweating after 30 minutes of running and encountered Zeru's grandfather at the entrance.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Kai. You don't have to be formal every time you see me."

"But you are the clan leader of the Fire Clan. Everyone should address you with respect, sir."

"Hahaha, you may have a point, kid."

"Where is Zeru? Did he forget that the training starts soon?"

"No, sir. He said he would return before the training."

"The meeting will start in a few hours, so we need to begin our training soon."

That's when it occurred to Kai that he should ask the clan leader about the meeting, since he didn't know if he'd get another chance like this.

"Sir, could you tell me about the meeting?"

The question echoed in his mind for a few seconds as he wondered if he'd receive an answer, but then the clan leader began speaking.

"The meeting is about organizing the big event, also known as the Test, where the six clan leaders and the king will gather on Stage Two to prepare for it."

"Wow, it must be beautiful up there on Stage Two, sir."

"Of course, Kai. If you think Stage Two is beautiful, wait until you see where the royal family lives."

"You mean the floating city, Pall?"

"Yes! It's the most beautiful place in the world. If you win the Test, you get the chance to leave this cursed place and live up there for the rest of your life."