Chapter 14: Igniting the Aura

At dawn, Amara stood with his fellow students before the roaring falls. Icy spray misted their faces.

"The trials begin now!" Instructor Rahid shouted. "All of you, into the water!"

The students rushed into the freezing pool at the base of the falls. The cold was shocking, piercing Amara to his bones. He gasped but stayed focused, treading water.

"Withstand the cold. Clear your minds," Rahid instructed. "Focus inward and awaken your aura!"

Berly stood stalwart beneath the crushing falls, muscles bulging, shouting with exhilaration as his aura ignited.

"About time it got interesting!" he yelled over the din. This was the kind of extreme challenge he craved.

Azia meditated calmly through the chaos, the picture of poise. Once his aura activated, he simply gazed ahead stoically as the waterfall pummeled his endured frame.

Tanya, on the other hand, wore a permanent scowl throughout the trials. "I'm a mage, not some brutish warrior," she complained bitterly. But she succeeded nonetheless, refusing to fail out of spite.

Eyes closed, Amara breathed slowly, calming his pounding heart. He visualized a glowing ember within his core, willing it to ignite. The roar of the falls faded away.

Suddenly, he felt it - a spark of warmth that spread, flowing through his veins, down his arms, into his fingers. His senses sharpened acutely. Power thrummed inside him.

Amara's eyes snapped open, blazing with inner fire. He had done it! His Aura Fe was alight! Glancing around, he saw Amelia and Berly similarly aglow.

One by one, students left the water having succeeded or failed. Two days passed like this. Weak or distracted students were eliminated, leaving 35 remaining.

On the third day, Rahid announced, "Final test! You must meditate under the direct falls for one hour without losing focus. Fail, and go home."

The first student tried and was immediately pummeled down by the crushing water's force. The second lasted mere minutes before being overwhelmed.

Finally, Amara's turn came. He waded toward the falls. The closer he got, the heavier the water weighed on him, battering his shoulders.

Amelia beamed with pride when she lit her aura. Throughout the tests, she checked on Amara and encouraged him.

"I knew you could do it!" she cheered when he emerged victorious. Her faith, like Lilith's, gave him strength when he struggled.

At night, the companions recounted their experiences and strategized for the final meditation trial. Together, step by step, they overcame each obstacle on the path to knighthood.

He seated himself cross-legged in the mud. The water struck like a continuous blow, but Amara kept breathing, kept focus. His aura surged in response to the onslaught.

Slowly, agonizingly, the minutes passed. Amara's mind drifted. The water faded away. All was tranquil within him. His hour ended in what felt like mere moments.

Rahid nodded approvingly as Amara stood. By trial's end, twenty students remained. They had ignited their auras. They were ready for knight training's next phase.

That night, Amara wrote to Lilith about his success. He had taken the first true step toward realizing his dream. But this was just the start of the long road ahead.