The next few days proved more eventful than the previous ones. For a start, more crystal ants managed to breach the walls of my tunnel system – resulting in a large bounty of food for Teival and I. Saying that, though, my master determined the place’s safety was compromised – resulting in us vacating the makeshift cave and wandering the forest aimlessly, yet cautiously.

 

About two days after changing locations, we came across some cute little creatures with brown crystals on the tips of their long and fluffy ears. “A Felsen Rabbit.” Wanting to get closer and play with them, I pawed at one of their fluffy tails with interest. Unfortunately, I was soon pelted with rocks and clods of hard soil before some of the larger Felsen Rabbits actually dared to pounce on me and bite my legs!

 

“How cantankerous of you?! You dare to mar my pristine fur and skin with your bites and saliva?!” In a fit of rage, I charged at them all as fast as I could before swiping at their own hard fur to even things out.

 

“Kia…stop messing around…”

 

Ceasing my activities, I realised I was the only one still playing as my friendly rivals lay strewn across the grass bleeding out. “…” Observing my surroundings, I found these little crystal beasts to be quite weak compared with those I often sparred against back in the city. Of course, with such a disparity over our strengths…I had accidentally killed them all. Not to worry, though, since Teival simply stated they could be used instead of the food rations before draining them of their blood and tying them to a branch and hauling them over his shoulder.

 

The sun had begun sinking by the time my master had rectified my careless mistakes – all seven of them. Seeing as how we were nowhere near any cave or hill, Teival pointed to the top of a nearby thick and tall tree before suggesting we sleep up there for the night. Although I wasn’t too sure about being so far from the ground, I felt somewhat assured that at least the tree was connected to the soil.

 

+++

 

The next several days past without incident, which was both boring and a relief since I was constantly concerned over Teival’s ability to deal with close combat. I mean, I know he can cast spells pretty well but…what if he gets ambushed and can’t chant or sing? Such worries were tested time and again as we crossed paths with several solitary participants in the trial.

 

I’m not entirely sure how it was determined, however I noticed the odd pattern of my master nodding at the other children before giving them a wide berth. Observing the other side, they seemed to perform the same action, resulting in no conflict between either of them. It was almost as if an unspoken agreement had been made to not attack each other if alone on both sides – strange but intriguing.

 

+++

 

Eventually, we had reached the penultimate day of the trial. Hiding behind some large rocks on top of a hill, my master and I keenly observed the three-way battle of at least thirty children below us. We had heard the sounds of shouting and screaming a few minutes ago past the nearby hill and so decided it would be a good idea to take a peek at the chaos ensuing from a higher vantage point. Thus, we found ourselves peering over some boulders and watching human and crystal beast tearing into one another aggressively.

 

Hoping to take some mental notes over the techniques and abilities of those who won their conflicts, I happened to chance upon the sight of Dinara and her Umbral Spider sling, Zillah. “Ah! So this is where she ended up!” Avidly watching what Teival’s half-sister was doing, I noticed how clean her clothes were and wondered if she had used her feminine wiles to trick the boys of her group into doing the work for her.

 

However, upon closer inspection, I had to discard such a theory when I saw her clearly hold her own against two boys of an opposing group. Seeing her order Zillah to tangle her enemies with some webbing, I witnessed her and her comrades move in to kill them; Dinara used a water blade spell while her allies charged in and throttled them with meaty punch after meaty punch. I have to admit, I somewhat winced when one of the boys’ necks audibly snapped at an odd angle. This only served to confirm my worry over Teival’s close combat skills.

 

Not gaining any new insights from Dinara’s battle, I searched the battlefield for a better alternative only to discover another pair of familiar faces in another group: Tabitha and Mr Stripey. “Ah! Mr Stripey is there! I can finally fight him!” I wagged my tail enthusiastically as I was about to bound down the hill to initiate a spar with him, however Teival pushed my head down and whispered in my ear that now wasn’t the right time to reveal our location.

 

I sulked a bit over missing another opportunity to battle against my brother however, after deliberating over the current situation, I realised it was a fool’s errand to venture out at that moment. After almost half an hour of sitting quietly on the hilltop, the three groups finally retreated with their numbers severely depleted. It was only then that I noticed a second unit of people spying on the big battle on the opposite hill.

 

My eyes followed Armin’s group as they unhurriedly traversed down the hill and did a sweep of the leftover bodies. I have to admit that I was a little irked due to Armin and his group stealing what was rightfully ours. “Hey! We saw this battle first! Those crystal bags belong to us!” I swatted my less fluffy tail against the ground angrily while stomping my front paw on the boulder in front. Of course, my master calmed me down with some well-timed tail strokes and tasty treats, so I let bygones be bygones…for now.

 

As I finished consuming the last treat, my body shook from the ground up as a tremendous thud sounded through the area. I noticed Armin’s group pause before turning in the direction behind them before a clamour of creaking echoed from another thud. Just then, one of the large trees nearby fell and landed on Armin’s crystal beast – a Feuer Salamander. As soon as the tree crashed onto the ground an almighty roar filled the air from the same direction.

 

I watched as Armin’s friends all abandoned him as they made a hasty retreat from the area. As the thudding tremors continued, I could see Armin desperately trying to free his Feuer Salamander from under the tree – panic beginning to show on his usually smug face. “Ha! That’ll teach you to not act like you’re superior all the time! Right, Teival?” I turned to get my master’s opinion, only to realise the hesitant expression on his pleasant face.

 

“Master…what are we going to do?” As if to respond to my inquiry, Teival climbed over the boulder and jumped forward before running down the hill towards Armin. “MASTER?! Did you forget about the presumably titanic terror making its way over here?! Wait for me! You can’t even protect yourself properly!” Following after Teival, I bounded down the hill as I heard him order me to dig under the crystal beast. “This is stupid and reckless!”

 

Begrudgingly, I set about digging under the Feuer Salamander while I heard my master chanting the familiar water blade spell. The tree on top of Armin’s crystal beast split into several pieces as the ground beneath her collapsed – providing an escape route. Just as the Feuer Salamander reached Armin’s side, the origin of the sounds and tremors revealed itself: a ginormous Pyro Bear with a blue crystal on its head and a multitude of scars etched all over its fur. Did I mention how big it was? It was larger than two adult humans standing on one another’s shoulders! While on its four legs!

 

Beating a very hasty retreat from the area, Teival and I ran with all our might in the opposite direction of the crystal beast. Glancing over, I noticed Armin frozen to the spot while fearfully staring with his mouth open at the mountain of muscle. “ARMIN! GET MOVING!” I heard my master shout as we entered the crowd of trees before us.

 

It seemed that the boy regained his senses at hearing Teival’s shout as he swivelled around and headed in our direction with unabashed terror tainting his eyes. Almost as if on cue, the Clansman from before dropped down from the sky and landed between us and the Pyro Bear. In the air, I caught sight of one of the crystal eagles from the Schwarzerberg Air Corps before it nosedived towards the rampaging creature. The Clansman wasn’t idle either, as I witnessed him chant a series of spells as support.

 

Not staying to see the conclusion of their battle, Armin and us all scurried away at full speed before finally stopping behind a hill a fair distance away. The sounds of heavy mass against heavy mass were but a distant boom as we hid behind some trees and attempted to catch our fleeing breaths. After a few minutes of regaining ourselves, my ears were soon filled with the unpleasant shouting of Armin:

 

“What the heck was that thing?!”

 

“…It looked like a Pyro Bear. A very old one, going by the scars and fur.”

 

“Those scars…they feel familiar for some reason…I wonder how it got them.”

 

“I know it was a Pyro Bear but…how in all of Neveah and Halhol did it manage to get so big on its own?! How old does it need to be to have reached such a state?! Wait…wait, wait, wait! That couldn’t have been the Wandering Ghost of Vernarbterwald, could it? No…it’s impossible…”

 

“The what now?” I tilted my head in confusion at the title, having never heard of it before. Turning to Teival for answers, I noticed him shrug before asking Armin:

 

“What’s the Wandering Ghost of Vernarbterwald?”

 

I watched as the boy went silent for a bit before muttering a ‘never mind.’ “Anyway, why did you help me free my crystal beast?” I also wondered why my master had done so, as I was somewhat annoyed about him making decisions without consulting me.

 

“…I thought it would be useful in the future to hold a favour over someone…”

 

I pressed my ears against my head as Armin burst into uninhibited laughter. “Hahaha, you never cease to amuse me with your answers, Teival! ‘To hold a favour over someone,’ hahaha!” Observing him wipe away non-existent tears, the boy then nonchalantly asked if we had acquired any extra crystals during the trial.

 

“…I haven’t fought anyone for them.”

 

“Hahaha, you hid in a hole the entire time, didn’t you?”

 

“Hey! Going underground is a perfectly viable tactic to use! We’re still alive, aren’t we?!” I growled as my master chose to remain silent on the matter before averting his gaze with a pout. Of course, such a response only served to earn us more laughter from Armin as he patted Teival’s back in good humour. It was then that I suddenly realised that the sun was setting, and we were still stuck with this buffoon.

 

“Say, Teival. How about we team up for the rest of the trial? I mean, there’s only tonight and tomorrow left. Besides, there’s kind of no point in us splitting up now that’s it’s getting dark.”

 

“NO! I absolutely refuse! Go sleep in a crystal beast’s den and get eaten in your sleep!”

 

“…Sure. We can take turns keeping watch.” I spotted the smile cross Armin’s face as he volunteered to keep watch first. With that, the rest of the trial passed peacefully – with the tremors from the Pyro Bear having ended a while ago. “I wonder which side won…Or if it ended in a draw…”

 

As midnight of the final day passed, a loud crystal gong resounded throughout the forest, resulting in Teival’s and Armin’s crystal bells chiming in response while glowing brightly in the darkness of the night. After a few minutes, the Clansman from earlier arrived with his crystal eagle carrying a transport box. Being told to enter the box, we all climbed in and saw the rest of Armin’s group already seated inside.

 

With an awkward silence for the rest of the trip, the Clansman flew us towards the clearing where the trial began. “I wonder how many survived and proved they were the fittest.”