It was finally the long and anticipated fifth round of the trials, and the atmosphere crackled with excitement and tension. Kenneth stood near the back of the training room, her heart racing, as she wondered how many rounds they would need to complete today.
Since the start of the screening, the Ventures never told the participants how many rounds in total they would be competing in. From what Kenneth heard from the others, two years ago, the screening had a total of five rounds, while in the previous years, the average was about four rounds. It was possible this could be their last round, but it was more likely not the case, and Kenneth was willing to bet they'd have to go through at least two more.
As she watched a couple of the combatants warming up, she couldn't help but overhear a few of them talking.
"Apparently we're going to get to use weapons today." One of them said.
"Really? Where did you hear this?"
"I have a friend who knows someone who participated one year, and apparently in one of the rounds they had to fight using their weapons."
The other participant raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Isn't that a little dangerous? What if someone gets hurt?"
The person shrugged. "No one has gotten seriously injured so far so who knows? But I guess it makes sense for them to want us to fight with weapons to see how good we really are with them."
Just then, the Ventures entered the room and made their way towards the platforms once again.
The announcer this time was a dark haired boy with wavy here. He regarded the participants briefly before starting. "Welcome to the fifth round. Today's round will be a little different compared to the previous ones. You will be fighting with you weapon of choice,"
He said and after saying those words, the room turned into a weapon's treasure trove with tables filled with various weapons.
Kenneth's eyes gleamed with excitement as she saw the rows of dagger lined up in front of her, but frowned in disappointment when she saw there wasn't any guns or automatic weapons displayed.
What a shame.
"You will all get to pick a blade of your choice and face of against each other using a list we've curated based off of your skill levels thus far." He continued to explain.
Whispers filled the room as the participants theory was finally confirmed. They were indeed going to have a sword fight of sorts.
"Let's not waste any more time, and begin." Miles said.
*
The fights then began without a hitch with only a few suffering from injuries, though they were quite minor. It was finally her turn, and as she stepped into the ring, she could feel everyone's eyes on her. This would be the first time she'd be fighting with a weapon in front of this many people besides her PTC course. As she grabbed her weapon of choice—a long dagger, she swung it around, getting a better feel of it.
It was made out of a smooth metal, its design simple and compact, making it easier to wield.
The spectators were surprised that she chose a dagger over a traditional sword like most of the other participants did. Alicia eyed her curiosity as she took in her every move with great intensity.
Kenneth took a deep breath, centering herself as she faced her opponent. The signal to begin echoed, and Troian advanced, a predatory gleam in her eyes.
Troian Calvalho stood at roughly six feet tall with dark brown skin and beautiful black braids tied back in a low bun with two shorter braids framing her face. Unlike the typical tactical uniform of a long-sleeved shirt and black cargos, she wore a fitted black-grey t-shirt with cargos.
Her hazel eyes were piercing, set above a tall, narrow nose and full lips that formed a polite smile when she stepped inside the ring as she observed the crowd of students spectating the match. However, the smile on her pretty face faded when she caught Kenneth's gaze.
Kenneth knew immediately that Troian was unlike any opponent she had faced since arriving here. She was grateful she had gone to get a message from the spa the other day sensing she would need to give her all in this upcoming fight.
The buzz of anticipation from the watching students echoed off the stone walls as Lucien and the other ventures observed silently from their elevated seats.
"It's pretty brave of you to take part in the selection as a first year," Troian rumbled, her voice deep and resonant. "But I have to admit that you've put up a decent fight so far. I hope you make fighting you worth my while."
Kenneth bowed her head out of respect, her muscles tensed with readiness. "It's an honour to spar with you. " was all she said.
With a sudden blur of movement, Troian lunged forward, her sword swinging. Kenneth sidestepped gracefully, her dagger slashing out in a swift arc.
Troian blocked with her blade, the impact sending a shockwave through the arena. Grunts and cheers erupted from the spectators as the two fighters circled each other, carefully guarding their defences and probing for weaknesses.
Troian's attacks were relentless, each blow packed with enough force to crack stone. Kenneth danced around her, darting in and out of range with precision honed from years of training. Yet, Troian's strength was undeniable; each clash left Kenneth feeling the strain in her muscles and the impact rattling her bones.
"Hmm, not bad," Troian admitted, a hint of respect colouring her words as they clashed again, locked in a deadlock of strength versus skill.
Kenneth gritted her teeth, her mind racing as she searched for an opening. Troian's size and power gave her the upper hand in close combat, but Kenneth knew her agility and technique were her greatest assets. She ducked under a sweeping slash, spun on her heel, and drove her dagger towards Troian's side with all her might.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to slow as the dagger's tip grazed Troian's ribs, drawing a thin line of blood. The arena fell silent, the only sound the harsh breaths of the combatants.
Troian staggered back, surprise flashing across her face before it settled into a scowl.
"Impressive," she acknowledged, wiping blood from her side. "But don't think for a second that you've won."
With renewed vigor, Troian launched herself at Kenneth, a whirlwind of attacks and kicks. Kenneth parried and dodged, her movements fuelled by determination. She felt exhaustion creeping in, her body protesting against the strain of the prolonged battle.
In a desperate move, Kenneth feinted left and dove right, sweeping Troian's legs out from under her. As Troian crashed to the ground, Kenneth pounced, pinning her opponent with the tip of her dagger at Troian's throat.
The crowd erupted into applause as Miles stepped forward to declare Kenneth the winner. Troian chuckled hoarsely, raising a hand in acknowledgment of Kenneth's victory.
Kenneth withdrew her dagger, her chest heaving with exertion and adrenaline. Relief washed over her, mingled with a bittersweet sense of accomplishment. She looked down at Troian, who met her gaze with a mix of admiration and amusement.
"You fought well," Troian said, her voice rough with exertion. "For a first year."
Kenneth nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you. You pushed me harder than anyone." She admitted.
Kenneth sighed inwardly, as she felt a great sense of urgency at the end of the round. She really needed to her stronger because opponents like Troian or even stronger were going to be taking part in the Trials and if she was the fight the way she was now, she wouldn't be able to survive.
"Congratulations on passing the final round Kenneth Greywater," Miles said bringing Kenneth out of her negative thoughts.
"With this, we can mark the end of the round—"
"WAIT!" A loud voice called, cutting Miles off.
Everyone's attention was directed towards the platform as Eiden leaned near the edge, a pretentious smile on his face. His ruby eyes narrowed on Kenneth as he titled his head to the side, evil thoughts brewing in his mind.
Miles frowned as he looked up at him. "What is it?"
Eiden left his spot on the platforms as he attempted to make his way down to the battlegrounds.
Herys however had different plans as he stood up, blocking his path.
Eiden looked at him questioningly as Herys looked down at him shaking his head. "No,"
"No?"
"You promised you wouldn't do this Eiden! The girl won fair and square, what reason do you need to go down there?!" Herys protested.
"I don't remember making a promise like that," He said his eyes glowing.
Herys gazed into his eyes and could tell Eiden was already far gone and there was no way he could reason with him. But that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
"Eiden please, just sit down. You don't need to fight her." He pleaded.
"Herys, you're acting like I'm going to kill the girl. I just want to test her, see if she really is worthy of participating in the trials. If she passes, then that's great but if she doesn't...well, there's always next year. Oh wait, I guess she'll have to wait two years before then." He said with a smile.
"Now kindly get out of the way." Was all he said as he stood there patiently waiting for Herys to move.
Herys' eyes widened as he stared at his friend then looked back at the others who looked like they wanted nothing more but to leave. Letting out a heavy sigh, Herys stepped out of the way, letting Eiden pass.
Reaching the battlegrounds in a matter of seconds, Kenneth and Lucien were now face to face, staring at a content Eiden who's smile seemed to deepen.
"You heard all that right little one? Now it's time to prove your worth."