Short Story in a Dystopian or Utopian World

Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
Course
Date
Short Story
In a world dominated by chaos, the ruthless rule over the weak. Zhang, a 14-year-old boy, must overcome his fears to represent his family in the upcoming games. Zhang is the son of a blacksmith in the Arura tribe of the Mazinko dynasty. A tyrant, Silobe, who demands absolute loyalty from his subjects, leads the empire. Silobe's name is feared, and folk stories narrate the unfortunate events that his enemies succumb to. The Mazinko are warriors with a conviction that it is their god-given right to dominate their planet. The dynasty has conquered all territories, and Silobe's say is final.
All the people are assigned tasks based on their skill sets, with warriors ranking highest in esteem and laborers considered inferior. Each year, the king demands a ritual competition where children that are of age represent their families in the competition. The winner brings honor to his family, receiving two years' worth of food supplies. With no more land to conquer, Zhang's father lost customers as the demand for weapon supplies diminished. His father struggled to make provisions for the family, but somehow he could bring some food home. Zhang viewed his father as their hero as he made all the sacrifices needed to meet their needs. However, other warriors ridiculed him, and Zhang received similar sentiments.
Zhang loved his parents, but he was ashamed of the treatment they received. Nevertheless, he was determined to make a name for himself. In the kingdom, parents passed down their knowledge to the next generation; in Zhang's context, he had received weaponry-forging skills. On the other hand, warriors trained their children in the art of combat, a skill set that was invaluable in the yearly competition.
Since the inception of the competition, the warriors have won every year. They dominated all aspects of sports and battles. By age 7, each warrior child had already completed an impossible task, collecting an eagle offspring from the highest mountain in the land. The eagles grew to have nine-inch wingspan, and teach captured bird was raised to hunt alongside the owner. Therefore, the child warriors and the captured eagles had a strong bond and were formidable opponents in the yearly competition.
Zhang felt inferior to the warrior families; deep down, he always feared falling against them. The yearly competition included children who had reached 14 years and was dominated mainly by boys. On the eve of the event, Zhang's father took him to the forest and helped him catch a bird using a sling. His father warned him not to trust anyone in the competition. The competition involved strenuous activities, and there had been fatalities in the past. His father told him that caring for his family is the most important task, more crucial than receiving glory in the competition. The blacksmith gave his son some advice and told him to be cautious, and regardless of whether he won the event or not, his parents would always love him. Zhang's father always knew the right words to inspire his son, and as they returned home, the boy lay on his bed eager to prove himself capable.
The next day, Zhang woke up feeling anxious. Even the weather seemed to have recognized the sig...