If anything could've stood in the way of Alex being chosen for the trials, it would've been the rulers of the four realms.
Austin had strong ties with the Monarch of the Blood Domain and the four human kings, so on that front, there was nothing to worry about.
But the other two domains? That was a different story.
He had never spoken with the elven chiefs, never seen their faces, never heard their true intentions. For all he knew, they could be prideful, arrogant beings who had already handpicked their champions—warriors they believed worthy of carrying their hopes into the trials. Or worse, they might see Alex as an outsider, someone beneath their legacy.
Then there was the Beast Realm.
After his recent clash with one of their Elders, it was hard to believe they'd look at him without suspicion. He could feel it already—people watching from the shadows, judging, whispering, preparing to undermine him. Maybe some of them were already moving behind the scenes.
