Chapter Sixty one - Day one: Blade and Moon

~.NOVA.~

Day one.

"Rise and shine, contestants! It's the first day of the Lunar Clash: Blades and Gifts challenge! Get ready and head to the dining hall!" Lady Dyare's voice echoed through the speakers on the wall.

Rolling to my side, I fell off my top bunk with a thud groaning in pain. Struggling to get up, I rubbed my eyes and glanced around the dimly lit dormitory. The other contestants were already on their feet, hurriedly dressing and grabbing their gear. Lunar Clash was the most prestigious challenge for Blades and Gifts wielders, and I couldn't afford to lag behind.

"You guys, wait for me," I said as Horia sat on her bed buckling her boots.

I quickly dressed in my red combat attire, it was the color representing the Crescent Hills. As I rushed out of the dormitory, the smell of freshly baked pastries from the nearby bakery wafted through the air, tempting me, but there was no time for indulgence today.

In the dining hall, contestants from different realms and backgrounds fille