031 – Another Option

Chieftess Briaga became quiet, looking at Uriel intently.

Uriel shrunk under her intense gaze but he didn't retract his decision, he couldn't rest well if he gave up on getting justice for his people.

"Then I cannot teach you," she replied and climbed up to leave.

"Mother," Urlo hurriedly got in between his mother and the exit.

"You have felt his power even clearer than I you know what will happen if he doesn't learn to control it," Urlo urged his mother, "Is it not our duty to protect nature and the balance?" he questioned.

Thwack.

"Ay," Briaga slapped the head of her son, "Do you think me blind to his condition, but do you even realize what could happen if he learns to wield that power, he would be a disaster on the land, who then will be able to preserve the balance?" she sternly questioned.

"I…I won't abuse my power," came Uriel's voice, he had no intention of using it for anything other than killing the soldiers and rescuing his people.

"You are but a seedling that is yet to even sprout its first leaves, what does a seedling know of the majesty of a tree?" asked the Chieftess, a cryptic line.

"I have seen power corrupt good men and women with resolute hearts and firm resolve, but you are merely a boy who knows no way," she shook her head.

Her time had been hard on her and she had seen far too many youths stray from the way when they achieved strength and power, believing their power gave them dominion over others, such was the case with the new Queen Celestia Rothwart and she was but one in a long list of people over the ages.

Urlo looked between Uriel and his mother, "Then there is one other way," he slowly said, and his words carried a certain weight to it.

Briaga's eyes widened and she looked at her son in surprise, "You don't mean…"

Urlo nodded, "Our way comes from the tablet of 10, if the tablet approves of him then there will be no problem in teaching him, and should he fail we will send him away,"

Briaga looked at her son and sighed in relent, what he said was true the tablet was the authority of their people and they had no right to deny anyone from trying to seek its guidance.

"He may go to the tablet, but if he goes as he is now he will not survive," she said with certainty.

Urlo nodded not doubting his mother's words.

"Very well, I will leave to report this latest development to the Order, when I return he will be put to the trail," she said and walked through the beaded partition.

Uriel looked up at Urlo expecting an explanation, but the muscular youth said nothing and sat down with a look of concentration.

"You should sleep, starting tomorrow there will be little time for you to rest," said Urlo in seriousness, then he dossed out the lamps and the room went dark.

---

"Where are we heading?" Uriel asked, they had been walking from before dawn and hadn't stopped for an hour.

All around him were trees and more trees he trudged over the muddy slope following behind Urlo.

"You'll see in a bit," came Urlo's reply it was the same as the dozen times Uriel had asked before.

Uriel could only sigh and continue to follow, but this time Urlo's words seemed prophetic because a minute later they arrived at a waterfall.

There was more water than he had ever seen in his life rapidly smashing down from above and creating a massive pool of water.

When they arrived at the pool they found that it was not empty, in fact, there were a number of people gathered at the rocky shore and more situation a little deeper into the water.

They all wore similar clothes to Urlo, of thick animal hide and some amount of beaded strings, some even had large fangs from beasts attached to the strings.

"What is this place?" Uriel asked noticing that despite there being so many people present they were all sitting in tranquil quiet making almost no noise at all.

"This a training ground where the Argeum come to discipline our minds and bodies," he gave his first clear answer.

"Once we go down you must be quiet and respectful, do not create a disturbance in the space," he explained, "Ask me whatever you want to before we head down," he said.

'Finally,' thought Uriel, he had more questions in his head than he knew how to control.

"What's this trail that you spoke of yesterday?" he asked.

Urlo pondered for a moment before returning a question of his own, "What do you know about the rifts of perdition?" he asked.

"Uh," Uriel paused not understanding what this had to do with his question, but he figured that Urlo would have a reason.

"Not much, only what I heard in the stories of the crusades, and the twelve great heroes, who waged a war against the abominations of the rifts and who went on to establish the Holy church," he said giving a simple summary of what he knew.

Urlo nodded, "There is some truth to the stories of the 12 and their war, but the rifts are something that predates the abominations, at least that's what we have come to believe from studying the rifts and the tablet of 10,"

"A thousand years ago it was the founder of the Argeum Order, Gallig Argeum, who discovered the tablet inside of a rift within this forest,"

"And it was he who established the rules of our people by using the guidance held within the sacred tablet, it is because of my mother's worry about your power that she does not wish to teach you, but if the tablet were to offer you guidance then it would be proof that you are worth to receive our teachings," Urlo explained.

Uriel sucked in a breath, "Does that mean that I'll have to clear a rift to learn?" he asked with worry as he was not a warrior or a real fighter.

Urlo chuckled seeing his reaction but he slowly shook his head, "If only it was so simple," he sighed.

Uriel couldn't help but gulp, 'What was so simple about clearing a rift!?' it was a monster-infested wasteland filled with abominations and who knew what other creatures as well as all kinds of vicious traps.

Only real adventurers and great warriors the likes of which stories were told about could hope to combat the inhabitants of a rift, and he was neither.

"The rift that my ancestor discovered is a special kind that can't be destroyed, and that allows people to challenge it, but over the millennia there have been no more than a dozen people who have had the fortune of discovering the tablet, all of whom came to be well known and respected Saints of the Argeum Order," Urlo explained.

"To put it simply, you must face the trial of the rift and survive while hoping that the tablet reveals itself to you," he concluded.

Uriel looked down with worry, not having any idea how he was going to conquer this rift, his eyes glanced over the pommel of his sword as he thought that if he could just learn how to direct eldrin through it then it would grant him the power he needed.

At the same time, another worry crept up inside him, as he remembered that the longer he spent here the further the soldiers were taking Cass and the others.

He was already so far behind them and learning to control his eldrin was only going to delay him even further yet if he didn't do it he wouldn't be able to help them even if he caught up.

As he thought deeper he realized that if he wanted to fight the soldiers he would also need to learn how to fight with his body as well, when he thought about it that way he realized that perhaps this wasn't such a deviation after all.

If he spent his time wisely he would benefit in more ways than one.

"How long until I have to take the trial?" he asked with firmness in his eyes.

Urlo couldn't help but grin seeing such an expression, it surely beat seeing him with tears in his eyes all the time.

"My mother will return in three days maybe less, that's when your trial will begin," he replied.

Uriel gritted his teeth, "Will three days be enough time?" he asked worriedly, it wasn't like learning how to fight could be done in such a short span of time.

"The trial adjusts itself according to the one who is taking the trial, which is why we only need to focus on ensuring that you know the basics," Urlo explained.

Uriel nodded in understanding and together the two of them set off towards the rocky shore, ready to begin their training.

--- 

A/N: hey there do a good deed and help out your author here by voting, commenting, and reviewing

1. For every 200 power stones you'll get an extra chapter.

2. For every 5 reviews you'll get an extra chapter.

3. For every 100 comments you'll get an extra chapter.

Up to 5 bonus chapters a week

if you are reading this work of mine please support me through any of the above means.

Publishing rate=7 chapters a week.