Chapter 2: The Trials
The trials is a test that Guardian initiates undergo to test their skill. The first test covers magic ability and knowledge. The second test covers ranged combat and the third test is sword combat. A final fourth test is when a group of Angels, usually four, are grouped together and they are sent to perform a task.It was a flawless day, with no clouds in the sky. The temperature was just right and Dailan awoke feeling great. In the past few days he had done absolutely nothing but sleep, talk with friends, and socialized with the other members of the order. No matter how hard he tried and pried none of the Guardians would divulge the secrets of the trials. The training field where Dailan met Garus was only occupied by the two. “Are you ready Perino?” Garus asked the boy before him. “Yes Valan Garus.” Dailan replied. Valan was a respectful name for a teacher, and Perino was a respectful name for an student.
The first trial only took a few hours and Dailan only had to recite the history of magic and cast spells, some more difficult than others. The second trial was a bit more difficult. Dailan had to use his bow and shoot at targets that were placed at different distances from himself. He shot crouching, and standing, and he could aim for no more than six seconds. Many of the arrows hit the designated targets and only a few missed. The third trial was sparring. As tradition had it both Valan and Perino fought with their current weapons. Dailan used his shield and sword and Garus was using a massive great-sword. Garus would have an advantage because his sword had a greater reach, but Dailan would be able to move more quickly. He'll probably never even land a hit. Dailan thought. “Don't forget to dull your blade.” Garus said. “O, yes Valan.”
“Mucrone hebetare cover.” both said as they ran their finger along their blade. The spell meant; dull the blade, and cover. It did as it spoke, in a way. The blades were not dulled, but there was a sort of invisible cover along the blade, only about a half inch thick. The blades would not cut, but they could still break bones and bruise.
Garus and Dailan walked backward, only a few feet, and nodded toward each other, which officially began their duel.
The blades collided with sparks. Each spark the same color of the owner's shwalen. Dailan had thought that with Garus wielding a great-sword he would be very slow. What he did not think of was Garus's increased speed and the fact that he was very experienced with a sword of that size. The force behind Garus's blows passed through Dailan's shield and with every hit pain was swept through his arm. If Dailan even wanted to land a blow on his opponent he would have to start soon, before the pain became overwhelming. Dailan timed it perfectly. As Garus lowered his sword to strike at Dailan, Dailan turned his shield at the moment of impact. Not only was the pain less, but it threw Garus off his balance. Dailan swung his blade at Garus's temple. Right before the moment of impact Garus ducked and drove his shoulder into Dailan's gut. God, he's a lot faster than I thought. Dailan thought as he fell to the ground, breathless. Garus swung downward again and the blow was blocked by the shield. Dailan however saw an opening at Garus's feet, and took advantage. Dailan's feet were swept behind Garus, and he fell. For the first time Garus was on the ground, and Dailan had landed his first blow. Dailan rose to his feet before Garus and pointed his blade at his neck. “Not bad for a first time, eh?” Dailan asked. “Only because you cheated.”
“There's no such thing as cheating in combat.” Garus only grumbled, and stood up. “I think you're good. Come back in two hours time and I'll show you to your group, and assign you your mission.” Dailan nodded his acknowledgment, and left the field.
Later that day Dailan, and his companion Coda, walked to the same sparring field where Dailan and Garus had sparred. The were three others there already. Garus, Mathias, Dailan's friend since boyhood, and another Angel named Adriana. The Angels had no problems with women fighting like the humans did. “Since we all are here now I will tell you what we have to do.” the initiates stood still, waiting for instruction. “As you all know the fourth trial is really a test. We four are going to be journeying to Faregy.” The Angels gasped in shock; with the amount of Kan there they would never make it out alive. “Yes it is a dangerous task, and yes it will be hard to complete, but this task is very urgent.”
“Do we get to be told what the task is?” Adriana said. “The trial, not task, has to do with something that Rikku informed the counsel about when he brought you here,” Garus's eyes landed on Dailan, “the counsel suspects that the Dark Brotherhood is indeed, behind the war. If the brotherhood is behind this, then ending this war is going to be much more difficult.”
“I thought the Dark Brotherhood had been banished to some other realm?” Mathias asked. “They were, but if they did happen to escape, which is possible, it is highly likely that the brotherhood bound the Lar-a'Kan to themselves. This would explain how they know our language, and can use magic.”
“What are we to do when we get there?” Dailan asked.
“We are only going to see if there is any evidence of the brotherhood returning. If there is, we need to get back here as soon as possible and inform the counsel. Does that sound simple enough?”
“Yes.” all three of the Angels said.
“Good, then we need to travel to Iro, and use the moving rune.” Garus finished. The moving rune is a not a rune at all, but instead it is a sort of room. In the room is a great portal which will take any who travel through it to the Angel's earthen capital of Rastaug. From there they would ride on their Foragok to Faregy.
