Book Two – Chapter Nine – Part Eight – Final Exam

The fight between Rakkire and his juncea opponent was close to ending, even though it just started. He was caught off guard by his opponent using its stinger to fling dirt. In a panic, he held his shield up, and luckily, it was in the right spot to block an incoming attack. It was stronger than he expected it to be and pushed him backwards.

He didn’t think such a small juncea could pack that much power, and it was one of the reasons that led to his eventual defeat.  Rakkire lost his footing, fell to the ground, and unluckily bonked his head on a small rock. It was sharp and went in a few centimeters before being deflected by his hard skull, but it was small enough to not cause any lasting damage that couldn’t be healed with a skill. Regardless, the injury dazed him, and his sight went foggy.

Riki went to stand up but was stopped by Fisher.  He assured the Dwarf that he would step in if it looked liked he was about to die. “I gave my word to my wife that I would protect you all. And I intend to keep it,” he said in a calm voice.

Riki made a fist then sighed. With hopeful eyes, he wished that the fight would soon end.

The juncea rushed on over, not missing this advantage, and began to ruthlessly attack. In Rakkire's impaired moment, he was unable to properly block the attacks flooding his groggy vision.

“GAH!!” he cried out when a razor-edged appendage glanced against his armor. Even though it was metal, and it should've been enough, it started to break apart. Piece by piece and bit by bit, the Dwarf's tanned skin began to show, meaning it was no longer protected.

No!

His mind kicked into overdrive as even more adrenaline flooded his body. It fueled his flight response, and he knew he had to get out. However, he also wanted to fight to the bitter end. His mind was in a hazy fog of confusion.

I wasn’t ready! But I don’t wanna die! I gotta escape! But I want to fight!!! I--

In a mighty panic, Rakkire wildly thrashed his body. And his arms swirled with the intensity of a tornado. The juncea backed off and stared at the blood that lined its legs. Its antennae clapped against each other, and it slowly started to circle Rakkire, who was still on the ground.

But, even as the juncea circled him like a predator would its injured prey, it never once went to attack. It gave Riki the time to get up on his feet. He glanced at his hand and saw the flower that signified that he was still under the effects of Protection.

Then why did it hurt so much?  I'm supposed to be protected, right?

He was protected, and the skill did its job. An invisible layer of light was around his body, but it was weak. His Protection was only level 2, and thus a percent of the damage was absorbed. That also included damage he sustained by falling on sharp objects, like that rock. But at a lower level, it wasn’t all that powerful. It was, however, better than nothing, which was why the majority of tanks choose it as their first skill to learn. Once upgraded, it would be able to protect its user against attacks that could shatter boulders.

Rakkire knew this. Fisher even went over this during the second week, multiple times. But thanks to the tense situation, the Dwarf couldn’t accurately recall that info. He went to take a stance but stumbled, going back to his knees. His sight got even blurrier, and the black and yellow juncea was in the process of becoming a shapeless blob.

Riki knew right then he was no match for the juncea in front of him. And so, he did the next best thing, even though it meant that he would fail the test.

With a tight hand, as much as he could muster in his injured state, he gripped his axe and used it to help himself to his feet. He drew back his left leg and kicked the ground, sending up a smokescreen of brown dirt and rock. Then he used everything he had to run away from the monster, who quickly gave chase.  The two antennae on its head clanked in an annoying pattern, making a noise that sounded like it was laughing or insulting its opponent.

The juncea had its stinger pointed right at Riki, who stumbled and almost tripped, but he kept his balance. Regardless, the wound on the back of his head, arms, and legs from where his armor failed him bled more profusely as Rakkire’s heart pumped faster.

As if it was a stroke of luck from the Gods above, Rakkire tripped on another rock, which caused the juncea to fly straight over him. By now, he was close enough to the edge of the ring, and the monster couldn’t stop in time.

“Gods above…” Riki muttered. He stood up fast enough that dizziness nearly brought him back down to the ground, but he kept his balance and ran to his cousin.

The match was over, and Rakkire was the victor by ring out.

Their mentor got to his feet and ran on over to join the Dwarf cousins, making sure to prepare Remedium Lux as dust kicked up all around him.

Once he reached Rakkire, who unsuccessfully tried to stand up, Fisher placed his hand on the back of the Dwarf’s head. White light appeared from his hand and flowed to the wound, and it gradually healed up.  The red puffy mess remained, but it stopped bleeding, which was the important thing.

"He'll be fine, but it's going to hurt," Fisher concluded after a quick examination.

Rakkire stirred and groaned before looking up. He saw his cousin holding his hand out.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked.

Rakkire shook his head. “I’m fine now,” taking his cousin’s hand, the Dwarf who felt conflicting thoughts on the outcome of his battle got to his feet. “I know what you mean now, cousin. I wasn’t prepared for that thing’s first attack, and I wasn’t prepared for that rock, either. I knew it was there, and when I walked to the ring, I contemplated tossing it away somewhere. But I didn’t. It’s my loss.”

Fisher wanted to say that Rakkire didn’t lose. And he really didn’t. The juncea was the one who left the ring first, but he knew saying that would only bring pain to his student.

I’m the same way. If someone told me I won by a rule violation like that, it wouldn’t mean anything. I don’t want to say it, but Rakkire loss was inevitable. He was simply not ready and not to mention outmatched.  His body was strong enough, but his mind wasn't.

“Riki, I know what yer going to say but don't,” said Rakkire. He spoke the moment Riki went to open his mouth. “It’s my loss,” he turned to point at his opponent, who clapped its legs and antennae together furiously in celebration.

It was like it was trying to reason with the other members of its colony, but it didn’t matter. It lost the match. And its punishment was to replace one of the two janitor juncea responsible for eating their dead. It was by far the most disgusting and insulting task for a juncea. The one it replaced would soon have a chance to regain its honor and rejoin the main hive.

Fisher locked eyes with the new leader of the colony, who ascended to the position after the first battle.  It nodded back before clanging its legs and antennae together. Then the juncea all went inside the cave in an orderly fashion. The rest of their day would consist of feasting on the rotting meat in the nearby corner for having completed more rounds of honorable combat.

“Now then,” Fisher said to his group of students. They had all walked back to the little cliff that overlooked the cave entrance. “It’s time to make our return to Canary. With luck, we’ll get there tomorrow before noon,” after nodding at their mentor, the seven of them went back into the forest.

The group reached the second clearing, the one that was close by to the nest, at a little bit past 1 PM. Fisher told them to take a small break. Like always, Servi thought the clear liquid produced from Fisher's Create Water was lukewarm. It was nothing like the water she could make, but she didn’t say anything about it.  Instead, her mind was filled with conflicting thoughts on what she wanted to do.

I will get their revenge tonight. I need to do it for Seko and Seka. I must. It’s not fair for a man like him to roam around while purposely inflicting pain to those who can’t protect themselves.  But he's changed, right? I mean, it looks like it.  But what if he's just trying to convince himself? What if I talk to him first? Maybe...

The rest of the day passed by quickly as they made their way down the familiar dirt road.  An emerald plain to one side, the forest line to the right, and green as far as the eye could see was all they had to look at. It was a rural area, and it certainly showed.  Fisher glanced behind him and saw his mentees were staring off in the distance with an absent-minded, dysphoric look on their faces. Almost no one spoke, and it was mostly quiet. Fisher knew why, too.

They’re most likely going over the fight in their head. They’re trying to find out what they could improve on and how much, what movements they could optimize, and things like that. They now know that live battle is something that has many different variables to it.  There isn't a single formula they can apply to every situation and expect the same results.

Fisher hit it right on the head.  The five of them, sans Servi, were replaying the fight. Even Feral was doing it. They all knew they had to improve.

They know how their bodies reacted. Whether or not it was in a way that they wanted it to is something only they know. The only thing they can do now is practice and prepare for what comes next. But even if they spent a year practicing, it's all for nothing if the mind and body aren't used to the fear that comes with combat.

At 4:48 PM, Fisher saw two deer grazing off to his right. He held his hand up, and his group stopped walking. Pulling out his bow and quiver from Dimensional Storage, he nocked an arrow and let it loose. It turned from one projectile to two thanks to Two Shot. Unlike the previous hunting session, the two soaring objects didn’t impale the same deer. They separated off at just the right time, delivering two near-fatal injuries to both of them. That wasn’t enough to kill them instantly, so Fisher raced ahead and used his dagger to finish the job.

Servi watched as Fisher walked back over to them. He was empty-handed, explaining that the animals were stored in his Dimensional Storage.  "I'll dress them when we make camp."

The six mentees just nodded and followed Fisher as he led them down the road.

Five hours later, the time was 9:22. Setting up camp in the plains next to the road they had followed for the past 8 hours, Servi leaned against a tree that just so happened to be nearby. She was about ten meters away from a campfire.

The red flame was dull and insignificant when compared to her eyes. But it produced a mighty thick column of black smoke that drifted towards the Heavens Above. The moon and stars were out in full force, and even a nice breeze joined in. Servi’s black hair danced like a wave in the ocean as the scent of cooked meat filled the air.

Do you want to eat? Itarr asked.  Eating some yummy food sounds good, doesn't it? The Goddess was quiet for most of the day.

“Yeah,” Servi replied in a voice less than a whisper. She wasn’t but a few meters away from the fire pit made of black rocks that Fisher just remembered he kept in his Dimensional Storage. As she walked back, she saw Riki checking the wound on the back of his cousin’s head. Feral was sitting on his shield, eyes closed. Every so often, Servi would hear him take in a deep sniff. His mouth subtly salivated at the forthcoming meat.

Silverado was running his hands over his body where his scales were damaged and ripped off. Servi didn’t know about the healing process of a Koena, but she saw a silvery thin film over his wounds. They weren’t pulsing like a heart anymore, but they were still red and fleshy. He was still upset that he was, technically, the only one who lost, but he was getting over it. He knew that it wasn’t worth it to dwell on what could’ve been.

Three spleens and the ability to move organs through his body? That must’ve been the reason he survived having his chest crushed. His lungs and heart were in another spot, right? That’s the only reason I can think of.

Desperado poked at the fire with a stick, making sure it had a healthy flame. He had a subtle smile on his face because he actually killed a juncea in mortal combat. But like everyone else, Desperado had a lot of areas to improve in. He couldn’t risk getting cocky and acting like he was better than he really was. If he made a bad call in the heat of battle and someone died because of his own mistakes, he didn't think he could accept the weight of their lives if he survived. To lessen the chances of that happening, Desperado was going over a few different situations and encounters in his mind.

Taking a seat, Servi accepted the meat on a stick that Fisher handed her. He was sitting across from her. She bit into it and chewed. Tough and rubbery, it was plain and devoid of any flavor whatsoever.

“I didn’t bring any spices. When it comes to camping, the main thing is to be fed. Flavor can come second,” Fisher said after noticing a scowl covered her face. Then he bit and tore into his food.

Feral and the others came over and took a spot by the fire. Even though it was summer, the nights were surprisingly crisp, and the fire provided a cozy warmth.  It crackled, being the only source of noise as the seven ate their dinner.

After they ate, Fisher started talking. He didn’t expect them to say anything back, so he gave them one final lecture. “After today, you know what you need to work on. You know your strengths and weaknesses, your fear, and your limits. That's why I'm not going to say what doesn't need to be said. You all did well in your fights against the juncea, and I’m proud of you all. Remember the training we did and keep at it. I have no doubts in my mind that you all have the aptitude to make it to the finals and even go on to enjoy a fantastic Warden career.”

“Thank you, Fisher Jin, for mentoring me," Silverado spoke first, thanking his mentor.  Then Desperado thanked him.  Followed by the two Dwarves and then finally Feral. Even Servi joined in against her better judgment. She didn’t want to thank Fisher for anything, but she did it anyway to not stand out.

The Captain of the Guard was taken back by this, and he gently smiled at his students.

“I’ll never forget any of you, and I wish you all the best in your Warden careers. Once we get back to Canary, you all will have a day to rest and prepare for the tournament.”

For the next few minutes, Fisher spoke to his students not as a mentor but as someone who was a comrade. He joined Warden years ago and reached Rank 4. Technically, he was still registered as a member even though it had been over a year since Fisher last completed a Warden-affiliated quest.  After giving them some advice on what potions to carry and how many, and even answering some questions, he used Create Water one last time. Once everyone sated their thirst, they decided on who would take what shift.

Servi volunteered for the first shift. “I’ll take it.”

Her heart skipped a beat when a certain armored man spoke. “I’ll join you. We’re all Warden members, and you’re not my mentees anymore, so it wouldn't be fair if I didn’t pitch in.”

This seems like the best chance to confront her. Well then, Servi... It's time to find out why you're here.

Silverado and Desperado decided to take the second shift, and the two Dwarves and Feral chose to finish out the night.

I guess the day of reckoning is here.  Servi thought. Fisher, tonight is the night you will die.