An ill greeted visitor

The New World

The carriage was shaky, the road was uneven on this downhill section. We were quite a ways from New Aun-Lixa.

The view was great though! Such beautiful mountainous scenes I could not even imagine.

In a village we have stopped, the officers went off and found this... thing. I have heard of beasts resembling men, but to see one was another matter.

It looked like some sort of cat but in the shape of a young woman, but a light tan, with white hair, and no taller than myself.

The recruiting officers that disembarked the front carriage and were surveying the townsfolk, looking for of-age youth to join their province's army.

"Okay, where do I sign my name?" The strange young catlike woman was, to the surprise of the recruiters, approachable and friendly, even enthused to enter into service.

Even though she was getting conscripted like the rest of us, this got her enough leeway to be let gather her belongings and say her goodbyes to an old man at the church.

No matter, I am quite terrified of the thing. The tales I have heard of such-

Oh. She is sitting right next to me.

"Good morning, what is your name?" She casually asked.

"I-I-I-I'm....." I'm so terrified. These... things..... they eat people......

So I die before I even get to training. Am I to be the shortest lived soldier in history?

"Come on, tell me! We'll be sitting here all day long."

Oh God. Her eyes are so big and are looking directly at me.

"I-I'm... I'm Ris... Nice to meet you...-"

It's so over for me.

"I'm Ariel. Nice to meet you as well." She introduced and gave a big smile.

With the assurance she would be on her side he eased a little. He did then recall hearing about a distant nation of the kind of creature she was.

"How far is the capital?" She further inquired the freckled young man.

"I heard we'll be there in a few days time..."

Enough sightseeing and socializing for me, there is a very long way to go still. I think it's time for a nap.

...

The signage at the gate they arrived at in the massive capital spoke the name of their legion: Uvica.

The fresh faced recruits got rounded up and made to stand in a line. All of them were made to announce their names, how old they are, and where they were from. An instructor who awaited them intently noted each of their details.

"Tesu Roskilde, sixteen, New Aun-Lixa." Said a younger, dark haired young man. He stood shorter than the rest.

"Dannel Stormarn, twenty, New Aun-Lixa, Sir." Announced a taller male with a hint of depth to his voice.

"Ariel, nineteen, Groell, Sir!" Said the girl a bit too enthusiastically for her position. There were also a few whispers when she spoke in such a tone, her kind are deported or exiled at best if they don't serve in the military in the Lunar Province. Both because of their past dealings, and diplomatic pressure.

"Otto Muldred, nineteen, Yancetolle, Sir!" The untimely whispers separated when the light-green haired young man spoke up. His appearance wasn't as unusual, but his boldness earned him a little note between the rest.

Once every recruit was recorded on the pamphlet the instructor led them around and showed them the faculties in his own short spoken way.

The most awaited of which was the barracks building, where they could finally rest away the travel fatigue and conclude the day.

Sized up

Each person was woken from their bunks one at a time, taken away to the infirmary. Height and weight measurements, normal medical exams and other inspections.

Then came their first test, to see how they would each be trained. A different instructor showed up this morning, one that looked unusual.

"Attention!" She got them all in line with one command. "Single file! Face left!" And with that, each recruit was lined up shoulder to shoulder.

"Today we will be inspecting your usage of Grace, if you are capable."

The announcement of this part was met with mixed reactions. Some had the utmost confidence, others were obviously a bit behind on using this blessing all people have.

All the chatter died down when instructor Massette stepped up and threw an unassuming rock into the air only for it to explode with a turquoise hued outburst.

"Alright, newcomers. Now that I have gather all of your attention. I'm sub-captain Massette, I will be your main combat instructor." She spoke up.

"Now, we will start with your basic manifestation. That much will tell us how... proactive we need to be with you." Explaining as she walked up the line of people, eyeing out the ones who looked the most unsure and nervous. Ari just stood there, arms by her side, trying to keep a straight face.

I don't think I've been more nervous in my life

Instructor Massette held out her closed hand, and pointed her index finger upwards then a small point of the same blue light lit up in a point from the tip. With this she walked up the line and began to check each person's ability to do the same. "This is the simplest manifestation of grace. Try to imitate it once I reach where you stand."

As she walked over they seemed to figure out how to show their different shades and hues of green grace to the pale instructor.

Ris absolutely failed. All the focus he could muster ended up in nothing to show, and he did struggle trying to make it happen. Perhaps he was of less talent, or needed a little startle...

"Not succeeding?" She was right in his face. He flinched from suddenly being taken out and he didn't notice his hands glowed green. There was not even time for her to acknowledge that he did indeed achieve it, as she spotted something from her dark blue eyes.

The instructor swiftly walked over to Ariel. "And what might you be doing, recruit?" She questioned.

"AH! I'm..... doing... the way I can?" She explained after being startled. Ariel had been dropping vapory liquid grace of a golden hue down to the ground pouring out in an uncontrolled manner.

Massette gave her a stern, but approving look.

"I see. Try to do it in a simpler way, just from the tip of your finger. More complex use comes later." She walked off to attend to the others.

Each one was different, as grace is unique to one's very soul.

...

After the day of mostly physical excercise Ari was spent. She had her dinner and sat outside on a bench, staring up at the bright waxing moon.

"There are people who live up there, you know." Said Ris from behind her, at the wall of the building. Him and his friend Konreas walked out.

Ari's ears lead the motion of her head, pointing back before she faced them to pose her question. "There? On the Moon? What other kind of fairytales do you still believe?"

"He's right, though. It's not just a myth, Tavatha isn't just the Lunar Province in name." his friend interjected. "It's not just some fancy made up thing they call it. And you might meet some of their kind in the city itself." Ris followed up.

"That's really weird. How can they live there, isn't it cold or something?" She kind of trailed off at the end, trying to make sense of what is being proposed to her.

"They're kind of not human... but only kinda. You know, the instructor lady is one, right? Another one lived where I'm from, they kind of had the same features." Ris said with a bit less confidence than usual.

She's a moon person?

"Well you don't seem to be put off by non-humans, Ris." Ari stared at him with a smile, unnerving him with a weirdly smug expression.

"Not quite, Ariel. He was begging me to come out here with him because he was scared to be alone with you." Konreas said, embarrassing Ris, who was now losing it and going at him in a fit.

Ari just looked away, pondering.

What even am I? Someday, I hope to find others that are like me...

I'd like to see it all for myself.

Morning Star

"I heard the Officer's quarters got a visitor this morning."

"They're late for roll call!"

"It happened, I was outside taking a leak and i saw them arrive..."

"They must be here to assist with our training!"

"Quiet down, you chatterboxes and get ready!"

Ariel shot up in her bunk bed and started to get dressed and fitted.

I'm so lucky they are late, I slept in so bad...

Strange rumors circulated at breakfast, some new instructor must have arrived at the base.

Daily routine went as usual, they were worked down to the bone.

Lunchtime was a bit rowdy, loud conversation everywhere. Ari was absorbed in just trying to eat her food in time and not get distracted by the noise, until she saw a strangely dressed, pale looking person walk between the rows and disappear into a hallway.

She was following them with her eyes until they vanished, but her peripheral also caught a few glaring eyes from across the room.

I'm the one they're more concerned about. No wonder Father sheltered me so much, I am far from a place of acceptance.

Still, she wasn't too worried, she felt at home in the camp. There was more to worry about, like her sore hands from the wooden training weapons she had to use in the hours past.

Before she got proper respite it was time for grace training.

Ris seemed way more confident this time, unlike some of the others who did better than him before. The rest of the ones she recognized were also doing better than the first time.

Once again they were lined up single file, but this time there were targets ahead of each rookie.

Ohhhhh no. I don't know what in the world to do.

"Listen up, you bunch! During this training all of you will preform a single instance of grace, at a level I deem sufficient. I have requested some assistance to get you all up to a level with which you might even graduate."

Massette gave a little speech as two others entered the grounds. One was the man who wrote all their information down. He had a sort of approachable demeanor, but his physicality told the past of a seasoned veteran.

The other looked a bit like Massette; really pale white skin, blue eyes, almost white light blue hair. A wide smile adorned their pale cheeks, ornate uniform fitted to their slender form.

Ari was equally intrigued by the two, right until she realized the situation she was in. After a little internal panic she was snapped out of it, Ris shook her by the shoulder a little.

"Some guys told me that they came from Luna Vis, the recon Division. You think they'll be good teachers?"

"I guess we'll see..."

The three instructors went down the line of people which Ariel was right in the middle of. They went down the line taking every recruit's turn to preform their grace.

Various shapes and hues of green grace emerged, striking the targets in front of them. Massette nodded and wrote something down on a form she was holding.

A few more people were tested until one failed to produce anything. Ari couldn't hear much, but some of the others laughed at them. They moved on, but the older guy stayed with them and seemed to be teaching them.

A bit of a relief for Ari but she really wanted to try and prove herself. If I do well here I might get to graduate more easily. How long until I'm out on patrol, or I'm a part of cavalry, I wonder?

As she got lost in thought again the instructor duo made it up to Dannel, so only Ris would be before her. She tried to concentrate when she heard a horrible sound. She looked over to see that Dannel's arm was entirely broken and bleeding, his own grace backfired and devastated his own body.

She barely had time to let out a little scream from seeing this before Massette picked him up and dashed to the building to administer first aid. Now Ari was a bit more nervous...

To her surprise, the examination continued, Ris was getting ready to preform grace in front of the shorter instructor.

He seems to have taken the simple form of grace and cranked it up to a higher level. His entire fists were covered by his grace manifest, which looked like a floating liquid around them in a pale lime color with black specks flowing throughout.

The instructor nodded, their curly blueish-white hair flowing with the motion. Next they went up behind Ari, surprising her by putting their hands on her shoulders from behind.

"This is the one she talked about, huh?" Ari jumped when she realized it was her turn.

"Uhm, yes. Right away, sir!" She said nervously

"Sir, huh? Call me Instructor Liinei. Now go ahead." A slight tinge of an accent in their smarmy speech.

"Alright..." Ari put out her right hand and concentrated.

Her hand was limp, flowing down it were droplets of golden grace, then with a flick of her hand they shot at the target and solidified into needle-like projectiles.

It seemed dangerous, and none of them hit her target.

"Quite the technique, girl. You are swinging overtly wildly. Put some more purpose behind the motion." They remarked.

"Phew. Thank you Instructor Liinei-sir-HUUUHHHHHH???????" She flustered out because she had not noticed him brushing her soft ears while this all happened.

At this point Ari was just relieved that it's all done now.

"WHAT WAS THAT? YOU CAN FORM STUFF??????" Ris was all over her, forgetting he was deathly afraid of getting so close.

"Mwwwahhhhhh......." She was really out of it now, they just couldn't keep away from her softness.

"How did you do that? And also your grace is also a weird other color like the instructors' but theirs is blue...."

This was a true statement. The instructor had blue grace, fitting for a lunar. The strange one was Ariel, grace of gold was not one of her kind would ever possess.

She just sighed and waved it off. She had to train further, swinging her hand in different ways, holding it in all sorts of manners to accurately pierce the target. In the end she wound up with a half-decent method to which the returned instructor Massette gave approval.

She had to sit down after this. Right next to her sat down Tesu. She paid him no mind before, but now he struck up conversation. His dark hair half-covering his eyes, he opened with an inviting tone.

"Hey there. Saw how you did back there, seriously impressive. Listen, we more talented guys will be sneaking out to camp a little, we snuck some drinks to bring as well..."

"Uhh who's gonna be there? I need to watch my sleep too, I almost messed up today..." Ari returned a question with a little hesitation.

"Well Dannel's getting patched up so he won't come, but I'll be there, Otto, some others... I think they invited Ris as well. There will be a campfire, too." "Why not, but we better not get caught." She decided.

She hung around to use her new ability a little more but quickly resigned herself for the day.

Evening Comes

Well it seems like it's time to get going. She snuck out into the dark, where Tesu and a couple others had waited for her.

They were a bit more dressed, they probably didn't want to get cold before the campfire got going.

"Hey guys!" She said still a bit nervously but she was getting into the whole idea of this.

"Oh hey, Ari..." Tesu greeted her.

"Hey, so, the rest went already, we were just about to go but one of the girls had to go back for a little."

"Should I just wait here with you guys?"

"Ris and your other friend already went ahead, they're probably already there. You can just go. It's that way, you can't miss it." He pointed at the treeline with a small footpath leading to darkness.

"Okay, I'm off then. Don't stay behind long, okay?" With this she departed towards the uncertain path in the unkept part of forest in the corner of the compound.

She hears some movement, assuming the rest are getting ready to go soon as well.

Then she heard two metallic clicks followed immediately by a very loud crack.

A crack leading to sudden incredible pain, then nothing, nothing, time isn't real and she feels nothing but the awfulness in her stomach and more nothing.....

No sound.

No vision, only dark.

The void she stepped into.

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LSnbHRXPxsrowGFIMlmobGLhrmULIhzoezgrlm

WVZIxsrowZOOLDhvikvmghGLxziibBLFgldziwhBLFgifvHVOU

"HOLY SHIT GUYS WE DID IT" One of the guys from before was ecstatic.

"Can you really just kill a Demon like that?" Tesu asked the others, holding a long object made of wood and metal. The end of it was still smoking.

"Just look at the thing, a third of its head is missing. It couldn't not be dead." Another nudged at him. Tesu knew it as well, she was dead and they had to go.

"I guess so... let's get out of here, the sound will definitely get someone here rather quick" Tesu hastened the rest of them.

"I stole us all these weapons for nothing then? Screw this, last time I'm getting injured for your sake." Dannel muttered angrily. Little did he know.

Then his neck spurted out a little blood. Then a lot more, deep red, almost black blood flowed out getting on the others as well.

There was a something long, really long and pointy through his neck. It was dark green, the end of it an ornate head preceding a sharp tip.

From the end of this there was still a string of the very grace making up the spear connecting to something.

Their frantic eyes followed it back to the origin, wherever this attack may have come from.

They all looked and saw Ariel, standing up once more. Apart from the part of her usually glossy bright gray hair they being drenched in blood, the side of their head they shot was unharmed, save for the blood dripping down covering her hair and blinding half her vision.

She was holding out her hand with the dark green grace, the end of which still connected to what she just pierced Dannel's neck with.

Her attackers were extremely taken aback from her sudden revival but nevertheless they opted to attack her with the various weapons they stole.

Picking off a saber off of Dannel's body one of the guys channeled radiance through the blade.

"You won't get away with this! I'll cut you down myself!!!!" He exclaimed as he lenghtened the weapon he held to twice the size.

He swung it towards the demon only to have it stomped into the ground. Ari jumped above him by using the momentum, then each of her fingers let off a droplet which pierced him to immobilize.

What am I doing? What are they doing? Why?? Why is this happening????

Two others were taken out, Ariel was forming another spear against her will and slit their necks open with a precision she would not be capable of without years of direct practice.

My mind.... Fading out........

Tesu could not reload his weapon, so he decided to bring out his grace. A sight of blackness enveloped Ariel's vision.

It's so hard to see, so hard to breathe. He did this..

She got dazed but kept moving, without her knowledge she entered into a circle of smoke which she could not escape.

She swept around wildly to disperse it but to no avail. It completely enveloped them both.

Suddenly she felt her left arm get cut.

Bad.....

Too... Hot......

She startred running, but hit her head on a wall she isn't able to cross. It was a barrier of smoke to keep her confined.

"You have nowhere to run, fucking demon. You will stay here, you will die here, YOU WILL PAY FOR KILLING THEM!!!!" Tesu yelled out in frustration, surely preparing another attack.

Ariel, however, picked up his direction from his yelling. This let her take a few swings of her droplets to throw at him. A yelp right after meant she hit her mark at least once.

She then began to chase him after noticing a tiny glint of a sword he was bradishing. By now the grace smoke had been dissipating a bit making them slightly visible to each other.

"Demon..? No, you're confused.... Confused and spinny and weird...." Ari questioned, readying the rest of her worn out grace to use by liquifying it over her hands.

"The Demon, bringer of war and death, denizen of hell come to devour mankind!"

He readied his weapon in a not-so-elegant stance for his few wounds, smoke eminating from himself to hide his next movement.

"Not Demon..... Sick..... Really sick?" Her movement bertayed the way she was moving. It was like she was being puppeted by whatever brought her back to life.

A bloody exchange was only avoided by the arrival of the instructor.

She took her hand and reached it right through what was an imprenetrable barrier to both, and entered with ease taking their attention.

Ari's legs were kicked out form under her, Tesu got his neck grabbed in what seemed to be just a single motion; yet all of it was tied together with her turqouise grace trailing her path eminating bright sparkles.

Instructor Massette subdued both without issue, then handed Ariel off to the old man.

She passed out once she was put in a cell in a different part of the military compound. There must be hell to come for what happened in this night.

Awake once more

When he heard that she had waken up, Ris went right away to visit. He made it to the small prison cell, and saw her still laying in the plain bed. "Ris? What are you doing here..." She asked in a voice even more raspy than usual.

"Me? What about you?? What in the name of Heaven even happened? You go off, kill two people, badly injure two others and pass out for a whole week??" He couldn't help but burst out in hysterics.

"Were you in on it? He mentioned your name too. Nice little farce you've been putting on."

He just had to know, no way they didn't tell him.

"What, who why, him? Tesu? That guy really looks like someone I'd deal with? Me and Konreas both got avoided by his groupies."

"Sure, whatever. I won't make it anyways, don't matter anymore."

"So what about the whole ordeal that went down? I can't believe those rumors..."

There he walks up again, the instructor guy.

"Go easy, recruit. She's free to go. As for you, Ariel, you have an exam to make."

The keys jingled as he unlocked the door.

Ari jolted upright and showed a shocked, but relieved expression.

"She's innocent? What even happened? I mean.. uhm... It's not my place to ask, Lassimer-sir but... what can you tell me about the incident?" Asked a still stirred up Ris.

"Well, me and the other instructors concluded from what we found on the scene and some of the other recruits' reports, she acted in self defense. But as far as you are concerned, she is still a risk. She is only allowed to participate in her military duties."

He sighed like he had no time for this but also explained in enough detail so this nervous young man will not bother him further.

It took only a moment for Ari to stand up and get out of the room that confined her.

"How much time was I out for.... can I really make it?"

"By your progress we think you are capable, seeing as you are the type who learns in action. You still have until tomorrow for the graduation exam." He really didn't want to waste another breath on explanations.

They all made their way back to the bootcamp after Lassimer filled out some paperwork.

Ari barely had time to get in a bit of exercise and practice with a sword before dinner.

It was such a busy day that she hadn't even had the time to give any mind to the weird looks she might have gotten because of the incident.

She found herself outside on the same bench as that one time looking at the moon.

"Fine evening, Ariel." She heard from behind, turning back she saw Instructor Liinei who was approaching her this time.

"Uhm.. Hello. Can I help you?" She was a bit confounded. She did not know what to expect from the others or what would be thought of her.

"Help me by giving a moment to listen, then. It's obvious that you are different. You have eyes on you, good and bad. But I am sure you will succeed in the upcoming trials that await you." Explained the young lunar.

Little did Ariel know about the truth behind these words, in ways neither of them knew would come true in.

"Nobody tells me anything straight up, but I guess it's probably for the better. I'll give it my all, Instructor."

"Good to hear. We may cross paths after your debut, if all goes right. Farewell." They said with their own motive beind the words for sure.

What a strange person the instructor is. As pale as the very moon I am looking at...

How could he see so much in me? What even am I, truly?

Nothing for me to do but find out what he knows myself.

The day cometh

Early out of bed, light breakfast. Everything was on the line. Konreas and Ris were also there for practice.

"Come at me. I've been at it this whole time, just give it your all." Gestured Ris to get her to initiate.

"Don't push it, you might get me to be serious!" Ari scoffed, out of nervousness for not wanting to hurt her friend.

Ris stands at the ready, not revealing his grace yet.

Ari took the opportunity and went toward him at full speed and quickly formed a knife which she threw as a decoy.

She was able to make weapons out of her liquid form grace by solidifying it. She threw knives she made from it, but they were easily dodged.

Once more her lack of practice was showing.

Ris took this opportunity to unleash his own grace. Ari saw him envelop his hand in his grace of black-speckled green, and seemingly light on a fake fire. He thew several swings right at her face only missing by inches, and once he let go of the flames the aftertrail his motions left exploded.

The fur on her face was slightly burnt but she was okay.

"I'm not kidding around, how about you give it your all!"

Ari dodged back from the attack and could see what his new ability was. Not much time to think before she had to slide under his next attack and counter.

Without a way to get past his volatile grace, Ari opted to create something new out of her grace.

In her hand swiftly appeared a glowing rapier, the guard keeping her fighting arm safe as she swung it at his.

Thus she knocked it aside with the dull side of the weapon and allowed her to subdue Ris by the point of it to his neck.

Damn I'm lucky to have tried out different weapons. I have no clue with what else I could have got out of that...

She helped him up, and they dusted each other off then Ari got ready for round two against Konreas, which she would lose just by a hair.

And arriveth

Thus, the times has come. They all knew what was coming, it was the day and they knew they were walking in the direction of the exam building they saw on their first day.

Several things were strange. Only uniforms were to be brought, no kind of equipment. The other thing was a group separate from them that gathered into the room opposite of the one they now found themselves in.

No matter, everyone entered the not-so-spacious room that looked like the seating area of a theater, only it was on a single level.

Once all of them were in the proper place, there were only a couple murmurs in the crowd while they awaited the instructor to begin explaining the long awaited exam.

Ari pointed her ears at Massette, who just walked onto a small podium to speak. Something was different though... Massette took a small white object and infused it with her grace, then began whispering.

To the people in the room however, they heard her voice inside of their heads, almost as if they were thinking the words uttered themselves.

"Welcome, attendees. This is what is called a mind message device, you will need to get used to the sensation because they are used a lot in the field." Everyone heard from the woman in charge.

"Now, the examination for your proper position in the Uvica forces will take place. The rules are as follows:"

She turned the page of the document she was holding and moved the mind message device a bit further away from her face. Now speaking at a normal volume she recounted:

"You all will be paired up with another recruit to form a two person team. The task of each pair of you will be to hold the opponents away from your predetermined objective.

Within the examination the recruit will be provided with a special tool most fit for their ability automatically. By which the recruit will have three opportunities to get subdued, then they are out for good."

People began to look around nervously at this. "You are all permitted to use your grace ability only one time."

What the..? All that training..... Thought Ari and probably many others.

"That will be all. And remember, our eyes are on you." Finished the instructor, motioning to her two other colleagues who were inconspicuously stood in the opposite corners.

Each of the three performed the same hand motion of touching the back of their right hand with the left's palm.

As soon as it made contact, Ari found herself in the midst of a dense forest, clouded in thin mist. She sat there, her head ringing, paralyzed by the sudden change. She saw the sky was dark blue, no moon or even clouds to be seen.

Is this.... an illusion?

She slumped back slightly. As she did, she felt someone else against her back. She could only tell they were about her height, but they surely knew it was her from feeling her fur and tail.

"Ariel?" They said.

It has to be Tesu.

Ariel recognized the voice. It's not one she could forget. The last she remembered of him was his utter derogation of her very being.

She turned around to see she was right. Tesu sat behind her awkwardly, not moving an inch.

Is he scared of me? If anything I'm the one who should feel fear...

She slowly got up and walked to his front, and turned to face him.

"Get up. Disappointment is the last feeling I want to feel about you." She said, with all the seriousness in the world.

"I could say the same. You had bee out for a week, can I trust someone with no practice?" He had deflected without realizing it was his own fault.

Must be a sick joke. Him, of all people? I can't believe this.

Before she could remember, the voice of the other lunar instructor spoke to them.

"The pairings are final. One side defends a location hidden inside of these woods. The other finds it, and takes it over."

"Try your best." Said the three in unison.

A straight-guard greatsword fell to the ground in front of the raven haired young man.

Is this a punishment, Instructor? Isn't being teamed up with her enough? Tesu thought.

He turned his head from the weapon he was picking up, as a pair of blades joined by a pole fell next to it.

As his fingers touched it, a surge of pain shot through him.

"That one must be mine?" Ariel said, confused. "I don't even know what this is." She continued.

"It's called a twinblade. Do you have any practice in anything center-balanced?" Tesu wanted to know to determine if they had a single bit of a chance.

"I can somewhat tell how it's intended to be used..." She said with a little insight. "Can I have the sword instead?"

"I'd advise you to keep away from other weapons... They took measures against weapon trading." He sighed.

Tesu began explaining how to hold the weapon, their anxiety turning into dedication, as they needed to move soon.

As soon as they left the tiny clearing they appeared in they spotted another group of participants.

"HEY, OVER HERE!" Ari yelled. The duo in front of them turned, with a confused look on their faces. They closed the distance and recognized one another.

It was Konreas and another person. He opened his mouth. She could not understand a single thing he said.

"What did you say? Tesu, I can't understand what he's saying at all."

Konreas looked even more bewildered. Tesu crouched down, attempting to write something. Not even to Ari did he make any sense.

She finally got them to somewhat understand by signing, telling them to group up together.

Eventually, they reached a hill, trying to see their goal from the vantage point. Konreas's teammate, who was scouting ahead, suddenly froze.

She fell onto the ground, an had been arrow piercing her abdomen.

Immediately the group tried to run for cover. As they did this, however, they saw another arrow barely miss Ariel from a different spot.

Konreas tried to drag his teammate to safety, but she lost a huge amount of blood, and vanished from his grasp.

He understood that she was out for her first strike and along our duo he took a half second to think once they all made it to adequate cover.

What in the...

It was aimed for me, but from a completely different angle than the one that hit her....

That must mean.....

"Tesu, could you block at least one shot with that big sword of yours?" Ari asked slightly hesitating

"The blade seems wide enough to make one ricochet... Wait, what are you getting me to do?" He retorted in a short breath.

"No time, just go for it! I''ll go in right after!" She tried to command.

The serval's unsure teammate went along and rushed out of cover with the massive blade wobbling as he ran.

Ari watched him go and keenly paid attention to the direction of the next projectile, surely to head for her companion.

Sure enough, an arrow struck at the sword, which Tesu planted into the earth in the right direction to make it bounce off.

Knowing this was her que, Ari bolted in the direction it came from.

She made a dash towards the direction she discerned. Through thickage and shadows she arrives at her target, and spots another, both wielding greatbows.

Now she's grabbed one of them, she slid her blade through their back, and saw Tesu had done the same to the other enemy. Both of them disappeared into a thin cloud of mist as they went.

Tesu lead her to regroup with their companions.

Signaling turned out to be their best form of communication.

They managed to figure out how to tell each other at least a little information.

"Wait here for teammate." "Then we move to target."

It was time to sit down for a bit. They had to Wait for Elana's return to have a fighting chance.

"I have no idea what you were thinking..." Murmurs Tesu.

"Huh?" Ari perked up. She was one with a plan, even in the heat of the moment.

"Didn't you think for a second? Can you expect to make it to the end while being this reckless?"

"I-.. I'm sorry. I know it wasn't a good idea. But at least I had one." She looked aside in shame.

"Whatever..." He turned away and had a minute to think to himself.

What we came for

Time to move. The rest of the attackers should have progressed further ahead.

Nothing was visible through the thicket in the way, but out of nowhere they stumbled into a massive clearing.

At that very moment they knew it was here: the objective. They came to face a manor within the clearing of short grass.

It had a brick wall around it, two stories and very well built. They could tell where to enter, because of a mass confrontation at a huge open metal gate.

A dozen attackers were outnumbered by defenders in an exchange as the assaulters attempt to infiltrate the compound.

This was their time to strike, a frontal attack with a large group could be their chance to make their way in and claim victory.

By the time Ari caught up, Konreas had already taken an enemy with his hammer and pushed up to their line.

Ari's team quickly rushed to the front, lining up to attack in formation. Having the numbers advantage the attacking force can now push inwards.

Ari was really unsure in her weapon, not knowing which blade to use. She figured to use it as a thrusting weapon and poke from afar as long as she was surrounded by teammates she couldn't afford to hit. It seems like Tesu was in the same predicament, awkwardly trying not to hit his fellows with the greatsword.

By now they made it to the fenced in part of the mansion. They all could see the inside part of the compound. There was a nicely trimmed hedge along the building, a brick laid path, and a fountain in the middle.

The defenders were forced indoors by now. Indoors they might have many advantages they would need to look out for.

Damn, this place would be a nice place to stay, were it not for the whole combat situation... Thought Ari as she lagged behind a little while gawking.

Tesu looked quite a bit less impressed, and grabbed her by the arm to drag her to the action.

Once they entered they found their opponents still on the retreat. Elana was in the middle of chasing them with her katana. Hurrying up the stairs to catch the fleeing defender ahead of her, when a huge wardrobe got lodged in the narrow stairway she was ascending.

More and more furniture was thrown on this heap. The attack was surely halted now. "The bastards! What now?" Yelled Ari, looking around at her associates and their frustrated looks and hearing their gibberish conversations.

For a minute they were highly stumped and had to recuperate from the assault. Many sat down to rest for possibly the last time before the end of the exam.

Right at the worst moment, however. A force of defenders busted through the door and windows of the entryway they and slayed several attackers.

Panic ensued as the attack took out multiple of them including Elana. This enraged Konreas. He took out two flanking defenders with his hammer with wild, overt swings. He had been a bit lost in his own head seeing his teammate go down to her third life.

The rest were taken out by the time he composed himself and it seemed the rest were all leaving to explore the avenue the defenders had counterattacked from.

He signaled to them that he would wait for Elana by the gate.

Infiltration

Out the door, run along the hedge to a ladder.

She took note of the way they went, as the last in line.

Once everyone was up they all went along the walkway on top, then made their way to a half-open door. They all gathered around and once everyone was ready they breached.

It has not been a long time since the flankers originally left. As such, the defenders upstairs were not expecting a counter so soon. This time Ari got to go ahead.

She had the advantage of a surprise attack. The unassuming defender she targeted couldn't even move from the shock. Ending up with her face close to her opponent's, she got a mouthful of the blood that splattered on her.

A distressed Ari stepped back as the terrified eyes of her counterpart dissipated into mist with the rest of him.

Shit....

She coughed it all up and spat as much as she could.

I don't want to taste that...

That taste.... It turns into a craving.......

Her stream of thought was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.

"No matter now, we can't stop. Let's keep going together." Tesu reassured.

He must have watched her reject her own condition. He must have understood demonhood was not to be a free agent of chaos, but a curse.

They joined the rest in hunting fleeing defenders through the upper floor.

Can I really do this? Am I really cut out for this? Ugh.. I feel so sick.

After crossing the treshhold to a hallway intersecting the mansion sideways, they face down two defenders. It's only Ari and Tesu who have made their way here, the rest chasing others throughout this maze of a mansion.

The long hallway stretched two lines on the side: windows on the left and doors on the right, both seemingly endless.

Tiny droplets of rain began to show on the windows as resolve was at its strongest.

Both sides know this is the highest importance encounter in the entire exam, the objective lying just behind the door of the opposite side.

No time to wait for backup. Tesu was the one in lead, dragging the heavy slab of steel sharpened to be a two hand greatsword as he ran. A heavy swing planted it at his front, ready to lunge at any move the enemy made.

What he did not expect was to see Ari bolt into action right away. They all heard a callout from the enemy on the right, who had a saber in his hand. He took on Ari's attack directly and pushed her back so.

In tandem with this Tesu was swung at by the other, wielding a large axe. It took quite some flexing of the muscles from the gray haired young man to block it and let the axe slide off to his side.

Without even a moment to catch his breath he had to parry another attack whilst he saw Ariel get advanced upon as well.

This isn't good. Fuck me I have to do something. He thought.

Ari's opponent gave a command to mobilize the one Tesu was facing. He began to match his attacks with the timings of the other, they seriously knew how to fight together.

Ari spun her unusual weapon around over her head, not seeing her saber wielding opponent's weapon about to parry her attack, leading to her being the prime target of the other's axe.

Her demise was only avoided by Tesu, who got behind Ari, as he shot out a stream of his dark gray smoke grace. It not only flooded the enemy's vision, but the flow of the matter pushed their weapons away to miss, even at close range.

They really did not expect a faceful of smoke, let alone for it to burn their eyes. Tesu pushed Ari aside to take a one handed swing with his oversized weapon. It was a rather weak attack but it still majorly injured the others.

Ariel stumbled over and still stabbed at the saber wielder but Tesu got to sever his life also.

"Real sloppy work. If this was in the field, you'd be done for good." Scolded Tesu once again. "I can't believe that's how I got to use it..."

"I.... I'll do better. I swear it." She teared up a little but hid it without her companion noticing. She was a bit slumped as they walked to the end of the hall. The rain was picking up.

One who walked Hell

We're almost at the end. Two other attackers have joined our group.

By now only one thing dwelled on the minds of the rookies.

What lies beyond the door?

Ariel walked right behind Otto as they all hurried up crossing the hallway. He turned around seeking everyone's approval, and with a nod he reached to grab the door hinge.

Something feels off... This feels really really wrong.......

It was just a split moment of calamity that she was able to witness.

An ear shattering crash.

Glass breaking.

The scent of smoke.

Cold air.

The scent of fresh rain.

Intense pain.

Dizziness.

The blurry vision fades, raindrops in her eyes make her come to a little quicker. She was sat against the outer wall, as she could discern from the distance from where she just came from.

A plume of smoke was emerging from a newly formed hole in the windowed hallway she had just been in, across the courtyard.

Oh... oh shit. Tesu....

Out from the smoke and onto the short verge along the hall walked out a form. The little relief from any sign of life from the area faded as she saw one which looked to be her worst nightmare.

As she knelt and got up in a weary stance she heard a message from the instructors' melded together voices:

"Participants of the Uvica Entrance Examination; all of you must battle further against a tertiary group of fighters, full Uvica soldiers who have invaded the grounds."

"The objective is null, from this point it is a deathmatch."

"The grace usage limitation is hereby lifted. Our eyes shall remain upon you."

No no no no no no no

Panic begun to set in as Ariel looked for injury across herself then back towards the broken hallway she just got sent across the courtyard from.

She looked on horrified as full-fledged soldiers were running through the hall and towards her teammates further down the way in the mansion. She had to check herself over to see if she can even fight on.

I'm relatively okay, it's just my head. I'll have to hit her decisively. I can't fail Tesu, Konreas, none of the others. She found a grip on her twinblades.

The invader, in a flash, jumped upon the fountain in the center of the garden. Now that she was closer she was not just a dark blob anymore.

She was crushed with fear for she saw a demon just like herself glaring right back.

I cannot believe this...

"Whatever they expected of me, this was not something I could have prepared for."

She muttered while looking upon the enemy, who was catlike with black-and-white fur. A distinct uniform adorned her form, and the polesword she wielded rested ready against her shoulder.

"Then you are not deserving to serve under the flag of Tavatha. Show what you can do, no matter your fear, rookie!"

Ariel was taken aback once more, she could understand the enemy in front of her.

"I'll see if you have what it truly takes to claim victory, or if you should be culled like an ordinary runaway product of Hell."

There was not much distance between the two, tensely approaching a certainly lethal encounter.

They erupted in a flurry of slashes at each other, moving along the paved path. Ari saw fighting and even grace being used inside the mansion through the windows.

I need to run away, or maybe fight her off...

She could have averted the uppercut she got to her jaw, had she been paying full attention to her own fight.

"Pathetic! Perhaps you don't understand this is life or death. Allow me to help you see..." Exclaimed the invader. With a raised fist she stood still.

Within this stance Ariel thought she had an opportunity to attack, and went off balance to just about reach her opponent with a reckless attack.

"Fool."

She was dumbfounded once her abdomen was struck with a powerful punch by the invader somehow.

How could that hit me? Her fist was nowhere near me!

"Oh, did you expect me to hold back?"

"You damn bas-" Ari coughed up blood after taking such a hard hit.

I have to get her, I can't... I can't......

She took her weapon in her off hand, and formed a spike from her own grace in the primary.

Another attempt to get to her assailant, she ran as fast as she could, and threw the spike she made before throwing another.

It was sidestepped effortlessly. An attack to deter Ari's offense was returned once more, as the invader slashed with her empty hand sending an arc of pressure, yet unsuccesfully.

"No use! You are not enough!" Shouted the soldier, slamming her polesword down from above at Ari. This did not dissuade her from taking a swing with her spike up close.

splat, splat.

The invader stepped away, as both were hit.

"Huh, one hit. Perhaps you are not as pathetic as I presumed."

"Spare me the pity, I'll take you dow-" Ari's voice got caught in a shot of pain pulsating in her body making her almost fall over on the spot.

A smirk spread across the bastard's face. She took slow steps towards the serval. With a shaking hand Ari poured sharp needles of grace then swung them at her. Not one hit her mark. Even the spike that she embedded in in her shoulder dissipated.

"Pity, no. But courtesy I will spare you. Join me, Maelia, in the Kenoma Division. No other place will suit a demon such as you." She invited, walking over and standing over Ariel.

"..... ...." Ari whispered.

"Huh?" Maelia leaned over to listen, slightly tilting her head to hear.

"I, Ariel, swear to kill you." She jabbed a spike into her opponent's side, making her immediately change expression, and retaliate.

Her weary stance shifted around as she was approached, she didn't even have the strength to hold her weapon.

Wind began pushing her back, as Maelia began to exude strands of pink fumes. Setting her weapon on her back in its holster, she quickly threw a jab at Ari.

Now it was obvious, her grace carries her attacks further by the wind. Ari swung her hands to throw grace also, but hers got deflected by the air pressure as she got hit more and more.

"You're frail, weak, miserable! You wouldn't last a second on the real field of battle!" Exclaimed the infuriated enemy, hitting the serval in the face with both grace and her real fist.

At this point she was a bloody mess.

"Look at you. We can't have such failures amongst our ranks."

"..."

With all her strength, barely enough, she got up on one knee. Then another. She picked up her weapon, then stood up with its support.

"Do not return." Said Maelia flatly.

The polesword now through her chest, Ariel saw blackness fade into her vision.

Blackness enveloping her vision, thrusting her into a void, yet from the outside vision faded in the raining sky once more.

She was sitting on the same hill they were ambushed on.

"oh."

Alive after all

Blankly staring. Minutes go by with nothing but the steady downpour of cold rain.

That was death. I died.

Just this one thought broke the state of stillness, immediately sending her keeling over to the side to vomit.

A few coughs later she got up, walking aimlessly while shivering.

I hate this. I hate all of this I don't want to die again.

Maybe she was right, I'm not cut out for this...

Where was Tesu? Or Konreas? They left me...

Did I really have to get the hardest opponent possible? This shit was rigged. I can't believe the others didn't come to help.

She stopped by a tree and slammed her fist into the harsh bark.

Of course they'd leave me they all fucking hate me. It's no concern of theirs to save someone like me.

She wandered more, barely realizing she walked to the clearing of the mansion.

Still gawking, she was almost trampled by an old teammate running at full speed back to the battlegrounds.

Wait that's.. Otto, I think? The one who opened the door?

Whatever.. ugh... wait.... if he goes in there then she will...

Ari was at the lowest of low, yet still being carried by a drive deep down. She went off after him to catch up but he was already past the gate.

She made it onto the actual path leading in, then made it in and promptly turned to face the courtyard and finally saw the scene she was terrified of.

In the little time it took her to reach this place Maelia had already killed her teammate, one who has stuck up since the beginning.

"I see you've made it back, despite my warning."

Ariel glared at her, seeing she had more than just her own blood on her hands now. She didn't even take time to stop and think about responding, just launching herself back toward the courtyard center with her target in sight.

Grace poured from both her hands trailing behind her and solidifying to become a greatsword, a bit longer even than the one Tesu was using. She carried it low, but pointed it forward as she ran.

Maelia surely expected immediate offense, and readied to block with her polesword.

"Bring it, girl."

Ariel did not need the further instigation. With as much force as she was capable she jabbed the point of the weapon right at the invading solider. She instinctually braced for Maelia's counter: a strong attack made even stronger by air pressure.

Thus she ducked down to be under said attack. Now that Maelia overswung, Ari did not hesitate to kick her directly in the side of the head.

Then, instead of continuing to use her grace weapon she took off the twinblades from her back in the time it took Maelia to get back up.

Polesword in hand once again she took it and maintained a defensive stance. This was next met with Ari jumping up and slamming down with her twinblades.

The hit was mitigated, but she was still in the air. Maelia quickly readied grace, and sent her even higher in the air across above her.

Even so, Ari had her hands covered in her liquid metallic grace which she dripped down like needles, piercing her enemy in several places.

She did not take the fall well, and on top of it she was kicked in the side sending her almost exactly where she ended up by when she got thrown across in the initial assault.

From here she could see that the hallway was mostly empty.

They're probably in the halls of the second floor or in the entry. I have to make it back.

Another greasword formed from her hands as she poured out more grace. It turned out like the one she did just before, but a bit more crude looking.

I feel like passing out from this but I need to keep going. I'm at the limits of my grace.

Maelia stood by no longer, she went on the offensive instead of continuing to circle around. This was quickly thwarted by Ari using the sheer length of her sword to keep her at a distance.

She even tried to shatter said sword with a hard swing directly into it but it held on strong.

"I see. No more of this." She spoke flatly.

Once again fumes began to emit from Maelia indicating her preparing to use her grace once more, as if the heavy winds she emitted were not telling enough.

"Try me." Said Ari, quite foolishly challenging the demon in front of her.

The sound of rushing wind came from all around as it mildly echoed in the yard, only drowned a little by the low bushes and way around the manor letting the sound escape.

Ari lost sight of Maelia who vanished from plain sight in front of her. She quickly darted towards the slight trail of pink grace she spotted in her peripheral but even so she couldn't even turn quick enough to be on par with the speed of her enemy.

She felt an impact against her back and the next thing she could perceive is that she was sent across and crashed into the wall of the manor ending in a hard crash.

As she noticed where she ended up Maelia was already there to engage her again, even though she was sent so far.

Ari finally saw that Maelia had been sending out grace behind herself to make herself incredibly fast. The other part, which she anticipated was whatever Maelia struck she could also decimate with direct force.

Luckily she could dodge this attack meant for her by moving to she side. The wall where she just was had been entirely demolished by the attack, Maelia being sent back by the impact quite a ways.

Shit, my sword is gone, my twinblades too. I'm out of grace, quite frankly. What do I even do at this point.

She could feel that she was injured again, even though there was no sight of her blood. From within the building she had heard more commotion, so at least she was not too late.

"Why did it have to be you..." She groaned as Maelia rapidly approached ceaselessly, hurling a fist while a Grace sign showed up over her hand.

What Ariel didn't realize that powerful grace use yields a sigil made unique to the user's origin and grace color.

Ariel withstood being hit with the wind, her opponent got drawn close by the momentum, giving a chance for a close encounter. Her lunge at Maelia was instinctual and unexpected by both of them, and ended up with Ari's clawed hands leaving tears on her enemy's body.

As if this was enough, she didn't continue. While the demon went even further giving her serious damage.

"Another thing you've failed to learn was to have no mercy. I expect you'll come back, but it will all be in vain." Maelia took to Ari's head and sent her flying into the manor wall once more.

Blackness, once more.

Misty, rainy forest.

Anguish.

Once more.

Certitude in the self

"T'would be.... a wonder... thine death...."

What... the hell??? I didn't think that but it's in my head, like a mind message?

She could feel something off about this. Maybe from a different feeling in her chest, or the strange way it felt in her head...

"Child.... sick child, pay mind......."

Why would I listen? I'm creeped out by whatever this is.

"Become one.... of Sin... Embrace.... illness....."

What! Explain more! What does-? What....

She was only left to ponder as she hastily made her way through the thicket. No response. Only the wet leaves smushing under her boots as she made her way back.

Even though she appeared in a place she didn't recognize from before, she still had a sense of direction back there through the black trees surrounding her.

The manse nearly hit her right in the face, as she had been on the side where the tree line was the closest to it.

At this point Ari had not realized that she had been lucky to make it back so quick, and from a place she could not be spotted from, even if she was expected to return.

She snuck around the back of the building.

It sure would be a waste for me to die. That much even I know. I would hate to have Father Kanan mourn me.

I will find out what I am, and what that truly means. But what to do now?

She was looking down and kicking her feet around in the dry patch of grass beside the corner. Then it hit her.

She sat down quickly and tore her shoes off.

Why didn't I think to do this before? Shoes have only ever limited my movement.

Immediately she hopped the fence almost twice her height and crouched on top to see. From behind some hedges she spotted her sole target, the demon.

Maelia had been in the middle of treating her wounds on a bench not far from where they concluded their previous engagement, and especially close to where Ari was perched over the wall.

Seeing the enemy coughing and losing blood did not make Ariel regain her mercy, not after being told she was weak for it previously.

Her very nature, her very self was incapable of not putting her whole self into the assault she was about to enact on her.

Maelia, sat on the bench was caught off guard and clawed savagely by Ariel's ambush. As quickly as possible Maelia exuded wind to force away her assailant.

Ari was pushed back but took an offensive stance. She was ready to jump back in.

"You actually came back." She coughed from injury. " What, you lose your boots? As much as you look determined you are out of uniform!!" She yelled.

Ari only met this with an inhuman stare.

"Not one to talk much after all that, huh? Bring it."

The serval didn't need the prompt to lunge at her sole focus. Maelia paced farther back to avoid her, but now the serval kept up the unrelenting assault.

Approaching from a lower stance was just enough to reach the invader, a tremendous kick hit her directly in the jaw.

Maelia's face poured blood as she flew backwards, but she took a stance to swing downwards with the polesword she held in both hands at the still approaching serval.

Knowing that her opponent was properly defending now, Ari opted to stick to the side and hurl daggers of her grace. A fair few of them impaled Maelia but she also got a hit on Ariel by extending her reach by wind.

The polesword was sheathed for later, it was time for a brawl.

Enraged by blood that was drawn, both of them became engulfed in a fistfight. Hands were thrown, claws were flying and the blood that splattered marked their trail that went without regard for pathways and the garden.

Still, no upper hand was gained on either side. Perhaps to turn the tide Maelia infused grace but Ari quickly caught on and didn't let her unleash it. Though Ari caught her in the middle of enhancing her blows, she did not try to force her grace ability to gain the upper hand.

Instead she had taken her weapon off her back in a flash and stabbed Maelia's side with a backhand thrust.

"THERE! HOW'S THAT FEEL?" Screamed Ari in exhiliration after finally landing a truly meaningful blow.

If only she got to see the result... What she got instead was the sight of her target disappearing once more.

The pink threads followed Maelia as well as a trail of blood, her movements were slower this time. Ari could follow but not perfectly react. The block she held was knocked aside, and the uppercut that followed knocked her nose bloody and left her head concussed.

I don't give a damn if she beats me to a pulp again, I will win.

The blur in her vision was not enough to deter her from splashing her grace with both hands leaving various shards of solidified shards in her enemy's body. Maelia still pushed through this and enhanced her speed by driving herself forward with more air pressure.

"My, my! Look at you now!" Shrieked the exhilirated invader. It was a true fight between the two now, either side could fall at any moment.

In spite of the damage sustained she still followed up with a kick but was stopped dead in her tracks by Ari blocking hard against it.

This time Ari was prepared for the massive blow from the impact of Maelia's aftereffect ability, and let her arms be flung instead of putting her weight against such force.

A small window gave Ari the time to pick her weapon which was left thrown aside back up. Seeing this, the invader also took hers into her hands once more.

Embrace.

Ariel was engulfed by a shroud of her grace emanating from her, the liquid nature of it making her hair wet but still slightly stand up, as if submerged in water.

She readied her weapon, but in her other hand she created another pair of twinblades. Maelia seeing this gave an excited smirk, readied her polesword in one hand and focused grace on the other.

"It seems your potential wasn't as meager as I had thought!"

"For once you're not full of it." Retorted the serval.

Both began their approach at the same time. The scene had been quiet. Only the soft impact of the rain and the wind rushing was audible to them.

Though with not much finesse Ariel began a chain of attacks with her newfound dual weapons, keeping Maelia at a slight distance. Then she was retaliated against with a jumping attack which fell short, so the invader didn't push further.

Instead she took off running leaving Ari to chase after. There was a broken window in the entry room the attacker team had holed up for a little. The both of them flew in through, and engaged in a clash of their weapons.

Ari could feel the dried blood under her feet which was surely spilled during the invasion. As they fought it seemed they were about to retrace their initial assault, but without the furniture blocking the stairs this time. Now it seemed a viable route to move up the stairs for Ari as she was getting pushed backwards in the fight.

A few scattered weapons had laid about in the halls they traversed and new holes were being made in the walls by Maelia's grace hits.

At the point when they reached the very hallway they had made their first encounter Ari was running as fast as her paws would let her.

She was being narrowly missed by the punches thrown after her as she sped to the end of the hall. Maelia was just about to be left behind but Ari planted herself defensively.

They stared each other down at this point. They were breathing heavily but only because they chose to afford each other to.

Lightning struck, igniting their duel once more. Maelia made the decision to take the attacking role once more. Putting all her strength into an overhead slash she made Ari slide backwards right away.

Not backing down Maelia placed her offhand and on the spine of her blade and forced it down with pure air pressure that sent wind hard against everything around her from such exertion.

By Ari's grave mistake the grace twinblade she blocked with had shattered, the sheer pressure broke the few intact windows. As the weapon broke the real twinblade swung out of the way and let the sword head directly towards Ariel's leg.

They had both shared an expression of immense shock.

Did I win?/Did I lose?

What they saw right after was cause for shock, both their mouths hung agape seeing Grace form a something that looks like a plate of metal armor and the poleblade stuck in the floor beside it.

"To think you'd develop so fast...." Muttered Maelia while jumping backwards a few times to gain distance.

"It doesn't matter just come at me!" Shouted Ari, for she was growing impatient.

"As you wish." The expression on Maelia's bloodied face focused.

The pink grace glowed brighter than ever, and the strands were long and waving in the wind she emitted.

She was practically flying towards Ari to enact the deciding blow. It looked like Ari had been preparing to trade blows, so she altered her course to attack from above.

Her hand was tensely gripped in a fist as she threw it. Ari had, however been feinting with the swing, while she formed a golden spear of light behind herself.

Now the invader was face to face with a heavily impactful throw of the new weapon finally impaling her in the chest and sending her backwards crashing down the hall and down on the floor.

A half laugh and half exhausted sigh was all Ari could manage, the feeling of accomplishment couldn't set in yet from adrenaline exciting her body to no end.

She walked over to the unmoving enemy.

Ari stopped by her, at which the spear dissipated.

"I really..... thought.. cough... you couldn't do it.... great.... work..." Spoke Maelia between her throat flooding with blood and her body giving up.

"Twisted fate for me to get such a tough opponent. I guess I'll see you on the outside" Ari said before seeing her disappear into mist.

She walked to the hole she was sent through all the way at the beginning of the invasion and looked out at the carnage she and Maelia had wrecked, only to see Tesu in the midst of it looking back at her.

She drew a breath to yell the words "I did it", but before she could even think to let it out the familiar fading to black returned and she woke up in the theater looking room it all began in.

"I did it."

All after

The seats were all suddenly packed, a few were screaming and a few others were in the middle of talking when it happened.

"The Uvica examination is concluded, you may all now return to the barracks at your discretion. You are all dismissed." A mind message reached everyone's psyche, it was only instructor Massette was speaking this time.

I have to find Tesu I have to tell him, but I'm so exhausted now. A bunch of people are leaving but I can't see him. I guess I'll just go, I hope I meet Ris and the others too.

She wearily got up and walked to the exit, made her way out of the hall but was caught by a familiar feeling at the corner when she turned to the exit.

My eeaarrssss..... is it him againnn....

"Fine work, Ariel."

"Instructor Liinei...." She didn't even have the energy to flick the smooth hands away with her ears.

"You're quite exhausted, aren't you? I'll keep it short. I'm here on behalf of the Luna Vis Recon Division. If you'd like to see more of the world and discover more about yourself, I'd welcome your joining our team" They tilted their head at the end slightly, then pat her back on the way out.

It was nighttime now. The chill breeze against her fur reminded her of the night she was double crossed. But instead of resentment in her heart, she felt a calmness and thought it was inevitable to have happened to her.

Still, she couldn't let go of the regret for taking two lives that night. It weighed on her tired mind, but the whole train of thought was cut short by Ris and Konreas waiting at a light in front of barracks entrance.

"There she is! How'd you get on?" Ris questioned her right away ignoring her tired demeanor and low hanging tail.

Ari took a second to answer. "I've learnt instead of showing off today."

"Ris, get off her for now, let's just go rest. She needs it after everything." Konreas went to the door, the rest following.

Ari crashed into her bed and was fast asleep without a care for the rest of the rookies arriving at the beds around her.

...

...

...

She was awoken a bit into the day, it seems they were more lenient for the last night of bootcamp.

They were all informed by signs to collect their dress uniform and a hat. At around midday Everyone had been marched away to finally attend the graduation ceremony.

On a paved square they had been lined up to recite their pledge, and to be awarded full military membership.

However the part after was not what they had been expecting.

"In attendance today are representatives of each Uvica division. You will all be called upon to receive your registry papers with your options to apply to whichever divisions are willing to accept you."

So that's what this was all about

After picking her form up Ariel quicky spotted the two places of her interest, though her opportunity list was massive indicating many groups holding interest in her.

Luna Vis Reconnaissance Division

Kenoma Crescent Demonic Division

She had one massive decision ahead of her, determining her entire life ahead. Needing a seat she found a bench and pondered at her list.

Unexpectedly Tesu had sat down beside her and looked over to her paper.

"I see. Nice selection you've achieved. Have you picked?"

"Can't wrap my head around it. I'm quite confounded."

"You have the option to go with your heart, at least. I've got obligations to my family. Had to go with the Aphelion Royal Guard no matter what I would have liked." Said Tesu matter-of-factly.

He then got up to hand in his registry, along with a few other people she recognized from the exam.

Go with my heart...

Embrace...

Ari saw Maelia with her division and they made brief eye contact. Though the call to find community within others of her kind was there, she had to truly go with where her heart was truly tugging her.

She stood, ready to place her registry.

On the paper laid her name, Ariel Mathison .

Signed under was her choice of application.

Luna Vis Reconnaissance Division.