Krin Madrigan stepped out onto the elevated platform and let the thunderous cheers wash over him. His heart thumped in time with the pounding feet of thousands of onlookers.
"Ladies and gentlemen of Elym's finest, it is time for our final exam!" the male announcer's magnified voice boomed through the Pit.
He paused, letting the roaring crowd settle.
Krin gazed up at the announcer's ledge.
The announcer was positioned on a stone balcony that encircled the arena on the same level as the private viewing booths.
Krin noticed that the announcer stood on the balcony beside Irina Malidiv's booth, which itself was filled with a number of the Elym nobility.
He could pick out a few, and the ones he recognized carried rather unsavory reputations.
"We've truly saved you the best for last. I know you've all been anxiously waiting to meet Elym's first Reaper in a thousand years."
The surging crowd roared louder.
"Well wait no more, ladies and gentlemen! I present to you, Krin Madrigan. REAPER!"
The announcer drew out the final word, letting it intermingle with the crowd's cheering.
He flashed the briefest of nods towards Irina's booth. It was such a subtle thing that Krin almost missed it.
What an introduction, he thought and frowned. None of the other students had been presented in such a way.
Irina must have pressed the announcer into it, but why? Why provide such a grand presentation on behalf of an opponent?
He stepped forward, farther into the lights and shouts, and raised a hand to wave at the onlookers.
Krin noticed several remain seated. Some were flat out booing him. It didn't escape him that the majority of these were located in and around Irina's section.
The noisy crowd settled once more before the announcer continued.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, it is my incredible pleasure to introduce our second opponent.
"Rumored to be one of the strongest elementalists Elym school has ever seen...I give you" --he paused, letting the anticipation build-- "RICARD--ALPHONSE!" he screamed the name, letting his voice fill the chamber.
The roaring applause that followed threatened to burst Krin's eardrums. It shook the foundations of the Pit and caused dust to trickle down from the ceiling.
He saw a large portion of the Elym nobility rise, saw them clapping and cheering. But he also noticed them looking not towards Ricard, but towards Irina.
A sign of deference? Krin thought.
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. The nobility cheering was enhancing their voices, making the cheering much louder than it was supposed to be. Much louder than the applause he'd received.
A look towards the student section affirmed his suspicions. Among the students present, only the new elementalists were standing and cheering. The rest were seated and silent.
He understood now; the announcer's behavior and the abnormal introductions.
Krin thought back on some of the things he'd overheard from his mother, as well as the information he'd been able to elicit from Tirisa.
That brought a smile to his face, but it faded soon after.
This was far more than just an exam. This reached much farther than Elym school. And from a quick calculation, Krin realized that his side was not winning whatever struggle was going on behind the scenes.
YOU ARE READING
The Monsters Within
Fantasy(WORK IN PROGRESS) Veronica Madrigan, Madame of Elym school, is faced with a difficult situation. Her political opponent, Irina Maldiv, stands to replace her as the school's Madame. By producing four strong elementalists as new additions to the scho...
