Chapter 5 Introduction

Aelin.

The forms were quite basic. Requiring the same information you would give to a doctor.

In summary, I lied for the most of its questions.

“We could go submit the forms now. Are you done?” Seren asked me as soon as she crossed the last T on her paper.

I was still reading through to make sure I had not implicated myself in any way. With my answers.

No, I was not allergic to anything. Wrong, I am allergic poppy flowers. But wolves cannot be allergic to pollen because of their genes.

No, I have had no blood transfusions. This was true.

My temperature tolerance was minus two degrees centigrade. Let’s just hope they don’t put that to a test.

Etcetera, etcetera.

Seren took my choice to stand up as her cue to submit her form. “We should tell them about our team now.” She chimed. Reminding me that we were still going to make an attempt to lobby the grouping.

When we got back to the check in table, only General Nyxtia was present. He immediately stretched out a hand to collect our forms and handed us cards that looked like the hallway passes they gave us back in school.

“Go join the assembly, they’ll start soon.” He instructed.

“We wanted to know if we could submit our names for teaming? We would love to be together.” Seren began pitching her idea, but the general couldn’t look less interested in her speech.

“Teaming would happen after the assembly.” Was his curt response and he returned his attention to the next set of recruits coming in.

“There’s probably still a chance after the assembly. Let’s go hear what they have to say.” She tried to sound unfazed by the decline but it was a see through act.

I rolled my box by my side and down the hallway, which looked like it led to a gymnasium. Seren walked close by. We pushed open the large double doors that indeed revealed a gymnasium with a stage at the far end and a crowd of people.

I believe this is the assembly.

What I was feeling currently, could be related to a mouse tossed into a garden filled with cats. Seren was right. I was small. I could barely see through the crowd.

A slight panic surged through me. Like she had felt it, I heard her say in my ear, “there’s a table back there you could climb to oversee the crowd..”

With gratitude, I listened to Seren for the first time today without hesitation.

As we made our way to the table, a bell was rung to call our attention.

“If we could all pay attention.” A male voice said. Now on the table, I could see two men alongside Major Tenes on the stage.

The entire hall fell silent and the man continued. “I am Major Arbit, the overseer of this institution. And with me are Majors Tenes, the senior recruitment officer and Qin, the senior welfare officer. Welcome to The Silver Steel Academy and in particular, the twentieth games of Zyraeth.” A round of applause followed his introduction.

“I believe we all know the background to this institution and event? As it was a necessity to know what you signed up for.”

Let me give you a little insight on The Silver Steel Academy. It is a higher institution, after college studies, for the training of warriors and soldiers of Frostville. Anyone from any territory could become a warrior or soldier. All you had to do was excel at the academy and graduate.

The institution has been standing for decades. Even while the humans resided in Frostville. Though, it had always been an academy for just the Were people.

Now, what are the Games of Zyraeth? 

After the first human rebellion, hundreds of years ago. The wolves decided to develop a way to centralize leadership. That was how the games began.

Anyone deemed qualified, was allowed to enter the games and only the top three were ranked as leaders of the country.

First place was tagged the Alpha, second and third were ranked as Betas. In some cases, all were tagged Betas and and enrolled into the parliament.

No humans were strong or skilled enough to participate in the games and win. That was how the leadership of Frostville remained with the werewolves. Till they finally sent the humans away nineteen years ago.

Ever since its inception, it has been held every ten years to determine a new set of rulers. 

There were slight exceptions to this that I would explain later. 

Even though, due to unfair advantage, the alphas from Ravenfell always emerged number one. To them it was a simple democracy. 

To me, it was a clear monarchy.

But who cares what I thought?

Just so you don’t get confused along the lines. Here is a brief introduction to the arrangement of our country.

Or in their words, our pack.

Name: Frostville.

Frostville had four types of wolves. The alphas, betas, gammas and omegas.

The Alphas, lived in the Ravenfell Alley and consisted of only one family. The actual head of our country.

The Betas, lived in the Argent Alley. Consisted of about ten to fifteen major families. The rest who resided there were just as strong but less politically significant.

The Gammas, lived in the Nightrow Alley. Third in political rankings. Having about fifty families with just twenty being relevant.

Now, there were the Omegas who lived in the Grimm Alley. Made up of hundreds of thousands of families and none of actual political significance.

They were the literal citizens, despite having their own set of laws.

See it like this: Frostville is a country with three states. Argent, Nightrow and Grimm but ruled by Ravenfell.

Hope that makes a bit of sense?

“You have three months to prove yourself worthy of Frostville leadership. Play accordingly.” Major Arbit said. The words lost in his speech were “Kill if you must.” 

I must have missed out a part of the announcement being made, because now, the person introduced as Major Qin was performing a roll call.

“We would begin from the highest ranked. Kael Ravyn, Ravenfell Alley?”

“Here.” A deep velvet like voice answered, and I could not help but track it with my eyes.

To come from Ravenfell and be the highest ranked, meant he was the son to the current alpha.

His black hair sat in a tousled form on his head. His tanned skin almost gave him a bronze like glow in the midst of the people he chatted away with. He wore a black tee-shirt that happened to be form fitting because of his lean muscle mass. An angular jaw and golden irises that accentuated a hint of cruelty in him.

Werewolves of higher ranks were always attractive, but this one seemed a bit off what I was used to. He looked to be somewhere around six foot four inches in height.

“That was who you crashed into earlier.” Seren’s voice reminded me that I was not alone and I should feel wholly embarrassed for staring like that.

“What?” I asked, not understanding her statement.

“The person I had pulled you away from and apologized. It was Kael. You really don’t need him marking you. Your heritage makes you an easy kill.”

Oh that’s right, she still believed I am an omega. Instead of a human whose heritage makes me the easiest kill.

I didn’t know if I should thank her for that. I returned back to listening to the roll call. Even though I knew perfectly well that I would be among the last names.

Some moments later…

They were finally in Nightrow Alley. Seren had answered her name among the first names they called. 

She was definitely of vital political nature.

Meaning, she was stronger than I had assumed her to be. Another mistake. 

Her tactic glared directly at me. To make her opponent underestimate her. That was the same strategy Betis had taught me.

Allow them think they’ll need less of an impact to bring you down. Then strike them in their momentum.

I think she and I would make good friends.

“Aelin Moonveil, Grimm Alley?” I had no idea when they had gotten to my territory. Maybe not many Gammas made it this year.

“Present sir.” I answered but consciously tried hiding my face so I won’t be trailed without a fighting chance. 

“That would be all. You may begin pairing up yourselves now. A team of five, then you submit your group to the table. Starting from Kael.” Major Qin said.

Obviously the alpha’s son should have the first shot.

I watched as Kael walked to the table with three other friends and wrote down the group details as requested on the paper before him.

When he was done, they handed him a key. After which, he slung a backpack over his right shoulder and walked out of the hall through a door near the stage.

His circle following suit.

“We should go now, the faster the better.” Seren advised, and I agree with her.

We got down from the table and fought through the pool of bodies to get to the front. Just on cue, Major Qin turned to the two of us when we were at the foot of the stage. “We would like to submit our details for our group.”

With a nod, he hands us a blank sheet of paper. “Write down your names.” I was the first to scribble down my name, then I handed it over to Seren who did same.

When we returned the paper back to him, he scanned through the other papers in his hand and looked at us, particularly myself, skeptically. 

“Aelin Moonveil?” He asked like he was trying to confirm which of us had the name.

“Yes?” I replied.

“You’ve already been chosen into a group.”

“What? That’s not possible, I just got here. I haven’t chosen anything.” Did they pre-assign omegas? “Do check again. Probably there’s another Aelin.”

“No. Like I said, your name has already been chosen into a group. The team members picked you and have been assigned a room. You are with group one.” His voice was unwavering. He was actually serious.

I turned to Seren who looked not just shocked, but disappointed in the fact we wouldn’t be together.

The first person to select their teammates, was the alpha’s son. He was group one.

Kael had chosen me to be the fifth player on his team.