The Test

The Test

Zaile sprang into life just as Tiana touched earth. The young woman deftly cut away Kannu’s armour and with Zaile, pulled the unconscious giant onto his feet. A hobbling and visibly shaken Ferric joined them, dragging with him Euphon, the only one loudly protesting their escape.

“I can still fight,” Euphon shouted, trying to break free.

“With what?” Ferric roared in response. “I don’t even believe your Guardian has means to hurt him.”

“You don’t understand. Guardian Rondel was blessed with concealment and rejuvenation. He cannot win against that monster alone.”

Ferric stopped for a moment and fixed Euphon a hard stare.

“And how would you change that?”

Euphon fell silent. Together, they ran as fast as they could while hoisting Kannu, who showed no signs of waking any time soon. Gasping under the weight, Zaile exchanged a look with Tiana, who was also soaked in sweat.

“I’m not leaving him here,” the archer soldiered on. “Spare me.”

Despite her insistent, the enormous mass of Kannu made even the slightest incline a mountain. Each upward climb, Zaile felt his knees one step away from buckling. Every descent left him wondering whether his back would snap in half. Even with Euphon’s assistance, the journey was a crawl in the marshes.

Zaile peered back into the jungle and was reminded again of how close Solmis was. There were two lights, one brighter than the morning sun and the other darker than the night. Every now and then, he would hear the clashing of steel, sometimes accompanied by a demonic roar that could only belong to the Zunarkian.

Unable to shoulder Kannu anymore, the party laid him down against a tree. Tiana emptied her water pouch over his head and tapped him on the cheeks repeatedly. Her efforts elicited a grunt. Angrily, she gave her partner a sharp slap across the face.

“I’m awake,” Kannu groaned. “Damn woman.”

“Then get up and run with your own damn legs. Now!”

Zaile watched, incredulous, as a tree extended its root to ensnare Kannu. The large man bellowed in uncharacteristic fright, tearing at the tentacles only to provoke more wooden limbs. The three hunters rushed to his aid, hacking and slashing to no avail. Just when it seemed nothing could stop the slithering timber, Euphon dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together in prayer. The plant was still again, freed of the evil that animated it. Kannu, breathing hard, gave trunk a vengeful boot.

“What – was that?” Ferric fought hard to keep panic from his voice.

“The ghosts of Arnos Forest,” said Euphon. “There are man-eating demons hiding in these old trees.”

“You guys came here knowing that?” Kannu, face red from all the tree kicking, paused to yell at Euphon. “Has Zunark taken your senses?”

Wiping sweat from his brows, Zaile forced himself to breath and glanced backwards to see if they had gained distance from Solmis.

“Apprentices must face the heretical evils residing in this forest to turn the black collar blue,” explained Euphon. “Good thing I passed. Now move.”

The party continued to clamber through the woods with Euphon in front. The rustling and twig snapping became more frequent. Though the trees kept their distance, they were moving more boldly. Kannu looked ready to hack down every tree in sight but lacked the arms to lift his axe. Tiana, who had lent him her shoulders, drew a short sword, knowing full well how little good the short blade will be against these withered giants. Beneath her breath, she mouthed a desperate prayer repeatedly.

“Back demon!”

With a spirited cry, Euphon hoisted up his coat as if it were a shield. The blazer, still pristine white after all the ordeal, sent the walking trees shuffling back. Rather than scattering, the wooden demons formed a wall. The Apprentice, with knotted brows, muttered something beneath his breath.

“Care to give it another try?” Ferric’s question came out as a command. “I’m not squeezing through that.”

“Are you questioning my faith?” Euphon replied angrily. “I’ll have you know –’

An unholy roar from the depth of the woods cut the Apprentice short. Before terror seized the party, the demonic plants bolted. Zaile watched, jaws agape, as screeching trees sped past him, desperate to escape the source of the unearthly racket. There was, however, little time for him to marvel this bizarre sight. The stampeding forest posed a new danger, one that Euphon’s feeble Finnardian magic could do little to stop.

Amidst the discordant chorus, Zaile found himself oddly collected, his breathing leisured and thoughts clear. Compared to Solmis’s battle cry, the shrieking of animated timber was almost melodic. He peered into the darkness for an exit while sidestepping an incoming tree, narrowly missing a branch that showed him no interest. A turn of the head showed the demons were equally indifferent to his huddled party members. The realisation made Zaile seize Euphon before the Blade could break into a foolhardy sprint to outrun the eldritch horde.

Immediately, Zaile lifted his dagger and waved it at Tiana, who needed a few repetitions before she realised what he had wanted. With everyone but Ferric now holding a knife, Zaile lifted three fingers. Three. He braced himself in anticipation. Two. He stared hard at the incoming tree. One.

“Jump!”

Zaile leapt at an incoming monstrosity, punching his dagger into its trunk. He looked back to see his party doing the same, pouncing on the demon. Tiana and Euphon, unscathed and nimble, had no trouble reaching a good height. Kannu, far less graceful, hit the tree with a splat. Fortunately, his weight helped plunge the blade in, giving him the leverage needed. Injuries notwithstanding, Ferric clung on better than any of them with his claw-like fingers sinking deep into the bark. He even had time to dig more ledges for Kannu to climb up.

The passengers waited with bated breath for the ride to turn on them. When it did not sprout new limbs, Zaile turned his attention back towards the two clashing lights. Since he last checked, the golden sun had faded into a waning moon. The ominous, dark shades of blood, however, shone ever more brightly. One look at Euphon confirmed his suspicion. Rondel was going to lose.

Perhaps sensing the Zunarkian, their misshaped carriage spawned more legs to hasten its already frantic strides. In a heart-stopping moment, Zaile dangled like a bedsheet before Ferric caught his foot.

“Thanks,” Zaile said without looking at Ferric, who had taken a spot next to him.

“Sorry you had to save me,” Ferric had to yell to be heard. “Don’t think we’re getting paid this time.”

Zaile eyed Euphon.

“I suppose we could…” Ferric trailed off. “Alright, I was originally part of the armed escort business anyway. Let’s see him home safe.”

Zaile nodded and pointed below.

“He’s catching up isn’t he,” Ferric groaned. “We can’t fight the –’

A brilliant flash of light forced Ferric to shield his eyes, cutting him short. Stunning Solmis with his flare, Rondel levelled his blade with both hands and delivered a ruthless thrust so fast that Zaile caught only the vestige, causing the hunter pump his fists and cry out in jubilation. Yet, his celebrations proved premature.

Unhindered by blindness, Solmis brought his great, raven sabre in a rising sweep. Rondel backpaddled, ducking before the savage blow could slice off his face. Instead, his sword shot skywards with his two severed arms. The Guardian, fighting back the pain, vanished into thin air. Seething, Solmis let loose a barrage of insults as he hacked at the darkness, cleaving down a few screeching trees that strayed into the circle of death.

Zaile had yet finished his sigh when Rondel emerged from his invisibility to retrieve his sword with fresh arms. The two warriors exchanged a flurry of strikes with the Guardian bested again, this time losing his leg to a low sweep.

Zaile watched the duel with intense horror and fascination. Next to Solmis, Rondel was the greatest warrior Zaile had ever seen, his swordplay a dangerous beauty. Yet, his compact slashes and thrusts proved no match for the Zunarkian. Despite being burdened by a blade as long as he was tall, Solmis walked a leisurely circle, his footwork fluid and graceful. The large arcing swings, easily mistaken for the work of an undisciplined novice, answered each incoming strike with a deadly power that Rondel could not match.

Rondel remained undeterred. With each injury he suffered, the Guardian faded into obscurity to undo the harm, only to return moments later to pester Solmis once more. Zaile, however, could see the end. The intervals between each disappearance grew longer each time. Moreover, the Guardian began to resemble his uniform – bloodied, tattered and worn. Tearing his eyes away, Zaile scaled towards Euphon with desperate urgency. It was now or never.

“Coat,” Zaile extended his arms in a manner that brooked no argument.

A confused Euphon surrendered his blazer. Zaile quickly wrapped it around his head. Even in the night, his silver hair would was a dead giveaway. Satisfied with his makeshift disguise, he turned to Euphon and lifted ten fingers.

“Gold,” Zaile said.

Euphon blinked.

“Ten gold to be your decoy,” said Ferric. “If your grandfather is indeed a High Guardian, this is a bargain. What will it be?”

After a brief pause, Euphon swallowed and nodded.

“Tiana, go with the boy,” Kannu gave his partner a push. “Keep him alive.”

The woman smiled and lifted a thumb. After exchanging a look with Zaile, the two leapt towards the first tree fleeing in a different direction. Tiana spun midair, fired an arrow that predictably swerved around the intended target. The Zunarkian’s irked glare was all she needed to know that her ruse worked. Her brief moment of triumph, however, left her with no time to secure a landing. Just as she braced a rough landing, she crashed into Zaile.

“Never held a woman, have you?” Tiana managed a forced laugh. “Try being gentle next time.”

Zaile scowled, unhanded the woman, and made for the treetop to catch their next ride. As he peered left and right, he saw the brutal finale to the duel between the warriors of Finnardi and Zunark.

Eyes wide, short of breath, and quaking with rage, Solmis stared down his haggard opponent who needed to lean on his sword just to stand upright. He could not forgive himself for wasting so much time on this pathetic warrior. The miraculous amount of hurt Rondel had undone had exacted a deadly toll and now, Solmis, relished the prospect of its collection.

Solmis kicked out Rondel’s legs from under him and drove his sword down, skewering the Guardian. His victim, who had so far suffered in silence, let out a piercing scream. Cackling gleefully, Solmis stomped down on his victim to yank free his weapon and with ruthless efficiency, severed the head from the body.

A stare from Solmis convinced Zaile that if he did not escape, he would join Rondel as another headless corpse in this cursed forest. He swung onto a thicker arm of the tree and leapt for another monster trying to escape the Zunarkian terror. In his hurried state, Zaile hit the trunk at an awkward angle. Winded, he scrambled to keep his purchase. Looking up, he found Tiana had already taken such a lead that she had time to fire a salvo at their pursuer.

A few flights of trees later, Zaile finally realised why Kannu sent Tiana with him. Dainty does not begin to describe her height, speed and agility. Sometimes, he could have sworn she was flying. He pondered for whether this was her Curse for a moment before a sudden jolt hurled him off his ride.

The demonic tree screeched as black steel tore through its trunks, cleaving off its roots. Heart at his throat, Zaile plummeted towards a grinning Solmis when Tiana threw her arms around him and took to the sky. Zaile blinked as his blank head tried to process the impossible. The woman was treading thin air, as if her feet had grown wings.

“Be still!” Tiana snapped. “I only fly solo!”

The woman landed on another tree running and was immediately airborne again. With her legs pumping harder than ever, Tiana soon soared above the forest and basked in the crimson moonlight. Touching down only for a moment’s respite, the huntress continued to accelerate until the roaring wind drowned out all other sounds.

Zaile closed his eyes to the incoming gale and clung onto Tiana with his shaking hands. Just as sweat loosened his grip, they hit the ground with such speed that Zaile sailed through the air. His world spun several times as he tumbled across the ashen surface, almost causing him to puke. Groaning, Zaile remained sprawled for a moment to regain his bearing. Miraculously unhurt save for some scratches and cuts, he gingerly got to his feet and trotted over to Tiana, who lay motionless, face down. Grunting, he forced his aching body to bend down and hauled the woman upright.

“Walk?” he did his best to sound concerned.

“No,” Tiana said with a self-deprecating snort. “Can’t feel my legs, probably a good thing.”

The first thought that came to Zaile was to leave the woman. She had nothing left to offer. Angrily, he shook the thought from his head, scooped up Tiana onto his shoulder and briskly marched into the barren wilderness, preferring to take his chances with night time Freaks rather than Solmis. For once, he was glad the grey beasts stayed away.

“Dangle my head again and I’ll puke on you,” Tiana whimpered.

Zaile ignored her complaints and pressed on, determined to put Arnos as far behind him as possible. He turned his head constantly, expecting to find Solmis hot on their heels. The only movement he saw were their shadows, stretched over the lifeless earth by the scarlet moon. It was – unsettling.

“Think we lost him?” asked Tiana.

“What do you think?”

A wintry dread seized Zaile. Fixed to the spot, he quickly laid Tiana down before his legs gave out. He dared not look back for he knew the terror that awaited. Taking a deep breath, he restored some mastery over his quivering hands and wrapped them around the hilt of his dagger. He snuck a peak over his shoulders to find Solmis within twenty paces. There would be no running though, not without Tiana or a tree to carry him.

Solmis had slowed to a stroll. His eyes were Freakish red, bright with cold hate. Beneath his breath, he muttered incessantly, sending fanatical prayers to his god. The black mist enshrouding him flowed with his every step, like a living armour. His magnificent blade, bathed in the scarlet tint of the moon, looked ever more macabre. This was not the kindly preacher Zaile met in the forest. If anything, he was an abomination of the Finnardian scriptures made flesh.

The soft thudding of footsteps ceased, then broke into a thundering run. Within an instant, Solmis tore away the coat wrapped over his head. Tiana thought to reach for a weapon but curled up in fear. Zaile attempted a half-hearted stab but his trembling fingers dropped the dagger. Petrified, he closed his eyes and waited for Solmis to put him out of his misery with one clean stroke. While his body was still, his mind fled, seeking the warm refuge of home.

Ruan was the first person he thought of. Zaile welcomed this tangent. Those reading lessons felt like a distant memory now. Prim soon joined his brother. He remembered her nagging lectures and the occasions when she would feed the little ones by giving away her portion. Zaile pondered what would he say to her if given the chance.

“Godless mongrels!”

Floored by the outburst, Zaile brought a hand to chest, then to his face, and found that he was very much alive. Stealing a glance at Solmis, Zaile saw a mask of utter disgust. With a flourish and a terse prayer, the Templar sheathed his sword. This brief ritual dispersed the ebon haze clinging to him and snuffed out the baleful flare in his eyes.

“Can we…go?” Tiana sat up slowly, like a frightened child standing before a stern pedagogue.

“I defend the weak and heal the ailing,” Still seething, Solmis kicked at the dirt. “I did not become a Templar to torment women and children.”

“How convenient,” said Tiana smugly, knowing they were in no immediate danger. “This ailing maiden has badly injured her foot, you see, so if the mighty Templar could be so kind and –’

“Maiden?” Solmis raised his brow, smirking

“I’m a maiden if you’re a priest.”

Solmis grumbled something unintelligible and waved a hand at Zaile. When the boy did not respond, he shot him a dirty look.

“Get over here boy,” Solmis snarled. “I’m casting a spell and I’m only doing it once!”