They had spent the day with Siraye at a nearby lake, and they had come back inside the city for the evening. Jorik had organized a small party in a tavern with a few other Protectors and their friends.

After a few drinks, Myrthil had started to rant about palace bodyguard duty and the lack of any interesting events until she mentioned the tournament.

“Apparently the tournament would be for everyone! Even sorcerers! After what happened in the Rining kingdom recently, maybe they also want to show off our power.”

Given the nature of the Protectors Circle and its high sphere of influence within the capital, they often talked about the political situation of the kingdom and its impact on their job. The relations between Finem and Rining were slowly deteriorating to the point there were some skirmishes at the frontier between the two kingdoms. Nothing big, but it was enough for people to pay a careful attention to their neighbor.

Last week, the Rining kingdom had organized some kind of competition where sorcerers had massively participated, revealing at least two dozen of them within the Rining kingdom. Normally, the different countries considered sorcerers and magicians as hidden assets, and they were careful not to reveal them to their potential enemies.

The fact that the Rining kingdom had made such a public show off had been widely discussed among the Protectors Circle. It looked like they were trying to intimidate them before making a move. That Finem’s king decided to do a similar public event, going as far as promising a royal favor to the winner, was proof of the importance of the event.

Normally, championship followed the rules of duels, but sorcerers and magicians were forbidden to take part in it as championships were always public.

“I think the king wants to remind Rining that we’re more powerful than they are.” Myrthil added.

That immediately started an enthusiastic debate on what that tournament boded for the future, and who would participate and who would win. Mahon and Jorik tried to probe for more information, but if the tournament open to sorcerers was almost a certainty, its winning price and conditions were just rumors for now. They would have to wait for the official announcement to know more.

But the simple thought they might have a way to access the Detailed analysis of the history of Immortal Kings lifted their spirits. For the past six months, although they had made much progress in their training and weren't strangers anymore to Finem’s life, their research about Immortals Kings or Ill Immortals had shown no progress at all.

The week passed as the tension increased among the Protectors Circle rank. Now the whole city was whispering about a supposed tournament and rumors were going wild about it. When the royal couriers finally left for every corner of the kingdom, the announcement was made public to all.

Mahon and Jorik were just finishing a long training session with Rania, and they were moving together to the main arena to continue training with the other seven-stars for Mahon’s lesson, when they were caught by surprise by the sudden hubbub coming from the main arena.

No one was training, and all the Protectors, even the instructors, were discussing heatedly among themselves. Their enthusiasm had caused them to speak louder and louder, and Mahon, Jorik and Rania couldn’t understand a thing when they arrived.

“Silence!” Rania roared while slapping her burning whip in the air, provoking a loud clap that immediately silenced everyone. She smiled innocently to all the shocked heads that turned towards her. “What’s happening?”

“The king announced the tournament!” Ailluin answered for everyone. “We’ve the rules, the date, the format… everything!”

“No need to make all that ruckus for a tournament. You're Protectors, not animals. Keep your cool in any situation.” She glared at the group. “Now, what’s the deal to make even you lose your calm?” She then asked Ailluin.

“The fights will be three on three, but with the usual duel rules. Anyone can join, no matter their ranks. The tournament will be held in two months. The first qualification phase includes a massive arena fight, and then it’s a classic tournament battle with elimination. Only sixty-four groups will be selected for the second part. Whoever reaches this far will already be awarded fifteen golds, but it keeps increasing until the final places. Third place gets a thousand gold by person. Second gets the money plus the right to ask for three weapons of their choice from the royal smith. First place gets all that, plus the right to ask the king a favor.”

Even Rania seemed shocked by the revelation. There had never been such a huge tournament organized for as long as she could remember.

“And no rules about sorcerers?” She asked.

“Nor magician.” Ailluin shook his head.

The reach of the event, but especially the fact that it needed a team of three had created the heated discussion from before. No one would be able to join on their own, they needed to form teams and train together before the tournament began. And they had only two months to do that.

Before the situation turned chaotic again, Rania raised her voice. “Attention, everyone! Tournaments had always been the way to assert our supremacy as the first bodyguard center in Finem, and this one is no different. Alas, since even sorcerers can join, I’ll need to discuss this change with the other vice-master and the master personally. In the meantime, do as usual. Train harder, and more importantly train on the tournament’s format.”

She then took a glance at Mahon, Jorik and the other trainees. “As for the new batch, you’re not yet Protectors, but you’ll be soon. Focus on your final test before the tournament. If you can't pass it, there is no need to ridicule yourself in the tournament. If you pass, though, you’ll have the honor to wear our colors and fight alongside your fellow brothers for the title!”

A happy clamor welcomed her words, and she excused herself to Mahon and Jorik, moving towards Paegis’ aisle instead. The trainees watched with a sorry face the Protectors starting to practice three versus three while Ailluin forced them to train as usual, in preparation for their final test.

In three weeks, it would be a full year since the trainees joined the Protectors Circle, and even though Jorik and Mahon joined midway, their fighting prowess was way higher than them. They had quickly caught back to the group regarding bodyguard duties too, and they would have passed the test already if the trainees weren’t so close to passing it themselves.

Ailluin had informed Mahon and Jorik they would officially join the Protectors Circle at the same time as the trainees, by passing a similar test they would. Except their test would be adapted to their level so they could directly join with a rank according to their prowess.

Given what they had learnt, they couldn’t reach for vice-master, as it was a rank reserved for sorcerers only. Below the vice-master rank, there was head instructor, instructor, elite, veteran and then normal Protectors. Most trainees would end as normal Protectors, but given Mahon and Jorik abilities, they would probably be promoted to elite in one go.

Actually, they could theoretically go higher than that since both Mahon and Jorik were stronger than the sole head instructor of the Protectors Circle, but instructors ranks also implied a deep knowledge of bodyguard duties, and even though Mahon and Jorik showed incredible comprehension and decision-making when it came to that, they had no real experience.

Protector ranks didn’t matter much for Mahon and Jorik as it would only influence their pay. As an organization, the Protectors Circle had to offer unified rates to its customers, and it accomplished so by ranking its bodyguards. They were different from the star ranks that were widely used among the neighboring kingdoms to gauge someone’s fighting ability with the sword. Most four-stars and five-stars ended as normal Protectors, while six-stars were veteran Protectors and seven-stars elite Protectors.

As for instructors and head instructors it was only for the seven-stars and above, but they also required an extensive knowledge of bodyguards. Usually instructors and head instructors were ranks for retired Protectors with a lot of experience under their belt.

Mahon and Jorik were still only at the four-star rank, the minimum to join the Protectors. They had passed the test long ago and could have tried the next one already, if not for Ailluin advising them to wait.

In Lakefield, and most of Finem, many privileges were given to star ranked warriors, like the right to open an adventurer company, but also many other mundane facilities like prime access to theaters, arenas, or even reduction in most smithies. As such, there were strict regulations when giving high star-ranks.

Above four-star, one needed at least two different centers to get tested and once above six stars, it also required a royal intendant to certify the ranks. But since the Protectors Circle was the most renowned bodyguard center of Finem, they had simpler procedures for their own members.

Once Mahon and Jorik would become Protectors, they would have an easier time passing the star-rank test, rather than by following the normal procedures. Since they both hated administrative stuff and spent all their time training, Mahon and Jorik had stopped at the four-star rank until they would officially join the Protectors Circle.

It would not impact them much, though, since Ailluin knew their true level and planned to give them the Elite rank even if they weren’t officially seven-star yet.

The three weeks passed quickly, and soon the time for their test arrived. The trainees were sent in small groups throughout the city with an instructor each, playing the role of a client to protect. Mahon and Jorik were left together, and Ailluin accompanied them for their test.

He pretended to be a high noble, going about his business inside the city, while Mahon and Jorik accompanied him closely. Although it was just a test, they had to act as if everything was for real, and they carefully checked their surroundings for any potential threat.

Unfortunately, Mahon couldn’t use his sentinel method to watch for any weird details since they were always on the move. Instead, he relied on his Flow and the different teachings the Protectors Circle had provided them. Most of it was basic stuff, but there were some details only trained bodyguards knew, and having the different instructors share their experience had helped Mahon and Jorik fine-tune their own techniques.

Jorik opened the path for Ailluin, always staying very close to him and paying a particular attention to their direct surroundings. With his Flow, he checked the passerby and always kept an eye on Ailluin.

Mahon walked two steps behind Ailluin, close enough to reach him in an instant if needed, but also with enough space to move on his own without hindrance.

With his wider Flow, Mahon also checked at least a street ahead, making sure there was no problem or commotion in their itinerary.

It was best to change their path at the last moment than to risk walking through a dense crowd where they could easily be ambushed by a larger group without many means of defense. The measures seemed excessive, but the instructors had assured them that fighting abilities only made half the toolkit of a good bodyguard.

High nobles were often the targets of assassination. As everywhere, the more one had power and influence, the more people wanted to take it from them. And what their enemies lacked in firepower, they compensated with ingenuity. Mahon had heard multiple stories of seven-stars being tricked by lesser opponents. After all, they didn’t need to kill the seven-stars, just their client.

Attracting Jorik’s attention with a weird move that changed his rhythm enough to prompt the noble’s Flow, Mahon then gestured a change of itinerary. He had spotted a group of four powerful rhythms going straight in their direction, and he recognized the danger they posed for their mission.

Jorik didn’t hesitate to push Ailluin in another street to get them away from the potential threat. Ailluin played his role perfectly, trying to protest at the brusk change, but Jorik forced him to move anyway, before politely explaining the situation to him.

Like that, they easily avoided most hurdles the Protectors Circle sent their way. As for those they didn't, a simple sword dance from one of the duo was more than enough to secure their way forward. They passed all the tests sent their way with evident ease, and started to doubt the test had been adapted to them until Ailluin declared he needed to get a fresh breath of air, away from the city. Even with all his seriousness and perfect poker face, he couldn’t hide the change of his rhythm, and Mahon didn’t miss it either.

Excited for what’s coming? It seems it’s time for the real test to start, then.