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Chapter 49
Winters in the capital were a mystery to Ezabel. She knew far too little of Gracewind as it was. However, she hoped that at the very least, it would snow. The cold of Alm and the north was soothing. And, there was nothing she could think of that would be better suited for the uncomfortable heat in her palm than its icy air. If she closed her eyes, she was certain that its sensation would return to her. She would smell the crisp forest and bask in the chill breeze. Too bad it was the middle of the summer time.
Unfortunately, the amphitheater had other ideas in mind. The cheer of the crowd erupted like a barrel of ale. Excitement was rampant. There was so much noise that Ezabel had no choice but to keep her eyes open. It helped when she locked her stare onto something, someone. It was an anchor that made it so nothing could overwhelm her to the point of absolute collapse. Not that she was anywhere near it at the moment.
Atalanta Silverton was the sole presence on which Ezabel fixated. It had been that way since the Cardinal arrived to address the entire amphitheater. But, it was entirely unintentional. There was just something about her that Ezabel could not look away from. Maybe it was the inspiring power and confidence that she exuded. Or, it could have been her exalted status. But, more than anything else, it was becoming apparent that it was Atalanta’s deadly, amber gaze that held Ezabel in place.
“It is my pleasure to fulfill one of Arydn’s most sacred traditions. I, Atalanta Silverton, will stand in judgment of each person in this year’s class of candidates. Let it be known that the Order grants no second chances. From this moment forth, you shall be and remain the best form of yourself. Falter for one moment and failure will be there to catch you.”, Atalanta’s voice, albeit commanding, sang her decree across the open.
There was not a single soul in attendance that looked away from the Cardinal. This was the start of it all. The festival, the selection trials, everything was on the cusp of beginning.
“You have been divided into groups this year. To work in such an environment is key to being an Attendant. To know those that fight beside you is a far more difficult task than to know your own enemy. Heed this warning: You shall function as one, or none. - As a result, the Order will not look at you as individuals this year, but as a team.”
The candidates began to stir. They had all suddenly found themselves in an uncomfortable predicament, and Ezabel could not help but be a part of it. No longer could they focus solely on themselves. All of the skills they honed, all of the knowledge they gathered, and all of the hopes they built - they were all muddied by the demand to work with other people.
As a consolation, Ezabel was finally able to break her gaze. Atalanta’s decree had made her worried, so much so that her chin fell and her eyes found her boots. What did all of it mean? Dani, Hubert, Gilford, and regrettably, Kieran. At the most, she assumed they would just be the people she would test alongside with. But now, they could very well be obstacles in her path.
“I will only say this once. So, let me be very clear.”, Atalanta announced. Her demeanor lifted high and her gaze fell low at the candidates. “During the course of the trials, should one member of your group fail a trial..”, she stared across the many faces. “..your entire group will be removed from the running.”
If the sounds of the audience were any indication, Atalanta’s decree was a welcomed and fascinating change to the selection trials. An uproar of chatter and cheer surged through the crowd. But, it was only they who found such a predicament to be exciting. Shock, anxiety, and absolute rage meshed together across the candidates. It had suddenly become that much easier to fail out of the trials. And, not a single person was happy about it.
Ezabel’s eyes widened in shock. This was not a test of her own strength. Luck had suddenly assumed a huge role in the entire thing. Reluctantly, her mind went immediately to Dani and Hubert. She was concerned for them. At any moment, a single misstep could see either of them fail out of the trials, causing Group Eight to disappear into obscurity. She hated herself for thinking so, but it was the hand that she was dealt.
It was now more paramount than ever that Group Eight found any kind of common ground. They needed to come together and find a way to ensure that they would all succeed. But, Ezabel shrank at the thought of collaborating with Gilford or worse, Kieran. How at all would they be able to coexist, even if there was so much at stake. If there was any real cause for concern, it would be their reluctance to cooperate. If it would only take a single misstep from Dani or Hubert, then it would only take a single spat from either Gilford or Kieran to collapse their entire group. - Group Eight was on thin ice.
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“That’s not good..”, Soren mentioned as he joined Leland and Leonora by the ledge. He leaned on it with his side and casted a look of concern down onto the main floor.
“Leave it to Atalanta to complicate things.”, Leonora replied with a groan. “We can only hope that Ezabel found herself in a decent group of people.”
“That’s the problem..”, Soren gestured toward Ezabel and Group Eight. “..her teammates are not going to work well together.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hubert Thornewell and Gilford Laz. They are two of the candidates that came from Ystere. I was part of their escort.”
“Oh..”, Leonora focused her attention onto them as Soren explained. Her heart sank into her stomach. Gilford and Hubert were at the center of the spat that occurred in the training yard earlier in the day. As best as she could recall, there was no love between them. In fact, she sensed a dangerous level of hate on the part of the omon. He may have been strong, but his outbursts were a worrying factor.
“Long story short, Gilford has a distinct hatred for Hubert’s family. It seems House Thornewell has done quite a bit to garner the animosity of Ystere’s people.”
“How bad is it?”
“Ystere is a logging town and House Thornewell makes their modest fortune by moving the resource as needed. - Unfortunately, there have been rumors of misconduct and abuse of their workforce. But, the people of the town don’t have many other choices for work. - They face hardship either way.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time that a noble house has done as much.”, Leland interrupted. His gaze remained at the main floor and his arms were still wound into one another. If he had not spoken, it would have been safe to assume that he ignored their conversation all together. Yet, he chimed in with a judging tone.
Much like Gilford, Leland had a genuine dislike for highborn culture. While he was not so brash as the omon, Leland certainly had his fair share of less-than-favorable encounters with several deplorable noblemen. In fact, he was well known in many circles as someone they rather not find themselves in the company of. His status as an Attendant Knight afforded him the luxury of protection, to a certain extent, against retaliation. Not that he needed much of it in the first place.
As far as Leland was concerned, the day a nobleman tried punishing his disrespectful nature, would be the same day that he finally gets to bury his fist in his face. - Leonora understood this quite well, even without the fact that she had known him for so long. She knew that Leland was not simply staring at the show below, he was eyeing the High King’s box and the many overdressed highborn individuals that spoke around him. She watched Leland for a moment, but turned back to Ezabel knowing full well that anything she could say would do little.
“But still..”, Leonora muttered. “..if there is anyone that can make a situation like that work, it’s Ezabel.”
“You’re quite confident in someone you met not too long ago.”, Leland shrugged. “She may be Xavier’s sister, but she’s not Xavier himself.”
“I wouldn’t underestimate her. I recall Vance receiving the same kind of scrutiny. Now look at him. - Have some faith, she’s an honorary member of your Brigade right now, Leland.”
Vance had become quite the talent, Leland and Soren that quite well. The famous younger brother of Xavier Grover, Captain of the Rose Brigade. To think that a third member of their family had come. Ezabel had quite the shoes to fill. That is, if she could even succeed here.
“I have faith.”, he replied. “The question is, does she?”
Leland refocused his attention onto Ezabel, who was very clearly beginning to worry. Her best individual performance would no longer guarantee a path to success. At any given moment, weakness could take her teammates and her dream at the very same time. Her left hand clutched the grip of her new sword from the stress. The ceremony had only just begun for her and already things were becoming difficult.
“Forget not that the entire realm of Ardyn is watching you. Your failures will ring as loud as your triumphs. The Order does not need the likes of those that succumb to the pressure of duty. If you wish to become a hero, show us that you have what it takes.”, Atalanta lifted her arm forward. From it came a golden light that trickled off of her lithe fingers.
At once, a rain of golden light showered the amphitheater. Awe struck the audience with haste and found them with jaws agape as Atalanta’s magic descended. She called forth a grand spell that warmed the venue.
“Let the light of Ardyn guide you to glory!”
Applause consumed the candidates, who bore witness to the spectacle of light that now fell on their shoulders. Ezabel shut her eyes tight before she lifted her chin. This was it. Her time had come. Bastion, Xavier, and Vance. In the darkness of her own thoughts, she could only see their faces. They were far away. They were busy. Much too occupied to pay her any attention. But, even in their listless state, Ezabel could see a hint of encouragement. They did not need to say anything. They did not need to do anything. This was their task and she was the last to arrive. Now, they waited for her with pride.
Her chest rose and fell with a single, deep breath. She lifted her head and opened her eyes, only to meet the glare of Atalanta once again.
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