With the conclusion of the Tactical Simulation earlier that evening, we'd been given barely enough time to shower and change into our formal academy uniforms before being summoned to the grand hall.
The grand hall buzzed with a mixture of exhaustion and anticipation as the final rankings were revealed, etched in glowing letters on a massive holographic screen. These rankings determined the elite twenty who would advance to the Crown Challenge—a legendary trial that promised to crown the festival's ultimate victor.
I tugged at my collar, still damp from the hasty shower I'd managed between the simulation pods and this ceremony. The smell of the cleaning agents used on our uniforms mingled with cologne, perfume, and the lingering scent of adrenaline that seemed to follow us everywhere during festival week.
I scanned the rankings, my name glowing in third position:
1. Jack Blazespout
2. Lucifer Windward
3. Arthur Nightingale
4. Seol-ah Moyong
5. Rachel Creighton
