***The picture is just something I Photoshopped yesterday for fun.  I thought it was symbolic so I put it in.  Yay!***

"Let the tournament begin!"

A powerful wave of sound buzzed from the audience as people cheered in excitement.

"All contestants, report to the playing field," the announcer commanded once the noise had died down.

The announcer was dressed in the Malynri Messenger garb, which Narira thought was odd given that it was an event for electrovites from all over, and that Malynri had nothing to do with it apart from the location. He held a large metal cone, yelling into it to project his voice.

"We will now announce today's contestants! There are 21 apprentices competing today."

Narira searched the group for Jay, but from so high she couldn't distinguish him from the others. He'll have no trouble finding me when I come here, she mused. My hair would stand out like a green horse in a sea of cats!

"Sarenzie!"

One of the girls stepped forward, waving shyly to the crowd, then quickly retreated to her place in the line.

"This is her third tournament," Ceylis informed Narira. "But she's done fairly well at the last two. She's doing Open Hand Target this time, which is unusual for someone so new."

"Q!" the announcer called next, somehow still sounding natural just calling out a letter. Narira saw the small girl take a large step forward and give an elegant curtsy.

"Ravasinio Lamelkria!"

Narira raised her eyebrows to Ceylis as a large boy stepped forward confidently. "I didn't know there were nobles here," she remarked. "Won't Lord and Lady Lamelkria question where he went?"

"Most children of nobles don't come. They aren't raised as independently as a peasant often is. However, House Lamelkria is rather laid back concerning their children. That's why Ravasinio there has a younger sister who has gotten caught in several... difficult situations... without the knowledge of her parents."

Narira shuddered, then turned back to the contestants as the next name was called. One by one, they stepped out and waved, bowed, or curtsied, then moved back to their places.

"Bluejay!"

Narira looked down and saw the familiar long, sandy blond hair and flippant posture as Jay stepped forward and bowed. She turned to Ceylis again, startled. "His name is Bluejay?"

Ceylis nodded.

"How is it I never came by this information?"

"He doesn't like it. Just prefers Jay."

"Huh," she grunted in annoyance.

When the names had been called, the announcer called out that it was time for the first event of Stage One. "Sprinters, stay on the field! Everyone else, clear the way."

Slightly less than two thirds of the group exited the field, leaving eight sprinters. Ravasinio Lamelkria was among them, looking considerably more confident than his rivals. Of course he does, Narira realized. He's been raised believing he's better than them.

"Heat one," the announcer said brusquely. The first four contestants readied themselves, waiting. "Take your mark... go!"

The wave sprang from the ground and flashed forward. Narira's eyes widened in amazement as she saw them cross the finish line, not five seconds after they had started. The way they had moved had been so fluid and practiced, it gave the impression of a snake uncoiling and striking forward.

The second wave went, and Narira couldn't make out who had won, but judging by the mixed noises from the audience, most people could. The scores were announced (Ravasinio was winning), and then Obstacle Course was announced.

Several electrovites rushed onto the field, slamming thick wooden posts into the ground. Between some, they laced ropes at various heights and flat wood planks to create obstacles. It looked fairly easy to just walk or jog through.

"Sarenzie!"

This time, there were only five contestants in the event. Jay was second, and Narira noticed with faint surprise that Q was last. She must be good!

"Take your mark... go!"

Sarenzie leapt strait off from the ground, flying at the first post. She caught it, then swung around and pushed off to another. She dropped to the ground and rolled under a plank, then sprang up and continued on. After 48 seconds, she jumped over the finish line, panting.

"That's the proper way to do Obstacle Course," Ceylis informed Narira. "However, since Jay doesn't have that much practice with it, he's going to do more running."

"Cool." She turned back to the competition, waiting for Jay's turn.

"Bluejay!"

Still trying to wrap her head around his name, Narira saw Jay move to the starting position. Her breath caught, and she kept her eyes glued, waiting for him to go. You've got this!

"Take your mark... go!"

Jay dashed forward, straight toward the first plank. He dropped and rolled under it, then jumped immediately afterward over a rope. He spun sharply and darted sideways, then jumped and pushed off of a post, flying between two ropes. From there, he rolled again and used the momentum to go sideways, then turned and ran ten feet before jumping straight over another plank. In 41 seconds, he crossed the finish line.

Ceylis stood up and cheered, and Narira joined in. Jay glanced up and waved at them, then exited the field so the next apprentice could go.

The rest did it much the same way Sarenzie had, but much faster. They clocked in at around 30 seconds each. Finally, Q stepped to the start line.

The second the announcer said "Go," Q was off. She ignored the first post and dashed toward the plank Jay had rolled under, but to Narira's surprise she jumped off of it backwards, then pushed off of the pole behind her and went soaring over the plank.

As she dropped back into the course, Narira asked Ceylis, "Why doesn't she just run across the top?"

"You're not allowed to stand on top of the obstacles," he explained.

Narira turned eagerly back to Q. The little girl was flying through the course, never touching the ground. Rather than catching a post, she would swing around it with her legs and fly off to jump off another. Narira marveled as Q hooked her ankles on a rope and swung beneath it. The girl's acrobatics were beyond what she had thought possible, even with magic.

Eighteen seconds was all it took for Q to cross the course. The crowd roared as she flew across the finish, and Narira stood and clapped. The announcer, seeming anything but amazed by the performance, rolled off their scores and announced that the next event was Sheaf Toss.

Narira turned to Ceylis again as more assistants removed the obstacle course and replaced it with a raised bar, laying out a pitchfork and bales of straw. "She was amazing!" she said, eyes shining.

"I know. She's been trying for several years to get emitted to the Electrovite Tournaments - not the apprentice ones - but they still are adamant that she's too young, even if her time is above average even for the fully trained."

"Above average? You mean, most fully trained electrovites can do almost as good as that?"

"Yes, but they've all had six to eight years of training."

"Can you do that?"

"Of course I can," he said with a wave of his hand. "It's me."

Narira snorted at this, and he glared at her with mock offense.

"Q is nine years old, and she can't receive more formal training because her trainer was killed by void wizards."

"That's horrible! When will she get another trainer?"

"When she decides she wants one," Ceylis said bluntly. "I offered to train her, but she refused. Still sad."

Feeling slightly melancholy, Narira decided to drop the subject. "When will I get to go to a tournament?"

"As soon as you get enough training in to start competing."

"When will I be able to compete?"

"There's a tournament next month. You're attending," he announced.

Narira's eyes widened in startlement. "I'm going next month?"

"You'll be fine. You're improving quickly!"

"I still can't even use lightning reliably!"

"Don't tell me you're not excited."

"I'm excited, just not for something so soon!"

"Fine. Don't compete."

"I never said I wouldn't compete. I'll think about it."

"Then why were you complaining?" Ceylis asked with a smirk.

"Just for the pleasure of annoying you," she replied bluntly.

Suddenly, an announcement startled her. "Begin!"

Narira watched with interest as four contestants took turns using the pitchfork to fling bales of varying weight over the bar. After that, the four remaining contestants did Stone Put, the last event of Stage One, in which they threw large, round rocks as far as they could. It was rather uninteresting, and Narira found herself waiting impatiently for it to end.

Finally, they finished, and the announcer shouted again into his cone. "Placements at the end of Stage One are as follows: Q, Ravasinio, Canieth, Emerald..." He rattled off the names, and Jay was in 16th place. Well, it's not last, Narira told herself. He can make it up in the other events!

"Stage Two," the announcer called, "is Targeting, beginning with Starrynt Target."