Sraptor strode towards Sephir's chamber, his demeanor brimming with a sense of discipline. "It's time; we must leave for the trials," he declared. Sephir promptly opened the chamber doors, revealing herself to Sraptor. He stood there, momentarily struck by her presence. Sephir adorned a beautiful silk dress, her head adorned with a tiara woven from delicate flowers and leaves. Gentle rays of light playe
Sraptor came to Sephir's chamber with his back straight and his voice all business. "It's time. We leave for the trials."
Sephir opened the doors, and he forgot the rest of what he meant to say. She wore a silk dress, and a tiara of woven flowers and leaves sat in her hair. Light fell across a face that looked perfectly calm, though her emerald eyes gave her away; something restless moved behind them. Sraptor stared a moment too long, as though somebody had put a spell on him.
Sephir broke it by tapping his shoulder.
"So you've mastered the wind step already," he said, recovering with a smile.
She grinned. "I have."
He straightened up, determined not to be charmed twice in one morning. "Let's go, then." Sephir fell into step behind him.
The Trial Hall did not belong in heaven. It had been built from dark steel, and its enormous dome sat against the bright sky like a wound, ugly and beautiful at once. Look at it long enough and you started to feel afraid. It seemed less like a building than a monument to death and war, which was probably the point. There was one entrance. There was no crowd outside it, and none within.
Sraptor and Sephir went in through the great doors, which had been left ajar, and made their way to the registration hall.
"Anna, we're here," Sraptor called to the woman behind the counter.
"Ah. So this is the rumoured champion of the wind." Anna looked Sephir over with open admiration. "The arena is this way. The Gods have already gathered. You're to join the other champions in the waiting room."
Sephir's heart was going hard. The past few days had turned her into something she barely recognised, taught her things she had never believed herself capable of. Underneath all of it, she was still a potter's daughter.
Sraptor caught the look on her face. "Don't worry, my lady. This trial will be hard, there's no use pretending otherwise. But you've done the work. I've watched you, and I can tell you plainly that you will survive it. Victory is the part you'll have to take for yourself."
It helped more than he knew. She let his words settle and felt her resolve harden around them.
The waiting area was a bright, grand hall, nothing like the dark chamber they had walked through to reach it. Several champions had already arrived, each with a guide beside them.
"It looks like the Champion of War, the Champion of Love, and the Champion of Wisdom beat us here," Sraptor said.
"Who else is coming?" Sephir asked.
"In the first phase, champions for War, Love, Wisdom, Earth, Water, and Flame. Six more join in the second phase, for Mercy, Death, Wealth, Hunt, Lightning, and Shadow." He nodded toward Anna. "But first you need to prepare. She'll take you to your room. It connects to this hall."
Sephir followed Anna down a short corridor.
"Your attire for the Trial is inside," Anna told her. "Change, then return to your guide in the waiting area."
The clothes laid out for her were nothing like the rough, practical things she had worn all her life. She changed into a fitted black top that moved with her and cinched at the waist, cut with a neckline low enough to be striking and high enough to keep her looking like a fighter. She rolled the sleeves so her arms were free. The details had all been chosen with care, from the fine embroidery to the silver clasps, and the whole thing said something about her without a word: strength, and grace, and a body built to keep going.
When she came back, Sraptor was waiting, and the last of the champions had arrived. Anna took her place in front of the door opposite the one they had entered by.
"Champions and Guides, the Trials begin now," she announced. "As you pass into the next room, select a weapon from your God's arsenal for the trial. You will also choose a weapon for your guide. Guides, hand over everything else. Once that's done, proceed to the room assigned to you. The first phase is a test of wits, and each champion will face it alone. Those who survive will meet me again in a waiting room much like this one."
The gates behind her swung open.
"You may now proceed."
Sephir felt anticipation and determination rise together in her chest. She had gone from a potter's daughter to a champion of the wind, and whatever lay past those gates was going to ask for every bit of the strength she had built. With Sraptor beside her and the other champions filing forward, she stepped into the unknown, ready to be tested, ready perhaps to find out what her strange new abilities were really for. Whatever the Trial of Death had waiting, Sephir meant to play her part in it.
d upon her serene face, although within her emerald-green eyes, a tempestuous spirit simmered. Sraptor couldn't help but admire her. It was as though a spell had been cast upon him.
Sephir, seemingly breaking the enchantment, tapped Sraptor's shoulder. "So, you've already mastered the wind step," Sraptor remarked with a smile. A playful grin formed on Sephir's face as she replied, "I have." Sraptor, determined not to be entranced by her charm, quickly regained his composure and said, "Let's go then." Sephir fell in step behind him as they set off.
The Trial Hall stood in stark contrast to the heavenly surroundings. Constructed from dark-colored steel, its massive dome seemed incongruous yet eerily beautiful. To those who gazed upon it, it evoked a sense of fear, as if it were a monument to death and war itself. Perhaps, that was its intended purpose. A single entrance marked the way into the hall. There were no visible crowds in the vicinity or within the dome.
Sraptor and Sephir entered through the imposing doors, which had been left ajar. Inside, they proceeded to the registration hall. "Anna, we are here," Sraptor called out to the woman standing behind the counter. "Ah, so this is the rumored champion of the wind," Anna exclaimed with a hint of admiration. "This way to the arena. The Gods have already gathered there. You are to join the other champions in the waiting room."
Sephir's heart raced, and she felt a twinge of nervousness. In the past few days, she had undergone a profound transformation, learning skills and abilities she never believed herself capable of. In her heart, she was still the daughter of a humble potter.
Sraptor, sensing her unease, glanced at Sephir reassuringly. "Do not worry, my lady. This trial will indeed be filled with hardships, but you have done well. As a witness to your skills, I can assure you that you will survive this trial. As for victory, that is something you must seize for yourself." Sephir found solace in his words, and they steeled her resolve for the challenges that lay ahead.
They reached the waiting area, a grand hall that contrasted the dark main hall. A few champions were already present, each with their allocated guides. Sraptor remarked, "It seems we have the Champion of War, the Champion of Love, and the Champion of Wisdom here already." Curious, Sephir inquired, "Who are the other champions joining us?" Sraptor replied, "In the first phase, we have champions representing War, Love, Wisdom, Earth, Water, and Flame. Six more will join in the second phase, representing Mercy, Death, Wealth, Hunt, Lightning, and Shadow. But first, you must prepare. Anna here will guide you to your assigned room, which is connected to this hall."
Following Anna, Sephir reached her assigned room. Anna informed her, "Your attire for the Trial is within. Please change and return to your guide in the waiting area."
Sephir changed into a black top that defied the rustic norms of the area, molding itself to her form and cinched at the waist to accentuate her graceful silhouette. It had a subtle yet inviting neckline that hinted at her femininity without diminishing her strength. She rolled up her sleeves, allowing her arms to move freely. As she progressed towards the waiting hall, her attire told a story of resilience and adaptability, every detail meticulously chosen, from the intricate embroidery to the gleaming silver clasps. Her sleek black attire represented a harmonious blend of strength and grace.
Upon returning to the waiting room, Sephir found Sraptor waiting for her. It appeared that all the champions had assembled, signaling the imminent start of the Trial.
Approaching Sraptor, Sephir noticed that the other champions had gathered as well. It was now evident that the Trial was about to commence. Anna, standing in front of the opposite door from the one they had entered, addressed them. "Champions and Guides, the Trials will now begin. As you proceed to the next room, please select a weapon from your God's arsenal for the trial. Additionally, choose a weapon for your guides. Guides, please hand over the other weapons. Once this is done, proceed to the next room assigned to you. The first phase of the trial is a test of wits, and each champion will be tested individually. Those who survive will meet me again in a waiting room similar to this one." With her announcement, the gates behind Anna swung open, and she concluded, "You may now proceed."
As the gates to the next phase of the Trial swung open, Sephir couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and determination surging within her. Her journey from a humble potter's daughter to a champion of the wind had been extraordinary, and she knew that the challenges ahead would demand every ounce of her newfound strength and resilience. With Sraptor by her side and the company of champions, she stepped forward into the unknown, ready to face the trials that would test her mettle and, perhaps, reveal the true purpose of her remarkable abilities. Sephir was resolved to play her part, no matter what awaited her in the enigmatic Trial of Death.