“While Oscall loves his combat,” said Cara, glancing at her cousin who stood beside his soldiers. “I want to ensure that my mages can save lives.” She drew a knife to the ten recruits that stood before her in the middle of the forest clearing. She brought it to her forearm and sliced a thin line across her own flesh.

  The recruits gasped, glancing at one another.

  “Do not worry,” she said. “I will not bleed out. You’re going to take turns healing me.”

  Ayden started to panic, but kept a calm face. He was no good at healing. His journey could end right here. It’s just a cut. Surely I can heal that.

  This time, to Ayden’s shock, Talda’s lackey, who Ayden had finally learned the name of, stepped forward to heal Cara first. Tarmon took Cara’s arm between his meaty hands. He stood over two heads taller than her, but Ayden gaped at how gently he handled her wound.Ayden always imagined him as a great brute who’d break everything he touched. A pulse of Green was all it took and it even caused minimal pain to Cara. Or she was just good at masking it.

  A lot changed in the last year, Ayden figured. Even Tarmon.

  She patted his hand and nodded. “Well done,” she said. Again she drew her blade and sliced her own flesh. The recruits winced.

  Ayden did not go second, nor third. He went last and while the others managed to heal her cut down to a thin line, or scabbed over flesh, Ayden only managed to staunch the bleeding and cover up half the line. He gave Cara a sheepish look and a shrug.

  His heart beat like a wardrum as he worried this trial proved his journey’s end. Xavos would abandon him. Ayden would go back to Eleda and likely sob himself to an early grave. All that training, and still he possessed a glaring flaw in his skill set.

  “Well done everyone,” she said. She rolled her sleeve back down and held her hands behind her. “Everyone moves onto the next.”

  Ayden’s jaw dropped. “Everyone?” he asked.

  Cara turned her eyes on him and he felt the need to look away. He maintained steady eye contact, wondering if somewhere in those gray pools was a recognition of his talent. “Everyone,” she said.

  “The next trial,” said Oscall. “Is from the Queen herself. She was known for her blinding power when she served in the Triscourge. You need to mimic that power and try to break Cara’s Barrier. Use all the Red you have, but do not overcast. We don’t want any snapped necks or shattered limbs, please.”

  “For your own sake,” added Cara.

  Tarmon raised his hand.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Does that happen often?” he asked.

  “You’d be surprised,” said Oscall.

  ***

  Most recruits channeled Red and had their offensive spells dash against Cara’s Barrier and dissipate. Tarmon pushed himself to the point of overcasting, and Oscall had to tackle him before his leg broke at the femur. A consequence of overcasting Red. Drawing too much from the Body Source resulted in injuries, sometimes lethal.

  When Ayden came forth, he cracked his fingers and neck and prepared for a show. I am good at this. They saw a small taste of it earlier. I am going to break that Barrier.

  He started to channel not only Red, but Green to enhance his Body Source and prepare it to fuel his Red. An inferno blazed from his fists and rolled down the greenery to Cara’s emerald Barrier. The Barrier groaned and cracked under the pressure. Cara skidded backward, straining against the sheer force of Ayden’s spell.

  It did not end there. He prolonged the spell, the brute force fire shoving against Cara and spilling over her Barrier and around. Oscall dove forward, forming his own Barrier to cover more area so the flames didn’t flood down to her face and arms.

  Finally she found her bearings and concentrated on keeping that Barrier up. Cracks danced up the focal point of the blast until finally. Ayden felt his Body Source start to deplete. He dare not overcast and ruin his chances. Besides, if this didn’t prove his worth, nothing would.

  The fire dissipated and Ayden fell to his knees along with Cara who had sweat beading down her brow. Oscall placed a hand over her shoulder. She gave him a reassuring nod.

  The recruits all yelped as around them a fire had started from Ayden’s blaze.

  “Make sure the forest doesn’t burn down!” cried Oscall. Mages, soldiers, and Mage Blades alike started casting a burst of frost to quell the flames.

  Cara now looked at Ayden with a newfound respect. “You did well,” she said. “Who taught you?”

  “I had to beg, borrow, and steal what I could from where I could,” said Ayden, hoping the technical truth satisfied her.

  It did not. She snorted and crossed her arms. “Cute, but seriously.”

  “An old mage,” said Ayden, finally. “From the Triscourge.”

  “Who?” she pressed.

  “He doesn’t want to be known. He just wants to be left alone, really.”

  Cara narrowed her eyes and Ayden wondered how much she knew. How could she? From what Xavos said, she wouldn’t have even been born when Xavos left Silterra. “Did Otto train you?” she asked.

  He heard the excitement in her voice. “No!” Ayden laughed. “I wish.” He really did.

  “I see,” she said. “Regardless, you outperformed everyone on two of the three trials.”

  “Yeah,” he said, rubbing his neck. “I’m sorry about the healing trial. I’ve never been good with Green.”

  “Surprising, considering you had training. If a bit unorthodox.”

  Ayden shrugged.

  Oscall returned and gathered everybody. “Okay,” he said. “That’s dealt with. Fates, boy,” he said to Ayden. “You’re something.”

  Ayden tried not to gloat amongst his peers. However, they all watched him in awe still.

  “Nearly burned down a forest,” he said. “But anyway… We’re going to discuss. Don’t get cocky now.” He stared at Ayden specifically before he left with Cara and the rest of the mages.