The first thing Celeste and Marjo did when they entered the fifth hall was to check their surroundings. A raised platform in the middle of a hall served as a ring. Next to the ring stood several racks that contained different weapons. Swords, spears, maces, axes and many more. On the room's left and right side were Anxoyals and Keristians in white robes. They were the judges who would watch every fight and later decide who would be allowed to become an Anxoyal.
There were benches close to the entrance. Celeste and Marjo didn't hesitate to sit on the right-most bench; the left-most bench was already full. They sat there doing nothing but regarding the judges while waiting. Celeste turned her head to Marjo when he tapped her on the right shoulder. "Look, your mother is here."
Celeste's gaze fell on the door on the opposite side of the hall; her heart started to beat faster as she recognized her mother, who looked as stunning as ever. Her mother was a natural beauty, probably the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Her long hair looked like it was spun of gold fibres, her fair skin was unblemished, and her golden shining eyes were vivid. Full bronze lips, high cheekbones and her thin, straight nose perfected her face. Her armour was pure golden, forged with rare, sturdy materials. Her silver, feathered wings were folded.
Celeste felt her nervousness increase when her mother's expecting gaze fell on her. A gaze she knew pretty well but had not gotten used to in all the years. The blonde knew her mother expected her to pass this trial. As a member of the Nine, she had high expectations of her daughter.
"You can do this, Celeste. I believe in you," Marjo whispered into her ear. His voice sounded comforting.
Celeste nodded but said nothing in return. She stared at her mother, who returned the stare. Her mother stopped a few inches from the edge of the ring, and her gaze wandered to the instructor assigned to the hall. It was a female Keristian with short red hair. What stuck out the most of her looks was her crooked nose. Apart from that, she looked like an average Keristian woman. The woman introduced herself as Instructor Lavein. She requested the first candidate to enter the ring.
The first candidate was a bald man whose leather armour looked like it had seen better days. Quiet laughter erupted among the spectators, but a stern look from Celeste's mother was enough to silence them. The candidate was asked which weapon he preferred. He chose a sword and a shield, receiving them as soon as he had spoken out the words. The judges didn't want to waste time. Celeste's mother announced the beginning of the battle, and both participants did not hesitate long to get moving.
Instructor Lavein's weapon of choice was a double-handed sword. Neither weapon was a training weapon, meaning they were not blunt. They were sharp. In Celeste's opinion, the bald man did well. He was not able to defeat the instructor, but he was able to hit her armour at least a few times. He parried some of her attacks and dodged some but got hit in return.
Celeste didn't know Instructor Lavein's true power, but she was certain she was holding back. It was a trial, after all, and not a fight for life and death. Ultimately, Lavein managed to disarm her opponent and send him to the ground, holding her sword against his throat to force him to surrender. The man did, and Lavein helped him up, telling him he fought well.
A few more candidates followed until it was Celeste's turn. She stepped into the ring, looking at Marjo one last time before she went to the middle. Her gaze shifted to her mother, who still regarded her with an expectant expression. But that didn't unsettle her. Her heart was still rapidly beating in her chest; her skin tingled. She was nervous, but not that nervous that she couldn't form a clear thought.
She took a deep breath and faced Instructor Lavein. "Which weapon do you prefer?"
Celeste's eyes wandered to the weapon racks. "I prefer the spear."
"So be it."
A man picked a spear from the weapon rack and brought it to Celeste, who took it from him. The spear was taller than her, the tip was sharp, and the shaft was solid hardwood. Overall, it was a solid spear. She balanced it in her hand, swinging it around to figure out its weight.
"I'm ready if you are," she said to Lavein. She looked at her mother again, who raised her hand above her head and formed a fist. That was the signal to begin.
Lavein remained on her spot and looked closely at Celeste, who did the same. None of them made the first step for several minutes; all they did was walk in circles, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Celeste eventually lost patience and made the first move, thrusting her spear forward. As expected, Lavein jumped to the side, avoiding the elongated weapon altogether. She wanted to take advantage of the small time window she had just bought and step closer to Celeste, but the blonde was faster with the spear than expected. She swung her spear to the side, hitting Lavein's left hip with the shaft. If the instructor was surprised, she didn't show it.
Celeste moved the spear away from her opponent's body and made an enormous leap backwards, thrusting her spear forward again. Lavein blocked the attack with her sword, pushing the spear's tip away from her body so that it hit nothing. This time, Lavein was able to make use of the time window and leapt forward, landing not far away from Celeste.
She charged forward and swung her sword. Celeste reacted quickly, moving her spear around to block her attack with the shaft. She managed to repel the attack and cause Lavein to stagger backwards. She swung her spear again, hoping to hit Lavein again. Unfortunately, the instructor had found her balance again quicker than expected. She managed to catch the shaft with her right hand, holding it tightly. Celeste tried to snatch the weapon from her opponent's hand with all her strength, but unfortunately, she did not succeed.
Lavein didn't let go of her spear; on the contrary, she even pulled on it. With a strong pull, she managed to snatch the spear out of Celeste's hands, disarming her that way. She now had two weapons while Celeste had none, but instead of using both weapons against Celeste, Lavein threw the spear far behind her. She sprinted towards Celeste and executed a quick swing, grazing Celeste's left hip as she tried to dodge the attack.
Fortunately, the armour protected her. Her undershirt could be seen through the freshly created slit, but she was not wounded. Lavein attempted to hit her again, but Celeste dodged the attack. A third swing followed, but the blonde caught the redhead's forearm with both hands, holding it in place. Lavein swung her empty hand, trying to punch Celeste, but the blonde woman turned her upper body to the side at the very last moment. Celeste couldn't use her arms to attack her opponent, but she still could make use of her legs.
A painful cry escaped Lavein's lips as Celeste's left foot came in contact with her right knee. She howled out loudly as she was kicked again. The pain that rushed through her body didn't stop her from attacking in return. She managed to execute a swift punch, hitting Celeste's jaw. The pain stunned her and caused her to loosen the grip on Lavein's forearm. With force, Lavein managed to free her arm, but before she could swing her sword again, Celeste deeply buried her foot in her stomach. The air in her lungs was pushed out, and the pain she felt stunned her.
Celeste was aware of the short time window she had just gained. She could turn the fight in her favour if she would make things right. She could also sprint to her spear and pick it up, but she decided to take advantage of the situation instead of going for the weapon she felt comfortable with.
She jumped forward and tackled Lavein with such force that both landed on the hard floor. Celeste landed on her side, but she didn't get hurt. She got up quickly, and her gaze fell on Lavein's sword, which had dropped out of her hand when she had landed on the floor. She rushed over to the weapon and picked it up; her gaze wandered to Lavein, who was still lying on the floor. The distorted expression on her face let Celeste assume that she had hit her head on the floor when falling. Celeste knew better than to hesitate. She rushed to her opponent and held the tip of the sword in front of her throat, regarding her with a strict look on her face.
She kept her eyes on her opponent, knowing better than to avert her gaze to look at the judges or her mother. She had done that a few times in the past, resulting in the loss of some sparring matches. Believing oneself to be the winner before the judges declared the winner was a common mistake that sometimes led to defeat.
Celeste was not a novice; she was a skilled and experienced fighter. She had seen and experienced a lot in her one-hundred and fifteen years. She knew how important it was to keep an eye on her opponent at all times. She stared at her opponent, but besides slightly shifting on the ground, Lavein did nothing else. It seemed she hit her head badly. One of the judges stood up from their chair and approached Celeste. They grabbed one of her hands and lifted it above her head. "I declare Celeste Featherwind as the winner of this match. She did not only keep up with Instructor Lavein but also defeated her. Well done, child."
Celeste smiled at the woman. "Thank you."
The judge stretched her hand out and helped Lavein up. "Are you okay, Instructor?"
"Not really... My head is spinning."
The judge wrapped her arm around Lavein's waist and supported her. "I will escort you to the benches; you must rest."
"But the trials," Lavein protested.
"Another Instructor can take over until you feel well again," the judge replied, escorting Lavein to the benches.
Celeste watched them, turning her head when she heard quiet footsteps behind her. "Well done, my dear," her mother said to her. Her angelic voice was pleasant to hear. She didn't sound strict; the expression on her face told Celeste that her mother was pleased by the outcome of the fight. She even seemed proud. "I knew you would pass the trial."
"Well, it wasn't announced yet whether I passed the trial, Mother," Celeste replied.
"You almost knocked out your opponent, a battle-hardened instructor. She might only be a Keristian, but Lavein is a powerful warrioress nevertheless. You were the only one who defeated her so far. On this day, at least. There is no way they will not accept you." Her mother leaned forward, bringing her mouth close to Celeste's ear. "Not to mention that the Nine have the last saying in the selection of the candidates."
Celeste said nothing in return as her mother pulled back. She turned her head and looked at Lavein, noticing that a doctor was taking a closer look at the back of her head. She was escorted out of the room a few moments later. "Who will fight against the other candidates now that she left?"
"That's a good question, my dear."
"I could," a voice behind them said. Celeste and her mother turned around a moment later, looking at the person who had just spoken to them.
It was a tall, handsome man in golden armour. But it was not just an ordinary golden armour. It was the most magnificent armour Celeste had ever seen. It looked costly with all its decorative elements, engraved symbols and other adorations. Celeste had seen many armours whose only purpose was to look good, but something told her that this armour's purpose was not only to impress others. She was sure it would also protect its owner in any battle.
Her gaze wandered from the impressive suit of armour to the man's face. A pretty handsome face. Probably the most attractive masculine face she had ever seen. A face with golden eyes, untainted pale skin, and finely defined facial features. His long, platinum hair reached his shoulders and was combed to the left.
Celeste had never seen that man so close before, but she still knew who he was. She only knew of one Anxoyal with feathered wings covered in splendid golden armour.
"What are you doing here, Superion? Aren't you supposed to be in hall one?" Celeste's mother asked.
Superion's lips formed a small smile. "Well, yes, but the candidates in hall one are not very...how do I say it without sounding mean? They are not very...promising... That's why I went to this hall to see if the candidates here are more promising."
"Too bad you missed my daughter's fight."
"I didn't, Helen. I saw how she showed that washed-up Keristian her place."
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Washed-up? Instructor Lavein belongs to the most experienced instructors of the academy. She participated in many wars and led the Sixth Legion during the Great War. She scored many victories back then if you remember. She is a powerful warrior."
Superion didn't seem to be impressed by Helen's words. "She WAS a powerful warrior. She no longer is. These days, she is only good at teaching. The Vanguard can no longer make use of her; that's why she became an instructor."
Helen crossed her arms in front of her chest. "She was your friend. How dare you speak so badly about her?"
"Was," Superion repeated. "I'm not friends with weaklings who are not fit to be in the Vanguard. She is not even fit to be an instructor if she gets her ass wiped by a contender."
"The contender you are speaking about is my daughter. My blood runs through her veins. She is a powerful warrioress who has great potential. She is not a contender. She is probably the most promising of this year."
Superion couldn't help but smirk. "Whatever you say, Helen. I believe your judgement as one of the Nine."
Helen said nothing in return. All she did was regard him with narrowed eyes.
Superion cleared his throat. "Shall I step in for Lavein or not?"
"I don't think it's fair for the other candidates. Celeste and those before her only had to fight an instructor. Fighting a member of the Nine is a completely new story. Even if you hold back, it's still unfair."
"Life is unfair, Helen. The whole world is unfair. It doesn't hurt to let the candidates know that nothing is fair in this world. This way, they are prepared at least a little for what awaits them outside Teneria. Behind the borders of our glorious kingdom where all evil lurks around and waits for victims."
"Nevertheless, it is not your right to fight against these candidates. Only instructors are allowed to test them," Helen explained.
Superion tilted his head a little, and a curious look appeared in his eyes. "What if I step in the ring and request the next candidate to step up? Will you stop me?"
Helen bit her bottom lip softly. "Don't make this any harder, Superion. I do not have the time or desire to fight with you."
"Spoilsport. I don't mind a comparison of strength. We haven't done that in a long time."
"If you are up to a sparring match, we can do that another time, but not in public."
Superion sighed loudly. "How boring." He left without saying another word, leaving a frowning Helen and a confused Celeste behind.
"What was that?" Celeste asked.
"Don't mind him. Sometimes, he can be a little...difficult."
"I understand what you mean," replied Celeste.
"Don't say that while he is around," her mother advised. "You don't want to get on his bad side. Trust me."
"Seems that father didn't exaggerate when he told me stories about Superion."
"Your father and Superion have a long history together. They never got along very well. I often asked your father what their problem was, but he always avoided that question or only told me vague arguments about why they didn't like each other. I gave up after the fifth time he refused to give me a straight answer to my question."
"Something bad must have happened if Father refuses to speak about it."
Helen shrugged. "Either that or your father is too proud to admit that he might have been the one who messed things up between them. Who knows?"
"You think it was him who messed up?" Celeste asked, surprised.
"It's a possibility. I believe that neither of them is entirely innocent of the matter. As you might know, your father can be very stubborn sometimes. He is not the stereotypical alpha male like Superion, but he can sometimes be difficult to deal with. Let's put it that way."
A thoughtful look could be seen on Celeste's face. She was silent, not knowing what to say.
Helen put a hand on her shoulder as she saw her expression. "Hey, I didn't say he is a bad person; on the contrary, he is a good person, and I love him. I just wanted to tell you that he is not perfect. No one is. Everyone makes mistakes. Your father is no exception. The only one who claims to be perfect is Superion. But not even he is."
"What do you mean exactly?" Celeste asked interested.
Helen gave her a small smile. "You will find out once you know him better. Once you become an Anxoyal, you will be around him occasionally. You will spend more time with the Nine and fulfil their orders. You will receive orders from us or other Anxoyals superior to you."
Celeste nodded. "I see."
Helen averted her gaze from her daughter, looking at the entrance behind her. "That must be the instructor that will take over for Lavein."
Celeste turned her head, looking in the direction her mother was looking. The instructor was a bald man whose face was marked by several scars, and an eyepatch covered his left eye. He introduced himself as Instructor Gelvin.
Celeste and her mother left the ring and waited for Gelvin to request the next candidate to come. All remaining candidates were tested one by one; none managed to defeat the instructor, but most fought well. Marjo had struggled to keep up at the beginning of his fight but then he had managed to hit his opponent a few times in return. The judges had ended his fight after fifteen minutes and announced a draw.
Marjo seemed happy when he left the ring and walked to Celeste and her mother. He was breathing heavily; sweat was running down his forehead. "You were great, M," Celeste complimented.
Marjo's lips formed a small smile. "Thanks, Cel. I fear I would disgrace myself in front of you, your mother and everyone else. I'm glad I didn't."
"You can be proud of yourself, Marjo," Helen said. "You did better than most of the candidates in this hall."
His smile became wider. "I just hope my performance was good enough. I want to become an Anxoyal so badly."
"I'm sure the judges' decision will please you."
"I hope so."
"Marjo was the last candidate; that means we can leave the hall now," Helen said.
"When will they announce the results?" Celeste asked her mother.
"Tomorrow."
"Not sure if I will be able to get much sleep tonight. I will be so nervous."
Helen smiled at her but said nothing in return. She pointed at the exit, signalling Celeste and Marjo to follow her. They did as they were told and left the room with her.