Trials

"Good morning you two!!", Dante announced to his two new students as he perched on one of the lion statues at the Shinku Temple.

"Good morning, Sensei!!," a fully discharged Jason and a pink haired girl with glasses named Maki responded in unison.

"Glad that you two decided to show up. Although, I wonder where your other partner is," Dante said in a questionable tone.

"That's the thing, Sensei. You haven't told us who our new teammate is," said Maki while adjusting her glasses.

"I see. He'll be here shortly. But for now, you have begin training," Dante said and stood still and all of a sudden, blades of wind were hurled towards the young pair, who noticed in time and quickly evaded.

"Very good. I see your sensory skills are bright for kids your age," Dante said impressed.

"But this isn't over!! Your test begins now!!", he uttered and soon began advancing towards the kids in blistering speed.

"Flame Wall!!", Jason yelled and released a huge wall of fire, which although, bought enough time for him and Maki to regroup, but was no match for the experienced Knight.

"Aqua Shot!", he yelled and gushed out a large blast of water which quenched the fiery wall.

And the vapour was evolving, Dante stood still and uttered something that the pair couldn't analyze from their hiding spot in a tree a few meters from their teacher.

"Is Sensei crazy or what?!!," Jason whispered to Maki which almost sounded like a yell.

"Quiet, you birdbrain!! Or you're gonna get us caught by that psycho!!", Maki scolded Jason.

"That's not really nice of you to say about me, you know!", Dante said as he appeared behind the pair and only exposed his face towards them.

"Aargh!!," the young duo exclaimed and quickly left their now-exposed hiding spot to a nearby lake, out in the open.

Dante, as expected, caught up with them and stood just a few feet in front of them as they were cornered between them and the lake.

"You're trapped! What do you do now?," Dante asked them as he slowly walked towards them and stopped.

"This! Now Maki!!", Jason yelled as he advanced towards Dante for one-to-one combat.

In his head, Dante said, "Let's move forward to Plan B," and prepared for their attack.