The Omega Knight's Secret Baby Daddy is A PRINCE?!-Chapter 63: Try to Keep Up.

"Here is how this will proceed," Aamon said, voice carrying easily across the field as he faced the newly formed units. "You have been divided into eighteen teams. Five members per team."

A low murmur ran through the knights.

He lifted a hand and pointed toward the far left.

"You are Team A."

Ezra’s gaze followed.

Team A.

Guy Man was there, of course. Falken Radiant stood beside him. The remaining three wore crests from the other orders.

’Good,’ Ezra thought. ’Let him learn to cooperate the hard way.’

Aamon shifted his finger toward the opposite side.

"You are Team R."

Ezra’s eyes moved again.

Silas Emberwyn stood stiffly in that line. The same Silas who had been quietly bullied more than once.

’I’ll keep an eye on that one,’ Ezra noted silently.

"Take a moment to confirm your teams," Aamon instructed before falling silent.

Knights began shifting, counting, checking insignias and placements.

Ezra glanced toward Aamon.

Aamon glanced back.

"Ezra."

"Yes, Captain?"

"You will be paired with Prince Aurien."

’Better than Kaelis.’

Ezra nodded once.

"Prince Helios, you will be paired with Razor."

Ezra’s eyes flicked toward Helios.

Helios gave Razor a small nod of acknowledgement. Razor returned it, posture stiff.

Ezra resisted the urge to narrow his eyes.

’Behave,’ he told himself.

"And of course," Aamon continued, "Prince Kaelis will be paired with Zaide."

Kaelis’s smile returned.

"I look forward to working with my beloved little brother’s captain," he said smoothly.

Zaide bowed slightly. "Likewise, Your Highness."

’This Zaide man will get eaten alive by that jerk.’

The tension in his shoulders said otherwise.

Aamon stepped forward again, reclaiming the center.

"I trust you all know your teams by now. Let me explain what you will be doing."

He began to walk slowly across the field.

"There are sixty minutes on the clock."

The knights straightened instinctively.

"You will be playing capture the flag."

A few groans escaped before being swallowed down.

"As knights," Aamon continued calmly, "you are familiar with this exercise. As trainees, you have played it before."

’At least once?’ Ezra thought dryly. ’You made us do it three times a week.’

Capture the flag was not a child’s game in the orders.

It was brutal.

Bruises. Broken ribs. Occasionally worse.

"Each prince and captain duo will hold a flag," Aamon went on. "Prince Aurien and Ezra. Prince Helios and Razor. Prince Kaelis and Zaide."

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

"Your objective is to retrieve the flag assigned to your group. But understand this. You are not only competing against us."

He let that settle.

"You are competing against the other five teams assigned to the same flag."

The field grew quieter.

"In this exercise," Aamon said evenly, "no one is your ally except the four men in your team."

A ripple of tension passed through the square.

"Now, before you ask," Aamon continued, "no, you may not take any flag you choose."

He gestured again.

"Teams A through F will try to take the flag of Ezra and Prince Aurien."

Ezra and Aurien exchanged a brief look.

Aurien’s expression was calm.

Ezra’s lips pressed thin.

’Six teams,’ he calculated. ’Thirty men.’

"Teams G through L will compete against Prince Helios and Razor."

Helios remained steady, golden light faint around him.

"And the remaining teams will face Prince Kaelis and Zaide."

Aamon approached the princes, three folded flags in his hands.

One yellow.

One black.

One white.

He handed the yellow to Aurien.

The black to Helios.

The white to Kaelis.

"Protect your flag," Aamon said mildly.

Then his gaze sharpened.

"And for the teams."

He turned back to the knights.

"As I’ve said you have sixty minutes to take it, and you can do whatever you want to the teams you are competing with, and the only rule is no death, and no major injuries."

The air shifted.

Excitement.

Nervousness.

Competitive fire.

Ezra felt it rise like heat.

’Good,’ he thought. ’Let them burn it out here instead of tomorrow.’

Aamon stepped back, scanning the field one last time.

"The exercise will take place within the grounds of Heliocrest Spirehold," he announced clearly. "You may use the outer terrain. The courtyards, the ridges, the training fields, the tree lines. You are not permitted inside the buildings."

A few knights nodded. Others rolled their shoulders as if already preparing to sprint.

"The flag bearers will be given a two minute head start," Aamon continued. "Use it wisely."

His eyes sharpened.

"Begin when I say."

The air tightened.

"Starting... now!"

Almost immediately, movement exploded.

Helios and Razor shot toward the eastern ridges. Kaelis and Zaide veered toward the lower stone terraces.

Aurien did not hesitate either. He turned smoothly, already moving.

Ezra followed without thinking.

The wind cut against his face as they crossed the open ground. Gravel shifted beneath their boots.

After a few strides, Aurien glanced at him.

"Where would you suggest we position ourselves?"

Ezra scanned the terrain automatically. The western tree line offered coverage. The low walls near the training pits could funnel attackers. The sloped ground near the fountain would force teams to split their formation.

"We could take the upper stone ledge," Ezra said. "It narrows their approach. Forces them to climb."

Aurien hummed thoughtfully.

"And remain stationary?"

Ezra glanced at him. "Is that not the point? We defend."

Aurien’s lips curved into a smirk.

"Would it not be more enjoyable," he said lightly, "to meet them head on?"

Ezra slowed slightly.

’...What?’

Aurien’s golden eyes gleamed with something almost playful.

"If we hold still, they will focus more on fighting each other," Aurien continued. "But if we advance into the field and apply pressure, we become the main threat."

He tilted his head faintly.

"They will have no choice but to coordinate, and besides, it will be a good exercise for us to fight right away."

Ezra stared at him for half a second longer than necessary.

’He’s openly excited about fighting?’ he thought, genuinely baffled. ’And here I thought this game would be a bother.’

This Aurien was sharper. Bolder. There was confidence in the way he moved. No hesitation.

Ezra felt something shift in his chest.

Surprise.

And, unwillingly, approval.

"It would be more entertaining," Ezra admitted quietly.

Aurien’s smile widened just slightly.

"You agree?"

"Yes," Ezra replied. "They’ll surely go towards us, and see the other team which will make them fight each other."

He paused, calculating.

"We’ll either be able to watch them fight, or fight them all together."

Aurien nodded.

"Either way, I am sure they won’t get this flag unless we give it to them."

They reached the outer field, where the terrain dipped slightly before rising toward the tree line.

Aurien adjusted his grip on the flag pole in his hand.

Thirty knights would be coming.

Six teams.

Five men each.

And they would not just be fighting him and Aurien.

They would be fighting each other.

’Good,’ Ezra thought, eyes sharpening as distant movement began to appear at the far edge of the grounds.

’Let’s see who can think clearly under pressure.’

Aurien stepped slightly ahead, golden light faintly gathering around his palm.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Ezra’s lips curved faintly.

"Try to keep up, Your Highness."