The Trials - Chapter one
#1 of The Trials
This was my first submission to Yiffstar.com, before it became SoFurry.com and apparently did not get transferred in the change. so I am resubmitting it on this website.
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The Trials
Chapter 1 ~ The Journey Begins
Clangs echoed through the hallways as Dark and Fenix sparred with their blades. Dark whipped his eight foot long weapon through the air, runes and kanji glowing bright blue, and disarmed Fenix.
"That's what, seven to two?" asked Dark, smiling as the fox walked over to pick up his sword.
"Yes, it seems that my student has surpassed his master," Fenix joked, "by the way, Dark, what is that weapon you used today, it looks like an oversized broadsword crossed with a log. It's as tall as I am, and almost as wide as you are."
"Ah, this is my newly forged zweihander, I went out of my way to get my hands on some of the metals for it. I also saw some of the other Blade master's to request each inscribe some runes and kanji of power into the blade and cross guard. It can‘t be damaged and is lighter than any other blade the same size." Dark stated, smiling at his sword.
"Ah, so what do you call your new blade?" Fenix queried.
"Honestly, I've not named it yet. I want to use it in battle first, and let it earn a name." came Dark's reply.
"I see..." Fenix said, trailing off as he sheathed his sword, "Perhaps we should cool off after such an intense, and prolonged sparring session?"
Dark nodded in agreement, a swim would do him some good, and he was panting heavily from who knows how many hours of sparring with his master. They left the sparring hall, side by side, in silence, and made their way to the river that ran just outside the walls of the Ebon Temple. Putting their weapons on a group of large, flat rocks, they stripped their leather sparring gear off and dove into the cool mountain water. They swam around, enjoying the way the water swirled around them, and through their fur. After spending a while in the water, they felt refreshed and ready for more sparring. It was nearing nightfall, however, so they decided it was time to head to their rooms and rest. They quickly made their way to the rocky shore of the river and walked over to where they had left their clothing and weapons. Dark quickly put his sparring gear back on and picked up his blade, and looked over at his master, waiting for him to put the rest of his gear back on. He stood there, and watched Fenix finish putting on his sparring gear, every single muscle accentuated by the leather, the color of which complimented his master's fur. Fenix's fur was a glorious autumn orange and creamy white, with his feet, lower arms, and tips of his ears as black as night.
"Do you need something, Dark?" Fenix asked, noticing that his pupil was watching him intently.
"Uh, no master, I was merely lost in thought, that's all." Dark answered, startled.
"Very well then, shall we head back now?" Fenix said as he picked up his blade, having finished putting his sparring gear back on.
"Yes, master, it's nearly night and I wish to polish my new blade before I go to sleep." Dark replied, holding up his new blade and smiling.
The two then walked back around the wall of the temple, and through the massive ebony doors at the entrance. Once inside they went their separate ways, Fenix walked off into the Blademaster's quarters, near the sparring hall, and Dark went the opposite way, into the apprentice's housing. Slowly making his way through the small houses, where the other apprentices were most likely tending to their equipment or sleeping, Dark wondered how long he would remain an apprentice at the temple. He'd been there since his parents had been killed when he was still very young, and was adopted as an apprentice by Fenix. He had trained every day since then, hoping that one day he could become a Blade Master and avenge his parents deaths.
Ten years had passed since that night, but he still had nightmares of his parents' being killed in front of his eyes. He pushed the thoughts out his mind as he came to the hut which he stayed in, and opening the door, he walked inside. Setting his sword on a polishing stand he kept near his armour case, he took a silk polishing cloth from a drawer in the dresser by his bed and set to work, making the blade and cross guard shine as if they were made of crystal. He stood up, admiring his work, and set the blade on a couple of mounted brackets by his armour case, before removing his sparring gear and putting it away in it's proper place. Dark then walked over and laid down on his bed, and closed his eyes, before falling asleep. His rest was uneasy, and plagued by dark memories of the night his parents had been slain, and the fear he had felt then. As he tossed in his sleep, one of the other apprentices entered his hut and attempted to wake him, poking his restless form.
"Brother Wolfe, the Blade Masters ask that all apprentices meet in the ceremony chamber." He said, as Dark sat up and looked at him.
"They also want all of us to wear our dress armor, so try to look presentable."
"Fine, I'll be there in no more than thirty minutes." Dark said, stretching, as the apprentice left. Slowly getting out of bed, Dark lit a candle and walked over to his armor case, took out his dress armor, and began putting it on.
"I hate having to put my dress armor on..." Dark sighed, "it takes so long and then I have to make sure everything is where it should be."
When he was done putting the armor on, he walked over to the mirror by his bed, checking his reflection to see if everything was in it's proper place, no piece of decorative plate mail out of place or missing. Satisfied that his armor was as it should be, he stood there, taking in how the armor seemed to blend with his black fur, aside from the odd silver streaks in his fur, the silver trimmed shoulder pieces, the crimson kanji on his gauntlets shining in the candlelight, and the crimson crest on his breastplate seeming to glow in the moonlight that shone through the small window by the doorway. He looked up to see the state of his hair, and was stunned to see how messy it was. He quickly took a brush from the dresser next to his bed, and started straightening his long, black hair, revealing the crimson highlights. Dark normally left his hair unkempt, but the apprentice had made it sound like he needed to look nice, so the mess and tangles had to go. Giving his tail a quick brushing to smooth out the bushy mess of fur, he put the brush back on the dresser.
As he was about to leave to go to the ceremony chamber, he grabbed his sword and sheathed it, thinking he may need it later on, and that it went well with his dress armor. Dark quickly made his way to the ceremony chamber, taking care not to kick up too much dust so as to keep his armor from looking tarnished when he arrived. He strode through the doorway, and bowed before the Blade Masters, before taking a seat a few feet back, with the other apprentices, also wearing their dress armor, though none had armor as nice as that of Dark's.
"Well, it seems the last apprentice has finally decided to show up," Said one of the older Blade masters, sounding rather annoyed, "now let us begin."
"Once every few years, when an apprentice has shown true promise," Began the eldest Blade master, a red dragon named Illiana, " we send that apprentice on a journey, to acquire a blessing from each of the guardians of the six elements, and some of those apprentices do not return from it. Tonight, the Blade masters and I have decided that one of the apprentices here has earned that privilege. Dark Wolfe, please stand. You have been chosen to leave on this journey. Also, in your special case... considering the circumstances leading up to your becoming an apprentice here, we have decided that you have to come to terms with your past. You may do this either by seeking out the ones that caused the pain in your life, or you may see the spirit healer who lives far away, and beg her assistance in ridding you of your pain. Should you choose to embark on this quest, you will be allowed only to take your weapon, your armour, and a few supplies with which to keep yourself healthy."
Had he heard right? Had the Blade Masters chosen him as the one apprentice who was worthy of enduring the trials to become a Blade Master? Slowly he stood, unsure whether he had heard right, and bowed.
"Do you wish to attempt this quest, quite possibly risking your life by doing so?" Asked Illiana, looking at Dark intently.
"Y-y-yes, B-Blade Master Illiana, I-I do." Dark said, stuttering slightly from a mix of shock and anticipation.
"Very well then, at the first light of dawn, your quest shall officially begin. The Blade Master that trained you shall come to your quarters and inform you where the guardian you wish to visit first dwells."
Dark bowed again, showing that he understood. The rest of the apprentices stood up and bowed as well, before they all left to return to their quarters. Leaving only Dark and the Blade Masters in the ceremony chamber.
"You should head to your quarters as well, to prepare for your journey." Illiana said to Dark, as she and the rest of the Blade Masters left. Dark walked back to his hut, still in shock that they had chosen him and not one of the other senior apprentices. He walked inside to find that Fenix was sitting on his bed, waiting for him.
"Well, Dark, you've finally been chosen. Your training up to this day has been for this purpose, to venture out on your quest to become one of us. One of the Blade Masters." stated Fenix, smiling proudly.
"Yes, all my hard work and perseverance has finally paid off, it seems." Dark replied, also smiling.
"Well then, which guardians location shall I reveal to you? The guardian of shadow, light, fire, water, earth, or wind?" Fenix asked, adopting a more serious tone, though he was still very proud of his pupil.
"I'll be visiting the Guardian of Shadow first, since the realm of shadows is where I'm told the spirits of the dead dwell, and I must seek out my parents' spirits." Dark answered, his smile fading into a grimace of pain as terrible memories once again found their way to the surface of his conscious mind.
"Very well," began Fenix, "The guardian of shadows, a frightening choice for your first guardian, but it is your decision and I will do nothing to change it. The guardian of shadows dwells far off in the distant mountains, in a cave where not even a moment of sunlight is seen. He was once a Blade Master such as myself, but chose to follow the path of shadows after being accepted into the order. His name is long forgotten, but he will guide you in your quest."
"I... I'm still surprised that I was the one chosen to undergo this quest..." Dark stated plainly.
"Don't be, Dark, you are by far one of the top apprentices here, if not the best I've seen enter through those gates."
"But, I'm nothing special, unlike the other apprentices here I have no one to prove myself to..."
"That is not true, but enough of this. It is late and you will need your sleep for the journey ahead of you. Also, you are to leave at the first light of dawn, if you want to reach the cave of shadow within a weeks time."
"Yes, master." Dark said, bowing to his mentor as he left Dark's living quarters.
After Fenix had left, Dark sat back on his bed to rest, but his sleep was far from rejuvenating. His dreams were once again haunted by the terrible memories of that night that he had lost his parents. He tossed and turned in his sleep, reliving those painful and frightening moments of his life. Dark awoke on the floor, just a short while before dawn, and decided he had best prepare himself to leave. He carefully packed his battle armor, wrapped in soft linen clothes to prevent damaging it during travel, and his leather sparring armor as an afterthought, along with some flint stones to start campfires.
The sun had just begun to peek over the mountaintops when Dark finished putting everything in his pack, so he decided to begin his journey. As he walked out the gates to the temple, he stopped and turned back, bidding it a silent farewell, and then he walked off, embracing his destiny...