Squire test

Lyrus was dreaming once more. He dreamt that he was running from the Barthos bear as the savage creature chased him deep into the forest of Nieblahim. Tired and thirsty, Lyrus went to a nearby pond to drink water and refresh himself. However, as he gazed into the water, the face that gazed back at him wasn't his. Waking up with a start, Lyrus stared into the darkness inside his hut. The cold night wind must have blown out his candle. Fumbling around, Lyrus looked for another match and lit back his candle. Looking outside, a thick fog immediately greeted the peasant. Despite having lived near the edge of the forest for most of his life, Lyrus can't still get used to the unnatural and creepy fog that sometimes envelopes the forest especially when it's nearing winter.

Setting the candle near his makeshift sink, Lyrus proceeded with washing his face. Despite not knowing what time is it because of the fog Lyrus knew that he must start training once more for today is the squire test. Drying his face with a rag, he checked his reflection on the mirror only to see a set of blue eyes staring back at him.

Startled, Lyrus took a step back, noticing that the reflection in the mirror did so too. Touching his face, the peasant realized that the face on the mirror was his. Gone was his' messy black hair and brown eyes and instead, a short blonde hair and blue eyes replaced them instead. His curved nose had been changed into a straight one, and he now sported a chiselled chin instead of a slightly fatty one. Perhaps what was more shocking was the overall change in appearance that he took. His portly physique is now a finely sculpted one and may be likened to that of a knight who had years of experience in the battlefield. Lastly, he seemed to have grown a bit taller. For the first few minutes, Lyrus only marvelled at his new form, making sure that he wasn't dreaming. That was when he remembered the events of last night.

Lyrus recalled being tired from the training he did and applying the balm Edrana gave him to the wounds on his hands after eating dinner. It was around that time that Lyrus examined the potion the kind old lady gave him. Sniffing the contents of the glass vial, the smell reminded him of blueberries, his favourite. Still suspicious of the concoction, Lyrus decided to drink only a small amount of it. He was right. The potion did not only smell of blueberries but tasted like one too. He waited for a few seconds for any sudden change but only felt a warm sensation spreading throughout his body, like he just drank ale. Thinking that the old lady may have made a mistake in brewing the potion or may have given him a blueberry ale instead of a potion, and feeling drowsy already, Lyrus went to sleep.

Everything feels surreal, that any moment he would wake up. However, before he could even continue to be in awe with his appearance, he felt a tingling sensation and within a matter of seconds, he watched as his face changed to its original form. Sweating heavily, Lyrus looked at the table where he left the potion Edrana gave him.

Was it true? Did the potion really change his appearance? Was that what Edrana meant by the potion allowing a person to discover his true self? These thoughts continued to haunt the peasant as he left his hut to begin his training, taking the potion with him for safekeeping. While he might not have any use for the brew, he decided to keep it rather than return it to Edrana, thinking that the old woman might be offended if he gave it back.

Finding a sturdy tree near the edge of the forest, Lyrus began his usual routine. With nothing but a lamp to guide him, Lyrus chose to train near the edge of forest this time, partly because of the thick fog, and partly because of the howls he has been hearing since last night, which unmistakably belong to the beast that dwells deep withi Nieblahim. One, two, one two. His rhythm and strength had improved ever since he started practicing his swordsmanship three days ago. As he went from one stance to another, Lyrus can't help but let his mind drift. Soon, he was thinking once more of the potion Edrana gave him, of the upcoming squire test that noon, and of the possibility of Barthos being his opponent. Barthos. The face of Barthos the bear appeared once more in Lyrus' mind, stopping him midway through a blow.

His breathing quickened as Lyrus suddenly felt a sickening feeling in his stomach. It was as if someone decided to replace his insides with a bunch of needles and filled it with acid. Within a matter of seconds, Lyrus collapsed on his knees. A cold shiver spread throughout his body, blurring his vision, making him see strange shadowy tendrils creeping from the fog at the forest edge. As he struggled to remain conscious, Lyrus, out of instinct, grabbed onto his rucksack containing his breakfast and the potion. As if on cue, the coldness in his body slowly faded away and the shadowy tendrils that seemed to have wrap themselves around him retreated back to the forest.

Getting back up on his feet, Lyrus immediately gathered his things and ran towards his hut. Whatever happened to him, unnatural or not, was something that the peasant would not want to experience again in the dark and near the forest of Nieblahim. Returning to his hut, Lyrus hung his lamp by the door, shut the windows of his hut and sat by the foot of his bed, the wooden sticks on his hands, ready to strike at whatever may come crashing through his home. He tried to stay awake and keep watch but failed to do so after a few hours.

Waking up once more, Lyrus breathed with relief when he saw sunlight streaming into the inside of his hut. However, his relief turned into panic when he realized that it was already a few hours into the morning. Cramming bread into his mouth, Lyrus hurriedly went out of his hut and back to his training place. Returning infront of the tree where he was practicing during the wee hours of the morning, the peasant cautiously surveyed his surroundings. With everything seemingly backed to normal, he resumed practice again, trying to keep his mind clear from everything that had happened to him earlier.

A few hours later, Lyrus stopped hitting the tree to admire his handiwork. Numerous deep blows covered the trunk of the tree, its bark completely removed by the damage it sustained. Still, a bitter taste formed inside the peasant's mouth as he thought of the possibility of Barthos as his opponent. The knight despite his arrogance was an excellent swordsman and could easily beat anyone in a swordfight if he wills it. Remembering the rules of the squire test, it would definitely take more than a couple of blows to make the conceited knight fall to his knee or yield, moreover knock him out. Doubt filled Lyrus' mind as he thought about what he would do if by some cruel twist of fate Barthos became his opponent.

Recalling the large bruises Barthos' last foe received during the previous year's squire test and how the knight used a twohanded swordplay, Lyrus folded his left arm as if holding a shield while wielding a wooden stick on the other. With a shout, Lyrus charged towards the tree, imagining it was the knight. Doing a series of blows and parries, he practiced the traditional shield and sword stance a knight would normally used. He needed a backup plan. He cannot rely simply on his father's dual wielding swordplay and so, Lyrus practiced the said stance for the next few hours, regaining back his confidence by the time he was finished.

It was midway to afternoon when Lyrus stopped practicing. However, the upcoming squire test continued to bother him. Deciding that perhaps a stroll would do him some good, the peasant set out to the capital. Dropping by Erne's fruit stand, he got a scolding from the merchant for forgetting to help the latter for the last two days. Guilt-ridden and without no other choice, Lyrus helped Erne in fixing his stand and selling his goods for the next few hours for free. Scratching his head as he left Erne, Lyrus continued to roam Noir until noon, helping vendors with their wares to earn some coins for a decent lunch before the test. Much to his dismay, it was already around noon when the peasant managed to earn enough coins to buy at least a bowl of porridge and milk. Seeing that people are starting to gather inside the castle, he quickly ran towards where the men were gathering, his pockets full but his stomach empty.

Arriving infront of the huge castle garden, Lyrus looked around to see the faces of those participating in this year's squire test. He saw some familiar ones from Noir, some he was confident would definitely pass, some he doubted if would last for even a few seconds in a fight. Most of the people he saw came from the neighboring villages and provinces. Blacksmiths, mercenaries, farmers, labourers, and even men who looked like thugs continued to gather around the castle knights and Thenan, their commander, as noon progressed. Seeing Freid among in this year's set of instructors, Lyrus felt a bit more confident. He even hoped that Freid would be his opponent. He would really like to cross swords with his bestfriend and would not mind losing to him infront of so many people. But before Lyrus could even call his bestfriend's attention, he saw a familiar long golden-haired knight among his potential opponents.

It felt like a chunk of iron was dropped inside Lyrus' stomach upon seeing Barthos among the throng of knights. He was really hoping that the latter would not be participating this year especially after being scolded last year by Thenan for beating his opponent to a pulp. Lyrus can't help but swallow hard upon remembering Barthos' notoriety during squire test. The golden-haired knight was known for treating his foe to large bruises and humiliating them infront of everyone before proceeding to knock them out. A crowd favorite, people always look forward to seeing who would be unlucky enough to face Barthos during each squire test, roaring wildly as the knight sends his enemy writhing in pain on the ground.

"Hear, hear, the squire test is about to start. All participants please gather near me," shouted Thenan with his deep booming voice. Clearly visible because of his large stature and gleaming bronze colored armor, Lyrus was hoping for some good news from his father's friend as he walked towards the commander.

"Everyone listen. As it was the tradition of every squire test, your respective instructors are chosen randomly. Your opponent's name would only be announced when you step up infront of this makeshift arena infront of me. Once your name is called, proceed to the side of the arena to choose from the assortment of wooden shields and sticks on the crate beside you. Lastly, to pass the test you must make your opponent fall down on his knee, just on one knee would do, or make him admit defeat…or if you can, by knocking him out. So best of luck everyone. Now, let's begin!" shouted Thenan. With that, the man started calling out names from the parchment in his hand. As expected those coming from noble and well-off families passed while most of the peasants, farmers, and labourers failed. Seeing that even well-trained combatants tend to fail made Lyrus quiver. Would he be able to pass?

"Lyrus Arghant, please come forward." shouted Thenan. However, the peasant felt as if cold ice was poured all over him when he heard who his opponent was. It was Barthos. His breath labored and his pulse raced as he reached for a medium length wooden stick and shield instead of two wooden sticks. A lot taller than him and more muscular, Barthos came from a family of knights, and thus already received proper training at a young age. Lyrus saw the big evil grin the arrogant knight had upon seeing the peasant's terrified face. Turning his head towards Freid, he saw the worried look of his bestfriend, making him lose confidence more. However, keeping in mind what Edrana told him, Lyrus decided to step forward and face his skilled opponent.

Lyrus eyed Barthos carefully as he strained to hear Thenan's signal to begin. "Start!" the latter shouted and before he could even shield himself Barthos charged. A loud thud was heard as Barthos struck Lyrus on the right shoulder. Barthos delivered a powerful blow which made Lyrus almost drop to his knees. The crowd roared in a mix of disappointment and glee upon seeing another man receiving a beating. With a shout Barthos tried to hit Lyrus once more, this time aiming for the peasant's left side. Luckily, Lyrus managed to block it with his shield. Desperate to retaliate, he blindly swung his stick, making his opponent move back. Standing up, he felt the terrible pain on his right shoulder but he knew he must not hesitate and so with a cry, Lyrus charged towards Barthos.

"Is that all you can do? Perhaps it's better off for you to stay as a peasant," taunted Barthos as he evaded and parried Lyrus' blows with ease. Lyrus on the other hand, can feel the strain on his injured shoulder everytime he attacked, draining him of his energy greatly. Another loud shout and Lyrus tried to stike Barthos' head but his wild swing only made him lose footing, allowing his opponent to hit him successively, making him retreat to the far edge of the crowd circling them. He was tired, slow, and his whole body was in pain. He can feel a large bruise starting to form on his right shoulder and other parts of his body. With no other choice, Lyrus discarded his shield.

"Stick!" shouted Thenan upon Lyrus' request to be given another one. Lyrus can see the puzzled look on the onlookers' faces as he was handed another stick. He assumed another stance, this time with a stick in each hand.

"Lyrus, you clever dog." muttered Thenan with a grin as he recognized the stance.

"You think you can win by using two sticks? Let me remind you then who's the better swordsman between the two of us," said Barthos as he ran towards Lyrus while the latter ran towards the knight at the same time. Barthos has a tendency to do a full swing when the knight is confident that he can beat his opponent to a pulp, providing opportunity for a counterattack. Lyrus knew what he had to do; he doesn't need to retaliate with every ounce of his strength, rather he must let Barthos attack him freely and wait for an opportunity to deal the decisive blow.

As Barthos' overhead swing was about to hit his' head, Lyrus struck his opponent's right elbow using his left hand, making sure that the stick hit Barthos' elbow squarely. As the peasant expected, the blow sent a jolt on Barthos' right arm, disrupting the latter's attack and made the knight pull his sword away from his body. Without a second to lose, Lyrus delivered another blow using his right hand, this time to his opponent's left hip, causing the knight to lose balance. Finally, kneeling with his left knee, Lyrus delivered two simultaneous blows, one on each of Barthos' knees, forcing the golden-haired knight to kneel on both knees then writhe on the ground in pain. Lyrus stood before the knight, breathing heavily due to exhaustion, he won.

"Lyrus Arghant passed." Thenan declared with a smile. Lyrus himself can't help but grin at his victory. He did it, he passed the test and even beat Barthos in a mock duel.

"You got lucky peasant, next time I won't go easy on you," said Barthos, a frown clearly visible on his face as the latter continue to hold his knees in pain. Lyrus was too tired to care and simply turned his back and limped to rejoin the crowd who was too shocked to say anything, for it was the first time Barthos was beaten.

"Is he the last? Would anyone else here care to try?" asked Thenan, sweating heavily. It was already late into the afternoon and the crowd was starting to get thin. Lyrus stayed despite the injuries, hoping to see some fine swordplay that he might be able to use in his training especially now that he is a squire.

"Me! I would like to try if you may so allow it." A voice echoed from the back of the crowd, a woman's voice. Turning his head around, Lyrus saw a female participant, one who looks more like a florist than a squire. While there were a small number of woman participants in the squire test most of them looked like a mercenary and more of a man but the woman that just captured the crowd's attention appeared otherwise. She was short in stature, some would even say too short for a male squire, her hair was short and black, while her eyes are round like that of a pearl, and her overall features very feminine, making Lyrus wonder if she has a chance to pass or even go home without so much of a scratch at all.

"And what is your name my fair lady?" asked Thenan politely, a look of incredulity evident on his face as he watched the woman came closer.

"My name is Alea Aibe." The woman replied calmly. Looking closely, Lyrus saw that the woman was garbed in a hood, covering the most part of her body besides her legs on which she wore a pair of boots, an expensive looking pair.

"And who would be vouching for you then? As you may know, to enter the squire test, a nobleman, a knight, or a part of the royal family must vouch for your participation." Thenan eyed the curious looking participant.

"I vouch for her. I am considered as part of the royal family since I belong to the household of the current monarch of Threanas." Another female voice echoed from the back. Looking once more from behind him, Lyrus saw Silvia, Princess Auria's chambermaid.

"Well, I guess you can participate after all, Alea," replied the commander knight with a look of surprise upon seeing Silvia at the back of the crowd. Thenan then asked one of the knights by his side to be Alea's opponent.

Tension filled the crowd as the onlookers wait with bated breath for the signal, not just because of the female participant's curious appearance but also because of her weird onehanded sword stance, with her right arm tucked at her back, a stance which suddenly made Thenan's face turn serious. However, the crowd didn't have to wait long for the battle was done in a blink of an eye. Upon Thenan's signal, the mysterious woman charged towards her opponent in a flash, and within a matter of seconds, loud dull clunks were heard all over the castle grounds. The woman landed consecutive blows on her opponent, hitting him in various places on his body while all her opponent can do was shield himself from the onslaught. She then finished the fight with a powerful thrust at the opponent's chest, sending the poor fellow tumbling backwards.

Awe immediately filled the crowd upon seeing Alea's prowess. Lyrus on the other hand, thought that Alea would be a great mentor to him. However, before he could even get closer to the skilled swordsman, Alea was dragged away in a hurry by Silvia with Thenan following behind. With the onlookers starting to leave, Lyrus had no choice but to return home. That night, the peasant slept comfortably on his bed despite his various bruises and sores, his dreams filled with his victorious battle against Barthos, and later on, Barthos the bear.

"Princess Auria, wake up. You need to wake up right now. Your father –" said Silvia as she shook the princess awake. However, upon hearing the word "father", Auria quickly got up from bed and started dressing. She overslept. Again. Her father would be outraged especially after the incident yesterday in which she wandered out of the castle unguarded.

Silvia laughed as she watched the princess scrambling to put on a dress. Sensing something odd, Auria stopped what she was doing and gave a puzzled look to her chambermaid who was sitting calmly at the foot of her bed, smiling.

"Did something happen I was not aware of?" Auria asked, half naked.

"No, no, princess. It was more like there was something you forgot," said Silvia, still smiling.

"Did you forget? Your father sent word yesterday late evening that he would be extending his absence for another day." Silvia chuckled as she started to help Auria put on her clothes.

"But what about yesterday? Did father hear of me escaping the castle?" Auria asked worriedly. She knew how much angry her father would be if he found out since the last time she left the castle unguarded, her father ordered guards to be put on patrol outside her room just to make sure she doesn't try to wander again.

"No, I don't think word got out regarding your "escape". I already talk to Thenan and asked him to keep everything a secret," replied Silvia as she now started combing Auria's hair.

"Thank you, Silvia. Please say my thanks to Thenan when you meet him later this evening," said Auria with a wink.

"Pri-princess?! Bu-but, how did you?" asked Silvia, the red on her cheeks clearly evident.

"I know a lot of things. I'm the princess remember? Besides I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning yesterday," teased Auria.

"Pri-princess!" shouted Silvia as Auria ran down the stairs in glee. Another day. Her father would be gone for another day. Ironically, the news brought joy to the princess rather than sadness and longing for her father. Two days. Two days of freedom. It's the greatest wish she could ever get fulfilled. With that, Auria and Silvia ate breakfast happily and loudly side by side at the long table in the great hall, talking of the things that they would be doing today.

"Silvia, thank you for accompanying me at breakfast. Now, as your princess, I command you to take the rest of the day off once more and do whatever your heart pleases." Auria bowed to Silvia as Silvia also bowed in return, the two grining from ear to ear.

"Princess, with a heavy heart, I shall do what you ordered, for I understand that it is the duty of a chambermaid to follow her princess, even to the bottom of a ravine," replied Silvia, pretending to shed a tear. Looking at each other, the two laughed loudly once more. The last two days have been turning into the best days of their lives and who are they to complain about it?

"Princess. I'll be taking my leave now. I trust that you would spend your day wisely but please be careful. Avoid doing any more things that might put you into danger," said Silvia with concern before the maid turned around and left.

All alone on the castle grounds, Auria paced back and forth, trying to think of what she might do today. Looking back at the window of her room, Auria remembered the potion Edrana gave her. A potion to see the world in the eyes of another. Recalling Edrana's words, Auria hurried back to her room, took the garb she wore yesterday from underneath the bed and got the small glass vial containing the shimmering blue liquid.

Auria studied the vial's contents for a few seconds. She then decided to give the potion a good sniff before doing anything with it. To her surprise, the potion contained a sweet scent, contrary to the foul pungent one she was expecting. In fact, the smell reminded Auria of daisies and honey. The potion appearing to be harmless, Auria took a deep breath then drank it. True to its smell, the potion indeed tasted like honey with a tinge of another sweet flavor Auria guessed what might daisies taste like if eaten. Draining the vial of its contents, Auria stood for a moment as she waited for anything to happen but only felt a warm sensation envelope her. Thinking that the potion might be wrong or that the old woman tricked her, Auria sighed and picked up her hood, preparing to sneak out of the castle once more.

That was when she noticed that her hands were a bit bigger than the usual and rougher. Examining them closely, the princess realized that her once small, smooth white hands had been replaced by big, rough, brown colored ones. Grabbing a mirror, Auria looked at herself and to her surprise saw a completely different person looking back at her. Though still small in stature, Auria's skin color has changed to match that of the common folk. Her long golden-brown hair had been replaced with a short black one, while her deep black eyes were now colored brown like that of a chestnut. Auria stood in shock for a few seconds then proceeded to touch her face and even pinched it to make sure she was not dreaming. Her appearance indeed changed. She was a completely different person now. She looked…ordinary, like one of the many people inhabiting Noir. Is this what Edrana meant to see the world in another person's eyes? However, instead of panicking, an idea immediately struck Auria.

Within a few minutes of preparation, Auria left her room and made her way to the halls of the castle, trying to avoid bumping into anyone. If someone sees her right now and with her appearance, they might think she was a commoner trying to sneak into the castle and that could put her in trouble. The potion should allow her to roam Noir freely and unguarded. Hiding once more behind the stone pillar she hid herself yesterday Auria gazed at the castle gate. Eight guards were stationed at the gate but this time completely different ones. Thenan must have scolded them and changed the ones stationed there after yesterday's incident. Swallowing hard, Auria nervously walked towards the gate while trying not to act suspicious.

Reaching the gate, Auria was stopped by two of the guards. "Who are you?" asked one of them, his face hidden behind his helmet.

"I-I am A-Alea. I was asked by one of the chambermaids to come here and help in today's cooking. I'm just about to take my leave," Auria answered nervously. To her great delight, the guard simply shrugged his shoulders and told the other one to let her through. Trying not to look happy, Auria calmly walked out of the castle gate and into the open streets of Noir. Being careful this time, she didn't remove the hood of her robe despite having changed her appearance, not until she reached the streets. Taking her hood off, Auria breathe the various smells littering the streets, felt the heat of the sun on her skin, and with a smile started her stroll.

For a few hours, Auria roamed the capital, steering clear of dark and narrow alleys this time. However, instead of being enthralled by the usual activities of the city, the princess only became disappointed at what she saw. It was not just in the alley that she went yesterday but also in the many streets that she saw beggars at the side of houses, asking for food and spare coins. She saw how vendors argued and struggled with selling their goods, and how buyers would try to bargain at the lowest price possible. The Noir she saw was different from the one she knew when she was little and her mother was still in the castle. The gleaming trinkets sold by gypsy merchants were replaced with more practical tools that one may use in farming. The animals that used to play on the streets were now gone, in their place shady looking men who always seemed to be on the lookout for trouble. The colourful flowers and fruits being sold in various stalls were now replaced with pale looking and dusty ones.

Hungry, Auria bought some bread from a bakery only for it to be snatched away by a thief. Angered, Auria ran after the bandit, only to realized that the robber was a child, a child whose physique almost resembles a skeleton. Pity quickly swallowed up Auria. She felt tears welled up at her eyes as the image burned through her mind. Holding back her tears, she went to a nearby stall and brought nuts and a waterskin full of water, paying with what's left of the money she brought. Tired from walking, Auria sat down at the side of a house, beside a sleeping beggar. Sighing, she looked at the nuts on her left hand and the waterskin on the other and decided to give them to the poor man beside her. Auria nudged the man awake, took his hand, and gave what she just bought. The skinny beggar looked at Auria with tears on his eyes and started to cry.

"Thank you. Oh, thank you very much kind stranger. You don't know how much this means to me," said the man as he started opening the nuts and eating their contents hungrily, cramming as much as he can into his mouth.

"Wha-what happened here? I don't remember Noir being this…melancholic." Auria struggled to find the words on how she would describe the capital but realized that no words can accurately describe the pitiful state it is in.

"My child, how long have you been away? Ever since Deanor became king, Noir had become a symbol of poverty rather than prosperity. It has lost the glory it once had." The beggar sighed then resumed eating.

"But the knights? What are they doing? Isn't their duty to take care of the welfare of the people?" asked Auria with concern. Surely the knights had been doing something. The thought echoed in her mind.

"My child, those knights are no better than thieves. Everyday they would go out of the castle not to help the people but rather just to show everyone how well their lives are. Only few remain faithful to their duty to the people. Most have fallen to greed and power, spending their days collecting taxes and donations from the people, donations that only end up in their pockets," said the man, anger present in his voice.

"Noir is a lost cause. Leave while there is still time. Leave before Noir falls," pleaded the beggar to Auria as he took her hand. Auria simply shook her head.

"I'm sorry but I can't. Noir is my home and I won't let my home fall into ruins," declared Auria as she left the beggar, a plan slowly forming in her mind.

It was already noon. Auria ran as fast as she can back to the castle. The squire test. People should be gathering to participate in the squire test by now. Reaching the castle gate, Auria joined the crowd that have formed at the palace gardens. To her dismay, Auria discovered that the test had already started. Furthermore, her short stature prevented her from going infront of the mob so that she may request to participate in the test as well. Gritting her teeth, Auria tried to make her way through the throng, hoping to catch the attention of a knight so that she may be heard of her request. However, her efforts went to waste as the crowd huddled tighter upon the announcement that a fight was about to begin.

Pushed back by the large number of people, Auria can only stand on tiptoe and watched from afar the participants, as she continued to wait for an opportunity to get a knight's attention. A few minutes passed and Auria saw a familiar face on the arena. Lyrus, Lyrus Arghant was the name of the peasant she bumped into and saw in the garden a few days ago. At first, Auria can't believe her eyes upon recognizing the said face. She thought that Lyrus' physique did not fit that of a knight's but more of a peasant or labourer. Still, she decided to watch how the young man would do in a fight.

To her disappointment, Lyrus receive numerous blows from his opponent, a golden-haired knight, within a few minutes since the fight started. The young man is clearly not comfortable with his stance, struggling to hold his shield firmly and use it to parry attacks. A couple more powerful strikes from his opponent and the peasant was pushed back to the edge of the crowd. Auria can only sighed as she pitied the poor fellow. However, a feeling of admiration also seemed to well up inside Auria's chest as she continued to watch Lyrus' struggle.

The young man seemingly on the verge of defeat, Auria sighed and the feeling of pity crept insider her. It was hopeless. She was about to turn her back and find another way through the crowd when she heard a couple of gasps. Looking back at the makeshift arena, she saw the peasant now wielding two wooden sticks, one on each hand. Dual wielding. Auria remembered Thenan talking about his deceased friend who was particularly skilled in wielding two swords. Intrigued by the sudden turn of events, Auria decided to continue watching. Getting up, Lyrus charged towards his opponent and within a few précised strikes managed to make his golden-haired opponent kneel. Auria can't help but smile at seeing the peasant win. It reminded her of her first victory against Thenan when she was practicing her swordplay.

A few hours passed and Auria continued to watch the participants in the squire test, still hoping to find an opportunity to join. The opportunity presented itself as the last participant finished his battle. "Is he the last? Would anyone else here care to try?" asked Thenan, Auria immediately recognizing her mentor's voice shouted, "Me! I would like to try if you may so allow it."

Auria felt all eyes fall on her as the spectators heard her voice. Breathing deeply, Auria proceeded towards the makeshift arena as the crowd made way for her. She heard various mutterings as she walked towards Thenan, some pitying her, some mocking her, but most of them in disbelief. This is her chance. She must pass the test. Reaching the front of the crowd, Auria faced Thenan, nervous that she might not be allowed to take the test and that Thenan might recognize her despite the change in her appearance.

"And what is your name my fair lady?" asked Thenan politely, a look of incredulity evident on his face as he examined Auria.

"My name is Alea Aibe." Beads of cold sweat ran down side of Auria's face as she scolded herself for being nervous at the most crucial time.

"And who would be vouching for you then? As you may know, to enter the squire test, a nobleman, a knight, or a part of the royal family must vouch for your participation," said Thenan as he continued to eye her. Vouch? Auria didn't know that someone of noble blood must vouch for her so that she may be able to participate. More beads of sweat ran down her face as she tried to think of an answer. However, before she can even reply with an excuse, she heard a voice from the back of the crowd.

"I vouch for her. I am considered as part of the royal family since I belong to the household of the current monarch of Threanas." Looking back, Auria saw Silvia, her face serious and stern. Had she been found out? Did Silvia recognize her? However, Auria wasn't able to dwell on her thoughts as Thenan called a knight to be her opponent and motioned her to pick up a wooden stick from the crate.

Assuming the stance for the autumn blade, Auria steadied her nerves and started practicing her swordplay in her mind as she waited for Thenan's signal to begin. Auria knows that she must finish the fight quickly before she attracts too much attention and cause trouble. Hearing Thenan's signal, Auria quickly dashed towards her opponent. Having already picked the spots to hit, Auria struck her opponent with precision and speed, ending the fight with a powerful thrust to the chest that sent her opponent stumbling backward.

"Alea passed," announced Thenan. Auria felt silence as the crowd was left in awe. Within a few seconds though the people started to leave, as if nothing had happened. However, before she can even take a step from where she was standing, Thenan quickly grabbed her arm.

"Come with me. With have something to talk about Alea," said Thenan, his voice serious and alarmed. Auria saw Silvia hurried to her side as Thenan dragged her towards the hall of the castle. However, as Auria tried to speak up she felt her energy instantly drain away and her consciousness slowly fading. She can only look at the troubled faces of Thenan and Silvia as her knees gave way and her body collapsed to the ground. The warm sensation she felt earlier from drinking the potion had started to leave her body and with that darkness filled her vision.