Knightshade Forgotten.

Initiation

Despite all the things I hate about Vexthel, he has good taste in uniforms. It was a high quality leather armor with the wyngerian symbol on the back, hidden under a small fur cloak and waist capes on the front and back. I hooked my broadsword to the belt and waited for the training to start. Knocking was heard at the door, "Can I come in?" It was a voice I'm sure I hadn't heard. I grabbed a spare eyepatch from the medical supplies crate and put it on over my red eye.

"Yeah go ahead!" in walked an older man with a horned helm "Sol?" I heard him ask. "Not Sol, that was a cover name to lessen any pain I could receive years ago." I explained. He nodded, "I figured, Vex told me of your name. You can take off the eyepatch, I'm not too old to keep secrets." I stood unmoving "With all due respect sir, I'd rather not. I'm quite ashamed of my birthrights."

He raised his eyebrow "Are you sure? A skill like yours could be useful to us." I looked at him with an expression of rage then softened it. "No, I hate it. It turns me into a killing machine with no limits at all. It would make be trample friend and foe to sate the beast's hunger." He was silent for a while then he turned to walk back outside.

"Training is about to start. Get on out there." he said, I nodded and followed him. "This arena, I'm guessing it was once a gladiator arena?" He nodded, "Yes, it was used as training or hostage situations a century ago."

I shielded my eye from the sun as we stepped into the main area, It was enormous, you could fit an army in it if you tried.

I lined up with the other recruits and stood at attention. Vexthel and Plythus had an environmental obstacle course set up, "Tau, Welcome to the initiation meeting. We have carefully selected each of you from your homeland in the belief that you will become turning points in any future wars. We are going to test your intelligence, tactical thinking, combat prowess and agility."

He gestured to the square fighting platforms next to the course. "Of course we will test you separately due to the large number of you. I would the half of you from Plythus down to head to the course." I nodded and followed Plythus to the course where two paths branched off and led to a platform that you had to jump around five walls to progress to the next part of the course.

Plythus spoke loudly "Those who cannot move past this course are not to be eligible to serve under us, I would like you all to race to the end." We lined up to each of the paths, One required you to to stand at awkward angles and the other asked you to be able to maintain balance." He took out a coin to get ready to start us off, flicked it into the the air and let it drop,

The second it hit the ground, I took off. I was much slower than most, but more agile than others. I ran to the balancing path and leapt at the first thin pylon. The second my foot landed, I had to throw out my other one to be able land on the next one. I ran across thirteen in all and made it to the platform with each lage wall blocking the path completely.

I looked at the other participants who were confused and some even shouted at Plythus that this test was impossible. "He said if you couldn't pass this area you weren't able to fight! You do want to serve for your country and bring honor to your family don't you?" I yelled at the ones who looked at Plythus in rage like children.

I ran at the side of the platform and jumped, but not off the side. I thrust my hand out and relied on physics to do the rest. Sure enough, I caught on the wall and slid around to the other side, I repeated this process five time before jumping a gap that need your current speed to pass it. there were at least seven people ahead of me. I examined the next task and saw that it was a climbing wall.

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the large wall. There were ridges in it that could be used easily. But the looked unstable. I ran at the wall and jumped, grabbing onto handholds that couldn't be seen until you got close enough. I swung to the side as a soldier fell past me. Handhold after handhold I kept climbing, near the top the rocks were getting shaky, one decided that my weight was too much for it and gave away. Using quick thinking, I unsheathed my sword and drove it into the wall.

I stood on the flat of the blade and jumped to finally reach the top of the wall, reaching the end.

It took a while for the final participants to reach the top. I reached my hand down as one of them looked close to falling. He grabbed it and thanked me for pulling him up. I would've said something back, if I didn't recognise him. Molarus, that was his name wasn't it? Didn't he already pass this test? Plythus called for all of us to come down. "Let's go Patch!" Molarus called to me. Did he not remember me? I climbed back down, grabbing my sword on the way.

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Vexthel had next led us to the fighting rings. "We will be testing the other traits at once through close combat. Anyone who objects to this will be forced to leave." He lined us up and carefully watched each match, frowning whenever he saw the slightest bit of mercy shown. When it was my turn, Vex entered the ring himself. I took out my broadsword and he took out his long sword.

He ran forward and performed multiple thrusts at once as attempt to make me back up. When I parried his blade he forced me to roll past him, otherwise I'd be out of the ring. I took a step back and rose my sword over my head, aimed at his chest. I ran forward this time, dodged his thrust and locked our swords, it was a brief moment before I landed a kick in his abdomen. I spoke a bit. "Vexthel, if you don't mind, can we make the playing field larger?" He nodded and I jumped off the arena square onto the the flat and open area. I continued to rush at him, doing my best to keep him backed up. He eventually lit his sword with a type of combat magic. When his blade hit mine, a large gust of wind blasted me to the side, disarming me. He smirked victoriously "Are you done? You've lost your weapon."

I held my ground as he blasted me with more gales of wind. "No, in a real fight, it's not over until the other admits defeat. I cracked my knuckles and smirked as he ran forward "Rho Aias!" the purple lotus barrier appeared and rebounded his attack, I grabbed my sword from the ground and lit it with combat magic. A purple electric haze appeared around it. "Bokaro Makenai!" I said to him as I raised my sword and charged.

I shoulder charged him with the magic shield and let it shatter against him. He backed up a bit more and his eyes grew wide as I pressed the tip of my blade to his neck, "Very well then." he muttered. "Welcome to Wyngeria, Reflet."

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