Luke lunged at Valen with great speed. Valen remained still.
Luke got within range, using the inertia from his sprint and the thrust of his arm, he stabbed at Valen. Though the intent was clear, it didn't make the strike less lethal.
The spear travelled through the air with a faint whistle.
Luke displayed a great understanding of physics, using motion to make his stab faster, and hit harder.
The spear tilted upwards aiming for Valen's heart.
Then from out of nowhere, Valen's hands shot for the spear, they moved with the speed of a low potency body Zone, but his eyes remained gold.
Luke's face sank in despair seeing that. "H-how is that p-possible." Luke whispered, his eyes filled with despair his hands shaking.
The impact of the stab rustled Valen's hair, his expression remained gentle, as he released the spear.
"That was a very good strike, Luke." Valen spoke, his tone upbeat. "However, it was too obvious, but fret not I will let you take another stab at it." He laughed wholeheartedly, stepping back he continued. "This time, try to use a feint or something, to conceal your attacks." He patted Luke on the shoulder, like a teacher telling his student to keep trying.
Luke was stunned, he stood frozen his eyes wide open. This couldn't be real, everyone was battling to make it into Hexagon, yet Valen was giving him a second chance.
He reached for his spear cautiously, stepping back. 'Is he mocking me.' Luke thought. 'But that smile, it says different.'
Putting all unnecessary thoughts away, Luke raised his spear preparing for his second attempt, he leaned back. All the muscles on his right arm tightened, veins showing, he strained himself throwing the spear with everything he had and more.
The spear shot through the air, its speed unmatched by any in the second trial.
Following his launched spear Luke sprinted to Valen, ready to deliver the second attack.
Valen's eyes tracked the spear, waiting for the perfect moment to dodge.
'Now.' Valen thought, as the perfect chance presented itself.
His body moved with impressive speed as he stepped to the side, his eyes remained on the spear, as he extended his right arm grabbing it mid air.
The wooden shaft of the spear, groaned in his grip.
The entire hall was dead silent, the shock palpable in the air.
Mouths hung agape, eyes darted in shocked, breaths held in anticipation.
All the candidates bore witnesses of the spears speed, in the Zone most of them could dodge it with strained effort.
Valen dodged it outside the Zone so casually at that, and even caught it mid air.
Valen did the impossible, and went beyond it.
Valen spun the spear in his hands, placing by his side, he turned his head looking at Luke.
Luke had put his sprint to a complete stop, why wouldn't he. To him, Valen was an insurmountable wall.
Why should he keep trying when encouraged by someone he could never beat, it was no use just a simple waste of effort.
Luke turned around looking at Garvin, hands trembling from fear, shame and hopelessness, he muttered. "I... give up, sir." His voice trembling, his eyes sank deeper in despair and hopelessness.
Valen seeing the look in Luke's eyes flinched. 'I cannot be the cause of such a look.' He thought, as he walked to Luke.
Towering above him, Valen spoke his tone as polite as he could make it. "Look here, friend." Presenting Luke his spear, Valen continued. "Your journey doesn't end here, you can still be something great without joining Hexagon." His smile grew brighter. "So don't give up, and hold on to every ounce of hope you have, because only you can make your dream come true."
Listening to Valen's words, the despair and hopelessness in Luke's eyes dissipated, but still lingered.
Luke looked up at Valen's towering figure.
Valen looked down at him, a warm smile on his face. He hesitated, then took the spear out of Valen's hand. He muttered, looking down "Ok."
He gripped the spear hard, his knuckles turning white, He looked back up at Valen. "I'll keep trying I won't give up." He said, lips trembling from shame, but his resolve stronger than ever.
Valen looked at him with satisfied eyes. "Very good."
Luke turned around leaving the stage, two robots by his sides.
Garvin glanced at Valen, he smiled, nodding. "Valen Dain advances, Luke Arnich disqualified."
Valen turned around leaving the stage, as he did he felt a trickle of blood flowing down his palm, looking at it the smile on his face grew bigger.
"Look." He shouted, at Luke as he was about to leave the hall.
Luke turned around.
Valen raised his bleeding palm. "This is your spear's speed. Your great understanding of physics is your strength." Hearing his words Luke forced a smile, nodding. He turned back round and walked out the training hall.
Elsewhere in the hall, Calistis watched, her fists clenched as she stood stoic.
Her face not betraying her heart, but such couldn't be said about her eyes.
Even though her face remained passive, her eyes conveyed a great amount of anger.
Her burning gaze locked on the returning Valen however, that rage wasn't aimed at him rather at herself.
After all he faced an opponent stronger than hers and won so easier than she did . 'I have allowed the name of Zyros to be sullied again.' She thought, her anger boiling, she clenched her fist harder drawing blood.
However, no one else in the hall thought the same.
Similarly from the opposite side of the hall, Talen watched Valen return to his position however, he thought differently. 'Damn giant didn't reveal anything.'
After all, the fight between Valen and Luke only showed Valen's overwhelming supernatural strength outside the Zone, and his kind nature, nothing about his techniques.
Which was what Talen truly wanted to see, disappointed by the turnout.
Talen glanced at Calistis.
The hate Talen saw in her eyes was truly something else, it was raw and intense, and it was directed at someone.
Following her line of sight, Talen saw who that burning gaze was shot at, Valen.
"Was he her ex or something." Talen thought.
Turning his head back towards the stage, Talen awaited the fight he had been patiently waiting for.
Kestis Sol against Laura Vex.
From the moment Talen first saw Kestis, he felt something wrong, and the more he observed him the deeper that feeling went. He was dangerous, Talen didn't know why but he just knew, he was.
"Kestis Sol. Laura Vex." Garvin called out their names.
Both of them began walking towards the stage, once they were on the stage; they picked up their weapons.
Kestis's weapon was a long, thin sword that coiled like a snake, it's edges reflecting the lights in the hall, a testament to how sharp they were.
Laura on the opposite side picked up a standard Rapier, she clenched it in her fist, her innocent yet broken eyes nervous, their shine reflecting Kestis's maniacal grin.
Garvin took a step back, glancing at both fighters. "Fight."
Immediately both candidates went into the Zone.
Kestis had a mind zone, the most potent one seen all day. Laura also had a mind zone hers was average.
They lunged at each other. Kestis's grin growing more unhinged, seeing it Laura clenched her rapier tighter.
Soon Laura got in range. She took a stance stabbing at Kestis, the rapier's slender blade whistled through the air.
Kestis's eyes tracked the rapier, as it approached his body.
He waited for it, in his own patient way.
Jumping at the perfect moment, Kestis moved his entire body like a snake around the rapier. His face drew increasingly closer to Laura's, the grin on it turning ghoulish, reflecting off Laura's eyes.
With Kestis's unhinged face next to hers, Laura was terrified, her grip on the rapier trembled, she gulped hard, preparing for the end of the match, she had already given up.
However, Kestis did nothing, instead his body slithered away from Laura's, his grin reverted back to its maniacal form.
Taking a steps back, Kestis created sufficient space between them,
Raising his hand, he signalled at Laura to attack again however, there wasn't any arrogance behind it, or mocking. Rather, it was a predator playing with its prey.
Seeing this Laura didn't feel any shame, resentment or hurt pride, just nostalgic fear.
This was a sight she had reluctantly grown accustomed to.
And as usual Laura wanted to run away, however, no matter how much she wanted to turn and run, no matter how terrifying Kestis was he was nothing compared to the fear of being alone, because failing didn't only mean Laura couldn't join Hexagon but also she was going to be turned.
She clenched her rapier harder, her hands trembling, she gulped down her fear. 'This is my only chance.' Laura thought, remembering Alice's scream she lunged at Kestis.
Seeing her lunge at him, Kestis smiled a wicked smile. 'I simply cannot resist breaking down these trash, it is truly the joy of a lifetime.' He thought, his smile turning feral.
Then he too lunged.
As the two lunged at each other, Laura got in range, this time she slashed at Kestis diagonally.
Kestis tracked the slash, and at the perfect moment he twisted his body to dodge it however, that wasn't the end of Laura's attack.
She pulled back her slash as fast as she could, then she went in for a stab.
With the position Kestis body was in, and the stab's speed it was impossible even for Kestis to dodge at least Laura thought it was.
'This might wo-' However, before Laura could finish that thought, Kestis moved again twisting his body like rubber.
He dodged it.
He slithered around Laura's rapier again.
This time he attacked.
Kestis's face now next to Laura's, he whispered into her ears, his sword wrapped around her neck. "No matter how much you try, you know you can never make it." His hot breath burning her ears.
His taunting words etching the fear deeper into Laura.
Those words shattered everything in Laura, her grip on the rapier was gone, the trembling gone, the innocence in her eyes. Everything was shattered.
Kestis left his sword tightly wrapped around her neck, until blood began trickling down it.
Seeing that a satisfied smile appeared on Kestis face, he pulled his sword back, as soon as he did Laura fell to her knees, her eyes dead.
"Kestis Sol advances. Laura Vex disqualified." Garvin announced, his tone heavier.
With that, two robots approached the kneeling Laura and began escorting her out of the hall.
Similarly Kestis turned around and returning to the 6 candidates below the stage.
The fight left everyone in the hall disturbed, even Garvin.
The fight lasted only 3 minutes yet Kestis had managed to completely break down a candidate, in those 3 minutes.
As Kestis returned two pairs of eyes tracked him.
Talen's eyes fixed were on Kestis's.
What was previously just a feeling was now tangible. 'He doesn't just fight, he breaks his opponent from the inside. At the very least I know he isn't that strong.' What Kestis did was truly terrifying, but to people like Talen with no emotion for him to use, he was useless.
Talen turned his gaze to Calistis, her eyes still fixed on Valen, nothing changed. 'Is this her way of showing love.' Talen thought.
Turning his head to valen, he saw a look he never thought he would see in Valen's eyes. Anger, in the eyes of the gentle giant. "I've seen it all."
On top of the stage Garvin stood, his eyes scanning the 6 candidates that passed the 2nd trial, he spoke his tone grim. "Time for your second trial." He turned around walking. "Follow me."