“Well done, Enri.” A voice from a few feet behind him made him turn quickly.

 

Samuel Bragg was standing behind him, an eager and delighted smile on his face. Enri hadn’t heard his approach, but it was expected that he could teleport anywhere he chose without notice. His first response was a groan as his lungs refilled, and he rubbed a hand on his ribs, where he felt as if a large bruise was forming. Samuel waited patiently, the smile on his face widening a little.

 

“You finished those much faster than I expected.” The young wizard said.

 

Finally catching his breath, Enri clambered to his feet and dusted himself off. He was sure that if he was in his body, he’d be aching all over, barely able to stand. But apart from a slight ache in the region of his ribs and the now familiar feeling of exhaustion in his legs, he felt fine.

 

“Thanks. Did I set a record?” He managed to croak, still trying to regain control of his breathing.

 

Samuel laughed. “There weren’t any records to break, Enri! You’re the first Acolyte of Ahya to ever appear, after all!”

 

“What do you mean?” Enri asked, perplexed. “I thought that Raveonic person was a follower of Ahya.”

 

Samuel waved a hand dismissively. “Yes, he is a follower. He’s also the strongest and only user of Ahyan magic in the world, apart from Ahya herself.”

 

“But then-” Enri began, but stopped almost at once as Samuel raised a hand to interject.

 

“He got to where he is by studying all forms of magic, then discovering Ahyan magic quite on his own. He went through what could be considered the improvised process. Nevertheless, it was still quite effective. You, however, are different.”

 

“Because I’m being taught it right from the start?” Enri asked, unable to understand the difference.

 

Samuel shook his head. “Not just that. You are the first person ever to be picked, from birth, by Ahya. Raveonic holds his position simply because he is the most capable. But his grasp of Ahya’s powers is learned. Yours, when you have finished your training, will be intuitive.”

 

Enri’s mind was spinning to fast to even begin to comprehend what Samuel was saying. Even if he was of sound mind, the concept was beyond him. He could understand that Raveonic had been the only choice when he’d begun learning, but he was obviously a master now, and so Enri couldn't’ see how he could do any better.

 

Samuel obviously understood the thought process going on in his mind, for he offered a sympathetic smile. “I understand. Let me put it to you another way. Imagine two different people. One trains for many years to understand the basic principles of fighting, and saves up enough money to buy a weapon.”

 

Enri nodded. This was a situation that he could understand, particularly with how he’d lived his life thus far. He opened his mouth to interrupt, then quickly realized that Samuel wasn’t finished.

 

“Now imagine that the other is born with the basic skills already ingrained, and with natural potential for combat. He already has the instincts needed, and is given a fine weapon when young.”

 

Enri nodded again, more slowly this time, thinking through what Samuel had said. It was a tiny difference, but one that he fully understood after having met so many different types of warriors. Some chose to become a soldier because it was the most stable option for a future, and became competent soldiers. But few soldiers took it up as a life as their first option. The naturals of the fighting world took combat to a whole other plane, demonstrating legendary skill. For them, their life was, is, and would always be linked with combat, and it was how they found their worth.

 

“So I’m the second person in this situation?” he asked hesitantly, not sure of his ground.

 

Samuel nodded at once, confirming his thought. “Correct. Raveonic is undoubtedly a master of Ahyan magic and is clearly far more potent and well versed than you. But that is exactly why he will be here to train you, so that you may realize your true natural potential, and surpass him, to become the first Champion of Ahya.”

 

“I… see,” Enri said slowly. He didn’t, but felt that some comment was necessary. “So I assume I’ve passed your trial completely? No more surprises from you now?”

 

Samuel laughed again, appearing to greatly enjoy the situation. “Yes, you have passed the Trial of the Arcane. But don’t think you’ve seen all my surprises. I pride myself on being full of them, you know.”

 

Enri shook his head in confusion, not even bothering to reply. It was a moot point in any event, as Samuel disappeared once again. As the wizard left, Enri felt the energy pooled in his body disperse, fading into the air like steam. This bothered Enri for several seconds, filling him with disappointment. He’d rather gotten the hang of using magic, he’d thought. But perhaps there would be a chance to regain the energy now that he’d had it once.

 

Resolved, Enri continued up the path. Samuel’s trial may be behind him now, but he still faced at least two other challenges. Based on how Samuel had tested him, he expected that the other Paragons would be involved in some way. This filled him with unease. His fight with Shigeru back in the Dagorra Forest had been enough to convince him of the man’s power, and he wasn’t keen to face him again.

 

And of course, there was Reito. Enri didn’t know much about Shigeru’s older brother, apart from the legends that grew up around the brothers. Surely anyone so close to Shigeru would have immense power of their own. Reito had looked just as capable, even without any obvious weapons. He’d had the air of an experienced monk, and as anyone knew, master monks weren’t opponents to underestimate.

 

He’d been walking swiftly up the mountain path for just over an hour and had just clambered to the top of a particularly steep cliff-like stretch when he came to an abrupt stop. Standing in the middle of the path barely twenty feet away, was none other than Shigeru and Reito.

 

The two brothers showed no sign of surprise at Enri’s sudden appearance, but bowed politely when he’d stood straight. More than a little intimidated by their combined presence, Enri bowed in return, the movement more stiff than graceful due to his nerves.

 

“Greetings, Enri. I’m pleased to see that you’ve passed Samuel’s trial.” Shigeru’s voice, quiet as it was, seemed to carry without effort across the empty silent space around them.

 

“G-Greetings, Lord Shigeru.” Enri stammered, wondering what they could possibly be planning with him. It had been driven home before that he couldn’t possibly take on either of them, let alone both at once.

 

“Relax, young Enri,” Reito spoke, his voice still calm and cordial. “We are not here to fight you ourselves. That would be a truly unfair trial, and we want you to succeed.”

 

This information did reassure Enri a little, but he still eyed the two of them suspiciously, sure that whatever they had set for him would still be extremely difficult. “So, what is the trial you have set for me?”

 

Shigeru allowed a small smile to spread across his face. “Well, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, I will be giving you a trial to determine your physical potential.”

 

Enri nodded silently, feeling, as he had when talking to Samuel, that he was a young child, trying to keep up with grown adult’s conversation.

 

“Well, if you take Samuel out of the picture, none of us are a fair match for you. Also, as someone who has never dabbled in Spiritual Magic, any trial that he sets will be too steep a challenge. Samuel pushing you to use powers you’ve never known was strict enough, but we have a method you might find more… normal.”

 

Enri’s face obviously showed his confusion as Shigeru finished, and Reito seemed to notice this. Stepping forward, he clarified.

 

“You will take on the Trial of the Physical and the Trial of the Spiritual simultaneously.” Forestalling Enri’s automatic response with a raised hand, he gestured for Shigeru to continue.

 

“It’s as my brother says. Do not worry, though. Reito has made copies of my soul, significantly weaker than me, and placed them between us and the peak of the mountain.”

 

“Copies of you?” Enri asked, bewildered. “Even if they’re weaker than you, that will still be a tall order.”

 

Shigeru nodded. “This is true. But if you can realize your true potential and utilize your training, you can surpass this trial.”

 

“That’s fine to say,” Enri retorted. “But to even stand a chance, I’ll need a weapon. And I don’t have one.”

 

As he had when fighting Enri, Shigeru put his right hand into the air at his side, seeming to draw something from thin air. As the item resolved, it appeared to be a simple long sword. It was a plain weapon, but seemed to shimmer with its own sort of energy.

 

“Of course, this thought has occurred to us as well,” Shigeru said patiently. He planted the sword into the earth point first, then let go of it. “This weapon is yours, and not just for the trial. If you survive, you will have a fine new weapon. If you fail, then I’ll have to wait another century or so to offer it to someone again.”

 

It wasn’t exactly a comforting thought, Enri thought as Shigeru and Reito began to disappear. Unlike Samuel, they didn’t simply pop out of existence. They seemed to become more transparent gradually until they faded completely from sight.

 

“Good luck, Enri.” Shigeru’s voice lingered after he disappeared, carrying like a ghost through the air.

 

Enri exhaled, half from tension, half from exasperation. What was the point of all this? He wondered. Surely it wasn’t this important to test me, was it? He walked forward cautiously to the sword implanted in the ground. The plain hilt, steel wrapped in leather, gleamed dully in the fading light of the day, seeming to invite him to grasp it. Shrugging slightly, he reached out for the weapon.

 

As soon as his hand closed over the leather-clad grip of the sword, a rush of heat seemed to spread from the weapon to it, traveling up his arm and into his body quicker than he could blink. He let out a shout of surprise as the energy flooded through him, surprised to feel his limbs going weak with the sudden sensation. Falling to one knee, he put his free hand to his chest, as if he could stop the burning sensation in his chest.

 

Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the burning heat became more mild. It now felt nearly identical to the sensation of the arcane energy flowing through him, yet felt more natural. As the heat faded, he became aware of the feeling of cool metal pressing into his wrist, and looked down at the hand holding the sword.

 

Only then did he realize that the sword was gone. In its place was a thin silver bracelet on his wrist, a simple band of metal that fit snugly. The surface of the bracelet was inscribed with runes, much like those of the circle at the peak. Unlike those runes, however, he could not read these. They looked like nothing more than strange scratches in the metal.

 

Shaking his head in confusion and slight awe, he turned the band on his arm, looking at the entirety of the bracelet. The runes continued all along the face, creating a perfect loop of text. The markings were plain, without any energy radiating off of them, and he took comfort in the knowledge that for the time being at least, he was safe from any traps. Though he highly doubted that there would be any kind of trap. Shigeru wasn’t the kind to act that way, he reassured himself. He fought honestly and straightforward, even if he used magic.

 

He decided to ignore the arcane nature of the bracelet for the time being, and continue on. The sky was getting darker around him, and he had no torch to keep the area around him lit. Resuming his earlier jog, he ran lightly up the path, only pausing to make sure that there were no traps or enemies waiting for him.

 

He was able to make his way peacefully until he came to the path leading to the last group of trees, the same path on which the peak had begun to call to him. He felt no such compulsion now, of course, but there was still a surprise in store. It was as he peeked over the last ledge to check the path ahead of him that he saw them.

 

Ten figures, all identical to the God of War, were standing on the path before the small forest. Their eyes were focused on the point at which he appeared, so they saw him almost instantly. Two were in the back near the trees and were holding longbows in their left hands. Another four were wielding long spears, and the last four held some kind of identical sword. Enri ducked back down almost at once, feeling the passage of an arrow as it flew over his head.

 

Cursing silently to himself, Enri thought furiously. For some reason, this situation reminded him of a similar experience, back when he was still a Maravino trainee, and a regular patrol mission had gone badly wrong. His group, consisting of three new members and a senior officer, had been doing a mock patrol through the lower towns when they’d been ambushed by nearly twenty enemies, all clearly intent upon surrounding and killing the small party of armed men.

 

Luckily, their superior officer had been none other than Instructor Kahle, who had realized the danger they’d been in and scattered the new members, while blowing his whistle to summon members of the town watch to his aid. Enri himself had nearly gotten away when four of the attackers had cornered him in a dark alleyway after he’d taken a wrong turn. That had been the hardest fight of his training, and also the first time he’d ever killed.

 

Luck had been his side then, unlike now. His opponents were less skilled than him, and only wielding short swords, whereas he’d been equipped with chainmail, and a medium shield. They were still much faster than him, and he’d been hardpressed to fight them off. Wounding one and killing another, he’d taken several wounds from the third as the final assailant had fled, realizing the attack had been a failure. Enri had been able to regroup with Kahle, and despite the wounds, they all lived to finish the mock patrol.

 

Though the two situations were comparable, he knew at once that this would be a much more challenging fight. They might have been far weaker versions of Shigeru, but he was willing to bet that they possessed his knowledge of combat, and could fight nearly as effectively. He might as well be facing forty of the aforementioned assassins. As a matter of fact, he’d prefer the assassins. They’d be easier to outwit, and he’d have a much higher chance of survival.

 

The crunch of loose rocks under a boot snapped him out of his reminiscing. Judging by the sound, some of the mock-troops were advancing on his position, probably poised to strike, covered by the two archers in the back. They were close too, he could tell, maybe just over ten feet away from the ledge. He cursed quietly to himself again. He could pull himself up and face the oncoming fighters, or wait to be attacked where he was, and almost certainly fall to his death.

 

Then, the uncertainty and panic began to fade from his mind. There was only one choice for him, he knew. He knew it as if there had he’d been planning this engagement since the beginning of the day. If he had to pick between fighting or falling, he would fight. He wasn’t the type to hide and wait for death to find him. If he were to die, he would do so with a weapon in his hand, fighting tooth and nail to win.

 

Then, as had happened in the fight with the assassins, he allowed his mind to go blank. He pushed out any thoughts of what lay before or behind him and focused on survival. This was the sharp edge he needed to be in to prevail, he knew. He was wasting his time trying to calmly analyze the situation and find the safest route through. The only way through was forward, past the warriors. And as he entered the semi-aware state of his battle instincts, so too went the doubt that he could prevail.

 

With a loud grunt, he hauled himself over the ledge. Instead of trying to stand and waste valuable time, he forced strength into his legs, rolling forward several feet. As he came to a standing position, the loud grunt turned into a deep yell. He allowed his instincts, the product of hundreds of sparring sessions and thousands of hours of training to take over, guiding his body as he lunged for the nearest warrior, who was holding a curved sword.

 

The warrior reacted nearly as fast, swinging his blade in a broad arc at Enri. The warrior’s sword was a standard Nihon-Jan katana and was much shorter and faster. But the weapon that appeared in Enri’s hand as though on his unconscious command was a longsword much like those used in the Tyrman cavalry. Though it was heavier, it was also longer, and the tip made solid contact with Enri’s target, slicing easily through the thick cloth and deep into the torso long before his enemy could bring the shorter weapon to bear.

 

As the enemy burst into shards of pale white smoke, and Enri turned to face the other three rushing figures, a small part of him wondered at the appearance of the longsword. He didn’t remember drawing it, yet when he needed it, it had been there, instantly ready for use. He also faintly noticed that the silver bracelet was gone, and he instantly realized the significance.

 

Shigeru hadn’t just given him a weapon. He had given him an artifact that could turn into a weapon when he needed it. He was also sure, though he didn’t know how, that it could turn into any weapon he needed, right when he needed it. Then he stopped caring altogether, the last conscious thoughts in his head slipping away as his mind closed down.