Chosen Warrior

1.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. The air was electric, like the whole village was holding their breath. A tattered cobblestone path wound towards the Hall, where soldiers had assembled.

  " Go on, Cierra, it'll be fast," Minnow shot me an encouraging glance, and I forced a smile to thank my friend. Despite being next in line, her face was void of worry and did not seem to be capable of even a little anxiety.

  "What if..."I started, biting my lip as unspoken horrors flashed across my mind. I was not exactly a star pupil. There was no chance I would receive a decent Path. Even worse, I might get something shameful, like a low-paying Trollish Prison Guard. Spending the rest of my life in a dark, damp dungeon with rebel trolls...

  "Puh-lease," Minnow shoved me forward, "It's not like you'll be leaving the village forever! This will take ten minutes, tops."Minnow did not need to worry, being the most clever in the orphanage. Scoring a Diplomat would be a piece of cake for her. All her words were true, though. After all, there was nothing more I could do about this. I stumbled forward, fingernails sinking into my palm, leaving crescent marks on the skin. Looking back, I felt my nerves bundle up even more. After today, nothing would ever be the same in my life again, for the better or worse. Depending on the training given for my Choice, I might even need to move to another segment of the country. Shielding my eyes from the glaring midday sun, I wondered who came up with the Choosing of Paths, but did not dare to ask. The village elders always emphasised the importance of the Choosing in the wake of the war. However, something in me felt that this whole system was messed up.

  Like the rest of the world.

  The cobblestone path seemed to go on forever, credit to my reluctant footsteps. The Hall loomed over me, casting a dark shadow on the hill, ominous and taunting. Trudging to the wooden door, I took a deep breath. This day might just decide my whole life. Steeling my nerves, I closed my eyes and knocked on the door, but my trembling palm froze. Don't be the coward everyone thinks you are. In three hesitant knocks, the oak door creaked open slowly. Soldiers in gleaming metal armour opened the door for me and gestured for me to enter.

Looking around, my eyes widened in surprise. I had never entered the Hall before, but the rumours about its extravagance were true. In stark contrast to the wooden huts and dim interiors of the city, if you could call it a city, the Hall seemed worthy for the King. Skylight streamed through holes in the ceiling, dappling a carpet. Forcing myself to look up, panic took hold. I tried to hold my head high, yet I couldn't bring myself to accomplish such a feat. The Choosing had begun.