The week after the priest trainees arrived at Floating Air Barracks, students from several different schools arrived, filling the largest school in the West with excitement. Most of the new students didn't know what to make of the whole situation until the principal called everyone together for a meeting on the last day of the week.
"My dear students. This year, our school has the honor of hosting the Barracks Cup, a major inter-school competition. Each school is represented by eight students selected by their teachers, and the winner receives a cash prize and a special gift." The man explained, and when the crowd of students began to mutter, he stopped the chatter with a loud applause.
"I guess you're all curious to know who will be honored to represent our school in the competition. This year, the teaching staff unanimously decided on the identity of the competitors." Here he paused for a moment and then continued with a broad grin.
"This year's representatives of Floating Air Barracks are Bolacsuk Citar, Bokló Benkó, Koál Rahul, Motumisz Achilleus, Tele Teveli, Vojk Wandi, Zaukán Razvan and Zovárd Suk." As the director listed the names, first dead silence settled over the gathered, then indignant voices shook the foundations of Folating Air Barracks.
"Enough!" The director exclaimed and when everyone was paying attention to him again, he looked at the crowd and the curiously blinking Athamanas with a serious look. "I know that they are first-year students and I know that our seniors think they will bring shame on us, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it was the joint decision of the teaching staff to nominate them for the Barracks Cup. Trust our experience." He sighed. "I would like the school to support the competitors. Floating Air Barracks has always been a model of unity. I would be happy if it remained that way."
The principal then sent the students on their way. Needless to say, the student body was skeptical about the team's nomination for the competition. Yet, thanks to the principal's words, no one said anything, not even those who really didn't like the fact that they would be represented by little beginners. The seniors already knew that participating in the Barracks Cup could lay the foundation for their entire lives. So it's no wonder they didn't take kindly to a team of freshmen snatching away their opportunity.
"Ah, my friends. I heard the good news." Santi appeared before the Athamanas two days later, having tried to be as close to the team as possible since they had been here. As much as his duties as a preacher allowed.
"Well, what kind of news it is depends on how you look at it." Benkó grimaced.
"Why? It's a great honor to be a competitor. If I weren't the next preacher, maybe I could have competed with you too." He chuckled.
"Now half the school wants to kill us, the other half doesn't dare to talk to us because they think we'll bite their heads off." Achilleus waved a hand.
"Ah, shut ut. Neither of you mind not talking to the chüvighs." Citar rolled his eyes.
"But still!" The two quarrelsome people said at the same time.
"So the priest students let you go Santi?" Rahul asked, to which the boy grinned.
*Actually, no. I'm just doing my job.* The future preacher chuckled.
"Your job?" Razvan looked at him, raising one eyebrow.
"Yes. This year I am appointed to write down what weapon is being used in the Barracks Cup.* The boy proudly straightened himself. "So would you be so kind as to follow me?" He asked as he looked through the Atamanas, then narrowed his eyes. "Where is the Szotradoki boy?" He asked.
"Well, if I need to guess two, then with Professor Biaskoncy." Citar muttered.
"Was someone looking for me?" The Zovárd boy appeared next to the priest student. "Greetings Santi." He nodded to the future preacher.
"I was looking for you." The blond boy smiled.
"You? Why?" Suk blinked.
"Santi is writing down the weapons of the competitors. You came just in time Suk. Professor Biaskoncy can do without you for a while, right?" Teveli asked in a serious voice, which made the poison-mixing boy grin.
"I'm free now, so we can go." He shrugged, and Santi laughed and shook his head.
"Come on then." He waved to the team and led them to the school church, where he stepped to a wooden platform on which a book rested.
"What is that?" Benkó wondered, pointing to the book.
"This is the big book of the Barracks Cup. It contains the school, name, and weapons used for the competition of all the competitors in all the cups so far. The names of the winners are underlined in red." The future preacher said as he opened the book and showed the team a page filled with data. Then he turned the page and wrote the first name under the last name. "So Wandi, what do you fight with?" He looked up at the danovus.
"I'm a swordsman." The boy smiled and even pulled out his weapon for effect sake.
"Oh, that will be interesting, swordplay is always spectacular." Santi nodded while writing the weapon in the book. "Benkó?"
"What do you call what I fight with, Rahul?" Benkó looked at the chüvigh member of the team.
"Water magic." Rahil said. "Should I tell you the others?" He sighed.
"I think we're better off if you tell them." Citar chuckled.
"So, Achilleus?" Santi continued.
"Earth magic." Rahul shrugged.
"Razvan?" The next name came.
"Hmm..." Rahul held his chin thoughtfully. "Soul magic." He finally said, and Santi nodded.
"Teveli?" He asked.
"Summoning." Rahul didn't even wait a moment before answering.
"What are you summoning?" Santi looked up at the aforementioned, but Rahul grimaced at his question.
"Kele." Teveli said softly, before the spirit appeared next to him, causing the future preacher's eyes to widen.
"Underworld magic." The priest student swallowed before he wrote down the weapon. "Suk?" He continued.
"Angel of Death!" The questioner shouted before Rahul could answer.
"I should have guessed, Biaskoncy teaches him." Santi shook his head.
"Am I the only one who doesn't know what that means?" Benkó scratched his head.
"The Angel of Death technique is the name for mixing poison and hidden attacks. Biaskoncy is the most famous and greatest user of the Angel of Death technique of our time." Santi explained, then looked at Rahul. "I guess you fight with Holy blessings, right?" He asked.
"What else?" The questioner shrugged.
"With what?" Achilleus grimaced.
"Summoning and what I did with Master Mo's trees." Rahul smiled, and the Athamanas sighed in recognition and a few even started nodding.
"Then there's only one person left." Santi ran his finger through the names, then wrote down the last one. "Citar, what do you use?" He asked.
"Summoning." The boy smiled.
"You too?" The future preacher glanced worriedly at Teveli, but the Bolacsuk boy just laughed.
"No, I'm summoning an animal." He straightened himself proudly.
"An animal?" Santi's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Citar nodded.
"Lynx." Said the Bolacsuk boy, and a small bird appeared in front of him, and the smile froze on Citar's face and he sighed desperately. "Seriously, Lynx again?"