Once Upon a Moon

The Soldier Trials

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Soldier Games!" Large crowds cheered as the Lunarian Family greeted the spectators gathered at the Colosseum on the moon. King Illarion stepped forward with a smile, "The time has come for the changing of the guard." He laughed at the cheers, "As you know, when the new Soldiers are chosen, the previous Soldier's position and years of service are honored. They become advisers, not only to my lovely wife and I, but to the respective planet's Royal Families. They continue on as teachers for future generations."

Serenity stepped up to the podium beside her husband, "Each challenge is designed for each planet's specialties. They were created generations ago and will be overseen and refereed by our current Soldiers. All contestants are of the Royal Families on each planet; either child of the direct line or cousins within the last generation. They will be judged individually for their planet's Trials. Then the top ten of that planet will compete in a round robin of martial arts. One round only. After that, the top five of each will compete in one large battlefield simulation. This Trial will simulate, at random times, the landscapes and conditions of each planet." She smirked, "Confused? How's this? The top five from Mercury will enter the arena. The landscape will start off as a maze designed after the living conditions from their planet. They will start at five different points on the field. They must make it through to the center of the maze and claim one of two flags of Mercury for victory. After all eight planets have completed their simulations, they will be split up into two teams of eight." She nodded to her daughter.

"The Final Trial. Every generation is different. The Final Trial gets to be chosen by the Princess. Me." She smirked, "Now, I've contemplated what it shall be. I've gone over every past Final Trial that's ever existed. And, with the approval of my parents, decided not to create a new one." Confusion ran through the Colosseum, "I have decided, instead, to choose the very... first... Final... Trial."

Shock went rampant through the spectators. Not only was the Princess not creating something unique like her predecessors, but she was reusing an old Trial, the first Final, that no one even remembered.

"I will not be disclosing the Trial yet. I want everyone to focus on the Trials already set before them. Once we have the final 16, then I'll disclose the Trial specifics." She glanced around with a smirked, "Good luck."

Illarion stepped forward, "Let the first Trials begin!"

1-2-3-4-5

"Listen up!" The teens looked up from the bleachers as the gym teachers got their attention, "Head Mistress Meiou has an announcement."

Rena watched as Setsunna, or Trista, took over, "Greetings. I'm going to cut to the chase. This school was established after the Re-Awakenings started. It gave a place of learning and safety to those who were Offworlders, Youkai or Otherworld. After a few years of becoming an established and respected school, no longer chasing approval from outside sources, we can now focus more on us than others." She smiled, "With that in mind, we are implementing an inter-school competition." The students cheered, excited at the challenge, "I am taking a page from my former home."

Everyone got quiet, as the Head Mistress brought up a topic so rarely discussed. It's one thing to know someone was a Reborn, or that Reborns talk about their past with each other, but it's never discussed in general. And never about before.

Rena frowned, afraid of where this might lead, "Oh, this can't be good."

Kagome looked over as her friend whispered dread reached her, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"Long ago," Trista continued, "there was a competition that was created to determine eight female warriors, Soldiers, who protected this galaxy and worked as advisers for the Lunarian Kings and Queens. They worked as teachers, advocates and ambassadors between the planets and kingdoms. They were revered, not only for their position, but what they were capable of doing." She paused as she perused the faces of her students, hesitating only a fraction on Rena's before continuing, "It was called the Soldier Trials."