The Lost Kingdom | Nova Terra Chronicles

Stand tall, and Step forward, as this will be the Greatest Day of your life.

Location: Eagle City's Arena of the Terra - Arena 2.0:

The skies above Eagle City blazed with light.

Fireworks exploded in synchronized patterns, weaving symbols of each participating city and clan into the sky--burning banners of flame, ice, and celestial light that painted the heavens for miles. The 781st Arena Games were starting to begin.

Beneath that sky, the stadium had returned.

But it was not the same as before.

This time, it was a monument to power. A colossus of concrete and steel, reinforced with ancient magic, stretching wider than a mountain base and seated to hold millions. Every corner of Nova Terra had gathered: heroes, nobles, assassins, rogues, titans, legends, gods. And for those who couldn't attend?

Every screen, Every crystal, Every stream. Every single way to watch the Arena Games were used for the rest of the universe to watch.

Trillions watched.

Jobs were halted, Schools were dismissed, Battles were paused, Disputes were silenced, everyone heard that this will be the greatest thing to ever happen in the past 781 years of not just Nova Terra, but of the Universe.

The arena floor was simple:

A massive circle of sand poured over enchanted concrete, a battlefield raw and honest. There were no obstacles, no illusions--just pure and raw combat being displayed to the Universe.

Above, in thrones of floating platforms suspended midair, sat the World Leaders.

Latro with his silver mantle. Vim and Sana cloaked in voidlight. Bella's throne was an orbiting nebula. Novema's shimmered like a glass prism. Bidus wore no armor--just a smirk and glowing eyes. They were the strongest among mortals. And they were just watching.

Higher still, in a dimension thinly overlaid atop the stadium, the Gods gathered in silent judgment--Jupiter's gaze thunderous, Venus radiant with allure, Pluto cold and patient.

And beyond even them...

Aurelion, the Eternal Sky, and Valgros, the Infinite Depths, stood in a mirror-chamber unseen. Behind them, Nova Terra's veiled rulers sat, whispering predictions with voices no one alive could remember.

The opening ceremony thundered forward.

A choir of flame spirits sang in unison. The announcer--Kyri the Sky Herald--descended in a spiral of stormlight and lightning scrolls. His voice echoed across every corner of the realm.

"Warriors of flame, stone, wind, water, stardust, and void...

Children of Titans and mere mortals...

The time has come."

"Welcome, to the 781st Arena Games."

The stadium erupted into cheers, a sound so loud it could be felt in the bones.

Kyri raised a hand, and the tournament bracket blazed into the sky in fire and starlight:

GELU vs GD5

NTG2 vs GD2

DOMAIN vs NTG1

GD1 vs NTG5

...and more

Twenty-four teams, five warriors each.

Only one team would walk away victorious for not just this tournament, but their furies and battles will be printed into every single history book across the Universe.

From the waiting corridors below, the first gate rumbled open.

Steam hissed and chains unwound. The shadows peeled back.

Marching forward under the weight of silence came the GELU team:

Iria, burning blue resolve in her gaze.

Toren, silent and sharp.

Seline, a soft smirk settled across her lips.

Damon, cracking his knuckles.

And Vax, eyes calm, soul roaring.

As they emerged into the sunlight, a cold wind swept the sand--followed by the opposing team, walking from the opposite gate:

GD5 - the Mightiest Gods.

Clad in ancient glory. Weapons humming with primeval energy. Godhood burned from their skin.

The crowd fell into a reverent hush.

Kyri's voice echoed one final time:

"Let the first battle... begin!"

The crowd's roaring tapered into an eager silence.

On the left side of the arena stood GELU--five warriors of ice, shaped by scars and snow.

On the right, standing as if the world owed them the air they breathed, were the five deities of GD5, draped in molten starlight and flowing divinity.

Mars stepped forward, bare-chested and cloaked in a flame that danced like angry spirits. Magma rolled from his skin. The sword strapped to his back pulsed with the rage of endless battlefields.

He glanced sideways at his divine brethren.

Jupiter, glowing with stormlight, yawned. "One mortal team? This is hardly a sparring match."

Pluto conjured a throne of swirling obsidian smoke and sat lazily, shadows curling around his legs. "I'd rather watch them beg."

Neptune, hair a living cascade of water and coral, carved a seat from spiraling water columns. "Mars, do keep it interesting. These mortals are brittle."

Juno, adorned in silver and envy, simply looked away with distaste.

Only Mars didn't sit.

He stepped forward.

Each step turned the sand beneath into liquid fire. His voice echoed, primal and low:

"Mortals... impress me."

And then, he charged.

The stadium trembled as Mars' heat surged across the battlefield.

Damon rushed forward, sword raised--but was flung back by a flaming shockwave.

Seline raised her staff, healing Damon, but Mars caught her in the act and snapped her staff in half with his fingers.

Vax hurled forward a barrage of icicles--but Mars brushed the ice off then grabbed him and threw him across the arena like a ragdoll.

Only Iria stood still, heart thudding in her chest.

Toren grabbed her shoulder. "W-we need a plan."

But Iria's vision blurred. Her surroundings melted away.

She blinked--

And found herself submerged in a void of white light and shallow freezing water, the surface glassy beneath her bare feet. Around her, a faint northern hum pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat.

Ice slowly began to form around her calves, as if the void itself was claiming her.

Then--

a voice. Deep. Resonant. Ancient.

"Daughter of Gelu... The frost remembers your name. The Bifrost accepts you.

You have been chosen. Let your veins carry our legacy."

Her breath caught.

The air snapped.

Her aura exploded.

Back in the arena--

Mars raised his molten sword, charging toward her. "Fight or fall!"

Iria opened her eyes mid-run.

Her left side shimmered with glacial armor. Ice flowed down from her shoulder, covering her arm and ribs.

Her left eye swirled with a fractal of blue and black--a storm frozen in time. Her hair shimmered like fractured frost.

As Mars swung--

She ducked then spun.

And landed a glowing roundhouse kick into his ribs.

The impact echoed like thunder.

Mars skidded backwards, leaving twin trenches in the sand, grunting as steam rose from his mouth.

"Heh... You are worth it."

He stood, eyes glowing brighter, his magma blade erupting into its full glory as he summoned a shield on his left arm, erupting flames from the mouth casted on his shield.

Jupiter leaned forward in his cloud throne, now suddenly interested. Pluto raised an eyebrow.

Across the arena Seline tries her best to heal Damon and Vax with her hands, while they looked at Iria in awe.

Wind picked up. Snow swirled. The crowd leaned in.

The Bifrost surged behind Iria like a ribbon of icy light, wrapping around her half-transformed form.

She stood poised, unwavering.

In her crystalline voice, distant yet resonant:

"Come at me."