Requiem Online: Synergy

Chapter Fourteen: The Trials

"There will be six trials in the span of 3 days, to determine the six new members of the Zodiac Warriors. Each trial will consist of warriors chosen specifically for that trial. There's strength, stealth, combat, leadership, ingenuity, and courage. Strength will be determined by how much damage you can inflict in one single strike. The stealth trial asks you to hide from Minerva, our stealth specialist. If you're caught, you lose. The last person remaining wins. Combat will be a one on one tournament that will have two round worth one point each. First round will test hand to hand skill, the second round will test weapon skill. In case of a tie, a final round of open combat will decide the winner.The leadership trial will consist of six teams. Each team will go after a flag that I will set up. The first team to grab the flag wins and the leader of the squad will join our ranks. Ingenuity will test the ability to create something useful out of useless items. Courage will be a trial against Bear. You must stand your ground against him. Flinch, you lose, move, you lose, reach for your weapon, you lose. LET THE TRIALS BEGIN" Announced Sophie.

----- Day One: Strength and Combat-----

The strength trial consisted of 8 people, as did all the trials. Each person was allowed to strike a training dummy that measured the damage of a weapon. After all 8 people went, the results were announced.

"With a damage rating of 450, the winner is Cole! Please step forward." Announced Johnathan.

A man wearing a black suit of armor and wielding a one-handed battle ax, stepped forward.

"Please step into the winner's area where you'll be able to watch the next trial: Combat."

8 people, 17 rounds. The last two with the most points will head to head to determine the true winner.

After 4 hours of fighting, the battle to declare the newest member was at hand. Judas, the weapons expert with a score of 2 to 0, versus the martial artist Maxwell, also with a score of 2 to 0.

The rules for the final round was open, meaning weapons and hand to hand combat was allowed.

The two started the match unarmed. Maxwell began the match with a running kick that knocked Judas back, Maxwell followed up by grabbing Judas' head and slamming his knees into him. Judas grabbed his knee and pulled his legs out from under him, causing Maxwell fall to ground. Judas kneeled on top of him and began to beat Maxwell with lefts and rights. Maxwell caught a right hand and kicked Judas off before getting to his feet.

The two stared at each other before they both rushed at the same time. Switching between offense and defense, the went toe to toe, neither gaining nor losing ground. A quick dodge followed up by a hip toss, gave Maxwell the upper hand. Still holding onto Judas' arm, Maxwell transitioned into an arm bar. Judas was quickly able to reverse his way out. Hand to hand, the two were even. It was time for the weapons to come out.

Judas wielded a spear as did Maxwell. These two were a match in every definition of the word. Same level of hand to hand skills, same weapon, same level of weapon skills. The winner was going to be determined by resilience and willpower.

Judas lunged his spear towards Maxwell who parried and counterattacked. With the nonbladed end of his spear Maxwell struck Judas in the side of the head. Judas retaliated by sweeping Maxwell off his feet with the shaft of his spear. The two went back and forth for almost half an hour before the fight was settled. With a vicious strike, Maxwell broke Judas' spear in two. Before Judas could react, Maxwell held the tip of his spear to his throat. With honor, Judas surrendered.

"The winner: Maxwell."

----Day Two: Leadership and Stealth----
The stealth trial began as the sun rose on day two. Being stealthy is one thing, but doing it during the day is a whole different challenge. In less than an hour, half of the participants were found. The other four proved more of a challenge for Minerva, but soon enough 2 of the four were found.

As Minerva was searching for her targets, the squads for the leadership trial was preparing. Each squad consisted of two people and a leader. Each squad had their own name: The Rams, The Alphas, The Snakes, and The Dire-wolves.

Two hours passed before Minerva finally caught another target. With one person remaining, the trial was over.

"After 3 and a half hours of searching, Minerva has found all but one of the targets. The last remaining person is Liam! Join Maxwell and Cole in the winner's area."

The trial of leadership flew by a lot quicker than the trial of stealth. Within an hour, one team dominated the field and retrieved the flag: The Dire-wolves.

"The Dire-wolves have retrieved the flag and attained victory. Their leader Dustin, has successfully led a dominate squad from the beginning to the end. Dustin please step into the winner's circle."

---Day Three: Ingenuity and Courage---

"The Ingenuity trial will challenge you to create something useful, such as a weapon or other item. Whoever creates the most useful item, will be declared the winner. You have 30 minutes. Your time starts as soon as all of your boxes are opened. Once they are open I will sound the starting bell. Everyone ready? Begin." Sarah said, holding a golden bell and hammer.

Each box contained the same items: a stick, a bundle of spider webs, vines, broken glass, an empty bottle, and a pommel from the end of a sword. All items that were useless on their own, were now to be combined into something that served a purpose.

After the thirty minutes were up, only three managed to create something. An arrow, a spiked club, and a spyglass were the results.

"All three constructions served as useful items, but one stood out above the rest: the spyglass. Niko, you are the winner. Please join the others. As this competition took place, the courage trial was happening on the other side of camp. All 8 failed to hold their ground, so Bear has chosen the one that reacted the least: Cass. Please join the others in the winner circle. Johnathan, do you have a few words?"

"Niko, Cass, Cole, Maxwell, Liam, and Dustin. For your skills in your respective trials, you have been selected as the last six recruits to join my elite team. The other five, Minerva, Bear, Leo, Samael, and Zayne, please join the rest."

All eleven other members gathered in front of Johnathan.

"We twelve shall serve as the royal guard of the Raven Hawk Guild. Henceforth, we shall be known as the Zodiac Warriors. Each of us will be known by the following: I will be the Lion, Minerva: the Scorpion, Bear: the Bull, Leo: the Twin Dragons, Samael: the Ram for his hardheadedness, Niko: the Crab for it's ingenuity, Cass: the Water Bearer for her toughness on the inside but her calm look on the outside, Cole: The Dragon for your strength, Dustin: the Snake for your ability to overcome the odds and achieve victory, Maxwell, the Boar for your perseverance, Liam: the Tiger for its ability to blend in and strike without notice, and lastly, Zayne: the ox for your strength and combat skills. Combining Zodiacs from both Western and Chinese cultures, we form the Zodiac Warriors. Rise and revel in your new status."