Ray's Purpose
'A smiling cat?'
The mask's image didn't coincide with anything in Ray's memory, but the ambient Sword Breath that always showed him to way seemed to be pointing at the mask's owner. Unfortunately for Ray, by the time he finally understood what was happening, all of the Swordsmen had already run into the garden by now, including the masked man.
"We should also go."
Seeing him lost in thought, Jade pulled at Ray to shake him awake. Naturally, this wasn't the time to be absentminded.
"Right."
Pushing away his instinctual reaction, Ray quickly started following the rest of the 'horde' into the garden. He was here for a reason, and he couldn't give that up.
Unlike what the Sword Garden Trial appeared to be, it was no easy gift from the Empire to those who have spent countless efforts reaching the upper end of the mid-grades. Just like its name indicated, it was a trial, and it was one for choosing those who would become a new part of the Empire's strength.