Chapter 4: The Trial of Fire

The day of the Trial of Fire dawned bright and tense. Villagers assembled around the central training ground, excitement and anxiety rippling through the crowd like heat haze. Every year, apprentices tested their skill, strength, and spirit—proving themselves before village elders and, more importantly, to each other. For Kael, it felt like stepping into the very heart of judgment.

Contestants showcased their soul weapons with pride: a flurry of spinning chakras, gleaming swords, and whirling tridents, each one an imitation but no less dazzling. Kael stood apart, Fang Spear gripped tightly, its gnarled bone surface absorbing the sweat from his palms. He caught Asha’s eye as she checked her fiery bow. She mouthed silently: You’ve got this. He nodded, letting her faith steady his nerves.

The trial’s first test was the obstacle run—a punishing course tangled with ditches, swinging logs, and walls of stone. Most counted on their soul weapons to demolish obstacles or boost their speed, but Kael had only his legs and wits. Rian, as always, drew admiration when his sword sliced through barriers with effortless flares of power. He ran with a swagger, glancing back at Kael to smirk.

As Kael navigated the course, he remembered his father’s words: Trust your body, trust your instincts. He sidestepped one trap, ducked beneath another, relying on balance and agility. Some rivals tried to trip or block him, but Kael’s patience and timing let him escape with only a few bruises. He finished slower than the top contenders but drew fleeting, surprised looks—most hadn’t expected him to cross the line at all.

Next came the beast puppet gauntlet—wooden effigies enchanted to attack like real monsters. Kael hefted his spear, heart pounding as the first puppet lunged. He dodged swings, parried with the Fang Spear’s weight, and landed a solid blow to the puppet’s head. The weapon didn’t glow, but it struck true. Cheers went up for soul-weapon users demolishing their opponents, but a handful of villagers watched Kael fight with growing respect.

A sudden shout brought all eyes to a new confrontation: Kael facing two puppets at once. Rian, swaggering in the crowd, had “accidentally” activated another target, sending it toward Kael with a knowing grin. Some apprentices laughed, expecting a quick defeat. Even the elders looked uneasy—no rule said a soul-weapon apprentice had to be honorable.

Asha’s face darkened, but Kael gritted his teeth. He shifted his stance, using the Fang Spear’s reach to deflect one puppet’s swing and trip the other. His footwork, honed over months of beast-fighting drills, kept him moving, never letting either foe pin him down. Sweat poured from his brow, arms trembling, but as he ducked, side-stepped, and thrust, a spark of focus took hold. He fought not with power, but skill—timing each strike, using leverage and angles.

The crowd’s laughter faded to silence as, with a final desperate thrust, Kael sent the second puppet crashing to the ground. The elders exchanged glances, murmuring quietly, while some bystanders offered hesitant applause.

Rian scowled in the back, folding his arms as others whispered. “Fluke,” he muttered. But a flicker of uncertainty had crept into his gaze.

The final trial was a sparring contest. Kael’s opponent—a soul-weapon apprentice, emboldened by the crowd—charged in aggressively, his spear crackling with low blue energy. Kael kept his own beast weapon low, parrying and sidestepping the blows, waiting for a mistake. When it came—a wide, reckless swing—Kael spun inside his reach and rapped his opponent’s hand with the Fang Spear’s butt. The apprentice dropped his spear, shocked. A smatter of applause rippled through the crowd.

His mentor met his eye and gave a rare, approving nod.

Exhausted, breathing hard, Kael found himself the subject of wary glances and curious whispers. For the first time, his presence had earned something beyond ridicule—a grudging respect, however small.

Asha rushed to his side, grinning fiercely. “You see? You don’t need their weapons to show your worth.”

Kael managed a breathless smile. “Maybe not their weapons—just the right spirit.”

But as Rian watched from the sidelines, resentment burning brighter, Kael knew the true battle had only begun. The road ahead would be long, but for the first time he could see a glimmer of belonging, a place carved by skill, heart, and the promise of power still waiting to awaken.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***