The boys were walking through the streets of the town they had arrived in. The nerves were always there in the back of their minds, but they all had come to the town centre to try and forget that. As they walked through the crowds of young adults and down the different streets looking in any shop one of them wanted there was a feeling of rising tension.

Whilst walking through quite an empty street Jude posed a question, “Hey Kuna, how far can your portals go?”

“I don’t know, far as I can see I guess.” was the response Kuna meant but all there came out was a jumbled mess of mumbling and a shrug of the shoulders.

“What about the amount? How many can you have open at once?”

“At least two sets, never needed more.” With that Jude had got the info he wanted and then he turned his attention to the rest.

“Jack are there things you can react to but can’t dodge?”

“Course there are, I’m not super-fast.”

“Damian how many limbs can you have out?”

“Any really, but I really really like just using the two arms. It really helps when fighting and I can’t really see a reason to use any other part of the demon’s form.”

“AJ can you use lightning any time or only when you do those martial arts punches?”

“I guess. I like adding it to my punches, it’s ingrained, you know?”

Jude tapped Rin on the back “Use that info however you need, leader.” Rin smiled and looked at Jude

“When did you become dependable?” Tapping his arm Jude answered,

“Same time I got muscles.” Jack scoffed,

“And I bet we’d actually see those muscles if it weren’t for that big hoodie?”

“Well they should really be tearing through my hoodie because I’m ripped.” Jude did a body builder pose and the whole group started laughing the middle of the street.

The nerves had dissipated for a moment or two the boys did not even care that they were drawing stares and glances because they were all in stitches in a public place.

They carried on walking through the crowds, crowds that all seemed as on edge or trying to distract themselves. No one group or individual person was able to notice the tension that was palpable in the air. The connective tissue of this town seemed to be anxiety and a lack of awareness.

It was just after they had finished their lunch and were walking out of the pub that Jude really noticed the amount of hotels in this town. It had not been too bad when they were walking down the main high street of the town centre but as soon as they had wandered a little bit away from there the hotels had increased a lot. Not even the amount you would suspect of a sleepy town like this there was little of note so far. No big attraction and yet there were many hotels dotted around.

After this realisation everything started to fall into place for Jude. Everyone who manned a store was the right age, those being in their thirties all the way into old age. However, the patrons of the shops and those who meandered through the streets were young adults no older than their mid-twenties. Sure, there were some exceptions to this rule but those exceptions definitely weren’t going in and out of the hotels.

Only one thing was clear, the tournament was soon. Everyone here was nervous, everyone was about the right age, and they all needed hotels for today. He did not really know what to do with this information, it is not like knowing that this town was the tournament’s site was going to improve his chances. And why would it matter, they had always been led to believe it would happen somewhere around here. It was just that this felt different for Jude, almost as if it were important for the hotels to be involved.

He never expressed these thoughts to the others. There was no reason to tell them, especially if it would only serve to make their nerves worse. There was one thing he did vocalise:

“You know, when we get back, I’ll put my costume on for that announcement or whatever it is.”

“Eh, why would you do that? Sounds like a lotta hassle for no reason. Can’t you just enjoy the meal.” Damian rambled.

“Just think about it for a second. If I put my costume on and the tournament isn’t until tomorrow, I can go and get changed. If the tournament is at five, then I’m already ready and get on with it.”

“Jude’s right. I’ll drop a message to everyone, we’re all gonna do it to.”

“What the hell man, my costume is kinda tight, I just wanna eat. I also don’t wanna stain it, man.”

“As your leader it’s an order.”

“Ugh, fine. Have it your way oh mighty leader.”

After a few more hours shopping, well it was primarily browsing but they did all eventually buy something each. They had all bought some small, coloured crystals that AJ had talked them into. So, after a few more hours of browsing, they headed back to their hotel and into their costumes.

This was the first time some of them had seen the rest’s costumes. Not to mention the surprise of the five of their close friend’s costumes but also the other eighteen that were going to be on their team.

Celebrations were had as people laughed at each other’s costumes, in awe of the cool designs, and yet some were just plain boring. Aria-Mae was basically just in a nurse costume. Sol had purple samurai armour on. Jack had tactical trousers and his hoodie. Each one representative of the three different attitudes people had to costumes: thematic, cool, and practical.

Then came five. A robotic voice came through some speakers. “Hello Mana-Script team. You have been provided a buffet in the restaurant area. Please eat up and enjoy, the real event will begin at 7 o’clock promptly.” With that the doors to the restaurant flung open and before them was a beautiful spread of food.

Jude found it quite hard to eat, his nerves had finally started taking their physical tole of him. He had not even found the bravery to remove his gauntlets as he did not feel the want to eat. His throat felt clog up by the stress. A thud came down in front of him as a plate of food landed. Jude looked up to see Jack stern,

“It’s been half an hour and you haven’t eaten. If you don’t start soon, you’ll either get hungry or have to deal with stomach cramps. And you’re probably the best strategist we have.” With that Jack turned his head to Rin who was also on their circular table. “Rin, buddy, pal. The fuck is Mana-Script team.” Everyone looked up.

“Well, boys, you see. I was approached by the tournament runners to input a name for our team and I put in Mana-Script.” Rin spoke and Jack snapped a chicken wing in half.

“You know don’t you think you shoulda asked anyone here. Like anyone. Because that’s a stupid name, don’t you think?”

“If I thought it was stupid why would I have chosen it?”

“Okay Rin, that’s fine. Just let me know when we can change it and I’ll go round and ask everyone for a better name, deal?”

“You can’t.”

“What?”

“The window for change is gone.” Jack shattered the chicken bone and meat dripped down his hand. Rin was quite scared, before Jack stood on his chair.

“Ahem, everyone I just wanted to make an announcement. Rin, the silly prick, has decided that our team’s name is Mana-Script. So, if for the next three years you feel embarrassed by it, you know who to blame.” With that he sat down and got on with his meal. Jude also began to eat, not wanting to incur Jack’s wrath.

It was just before 7 p.m. and everyone was in the hotel’s lobby. They had enjoyed their meal and gotten it all settled when there was a tremendous rumble. Everything shook, it could be felt in their bodies. Rushing to the door they found that there was now a huge stone tower in the centre of the town. With a wide base and a slightly hourglass shape. The monolith looked like it reached up into the clouds to swim amongst them.

Then they descended from the heavens. From the top smooth stone ramps shot down and nestled themselves outside every hotel in the town. The one that landed outside of their hotel also joined up with two others about halfway. The robotic voice spoke.

“Hello Mana-Script team. We are delighted to announce that the tournament is now underway. The first thirty-two teams to make it to the top of our tower will be granted access to our main league. Good luck.”

Everyone snapped to Rin for a plan. They needed their leader. However, their leader was shaken. Not only had anxiety got its claws into him and held a grip over his heart, he also had not recovered from being shaken by Jack. Not many people were willing to give a plan. Sure, Nerissa and Sol wanted to move on their own, but it said ‘The first thirty-two teams’ which meant they all had to go.

“Kuna put a portal as far as you can see. Then put a portal where the two ramps join ours. Everyone go through Kuna’s portal, I’ll stay back and block the ramps of the others so they can’t go around the portals.” Jude said. He had stepped up; the plan was made.