EA Chapter 12 - First Test

The path from the airship docks, at the base of the Citadel, was flanked on either side by flapping flags that all bore the flag of Elthreme. Everywhere she looked, Luna could see patrolling guards and security emplacements. They scarcely paid any mind to her, or any other soldiers coming from the docked airships. But any man who passed by Old Scratch stood to attention and saluted, as if a demigod was walking among them.

Luna had seen the look of reverence many times in the early days of her prior conquests. For as much of a reputation as she had, the majority of those loyal to her did so out of duty rather than fear. Well, she was certain they would come to respect her the same way in due time. She gripped the handle of her trunk tighter at the thought.

Occasionally, as they went along, she would tap into her mana sense to examine the guardsmen. The average Elthremian soldier was markedly stronger than the militiamen she was used to, their bodies alight with well honed strength. When she looked toward the Citadel proper, the sheer abundance and pressure of the qi inside made it look as if the entire building was wreathed in flame.

Some truly powerful people, unsurprisingly, called the Citadel home.

"Right then," Old Scratch said, giving her a sideways glance in passing. "I've got a bounty of paperwork waiting for me. Ain't in a hurry to do it, but it's gotta be done. And in the meantime, Cadet, you're going to meet your instructor who is going to gauge your power with their own two eyes. Sergeant Gallow Cade, she'll be at training arena two. You'll find that when you take a left at the crest of this staircase." He gestured ahead of them, to a staircase that stretched on like a miniature mountain, leading toward the Citadel proper. Luna had to crane her neck to see the peak.

"Very well, Commander," she replied. She had a feeling she'd fast grow tired of 'proving' herself to people.

"Cade's a bitch. Even by the standards of a seasoned arcanist. But she'll give you a fair assessment."

The two parted. Luna tapped into her qi, her muscles burning with a surge of strength. She raced up the steps with such speed that every step picked up a trail of dust in her wake. She moved so swiftly that only a few of the patrolling soldiers even saw her in motion, but none could make a move to halt the speeding cadet.

The path at the crest of the stairs was flanked by several smaller buildings, each one sporting a name plate by the door. Storehouses, an armoury, an infirmary, and a dining hall. She had a feeling she was only barely touching on the number of facilities available.

The path then opened out to a series of square tiled plazas, marked by signs which designated them as numbered training areas. From where she stood, she could see that they were all designed to be 100 meters wide. Some of them were occupied, groups of people either sparring or conducting basic weapon drills.

But, on the second platform, a woman stood alone. She wore the same red and white surcoat common among the higher-ranked soldiers. She was a tall woman, only slightly shorter than Old Scratch, her greying hair swept back in a short braid that had a few gems woven into it. When Luna drew closer, she could see that her left eye was covered by a portion of silvery metal grafted to her flesh. She tapped her mana sense. As with Old Scratch, her latent energy was a blooming flare that surrounded her. And she could tell, at a glance, that the older woman was suppressing her strength considerably.

She glanced over dispassionately as Luna approached the platform. "You’re Luna Alcett?" she asked, her voice deep and refined.

Luna set her trunk aside and stood to attention. "I am, Sergeant."

She nodded, grimly. "Gallow Cade. Though, I imagine Ordean already told you as much." She tilted her head slightly, inspecting her. A faint golden flicker shone in her remaining eye. "So you're the one, huh? The girl who killed a dire crayfish singlehandedly?" she asked.

Luna nodded. At this point she didn't even feel a need to brag about it.

"Not bad. Particularly for someone with no prior training."

The girl wanted to scoff. These people couldn't even begin to fathom the training she'd had. The entire tomes of ancient magic inscribed upon her soul, the arcane lore she had spent decades poring over and mastering. She doubted there was anyone alive with the vast depth of magical knowledge she had at her fingertips.

But she forced a smile and met the older woman's eyes. "I suppose desperation brought out the best in me."

"Indeed," Gallow crisply replied. Her gaze lingered just a moment longer before returning to the task at hand. "But I wish to see that potential with my own eyes. And so I issue you a challenge." She raised her hands aloft, before a shimmering bubble of ruby light formed around her. Even without her mana sense, she could tell that it bore a density that would make steel look insignificant. "You are to try and get me out of this arena. Anything non-lethal is allowed."

A challenge. It wasn't quite what Luna was expecting. But she could handle it, no problem. She nodded, parting her feet and summoning her qi in a swirling rush of umbral light. "Alright." Luna raised her hands, arrows of explosive light manifesting in each palm. "Consider it done."

Luna focused her gaze on Gallow, her mind already racing with possibilities. She knew a direct assault would likely be fruitless, but she needed to test the waters at least partially.

A flurry of explosive arrows were launched from her hand, each one flying through the air as a glowing bullet. They struck against the barrier like hail on a tin roof, fracturing the nearby tiles and kicking up clouds of dust. The barrier, and Gallow within, remained unmoved. Luna nodded. She had expected as much.

It was, admittedly, frustrating to know she couldn't just will the problem away with a slice of Null. But she wasn't some foolish one trick pony. Digging into her troves of knowledge, she called upon a spell known in her world as ‘Steel Flesh’, instantly rendering her body manifold denser and stronger than normal. The ground cracked partially under her boots.

Still seeking to test the barrier, Luna raced forward with a speed that would make a crossbow bolt seem sluggish. Her fist met the wall of ruby light with a crash of thunder. The recoil from the blow sent her stumbling backwards across the plaza. She regained her balance and threw a few more blows, again fracturing the ground at the base of the bubble but otherwise doing little else.

Gallow watched her with an impassive eye. "I'm rather... underwhelmed right now," she said, calmly.

As Luna observed the lack of impact her physical blows had on the barrier, she decided to switch tactics. Her eyes roamed to the clouds of dust hovering around the edge of the glowing bubble. Yes, a direct assault would be fruitless, as she'd feared. But the only rule was that she had to get Gallow out of the arena without killing her.

Many of her potential options were, as yet, limited by her own stunted qi and other factors. Forced mental domination, or a psionic assault, could be resisted with a stern will. Gallow, being a veteran warrior with a vast reserve of energy, could push Luna away if she tried that. Forced teleportation was rather difficult if she couldn't physically touch her target. Well, misdirection was still easy for her to do.

Her hands crackled with energy as she raised them towards the shimmering barrier. A powerful burst of magical wind erupted from her hands, howling through the plaza like a tempest unleashed. The wind whipped around her, gathering force and speed before colliding with Gallow's barrier with a thunderclap. Then, with a thought, she sculpted the cyclone and used it to kick up a veritable smokescreen of dust from the fractured tiles, until the barrier was fully enshrouded.

An explosive spiral updrafted briefly lifted the bubble from below, holding it aloft for only a handful of seconds. Her other hand shoved toward the arena, launching a brief burst of disintegrating light that burned a portion of her qi away. But, more importantly, it flash-fried a chunk of the arena into nothingness just as quickly.

Luna dispelled the cyclone, the ache of exertion hitting her body. Her muscles felt like they were on fire. Gallow's bubble fell through the fast-fading smoke screen, striking the dissolved ground that had once been a portion of the arena. The older woman was left blinking in surprise, her mouth opening and closing a few times.

"You..." she eventually murmured, "you just..."

"I followed your directions. You're now alive and outside the arena." Unless she wanted to be pedantic and class the pile of ash at her feet as still being 'the arena.'

The sergeant glared at her. "Usually... that's a test to see the limits of a cadet's strength. Most cadets usually give up after a few attempts, when their attempts at lateral thinking fall flat."

"I'm not most cadets," Luna bluntly replied. Though now she'd gotten the distinct impression she had offended the older woman by 'passing' a test that was never meant to be passed.

Slowly, the older woman trod back onto the platform, her bubble melting away in a slew of hot iron sparks. "Nobody likes a smartass. Still, I suppose I should commend you on your capabilities. First time in a long while anyone has managed to actually get through my defences like that. The Way of Creation is not easily bested."

Luna exhaled, her aura vanishing. A tingling numbness washed through her slim body. She had to imagine that her body would gradually adjust to the strain of using large swathes of qi in quick succession. It had been the case for her in her prior life, where she could summon mighty tempests with a gesture and scarcely feel a thing from doing so.

"You pass. I'm not elated about it, but I can't fault you for doing what was asked of you. Cadet, there's a room set for you in Klein Tower. It's due west from here, the first tower you'll come upon. There's a squad that has an opening, due to a dropout. Speak with Cadet Kurse, she'll fill you in on the rest."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Luna spun on her heel and stalked away to hide the confident smirk on her face. She retrieved her trunk as she went, a newfound spring in her step. But, as she went, she was all too aware of Gallows' gaze boring into her back.