A Trial By Fire

Part two




"What do you want Dylan?" I snarled. Roland, obviously sensing the animosity straightened up to his full height, towering over us all.

"Nothing... nothing." Dylan said, casually leaning against the door frame. "Just wanted to give you a fighting chance is all."

"How kind of you." My sarcasm was showing. "How so?"

"Well. Being the kind soul that I am," He gestured towards himself as his goons nodded in affirmation. "I thought it'd be only fair to warn you about tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

"Oh don't you know? Our finals have been moved forward. The graduating tests and challenge will be tomorrow. Oh... and of course... the awarding of ranks and posting of the graduates." He chuckled, "I imagine they'd post you somewhere you belong. Like a forest in the wilds of Al'Quarth. Hey, maybe you can pick up some hot nymph or something. Be with your own kind."

"I'm not a nymph."

"No," He jeered. "But you're an animal too."

Blood rushed to my head, I could feel myself losing control.
"Take deep breaths Anotnidas, deep breaths." I thought. I clenched my fists till the knuckles were white. I felt a small sting and warm liquid flowing from my palm.

"Oh and, this thing can join you as well." He gestured flippantly at Roland. Roland snarled as Dylan walked off. "May the best man win. Oh wait, then you have no chance." He laughed.

I stood there watching the back of his tunic, only seeing red. How much I wanted to punch his smug little face.

"Friend, you are bleeding." Roland grabbed my hand, concerned.

"Just a scratch." I said shaking from his grasp. "It'll heal."

"You were right. He is truly detestable."

"Not all of them are like that. Just him." I felt defeated. "Let's change the subject. Why are you here? And why assigned to my dorm? Most transfer students come in at the beginning of the year not a week..." I paused, reluctantly correcting myself with information from the least savory source. "...a
day from finals."

"I was studying in a paladin institute near Highsal, but it was closed down a few weeks ago. Luckily my father, Regihad the Redeemed, managed to contact Taz-Madan and get me to take my final test here."

"Oh cool! I'm sure you'll do fine." I reassured him. "The tests are pretty standard." I winced as I washed my hands; the cool water stinging my cut. "Why'd your institute get closed?"

"Well," He paused in thought. "I actually do not know. We students were given not rhyme nor reasons for it to close."

"Odd." I commented. "Well, I'm sure it was something big. Maybe it ran out of money?"

"This is knowledge I am not privy to half-elf."

"Stop calling me that." I said, with annoyance creeping into my voice. Immediately feeling bad, I tried to make amends. "Call me Anton. My friends call me Anton."

"Anton you shall be." Roland nodded.

"Here, let me show you around." I offered. "That's why you were assigned to my room I expect." I guided him out of the dorm block towards the magnificent buildings of Taz-Madan.



"Hey bro wake up"

It was Melvin, shaking me awake. I had dozed off. "Dammit Anton" I scolded myself.

"Dude it's time."

"I know." I got up. "Thanks."
Just then, the speakers blared over the now empty waiting room: "Antonidas Tarren."

"Good luck man."

"Thanks. You too." I said getting to my feet

"See ya on the other side mate?"

"Hopefully," I laughed. "Or in the infirmary."

"That's more likely me ya twat." He chuckled. "Now go kick ass."

"Yessir." I quipped as the heavy granite door slide open. I always had to have the last quip.

"What a cocky bastard." I heard Melvin chuckle to himself as I walked through.

The room was pure white granite. Armament of all varieties lined the walls. I walked up to a weapons rack and picked up a sword. Too heavy. Moving down I tested the others till I found one I could lift with ease. Swinging it to and fro, I lashed the air and moved to another rack.
"Perfect weight" I smiled to myself. This was going well.
At the second rack I had to choose. Pistol, or bow. Slowly, I reached for a beautiful Oak bow. The string was taut, and as I pulled it back I felt it's power coursing through the fine hairs of the bowstring and into my fingers. This was it.
I grabbed a quiver of arrows, slung it at my belt and pressed the ready button.
This was it. Exams and tests were over, only the last challenge left. A trial.
The door opened and I stepped through.

The room was huge, a vast expanse with beautiful white marble columns supporting a ceiling cast in shadow by it's sheer height. I was impressed. I was not usually impressed.
"Damn." I let out a breath. Then, a podium rose before me. On it, the institute's headmaster, Master Archemond; Sir Andrews, my combat instructor; and an unknown man dressed in a dapper black suit.

"Antonidas Tarren," The headmaster boomed. "You have shown great skill and achieved every level of excellence possible in this institute. Now, your final test awaits. The Grand Seraph Araquiel as selected this last challenge. A trial by fire. May the Gods bless you."

"Thank you headmaster." I bowed.

The runes along the podium glowed blue and a protective shield of energy covered the three spectators. I saw Sir Andrews nod at me before the shield became opaque and they disappeared behind it's protective magic.
"Trial by fire?" I muttered. "Shit." I was kicking myself for not having chosen the fire-resistant chestplate. Having instead opted to go light and stay agile, making full use of my bow and arrow, I was relatively exposed to the onslaught of fireballs I already envisioned incinerating me to ash.
"Stay cool Anton." I told myself. I laughed as the irony of the statement struck me. "I wish."
The earth rumbled. Not good. I notched an arrow and spread my feet to get balance just as a huge claw grabbed the ledge of the hole left but the now floating podium.

"No way." My mouth hung open like a child seeing his first Ogre lumbering across the local market.
"No fucking way."

A scaly head rose to meet me and I found myself face to face with a lesser drake.
I was so screwed.

Drakes, huge scaly monstrosities, are basically toned down versions of dragons. They range from the size of a car to that of a double-decker bus or larger. By no means dragon sized but definitely nothing to scoff at. This particular one was about the size of an elephant and seem intent of scaring the living shit out of me before it attacked. It's tail wrapped around a pillar and I could feel it's breath as it's head drew closer.

"Don't panic. Think dammit think!" I snapped myself out of my shocked stupor. What type of drake was it? An emerald drake? Water drake? My questions were quickly answered as I was forced to roll to the side when it opened it's maw and emitted a stream of liquid fire.
Right. Trial by fire. Got it.

I shot my arrow, yelling a word in an ancient tongue as I did so. The arrow turned into a bolt of arcane energy and exploded on the drake's side. I had bought myself a few seconds. As the drake shook of the explosion, I notched another arrow and crouched, waiting. It let out a roar and charged towards me.
Not quite as planned.
I shot two arrows in rapid succession at the charging bony head and quickly doged the charge, lodging two more arrows in it's side. The drake screamed and it's spiky tail swiped where I was seconds ago as I dived away.

"Weak spot. Find a weak spot." I said to myself, recalling Sir Andrew's lessons. Where? What?
Core drakes emit liquid fire from their mouths, coming from their second heart.

"How does that help?" I muttered as I took shelter behind a pillar just as a spout of flame encompassed the space I was not moments before.

Oh. I got it. I knew.

I notched three arrows and started running, I heard the drake smashing pillars in it's pursuit. Closer, closer. I felt heat directly behind me. I slid, quickly turning around mid-slide to launch my volley of arrows. With them, I yelled something in the tongue I had learnt ever since young. One not spoken by other quires but with the same magical energies as the ancient tongue we all learnt. The arrows turned to bolts for frost and entered the drake's mouth. It tired to roar but could not as ancient elvish magic frosted over it's throat down into it's flaming heart. I could see the fire in it's eyes extinguish like a candle blown out but the wind. I knelt before the dying creature,

"Thank you for your service noble drake." I said, resting my hand on it's chest. "May your brood prosper."

It let out a final moan before it's head rested against the floor, still. After some time time spent lost in thought, a familiar had rested on my shoulder.

"Are you okay Antonidas?" Sir Andrews asked.

"Fine sir. Just paying my respects to the beast. It's... a tradition in my family."

"An elvish tradition. I know." He replied. "Come, the others are waiting."

We walked out of the huge hall, into a room with a raised platform at the end of it. On it, the headmaster sat.

"Antonidas Tarren." He spoke with the calm of a man always in control, yet his voice seemed to be projected by speakers or magic as it boomed around the empty room.

"You have passed the Trial of Fire set to you by the seraph Araquiel himself. You may proceed to get your blessing from the priestess and the power of the Gods themselves will henceforth ever protect you in battle. Go now." He gestured to a small curtained room.

As I lifted the curtain, I was greeted by the sight of a pool with light shining down upon it, seemingly out of nowhere. The priestess garbed in simple white cloth rose from the pool's side and walked towards me.

"Drink." She commanded and I obliged.

As the cool liquid went down my throat I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head as my ears filled with screams and eyes opened unseeingly.
"Darkness falls! He rises!" I heard it coming from everywhere but nowhere, all around but only in my head.
"YOU ARE NOT READY." An earsplitting shout and then, a long drawn out scream. As my eyes cleared I realised the scream came from me. I looked up into a set of crystal clear light blue eyes.

"Go." The priestess said, and I detected a hint of... fear in her voice? Not good. "Go. The Gods will not bless you on this day."

"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong? What's going on?"

"Go!" She commanded, forcefully. "The headmaster will see you out. You are no paladin nor ever will be."

Her words stung, not with vehemence but with their meaning. The holy beings whom protected my realm would not bless me. I was a failure. I would never be an agent of The Light.
I walked out of the chamber and quickly out of the ceremonial room. I kept my eyes to the ground but was distinctly aware of stares from my three superiors.

"Antonidas what happened?" I heard Sir Andrews call. A hand brushed my shoulder but I shook it off, running towards the safety of my dorm room tears streaming down my face.

It was over.
I would never be a paladin.






Hey guys I was feeling it so I wrote part two. Hope you guys enjoy! Any suggestions of direction or writing please leave a comment.
Thanks for reading!
MoP