Passing through the gates Cain walked till the battle arena of Eriel's fields, it had a circular shape and was flat, around it there was stands that were empty at the time, but Cain had seen how they could get crowded on the days when fights for College ranking occurred. He continued his walk until he entered the arena.
On the other side of the huge circle were all the masters of the College in a huge bench. Evelyn, the Master of Healing, was in the right corner of the table, at the time she was in a heated argument with Heirloc who was at her side. Also next to the Master Initiator was Vivith, the Master Geographer, he stared straight ahead and when he saw that the first student whom he would evaluate was Cain he waved lightly to the boy.
On the far left, Malakin the Master of Weapon had his focus on his sword, the man who was young, had completed thirty-four years recently. Being a former number one in the College ranking, no one was surprised when he was summoned back to the College to be the new Master of Weapons after Travis died. He would assess the boy in the afternoon along with Heirloc, their presence right now was merely figurative since neither of them would ask questions.
On the second chair from the left to right was Ugar, the Master of Strategy, and the most important in the table out of the six teachers, the Master of Special Combat and Grand Master of the institution, Sidem was at his right.
"Move forward" Sidem said to the boy who was watching the Masters frozen at the other side of the circle. The boy then went to the center of the arena.
"Welcome Cain are you prepared for the questions to come?" asked the Grand Master.
"Yes, I am" replied the boy.
"Evelyn you can start" said Sidem.
Cain looked at the woman, she was the oldest of the Masters of War, she was 75 years of age, with 1,90 meters she was tall for a woman and her thin body made her look even taller. Her skin was tanned and that helped in hiding the wrinkles on her face, she had big brown eyes that sent a feeling of kindness to whoever looked at them. The knowledge she had on the art of healing was unmatched. The white-haired old woman abruptly ended her discussion with Heirloc and directed her hazel eyes toward the student.
"Hello Cain, each time I see you, you look larger. We will not take long. What leaf must be tied around a cut to accelerate the healing?" asked Evelyn.
"Mandrake leaves, but if you want an even faster recovery you can also use Balm Sap with it" answered the boy.
"Perfect, I see that you are prepared so I will make it harder in the next one. What is the cure for the poison of a Giant Squalli spider?" she asked. The boy spent some seconds thinking about it and then answered.
"There is no remedy, one has to quickly amputate the part where the spider has bitten, otherwise the poison will spread throughout the body and be fatal" said the boy. The old woman then displayed a satisfied look on her face.
"I thought you would fall for that, we are lucky these monsters only live in the north in the Forbidden Lands, are we not? Boy you have been approved, but study more because we never know everything there is to know. You will join my advanced class. Vivith, your turn" she said looking at the Master Geographer.
Cain now turned his attention to the Master Geographer, he was responsible for teaching students the geography and the history of the continent. Vivith was the shortest of the Masters and also the one who appeared to be more out of shape, but no one dared to make fun of him because in a fight the man was absurdly fast and strong for someone his size. The man had black hair and a black mustache on his face as well, those matched his sharp black eyes that were hidden behind his round glasses. His skin was white.
"Well Cain we do not have much time, so without further ado, how much time has passed since the Hasik pass closed, cutting off all our contact with the continents on the south?" studying all the week before the tests was being really helpful and Cain quickly answered the question.
"630 years" the man didn't seem satisfied with the answer.
"And for what reason it closed?" the boy knew the answer for that question as well.
"An earthquake caused the passage that stood between the Juk Cordilleras to be buried by the rocks that collapsed along its 800 km" answered Cain. The man accepted the answer with a smile.
"Okay, now to make a more difficult question. How long ago the Old Gods came from the Reri Sea and conquered the region surpassing all who opposed them?" asked the man.
"Approximately 5000 years ago" the boy replied to this question without any hesitation. The man once again seemed displeased with the answer.
"I'm asking you for the exact amount of years" he said looking at the boy with his sharp eyes.
Cain thought while he searched his memory, a few minutes passed, and the boy finally gave up.
"I do not know" said Cain. On his face the disappointment for not knowing the answer was obvious.
"The right answer would be 5273 years. Do not worry kid, even if you don't know the answer to this question you got the other one, I see potential in you, so you can also join my advanced class. Ugar, you are the only one left" said the Master Geographer.
Finally, it was the turn of the Master of Strategy, he was known for his long beard and white hair that matched his ivory skin. His tender blue eyes always seemed calm. At 70 he was the second eldest of the masters and the age clearly affected him. His body once was the strongest in the College, but now among those present his was the weakest. His imposing stance was gone eleven years ago when his older brother, the former Grand Master, Travis, had died.
"My boy, how good to see you. I'll be quick, after all we still have many students to interview. In a battlefield your enemy is winning the battle and his troops are outnumbering yours. Behind you there is a hill, a river on your right, in your front and at your left is the enemy. Among your forces are archers and a platoon of infantry. What do you do?" Asked the old man.
Cain took a few seconds thinking about what would be the best strategy that he could take in this situation. When he found one that seemed satisfactory he started talking.
"First, I would move my archers to the top of the hill but keep my infantry at the feet guarding the way up. Thus, my archers could easily decimate the enemy troops" the old man let out a smile.
"Bright response. Question number two, you have only a platoon of infantry under your control, your opponent a whole army, but you can choose the battlefield, which location you choose?" asked the Master of Strategy. The boy didn't take long to answer that one.
"The narrowest place possible, for there the difference in the numbers could not be used as an advantage" the smile on the old man's mouth got wider.
"Great, I see we have a strategic prodigy here, and now the last question. What is the first step in any battle?" the boy knew the answer to this one very well. The Master of Strategy would always finish his classes asking this question and all students would answer in unison.
"Know your enemy" the man then let out a small laugh.
"Congratulations boy you got all my questions, and you can also join my advanced class when the time comes. I look forward to see you in my classes."
With that all teachers had finished their questions, the Grand Master said goodbye to Cain and sent him out through the side door, reminding him to return in the afternoon to participate in the battle tests. While he was leaving Cain looked at Heirloc that could not hide the pride he was feeling. Seeing that he had pleased the Master Initiator the boy got happy, and he proceeded to move out of Eriel's fields with a smile.
The afternoon took a lot of time to come. Cain's anxiety caused the time to move even slower. As the other students were completing their tests the courtyard around Eriel's fields was filling with life again and the conversations began to flow around Cain. Then the long-awaited time had come. Heirloc appeared at the gate and told all candidates that the test would soon start.
Sixteen children were participating in the application this year, and during the battle tests they would face each other in a cup system. Thus, the battle for the beginner's rank would be filled.
"Hey, Cain, right?" a voice sounded behind him as he turned he saw Elion the boy he had met earlier.
"Hi Elion, how you did in the tests?" Cain asked.
"I did well, just think the Master Geographer was a little demanding, but I still qualified for all three advanced classes. And you?" asked the yellow headed boy.
"I also have classified for all three" answered Cain.
"Oh, I got one thing in my mind since we last talked. So, you grew up around here? It must have been really fun" Elion said. Cain listened to the boy already expecting what he would say.
"I cannot complain, I can always train with weapons and someone is always there to give me tips. The Masters of War let me attend their classes as long as I do not disturb and any doubts that I had I just had to go to the library" said Cain. Hearing about it Elion's eyes sparkled.
"It must have been amazing. I always dreamed of the College of War, I'll want you to show me everything if you do not mind" Elion said. Cain smiled as soon as heard the other boys request.
"I do not care as long as you tell me about the outside world, I never go out of these walls" Cain said with a little curiosity.
"We have a deal then" Elion said.
Then Heirloc reappeared at the gate.
"Kids come here. Battle tests will start now" the Master Initiator said.
"Come on" Cain said to the young blonde boy.
The two crossed the gate and found Eriel's fields loaded with weapons of all sizes and types. The Master Initiator called all the boys and girls and said that now they would have to choose their battle weaponry. He also said they should not worry because they were made of Orichalcum, a metal that did not cut or hurt, but would serve to test purposes and they soon would see why.
Cain picked the weapon which he was most familiar with, a spear with blades at both ends. He chose one that had the weight that he considered ideal and headed for the center of the arena where the Master of Weapons was located.
"Welcome everyone. Come here and catch one of the numbers in that box. The number will indicate your opponent to the first fight. I wish you all good luck" Malakin said, he then proceeded to call the candidates one by one so that they could pick a number inside of the wooden box.
When it was Cain's turn he put his hand into the small wooden box and pulled out one of the papers, number 13. When all new students had taken a number, the Master of Weapons started talking again.
"All right, now look at this board" Malakin said while pointing to the blackboard that was on his side.
"The number you have indicates you position on the bracket, and it will display your next opponent. For example, the number one and number two will face, and so on. Any questions? No? Perfect, so let's move on. One and Two continue in the center of the arena, the rest go to the stands. Master Initiator explain to them how the weapons of Orichalcum work please" the Master of Weapons went to the stands as soon as he finished talking.
Heirloc then came to the center of the arena and started speaking.
"Kids, these weapons are made of a special metal that exists only in the Forbidden Lands. It does not cut, but stuns everything it touches. This effect will serve in the battles because you will be incapacitated wherever you are hit just as if struck by a normal blade. For example, if you suffer a blow that was enough to cut off a member you will lose all control of that member for a period of 1 hour. But do not worry, we have here a solution prepared by our Master of Healing that will recover your movements instantly and you will take it in the end of each battle" at the end of Heirloc's speech the battle was about to start.
Number one was a short girl. She was lean, red-haired and blue-eyed. She was looking at her opponent, the number two, a boy who was much bigger than her in height and width. All who were watching thought the result was already set. But that's not what happened.
When the Master of Weapons shouted to start the battle, the boy ran to strike the first blow with his ax. She dodged it with stunning agility and grace, showing the several hours that she must have passed training. With a quick movement of the body, she hit the right leg of the boy with the daggers, he in turn fell to his knees. Instantly she seized the opportunity and attacked with the daggers hitting the boy's neck. The boy fainted, and his body hit the floor with a thud, which made all new students, including the girl, desperate.
The Master of Weapons told everyone that it was normal and that soon he would wake up.
'Fast and deadly, this would be a strong competitor' Cain thought. The fights were passing one by one, until finally it came to Cain.
He walked to the center of the circle, not even the sight of his opponent produced change in the boy's posture. The opponent was Marcus Queir. Marcus was the heir to the Queir family, an influential clan in the continent. Like all Queirs he was tall and his height already set him apart from the other newcomers. The boy had an ebony skin and brown eyes. At the sounding of the shout from Malakin the tall kid moved with haste towards Cain, he used a two-handed sword and quickly dealt a strong vertical blow in the direction of Cain. Swiftly he raised his spear to defend the coup and turning the stick in his hands he attacked Marcus with the blade. In turn, Marcus jumped back, dodging the blade that passed inches from his neck. The fight continued for a few minutes where no opponent seemed to have the advantage.
When one stroke a blow the other diverted or blocked. Marcus then attacked with his blade, sticking it forward like a spear. At this point everyone in the stands were already up due to the tension that was filling the air. Cain skillfully deflected the attack to his left and turned his spear vertically hitting Marcus's two arms. Due to the effect of the Orichalcum Marcus dropped the sword. Seeing the opportunity Cain attacked with the blade directly into the heart as he had learned from Heirloc. Immediately the tall young man fell to the ground unconscious. Cain had won, he had won against his first opponent, happiness overflowed into him, but he knew very well not to demonstrate it.
The fighting lasted all afternoon. Cain faced two more opponents, but none offered much resistance. Finally, he had reached the final, Heirloc seemed both impressed and proud, which made him very happy. His opponent was Adalind Ghuel, she was the girl who bore the number one. She was one of the several heirs of the Ghuel clan, one of the five most influential Clans of the continent. She had been trained since the age of four and knew very well how to handle her daggers. Cain looked at his opponent, she was a little shorter than he was, redheaded with a face full of freckles, eyes of clear blue as the purest diamond.
'She's beautiful' he thought.
Suddenly Malakin shouted and the girl took advantage of Cain's distraction at that moment and attacked quickly launching one of her daggers. The dagger missed the boy's neck by inches since he dodged to the left at the last second. When he recovered his stance, she was already on his side, she dealt a heavy blow to his right side that was unprotected because of the movement he made to deviate from the dagger. Cain protected with the center of his spear. Then with her right foot she kicked his belly, the blow was not strong, but still hurt the boy. Cain had to take a leap back to recover his strength at a safe distance. He noticed a slight smile on the girl's face before she swiftly went on the offensive again.
With a flick of his spear he pushed away his opponent and then continued forcing her increasingly into the corner of the arena with fast and sharp movements. In a fast attack Adalind knocked Cain with a low kick to his legs and retreated, the boy fell and hit his head against the floor. The fall opened a cut on his brow and the blood began to flow. Red hot liquid started to fall down Cain's forehead. He had never bled throughout his life, but this new sensation did not shake him.
The battle continued, Adalind recovered the dagger she had thrown and now had her two weapons at hand. Confident that this would be enough to unbalance the fight, she attacked the boy again. Cain defended perfectly against all her attacks. Strangely the more he bled the faster and more lucid were his movements.
With a quick movement he moved the blade of his spear and stroke at the feet of his opponent that jumped to dodge, which allowed Cain turning his body in the air to throw a kick that made Adalind fall on the ground helpless. In a split-second Cain hit her legs and arms with the blade of his weapon which left her immobilized.
"I give up!" shouted Adalind.
"Well. Congratulations Cain. You are the winner." Heirloc said.
But the boy did not appear to have listened, he raised his spear with the blade facing the neck of the girl who was on the floor, his face expressed no emotion, except for his eyes that looked like a psychopath who saw his next victim. Thus, he pulled the blade down with all the speed.
"CAIN!" the cry of the Master Initiator broke throughout the arena. The boy stopped his blade inches from the girl's neck and stepped back. He turned to the stands with a confused look and saw all the students with fear on their faces.
"End of the battles, in two days we will begin the classes. Students you will now go to your designated accommodation. Cain will stay and have a little talk with me and the Master Initiator" at the end of Malakin's words everyone left.
The whispers about the end of the battle began as the new students were leaving the arena and out of Eriel's fields. Cain was alone in the arena along with Adalind who was still on the floor and the two Masters who were treating her.
"What in the name of the Divines was this? Why did you not stop when you were given the victory?" asked the Master Initiator turning to Cain.
"I do not know Heirloc, I did not mean any harm to her. It was like my body was moving by itself, I was not thinking before acting" Cain answered in desperation.
"Stop arguing with the boy Heirloc, it is more than obvious what happened here" the Master of Weapons said.
"Is it? And what happened?" asked the Master Initiator.
"The boy's Lineage was manifested, and he lost control, it is the only explanation for what happened." Malakin finished speaking and sat Cain near him.
He prepared the boy for a conversation that would teach him about how to use his greatest weapon, and to be careful about it, because it was also his greatest weakness.