Zeyne moved heavily through the streets of Ravenhold. The promotion to Rank E had given him a small sense of satisfaction, but the sudden attention on him had left him exhausted. He clenched the badge in his hand, observing it under the dim glow of the magical lanterns scattered across the city. After just one day, he had already risen in rank. It wasn’t common, and this meant that the eyes of the most influential guilds would be on him.
He headed toward the inn where he was staying, eager to rest, but a shiver ran down his spine. Someone was following him. Without changing his pace, he activated his senses, trying to perceive the presence behind him. It wasn’t just his imagination.
"You noticed it too?" Zeyne’s own voice echoed in his thoughts. Ever since he had received that mysterious object, the "beginner’s stone," he had occasionally felt an internal voice giving him suggestions. Maybe it was just his imagination, or maybe not.
He kept walking, taking a narrower street. He wanted to force his pursuer to reveal themselves. After a few moments, he made a sudden turn and hid behind a pillar. His pursuer, caught off guard, hesitated for a moment before trying to change direction, but Zeyne was faster. He grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?" he asked firmly.
The man was young, wearing a dark cloak with a silver pin that shimmered under the light of the nearest lantern. Zeyne recognized it instantly. It was an imperial symbol.
"I'm not here to harm you," the man said, raising his hands in surrender. "I was ordered to keep an eye on you."
Zeyne frowned. "Orders from who?"
The man swallowed. "The Empire. I don’t know much else. Just that you’ve been marked as ‘interesting.’"
Zeyne remained silent for a moment. Why would the Empire be interested in him? He was still a nobody.
"Let me go. I’ve already told you everything I know."
Zeyne stared at him for a few seconds before loosening his grip. "If I find out you lied to me, you won’t be so lucky next time."
The man nodded and quickly disappeared into the shadows of the night. Zeyne sighed and headed toward the inn, the thought of the Empire watching him still lingering in his mind.
Morning light barely filtered through the streets of Ravenhold as the city slowly awoke from the night’s slumber. Zeyne walked along the main roads, his Rank E badge clearly visible on his chest. Despite the weight of recent events, a sense of satisfaction fueled him in a way he had never felt before.
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But something was off. A strange tension filled the streets. People hurried along, whispering to each other in worried tones, their eyes fixed on a large notice board that had been posted throughout the city. Zeyne noticed the growing murmurs as he approached one of the main squares.
"What’s going on?" he wondered, pausing for a moment to observe.
"Zeyne, look!" a passerby called out to him. It was an old merchant he had met a few times while selling materials. "They’ve put up an extraordinary notice!"
Zeyne moved closer to the board, where a crowd was gathering. The city's voice was growing louder, like the wind picking up before a storm.
On the board, a bold title immediately caught the eye:
"Imperial Announcement – An Event That Will Change Ravenhold"
The message was written in a solemn tone, but Zeyne could tell something was strange about it. The capital didn’t issue daily announcements, and the murmurs spreading through the crowd made it clear. The announcement spoke of something beyond the ordinary.
A man next to Zeyne muttered, "The Emperor... The Emperor himself will be coming to Ravenhold."
"What? But how?" Zeyne turned sharply. "What does he want? He’s never come to a place like this!"
The man continued reading aloud as the crowd grew quieter, hanging onto every word. Zeyne clenched his fists, unable to take his eyes off the board.
"Yes," the man said, "the Emperor has decided to organize a tournament between the guilds, something bigger than anything ever seen before. The winner will receive... a reward that hasn’t been revealed. But... this time, it won’t be the Guild making the announcement. He will personally reveal the details of the tournament. It’s something that will involve all the nearby cities, not just Ravenhold!"
The crowd began to murmur, some exchanging opinions while others tried to grasp the significance of what had just been announced. Zeyne felt a lump in his throat. A tournament? Was it just for fame and power? Or was there something more?
"A tournament between the guilds…" Zeyne muttered to himself. "What’s really behind this?"
The passerby turned to him with a serious expression. "You’re an adventurer, right? Yeah, I think I heard you got promoted recently... Well, I don’t think this tournament concerns you, but the guilds? The strongest ones, the ones with something to lose, they’ll definitely be in it."
Another man from across the square joined the conversation. "A tournament, huh? I’ve heard the Emperor intends to truly test who is worthy. This will be more than just a guild competition. It’ll be a real selection."
The voices grew louder and more chaotic, the crowd divided between disbelief and excitement. People speculated on the tournament, its purpose, and what would happen if the strongest guilds truly stepped into the arena.
Zeyne took a step back. The thought of participating in something that involved the Emperor himself unsettled him, but at the same time, he felt this might be his chance to do something big, to prove his worth.
"The future is never clear," he thought, staring at the notice. "But an opportunity like this... could change everything."
With his heart pounding, Zeyne pushed through the crowd. The day had only just begun, but the city was already buzzing with anticipation. The tension in the air was palpable.
He headed toward his inn, but his mind was in turmoil. Who would enter a tournament like this? What would it entail? And, most importantly, what role would he play in all of it?
