Will of the Battlefield

Thane rubbed his head, wet with coffee, watching as the two old men in robes vanished into thin air, leaving him perplexed.

"Five-Lined Blessed... they can teleport!" he mumbled to himself.

The laws of the world are the same everywhere, regardless of time, whether warring or peaceful; the powerful reign supreme.

The two men Thane had met were no doubt among them. Such powerful entities are rare sights for anyone, yet he had met two of them on his very first day in the city.

The boy had disordered feelings. His little mind advised him not to enter the test, while his instincts begged him to go.

The battle of thoughts was eventually disturbed by the uncontrollable itch. He violently scratched his body as he left the arena.

Being soaked in coffee wasn’t pleasant, just like its taste.

He lamented buying such a big, towering cup instead of a small one.

Apart from coffee there was another problem.

A problem he must find a solution for, disregarding his current wet state.

Otherwise, he’d be staying homeless on the streets until the day of the test.

"Now... where can I find a cheap hotel?" he asked himself, fully knowing the answer would never come.

With little money on him and a grand, foreign city to face on his own, he started looking around.

He moved. His height was not unusual, but his wide shoulders gave him a powerful semblance. Nobody would believe this was merely a 16-year-old boy.

Sounds came from every direction, attracting his gaze.

Each time he turned his head toward the source, he saw noble carriages, tall towers in the background, and streets flooded with people.

He wasn’t familiar with any of it.

And the itch..

The itch was worsening... Rapidly.

He couldn’t take it anymore, so he reached out to a random passerby.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where to find the cheapest hotel to stay?"

The man looked at his wet clothes. Thane’s muscles were more visible than ever.

Overwhelmed, the man quickly replied,

"The Gambit Grounds. You can find several cheap hotels."

Thane smiled. "Oh, thank you very mu—"

Before he could complete the sentence, the man ran away.

Thane frowned. "Capital is full of weirdos."

He stood by the road, waiting for a carriage, extending his hand as a gesture.

To his surprise, numerous empty carriages passed him after just a glance.

This pissed the giant off. He looked down at himself. He was wet but didn’t look like a beggar.

Luckily, a big, bearded coachman stopped. His carriage was old and messy.

"You wanna go somewhere, sir?" Despite his appearance, his tone was soft.

Thane had no other option. He had waited for a while, and this wreck of a carriage was the only one to stop.

"Yeah, the Gambit Grounds. How much for that?" asked Thane.

The fat man looked at him before asking, "Are you a countryman? First time in the capital?"

Thane nodded. He wanted to avoid answering, but the itch was out of control.

"Hoho, then I shall give you a free ride. My home is in the Gambit Grounds too. Hop in," said the coachman with glee.

Thane was surprised and happy. "Really, you won’t charge?" he asked as he climbed the carriage step.

**Creaaaaaaaak**

Thane paused. The loud scream of protest came from none other than the carriage.

It felt as though it would shatter at any moment.

"Don’t worry, young man. My Hon is strong. Sit comfortably," the fat man said.

"Your what?" Thane couldn’t hear it.

"My Hon. That’s its name. Cute, isn’t it?" The old man said and without waiting for a reaction from Thane, he looked forward at the street and continued.

"This carriage is my lifeline, so I gave it a name. Hohoho."

His heartfelt laughter made Thane smile, and he sat in the carriage.

He opened the window on the coachman’s side and said,

"You’re a nice guy, old man. I thought all capital residents were weirdos."

"You’re not wrong there. I’m a countryman as well. I came here fourteen years ago to earn a living. You looked like me when I came here — young and driven.

Young man, would you mind if I gave you advice as a senior countryman? I mean, I feel like I should tell you a few things so you don’t commit the horrid mistakes that I did."

Thane turned his head toward the window. "Shoot it, old man. I’m all ears."

The man smiled. It had been a while since he felt useful.

"The Gambit Grounds are full of gambling dens. Almost every hotel has a bar and a small casino. Lots of women equipped with alluring traps — dodge them. That’s the first piece of advice."

"Gyahahaha, don’t worry, old man. I’m not here for girls," Thane replied with a laugh.

The fat man stayed quiet for a few seconds and then said hesitantly,

"Well, young man. I’m not someone who should probe a youth’s taste but... cough... you should avoid boys as well."

"Huh... wait... no. You got me wrong. I meant I was here for the yearly aspirant contest. Now I’m waiting for the aspirant entry test. I’m a 16-year-old virgin and planning to stay that way."

Thane was flustered, protecting his dignity valiantly.

The coachman turned his head, studying the boy for a moment.

"Oh! Hohoho, my bad, my bad. You don’t look sixteen from any angle. Hoho."

"Quit it, old man. Move on to second advice already." Thane’s face was red.

"Oh yes, second advice." The old man continued,

"Beware of the Gambit Grounds. It’s full of criminals and scammers. Some even have backing from nobles. Keep your eyes open and ears alert."

Thane nodded. "Noted. Anything else, old man?"

"Yes. The last one." He turned his head toward the carriage window.

"Do not upset any noble. Those people are untouchable and heinous. Bow your head before them if needed, or you’ll lose it."

Thane scoffed. "I bow to no one. Can’t follow your third advice."

**Sigh**

The fat, big-bearded man sighed.

The chatter between the two continued while the horse kept galloping. With time, a tall, majestic building came into distant view.

They had entered the area known as the Gambit Grounds — a finely managed border district separating slums from nobles.

There were several carriages, most of them marvellous. Thane gazed upon them.

The fat man spoke as he witnessed the scene.

"These pretty babies surely belong to some nobles. They enjoy spending time here. It gives them the feeling that they are gods. Pretty women, bootlicking men, and whatnot — the things they can’t buy with wealth."