Wallace sat on the edge of his seat, shoulders bent forwards. Gnawing on a thumb nail. He’d never been this nervous before.

Not even that one time back in Rus, when things got a little hot and heavy with the one of Forrester girls, and she had her period come in late.

Or that one time, when he and Egon were messing around a nearby cliff face and he’d happen to have the bright idea to play peek-a-boo mid-climb. The result being a horrifying, forty-five seconds where he’d thought that he’d sent his big brother plummeting to his death.

He was so nervous that the pre-tournament show that played complete with essence-based visual arrays and one of the greatest musical troupes in the region went by without his noticing. Same for the first, two-thirds of the actual tournament.

He sat unmoved as the crowd around him went wild, and fighter after fighter climbed up onto the stage to show the full measure of their skills against one another.

Failing to even notice when one crimson-skinned girl managed to kick her opponent hard enough that he exploded. Bursting into flames as he flew off the stage. Her victory requiring the appearance of the local fire brigade, a medic and the referee before it was decided that she could continue in the tournament.

At most Wallace had registered that everything was starting, but aside from that he’d stayed as he was. His eyes focused on the what-ifs that appeared in his head. Dazzled and frightened by all the possibilities.

He was finally jarred from all his musing after being nudged, by a soft but firm elbow in his ribs. He looked up frowning, rubbing the spot as if the elbowing had actually hurt, and saw a bright eyed Patricia looking over at him.

“...What?!” said Wallace.

“You’re missing it.” said Patricia.

“Missing what?” said Wallace. Slightly confused after getting lost in his own head.

Van spoke up, an, slightly befuddled look on her face. Like she were staring at some rare impossible animal that she herself had grown up believing she’d made up.

“It’s already the fifth time that he’s gotten onto the stage and you’re the only one who hasn’t been cheering.” said Vanessa.

“Cheering?” Wallace blinked. Frowning. Still slightly lost.

Patricia tugged on his arm and pointed down towards the stage where he saw yet another two figures testing their strength against one another.

One was as big as a bear, with horns that grew like gnarled tree-branches, his body covered in muscles that looked fit for ripping steel girders in half.

...And the other was his brother. Tall and broad, yet still somewhat more gangly than would be expected for a Jotun.

As he watched the two of them fight, the artistry lacking in their movements, bringing things down to a simple knock-down brawl, Wallace registered what the women at his side had been saying.

“Wait, fifth fight? As in he’s been up there before? As in he’s made it into the final ten?! How the hell did I miss that?!” said Wallace.

Not blinking, not wanting to miss a single second, Wallace watched as he was told to. Holding his breath as the larger combat tore bits of stage apart, with each swipe of his hands.

His heart jumped each time he watched his little brother dart in between those massive arms. Watching as his brother stuck close to the man, somehow never entering the range of one his blows.

Watching as Edwin ignored the violent essence that billowed off the man’s fists as if it were just the buffeting of harsh winds.

Van answered her brother-in-law’s question, her mood subdued and dreamy. While Wallace had been worrying, she’d been doing her own bit of thinking.

“That big guy is one of the representatives of the Ironblood-Kings. The match with him, has been the longest fight that Eddy’s had to deal with. It’s almost no wonder that you’ve missed all the others. He pretty much has been going through them in thirty seconds or less...Usually less.”

Wallace didn’t say anything response, he just sat there with a loose smile on his face. Looking like he’d been kicked in the head. Micro-expressions of Disbelief, envy and pride dancing across his visage before resolving back to the smile.

He knew that he’d told his brother that he should try to win, but he’d not really expected anything to actually come of it. It was just the sort of thing one said.

He’d figured it’d be a miracle if the youth made it through the pre-tournament elimination tourney in the underground arena. His hope had been for his little brother to be just barely talented enough to catch the eye of one of the sect recruiters watching down below.

This however, this was something different, this was the kind of performance that could make the young jotun hate his little brother just the littlest bit. A tiny spark of envy being born in his heart, making him wish that his brother had told him of his treatments sooner.

Making him wish that he could have had his time to shine before he’d grown past the point where any sect would be willing to try and grow his talents.

This envy was almost instantly blown away by the boundless pride and exultation Wallace felt as he saw his brother, his kin, his blood, standing on the stage, going toe-to-toe against proper sect disciples.

Men and women who were just a few steps away from being true sons and daughters of heaven.

Anyone who made it to the above-ground stage was guaranteed a recruitment offer, and the young man’s having fought his way to the top ten, which was usually just reserved as a way for the sects to settle some things between themselves while also showing off their younger generation’s formidability to the public...was all but unprecedented. Wallace couldn’t even really guess what this achievement would mean for the boy’s prospects.

It was like telling someone to jump, and having them reveal that they’d grown wings and were actually able to fly. The kind of positive shock that one couldn’t know what to do with, until it actually happened.

Wallace stood up and roared, bellowing at the top of his voice. His cry joining the thousands of others echoing out across the stands.

“Kick his ass, Eddy! ...You can take this thing! Take the whole fucking tournament, you beautiful bastard! Do the family proud!”