Trial (Intermission Bonus)

Samuel woke up again in the same forest. Rushing back the scenario played back like all the previous times, he arrived at his home village quite quickly dashing through the forest to get there. But no matter how fast he was, the village was always on fire. So he rushed back home and saw the same scene repeat itself again, his father and mother both dead and defiled by cruelty. Before out of nowhere a blade would always appear through his heart.

Samuel woke up again in the same forest. Rushing back the scenario played back like all the previous times, he arrived at his home village quite quickly dashing around the forest to get there. But no matter how fast he was, the village was always on fire. So he rushed back home and saw the same scene repeat itself again, his father and mother both dead and defiled by cruelty. Before out of nowhere a blade would always appear through his heart.

Samuel woke up again in the same forest. Rushing back the scenario played back like all the previous times, he arrived at his home village quite quickly dashing through the forest to get there. But no matter how fast he was, the village was always on fire. So he rushed back home and saw the same scene repeat itself again, his father and mother both dead and defiled by cruelty. Before out of somewhere a blade would always appear through his heart.

This scenario repeated itself at least six times per day, Samuel had tried giving up but it just wouldn't let him. Even now after what was probably days had passed and the same scenario repeated over and over he didn't know what he had to do.

A trial, a fucking trial where he died over and over. He felt it every damn time, he screamed in agony bordering on insanity. He had collapsed many times in tears. Every time he woke up to a new cycle he puked his guts out, all the black tar substance. His mind was shattered and his heart broken. Even if he would sit down and do nothing, the blade eventually pierced him.

The creature that overlooked his trial felt pity for the young man. The poor poor boy didn't deserve such a cruel trial, but alas the creature was just a caretaker, it didn't actually dictate the actions of the tower. But nevertheless after all the endless struggle it shed a tear for him.

In yet another cycle, Samuel woke up in the forest feeling rain hit his face.... 'Rain!' It had never rained in any of the other instances. Samuel who had all but given up, slowly sat up. Looking to the sky he saw no rain, but he brought his hand to his face and unmistakenably there was a large droplet of water on his cheek.

Perhaps he had been crying, perhaps he had become fully insane at that point and he started laughing out loud in a crazed laughter. He hoped death would come soon so he could rest before the next cycle. It was always peaceful in between the cycles.

Just as he closed his eyes he saw the faces of his parents and friends. For some reason he started running. 'What the hell am I doing?' He inwardly yelled at himself as his legs were moving on their own, he had no idea what he was suddenly doing. Suddenly he started running faster than ever before, running through the forest at a super speed, like he was boosted by his fusion magic.

He arrived at his house and saw his farm still destroyed and his father dead. "What's the point of running here if all I have is to see this scene over and over!" He screamed at the top of his lungs in rage as tear streamed down his face.

He was tired of this shit, he wanted to go home. Home... home?

Samuel walked indoors and found his mother lie dead on the table... dead... she blinked slowly. Samuel gasped and rushed over to her, "MOM!" He yelled out, but he could see that his mother was unable to hear him, but her mouth was moving as if she was trying to speak. So Samuel quickly put his ear next to her mouth.

"Live! Live free always. Never forget, mommy loves you always!" Her whisper slowly trailed off as she closed her eyes and Samuel took a step back with tears streaming down his face. Had he ever tried to truly live... all this time he had been running away.

He had never tried to actually live, he had been so shocked and given up so easily when he thought there was no way out. "I AM GOING TO LIVE!!!" He suddenly shouted to the world and he walked outside. "Not tomorrow, not in a week. I am going to live right now!" He shouted to this fake reality he was stuck in.

"I will crush all despair! So come at me!" Samuel's words were bound by rage. Suddenly his slow vision activated and he saw a shadow form come out of his own shadow. He turned around in an instant and took the invisible blade straight through his hand instead and punched at his own shadow.

As his hand reached the shadow it turned into his mothers face and he stopped his punch short with a dumbfounded expression. The shadow wearing his mothers face embraced his head and pressed him into its chest. "My sweet child, never forget that I love you and want you to live on!" The shadow started fading and Samuel was left clutching the air as he went down on his knees.

The world around him suddenly shifted into what looked like an old temple. "I will never forget!" He silently whispered to himself as he stood back up to recognize where he was.

When suddenly a large dragon came crashing down in front of him. It looked unlike any dragon he had ever seen in a book, its body looked like it was made out of the night sky, dotted by stars that illuminated the dark sky.

"Congratulations on passing the test!" The female dragons voice echoed in the hall as it slowly started circling him. Samuel could only stand there staring at this beautiful creature, the dragon seemed to realize and unfurled its wings and stretched herself out in her full pride. "Do you like what you see?" The dragon giggled and snapped Samuel out of his reverie.

"Did I really pass the trial? I feel like I can't remember much about it!" Samuel suddenly realized he could only remember the first and last time. But he felt something inbetween was missing.

"For your own safety I purged your memories, to keep you sane!" The dragon replied. "You died more than one thousand times I can tell you at least."

Hearing that, Samuel suddenly didn't want to hear more and held up his hand to make sure he definitely didn't want to know and the dragon gave him a small bow.

"Say are you really a dragon? I have never seen one like you?" Samuel wanted to change subject and the dragon chuckled at his innocence.

"I am Saluzza, The Stargazer! Caretaker of this tower!" The dragon suddenly shifted into the appearance of a humanoid in a dark robe that hovered past him towards what looked like an altar at the end of the hall. "This.. this is your reward for passing the trial." The figure pointed at the altar and Samuel could see that there were things laying on it.

Samuel slowly walked towards it. When he finally reached it there were three things on the altar. A weird amber like staff, a sword in a sheath that resembled a phoenix and a chainmail. "Reward? For me?" Samuel asked and Saluzza started laughing.

"I guess the tower deemed your trial so long and tough that it gave you three gifts... That has almost never happened before!" Saluzza sounded really excited and nodded towards the items.

"All for me? But... How long was I in there?" Samuel quickly asked now worried. "Hmmm, At least six weeks!" Saluzza replied and Samuel almost choked and started coughing... "What?" He exclaimed and the dragon in disguise started hovering away. "Walk towards the nearest wall and you will come back outside. I am happy you succeeded! I wish you well..." Saluzza's voice slowly faded away and Samuel was left alone when suddenly he felt a burning sensation from his heart.

He heard a heartbeat, and suddenly a black tar like mouth opened in the air next to him. Samuel for some reason knew instinctively that this weird mouth was actually a pocket dimension, a place where he could store things safely in their own sub plane.

He had no idea how he knew but he felt like the burning sensation in his heart had awoken something within him. He quickly stored the three items inside the pocket realm that closed, he tried opening it again and it was there with only a thought.

He quickly closed it and suddenly threw up more black tar like substance than ever before. It didn't bring him to his knees, but he had to support himself with his hands. His heart started beating stronger and stronger, like it was finally alive after a very long slumber. It hurt and he felt like his entire body was cleansed. He felt..... Alive!

Samuel took a few breaths and couldn't wait to be outside, so he walked towards the wall that revealed a white bright doorway opening and he stepped through it finding himself outside the tower again. The first thing that struck him was the smells. He opened his eyes fully and saw the beautiful night sky with a few clouds revealing the three full moons. He took a deep breath and inhaled every smell and sensation he could.

Everything looked so beautiful to him, it was like he had been in a dream for the past three years and only truly woken up now. "So how did it go lil cousin?" Alsian's voice slightly startled Samuel but he instantly relaxed and before Samuel could even say anything Alsian saw everything he needed to see.

The usual sharp and alert face of Samuel was finally relaxed, he looked like a different person. He looked strong, confident and... happy! Alsian held up his hand and smiled. It had taken him quite some time but he had succeded in the end. "Hungry?" Alsian asked. "Starving!" Samuel replied.

Alsian took some time to prepare plenty of food and Alsian told him most of what had happened that he could remember until the food was done and Samuel realized he had technically gone six weeks without eating, so he gobbled everything down really fast.

"You have awakened your blood..." Alsian tapped on Samuels head and Samuel looked confused so Alsian conjured a mirror of water and Samuel could see his bluegreen eyes shining blue and green while his whites had become reddish black.

"Imagine it like a light that you flick on and off with your mind." Alsian instructed him and it didn't take long before Samuel figured it out. "It's weird I feel so much stronger... Maybe I had been suppressing myself all this time?"

Alsian shrugged. "Its possible. But don't beat yourself up over it. I will however congratulate you on a bit of a late 19th birthday and that you have passed to move on to the second year at the college. Unfortunately we have only one week before the meetup at the grove, but that week is yours to do with as you please..." Alsian trailed off a bit and Samuel asked, "But?"

"But your guardian is currently in the capitol and wants to see you... Ranger captain Faleah, I promised to take you to her and so I will. Even though you are an adult I owe her that much at least." Alsian smiled and Samuel smiled as well. "Thank you... for everything!" For the first time in a long time, Samuel felt free to spread his wings and fly.

"Well let's not keep Faleah waiting!" Alsian started packing up their things and soon enough led them to a portal that led them all the way back to the mage city.

"Say if you had a portal nearby... then why did we walk all the way?" Samuel asked curiously and Alsian chuckled. "Because it was good for you!" Alsian led him to another portal that brought them down to the capitol.

Samuel had never been down to the city on the ground before and was quite shocked to see how huge it was from the small hidden portal area. Although a familiar face was standing waiting for them and without giving a second longer the figure had rushed forward and hugged Samuel tight.