Chapter Eleven - Hunter Assessments
The Grand Master stood at the railing that separated Roxy and Tyler from the High Council, "So Tyler. Your first mission was a success. Now, before I can grant you access to the archives, you must pass the Hunter Assessments. Roxy will talk you through them, and you will be examined at once by our accessors. The Poppy Root unlocked something in your memory so let's see how far it takes you.
Tyler was taken to a room unfamiliar to him, the Parkour training room. Filled to the roof with scaled buildings to converse and objects to manoeuvre, Tyler knew this would be testing his free-running ability. He approached the hooded man that stood in the starting line:
Roxy explained the basic idea to Tyler "The idea isn't to get through this area with the most tricks, but instead to get there in the fastest time. You are to locate the Hunter in the town and make your way to them in the fastest time."
"Are you ready?" The examiner asked. Tyler turned towards the door and smiled as he noticed Roxy standing in the doorway. Tyler nodded before setting foot on the starting line.
"Three. Two. One. GO!"
Tyler closed his eyes and let the Poppy Root once again fill his body where adrenaline normally would. "I need to get to the highest point!" Tyler thought to himself as he ran and climbed his way through and over the obstacles in his way. Finally, clambering up the side of a tower, Tyler perched off the spire top. Scanning his gaze across the entire town, Tyler could see that he was barely six houses behind the Hunter. However, he and Roxy knew Tyler would run out of time if he climbed down, so Tyler improvised, performing a stunt that no one would expect.
Tyler stood on the edge of the building, noticing a swimming pool in a nearby garden that could be deep enough for him to enter unharmed.
Tyler stiffened his body and collected his thoughts before jumping off, spreading his arms like a hawk or an eagle and diving into the neighbouring pool.
Roxy stood straight, fear and adrenaline flooding throughout her entire body.
"What the hell did he just do!" She shouted, "Has he risen?-" As Roxy asked, Tyler reemerged and climbed out of the water before sprinting as fast as he could towards the exit. Roxy let out a sigh of relief before noticing the time was stopped, '23.56 seconds'.
"You have their machine, Roxy. A literal better version of yourself. How long have you trained him?" The hooded man turned to Roxy and removed his hood, revealing his grey hair. "That was your record he just broke, by three seconds. Only you and Tyler have performed that leap out of the hundreds of people we have put through this test."
"It's his second day," Roxy exclaimed before turning, storming out of the assessment area, and running towards where Tyler would've exited.
Tyler was covered in a black towel, soaked to his skin, unharmed and sitting on a bench waiting for his following assessment.
"That was incredible, Tyler. How did you know you would survive that?" Roxy asked, sitting next to him. Tyler turned to Roxy and looked her dead in the face, "I didn't. My gut told me I'd make it, and I trusted my training."
Roxy didn't know what to say, but as a warm feeling began coursing through her body, she couldn't help but smile before remarking: "You haven't had any training! How do you feel about these tests?" She took his hand in hers and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm a little nervous, honestly. This will define my life here. If I don't do well here, I'm as good as dead." Tyler explained.
"Yes and no. From that performance, you are going to do well. I can't tell you what time you got just yet, but I have pure faith that you will do well."
A female wearing long blue robes approached the two, "Are you ready for your next assessment Tyler?" She asked, her hand extended outwards. Roxy rose off Tyler, "I'm going to check on the others. Good luck with the rest of your tests." She laid a gentle kiss on Tyler's lips before leaving.
Tyler was led to a dimly lit, empty room. Tyler could hear the echoes of his breathing fill the space with every step he took. Making his way to the centre, he began to look around. Nothing but darkness filled each corner. Tyler stopped as he heard what sounded like footsteps filling the echoing room. He looked around, trying to indicate the source but to no avail, before he felt the cold air of something swinging behind him.
Tyler jumped down, barely missing the blunt object swung behind him. Out of almost instinct, Tyler grabbed the weapon between his legs and pulled down, shunting his opponent out of the shroud of darkness that covered him, and threw him to the ground, spinning over his body and repeatedly punching into the opponent's chest and stomach until he was unconscious from the pain.
Tyler rose before three opponents came from both sides of him, one to the left and two on his right. The memories from his ancestors who trained echoed in his head, rattling around, 'Parkour is a great tool when you are overwhelmed,' Tyler was overwhelmed; however, there was no escape.
Tyler ran towards the opponent to his left and slid onto the floor, taking out his legs and sending them collapsing to the floor. Next, he had two opponents running straight for him. Tyler took the blunt object from the opponent he had just knocked down and slammed it into his head, rendering two out of the four unconscious.
Tyler launched the weapon towards the duo before sprinting towards them, performing a superman punch and catching the other between his legs, sending him crashing to the ground. Both were out immediately.
Applause sounded from one end of the room, "Impressive, Mr Brown. Please take the exit behind you. Your training is over now." A hooded figure told before ushering him out towards the exit behind.
"What about my assassination training?" Tyler asked.
"The Grand Master has enough on you. Please go to your dorm and wait for Roxy to give you your results." The hooded man ushered Tyler faster out of the door before slamming it shut.
"What was that about? Have I failed? Was I supposed to escape?" Tyler thought to himself; pushing his concern to the back of his mind, he waited in the dormitory for Roxy to return. Hours went by before Roxy returned, the others from his team by her side
"Tyler, we need to talk," Roxy told, her voice growing serious. "Do you want to tell me something?"
Tyler's voice grew nervous, "I'm confused."
"You have been holding out on me! You took out your opponents in thirty-seven seconds! That's in the top three of the entire Hunter history. As for your Parkour segment, you beat the best time ever. That was mine!" She wrapped her hands around him, squeezing him and smothering him with kisses. "I'm so proud of you! You've impressed the Grand Master so much that he is promoting you! Already!"
"Promote me to what? I just started my training yesterday!"
"I can't explain just yet. We need to go through it. Make your way to the Grand Hall! I will gather the others." Tyler did as he was told, making his way to the Grand Hall, where he was greeted by a stadium of Hunters, all dressed in elegant robes, hoods removed from their heads.
A voice bellowed from where the Grand Master once sat; Tyler looked up, and a row of seven hooded men sat, their robes white, faded with age. "We are the High Council. We are the highest order of the Hunters. Kneel."
Tyler knelt, his head lowered. "Your Grand Master has requested this, and we gladly approve after your assessment results." As the High Council finished this sentence, the Grand Master entered the room and stood above Tyler, holding a set of new clothes for him.
"Rise, Hunter! Remove your robes." The Grand Master told; Tyler did so; standing in the cold air, he removed his robes, revealing his muscular body, littered with nicks and scars from his past - his chiselled abs glistening in the dimly lit hall. The Grand Master handed Tyler a new set of robes, indicating he could put them on.
Tyler carefully unfolded the clothes, revealing two brown leather wrist bracers branded with the Hunter emblem on the top, with a titanium spring blade resting underneath the bracer. The outfit, a waist-length jacket, bared a leather appearance too, with dark green colouration, much different to his old robes alongside a black face mask made from cloth.
"The outfit you bare is passed down from Master Hunter to Master Hunter. A title that has been passed to only the best Hunters. You fit those criteria. From now on, you are no longer Soldier or Prowler. You are instead to be known as Mentor, Master and Leader. Those robes were your father's. I know you know nothing of your past with them, but please know, as I grant you access to the archives now, that your father was one of the greatest men I ever worked with. It is without a doubt that you are the son of Richard Brown, member of the High Council." Tyler was lost for words, unsure what to say; he turned to look at Roxy. Tears flooded down her face ruining her make-up. She wiped her eyes and raised her two thumbs with a giant smile across her face.
"Mr Brown. We understand you have a relationship with Miss Smith?" The High Council questioned.
"That is tricky. Roxy and I are starting a relationship, we have only been together a few days, but I couldn't have had someone more in my corner, supporting my every move," Tyler said, a smile now joining his face.
"With that being the case, please remain where you are. Miss Smith, will you please come down?"
Roxy's face dropped as she answered her summons, walking through the crowd and taking her place next to Tyler.
"Miss Smith. You have served this sanctuary for countless years. We have made the unanimous decision for you to take the place your parents did. Here we present you with this Master Hunter outfit, passed down from your mother." Tears began to stream from Roxy's eyes as she was presented with the same outfit as Tyler but red, the same outfit that her mother wore during her time as a Master Hunter.
"The outfits are made from a Kevlar compound. It will protect you from most gunshots. Now. By the power invested in us, Tyler Brown; Roxanne Smith. We present you with the titles Master Hunters. Continue to serve the righteous path. As Master Hunters, you are still under the Grand Master; however, that is the only person above you. You are free to take on any targets and tasks you wish. You are enrolled on mandatory training, usually lasting a year. However, with your records, I can assume it won't take as long; unfortunately, you won't be able to perform high-end field ops until you are finished with your training. You start tomorrow, so enjoy tonight." The High Council stood before clapping at Tyler and Roxy.
Roxy turned suddenly towards Tyler and wrapped her arms around him, "We are Masters, Tyler! I can't believe it!" Her tears turned into sobbing, and her make-up ran down her face.
"Your mother would be so proud!" Tyler told, squeezing her tighter than ever.
"Oh, and another thing Mr Brown!" The Grand Master's voice bellowed across the halls, "As a Master Hunter, you are no longer a part of the team you joined two days ago. You will be given a new dormitory with Miss Smith, where you will both start your training. As we speak, your first textbooks are being delivered to your dormitory for you to start reading. I suggest you read quickly though, as I have a special task for you both. Please say goodbyes to the old team and make your way to your new dorms. Follow the guide."
Tyler didn't know what to say. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the people he called his team a few days ago, and both he and Roxy followed the guide to their new dormitory, a room much more significant than before. Aged oak filled the walls lined with what looked like gold. One bedroom displayed a large queen bed with silk sheets, and a large but weathered fireplace sat at the foot of the living room, keeping the dorm toasty. On the desks sat two books, one for each titled: 'Monsters of Old.' The books were centuries old, leaving Tyler to question what task the Grand Master had in store for them.
"Are you sure he is truly a descendant of Richard?" Asked a High Council member.
"No. Tyler is not. I fear he's a part of something much more dangerous than the Hunters. We need him at our sides at all times. The destruction that he can cause is unimaginable." The Grand Master replied, his voice shaking.
"Then who is he?"
"The question is not who is he; the question is what is he. That boy belongs to the most dangerous people in our history. We must not let him into the archives at all costs."
"So what do you suggest, Grand Master?"
"We do anything and everything to keep him happy and here and keep him away from magic. Hense the promotion to Master Hunter. That boy could bring down the whole Hunter society as we know it."