The Trials of Ruin and Longing

Lys

Lys woke up to blinding white light. She blinked, going to rub her eyes, only to find resistance. She looked to her wrists and saw her hands were restrained by large metal cuffs that shimmered with a soft blue light. She was in a chair, at least, sat at a plain white table with a plain chair across from her. The walls were white with a little camera in the corner. As she looked around the mostly empty room, a Fae male entered.

He was in an exquisitely made dove-gray suit, his face devastatingly beautiful with his piercing blue eyes and strong face. He had light-brown hair that was swept back neatly, his pointed ears topped with gold cuffs. He smiled as Lys met his gaze.

"Elysia, right?" The man sat in the chair opposite her. Lys eyed him warily.

"Yes." She wasn't going to say anymore than she had to.

"Nice of you to finally join us. Now, my--"

"How long have I been out?" Lys blurted out. The Fae male raised an eyebrow.

"About two weeks." Panic flared in her chest. She hoped Revel was okay. Since the last time she saw him was being dragged through the portal by Ralfiel, she didn't think he was. Her chest tightened as she remembered everything. The shocking secrets that he had revealed.

"Who are you?" Lys asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"My name is Thetos Redglade. Perhaps you've heard of me on the news or something, but I am Lord of Redglade." At that, Lys felt a little shocked. A Fae lord to interrogate her? Maybe it was to throw her off. He cleared his throat.

"I was in town attending a gala last night when I saw some pretty spectacular footage of a little incident from a good friend of mine here in the Battalion." Lord Thetos grabbed his phone from his pocket. "Of a girl robbing a jewelry store." He turned it on and with a few swipes, showed her a video. Of when the shield activated.

Lys watched the video. Saw herself shriek and collapsed as the flames began to claw at her. Saw a huge cloud of darkness explode out of her, turning it into a roiling, raging cloud. She couldn't even see herself through the darkness.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here. Why a Fae lord would be questioning you." Thetos continued. "But I really only have one question for you." He pulled another object from his pocket, this one like a large black pen. Lys eyed the object with some trepidation.

"What's that?" Thetos smiled.

"Tell me, Elysia, are you familiar with the Trial?" Lys nodded and Thetos continued. "What do you know of it?"

"I know the qualifications. Power levels have to be over seven on the Ragnarok Scale, and you have to either be sponsored or pay a good amount of gold to join." Lys frowned. "But what's that have to do with anything?"

"When the Battalion brought you in, they couldn't find any records of your power reading. So they pricked you with one of these." Thetos slid the bulky black pen-thing across the table. "This is a Ragnarok reader. Or at least, the handheld version. Would you like to know what your reading was?"

"What was my reading?" Lys could barely breathe.

"You, Elysia, landed a perfect eight on the Ragnarok Scale. No higher, no lower." Thetos folded his hands in front of him. "Which is why I'm here to offer you a deal."

"Which is?" Lys was pretty sure her heart was about to explode.

"I'll sponsor you in my team. You come with me, I'll give you training if you need it, and then you'll fight in the Trial here in three years. If you win, you'll be completely pardoned of all crimes committed."

"And if I don't?"

"Then the Battalion will lock you up for a very, very long time." Thetos shrugged. "So I'm definitely your better option."

Lys considered it. She didn't really see how his proposal was really better. Prison for the rest of her life or almost-guaranteed death. She knew which one she would enjoy more, at least. Besides, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She wasn't a fool.

"I'll need training," Was all Lys said. Thetos grinned.

"Wonderful."