The Goddess's Hero

Nero's Trial

Skye's POV

Blinding white light dimmed to a hot gold color. I blinked profusely until my eyes adjusted to the personal hell that had been my training ground for four months. Looking around, I saw that nothing had changed. I wasn't expecting it to. A pull tugged at my soul and I saw ruby red light retreat back into the gem Jasper had placed within my blade. Funny, I hadn't felt different when using it. I sheathed it casually. Now that I was in the Nexus, what was I supposed to do? 

Josephine had explained hers before I left the Nexus, Jacqueline was forced to explain Jasper's trial, Nikolai nor Nyle explained their trials. In fact, I still had no idea what Nik's trial was. Apparently, I had passed it so it didn't really matter. The only trials left were Jacqueline's and Nero's. This had to be Nero's test. His home was the Nexus and he definitely wouldn't step foot anywhere on Comwen. Anger ignited my adrenaline and I began to run where I knew Nero would be. 

The Throne Room. The grandest mansion in the Nexus was placed directly in the middle of the universe. Golden walkways blinded my peripheral vision but I paid it no heed. I stopped before two large golden doors. I wanted to puke. How could this guy create Comwen? How could he create children? Why in the world would someone so vain want to part with anything of his? I shook my head. Now was not the time for such thoughts. I had to complete the trial. 

Knowing it was Nero's trial, I knew there would be a fight ahead. When I was training with Nikolai, Nero would often come by. If I failed or made a mistake, Nero took great joy in tearing my skin open with his surprisingly black bullwhip. Once, when I tried to fight back, Nero pinned my arms and legs down and magicked a glass sharded club and beat me with it. He enjoyed watching me suffer. He was truly an enemy. I shook my head. Clear my mind. I gripped my sword and offered a small prayer to Josephine. Of all gods. 

"Josephine, may your strength strengthen me." I pushed open the doors. 

Nero was waiting for me upon a raised dais. His throne was made of gold just like everything else. He was the size of ten large giants. I felt incredibly small and insignificant within the throne room. He had grapes, nuts, strawberries, chocolate, and other desserts floating around him and he lazily picked at it. This man also had Bri locked up somewhere. I suddenly remembered. I forced my anger down. This was not the time. I approached him as casually as I could. 

"I see you have not died yet." Nero's smirk made my blood boil. I took a deep breath in, but decided not to speak. He hadn't asked a question after all. Nero stood from his throne and transformed into the size of a regular man. He stood in front of me and raised his hands to the sides as if to show me his incredible wealth. He was the God of All Matter. Of course he was wealthy. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. 

"Perhaps that will soon change." I knew his trial would be violent. "Come." He walked behind his throne and I followed him. I had never been in the rooms behind the throne room. Curiosity picked at my brain. What if Bri was in there? No, don't think about that. Now is the time for Nero's Trial. He led me to a door on the left hand side behind his throne. It opened on it's own for him and I was allowed through. 

Air left me instantly as I fell ten stories down. I chanted a wind spell that carried me safely down into the sand. I looked up as heavy laughter boomed through what looked like a pit with stands. This looked like an Orc Pit. Rumor had it that orcs fought each other to the death while their fellow clanmen watched. I had always wanted to try it out. I smiled. Now I'd get the chance to. Thank Nero for that. Thinking of the Almighty Nero, I found him lounging on a cushioned seat underneath an awning that provided perfect shade. His platters of desserts were back and he was currently eating grapes. 

"You know what this is, yes?" Grape spittle flew from his mouth and I wondered how in the world I could see it. That didn't matter now though. I had a trial to do. I nodded my head in response before gripping my sword hilt. "Good, if you find yourself in need of weapons they are to your left." I quickly glanced over the weapons rack. Bows and arrows, daggers, and shields. "Be prepared, you only get to choose now." I didn't respond. I knew I wanted the bow and arrows. I didn't know what I would be facing and I didn't want to be hindered with extra weight if I needed to be quick. I grabbed a couple of daggers and shoved them in my boot. They'd be there if I needed them. I then took stock of the shields. All were big and bulky. I didn't want them. I could use mana if I really needed it. "Are you prepared?" Nero's commanding tone was brimming with excitement. The old coot loved a good fight. I was going to give him the best fight he's ever seen. I nodded in response. He clapped and the weapons rack disappeared. 

A large clanking to my left alerted me to another presence. I squinted but could see nothing in the dark hole of the opening. I nocked an arrow to my bowstring, but waited until the being became clear. No advantage in using my strength to pull the bow back when I couldn't see what I was aiming at. Suddenly, a large gust of wind disrupted the sand around, blinding me. I pulled the drawstring back and waited silently. I had seen larger tornadoes, but this pulse of mana was deeper. The gust of wind never died down. Sand flew around me continuously blocking my vision. 

I closed my eyes and began using my ears. The wind was howling, but what could I hear beyond that? A faint rustle of wind began to my left. Then a large gust of wind blew from that direction. I didn't move. Another rustle of wind from behind me and then it began to howl just like the other winds. I heard the sound again to my right. I pulled the bowstring back calmly and opened my eyes to see ahead of me. The sand was blowing everywhere still, but then I saw a large bird flying into my sights. As fast as I could, I let the arrow fly toward the creature and then nocked another arrow. The bird had dived to the ground to dodge my first arrow therefore allowing the wind and sands to still. I let another arrow loose and the bird dodged to the right quicker than lightning. 

The bird cawed and flew in an upwards spiral. Strong currents of wind spiraled up beneath it and then I felt sharp intense pain in my abdomen and my foot slipped, dropping me to my knees. I ducked before another sharp wind sword could slice my head off. The bird was still spiraling, creating wind swords throughout the pit. 

Blood stained my tunic, but it wasn't enough to spill onto the sand. I stood up abruptly after I felt another sharp wind blow above my face. I aimed the arrow a few feet above the bird and let it loose. The bird seemed to know what I had done and allowed gravity to pull it towards the sand. I ran towards it and pulled an arrow from the quiver I took earlier. I nocked it to my bow and followed my gut. I shot an arrow to the left of the bird and then another one to the right of it. The bird dodged to the right and used a simple wind spell to knock my last arrow off course. 

That was a mistake. As it hovered in the air, I grabbed a dagger from my boot and threw it into the bird's left wing. It screeched in pain and I didn't wait to see what would happen next. I lunged for the arrows on the ground and instantly nocked them to my bow. I flipped around and saw the bird had fallen to the ground. I shot it where it lay and watched as the soul of a man appeared for a brief moment before it shattered like glass. 

Nero's triumphant grin sent shivers down my spine.