The Material Palace was located in the central section of the sect. It was the second highest building, but its grandeur was not any less. Kael glanced around, the white walls gave him a feeling of emptiness, but the intricate patterns and designs carved into the walls overwhelmed him.

 Two guards watched their group. Their red armor shined under the lighting stones. Their figures were large, muscles built to the extreme. Each held a sword and small knife at their sides. Not beasts. They were fighters.

The Reigned Phoenix Sect was split into two professions. Tamers and fighters. Tamers were the stronger force of the sect, but their numbers were rare. Fighters, however, made up a large part of the sect’s population, but their strength was limited. Usually, the sect would allow everyone to take the tamer test as they wanted to take any talents they could. In the occasion that a trainee did not pass the tamer aptitude test, they were given a second chance as a fighter.

The fighter test was easy. It only needed one to be at a certain level of strength and at least beginner mastery in any weapon. Unfortunately, the sect did not provide any advanced qi gathering manuals, at least not for free. If enough contributions to the sect were made, the sect would gift them a higher manual. Most, however, only ever read the basic qi gathering methods so they tended to remained below the third fracture. Their path differed greatly from tamers which made further advancement almost impossible; yet there were exceptions.

Some had an innate talent to gather qi—allowing them to crack their core further. Others had a higher body constitution that allowed them to push forward. For example, the captain of the Discipline Hall. The most elite fighter of the sect. He was a monster at the eighth fracture and still showed signs of improvement. Two more fractures to his core and he would reach his first mending. The same rank as the Sect leader.

Kael squinted his eyes and made out the writing on their shoulder place that dictated their rank. Unfortunately, he was too far to distinguish anything. He could only sigh and glance around.

The kids huddled close with mouths agape. How many of them will graduate from their green color? Kael thought. How many would end up as tamers, fighters or worse, neither. Only beginner disciples were forced to wear green. Others were allowed to wear any color they pleased—except red, black and purple—as long as they visibly showed their status medallion. Kael sighed, looking down at his muddied blue robes and medallion then back at the stunned kids.

He remembered the way here. Dean had led them towards the central courtyard. They had stayed grouped together—quietly admiring the grandeur of the inner sect. For most of them it was their first time stepping into the inner sect. Some had even cringed back and lowered their heads when an inner disciple passed by. Surely afraid from stories they heard; that if they offended someone their lives would be hell.

It was common to hear about disciples in other sects making someone’s life impossible for petty things like ignoring them or offending them in a stupid way. Kael wondered how organizations as big as those could thrive if any person with enough status could kill as they pleased without repercussions.

The Reigned Phoenix sect, however, was not like the others. They had strict rules in place to prevent any sort of corruption. Disciples and elders alike had to abide to them; if they didn’t they would suffer punishment. There was no instance of an inner disciple or elder stopping the advancement of a disciple. They just didn’t have that amount of power. Yes, their status was higher, but that just meant that they had access to more locations and resources; nothing else. Beginner disciples were only allowed access to two of the five sections. Inner disciples had access to four and Elders had access to all five. At least it had been this way after Dean proposed it.

He noticed Dean standing next to a guard, leisurely waiting for the kids to calm down. It's probably because he is to lazy, Kael thought, and doesn't want to maintain the extra load on the formations the extra people stepping through it would cause.

Dean was the elder in charge of maintaining the formations of the sect. In fact, he was highly revered in the sect. Kael didn’t know why others held so much respect for Dean. He had bad taste in robes and at home, he always complained about his duties around the sect. He did not enjoy monitoring the formations. There were just far too many of them throughout the sect. Dean, however, would just sigh after complaining to him and say they were needed; For protection and to prevent crimes.

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Kael shifted his gaze to Nar, expecting him to be as shocked as the other kids, but he was just distant.

"Hey, are you alright? You’ve been weird since we left the spring.” Kael said.

No response. Nar just stayed there in deep thought. Not even worrying about the fox squirming in the net.

Could he be worried about the test? Kael thought, or about his beast?

"Nar.” he said, placing his hand on his shoulder.

He jolted at the sudden touch and gave him a weird look.

"Don't worry about things. Everything will be fine.”

“it’s not that…”

“Once you pass the aptitude test I am sure you'll get promoted. Then we can go even further." Kael said smiling.

Nar seemed to want to say something else, but in the end, he gave a nod.

At that moment, Dean stepped forward and cleared his throat causing the few kids to quiet immediately. "Form a single line and wait to be called." He ordered. Seeing the kids scramble into a line pleased him.

"You will take your beast inside and give it to Elder Roan, he is the man wearing the blue robe. He will inspect your beast and give you the exact materials needed to form a contract with that specific beast. After that, he will give you a key to the room where you will be staying for the next thirty days."

"What!" Brin exclaimed. "No one mentioned that."

Dean looked at Brin, who stood first in line.

"Don't interrupt me." He said, raising his voice.

Brin cringed back and stayed quiet. Seeing that Dean nodded continued. "This is a new rule that the elders decided to place to give everyone the same chance. The beasts must remain within the closed off section for thirty days. If by any reason, you are discovered to have taken your beast beyond the set boundary, you will immediately fail your aptitude test."

Interesting. Kael thought, looking at Dean. He probably wants us all in one place to make it easier for himself.

"One more thing, those who didn't catch a beast will have to wait at the end of the line. Your beasts will be provided for, but they need to find adequate ones first and you will not get to choose." He said, clasping his hands behind his back and walking out of the material palace.

Once Dean left a disciple called Brin to enter. He walked proudly carrying the cage himself with a smug look on his face.

"He is so full of himself." Kael said.

"If he heard that he would send his underlings to end you."

"Who are you calling underling?" A voice sounded behind them.

Turning his head Kael frowned. "What are you doing here Levy?"

"I asked first, who are you calling underling?" he said, lowering his tone.

"We didn't call you anything. You assumed that yourself." Nar said, strongly.

Levy scrunched his face, tightening his arms, steaming with anger.

Damn. Kael thought. He sure has a short temper.

"So, Levy. Why are you back here?" Kael asked.

That seemed to take his mind off Nar for a moment. "I didn't get a beast." He said, smiling proudly.

"I don't think that is something to be happy about." Nar said.

"Well, unlike you little squirt. I don't strive to be a tamer. I will be a fighter. The best one. I will reach the first mending and prove that fighters are better than tamers." He said, standing tall and flexing his arms.

"If I were a brute like you, I would have made the same choice." Kael said. Crap. He thought. Did I just say that out loud?

Before Levy could get angry, a commotion sounded from inside.

"How did you catch this, boy!" a raspy voice said. "Amazing. This beast is not a cub anymore. You shouldn't have been able to catch this..."

A disciple closed the door, blocking the sound off, but it was too late. Everyone had heard it.

"That was to be expected, he is the best of the lot." Levy said loudly.

“Shup up Levy. We all know he got help from you.” Nar said. “That is nothing to be proud of.”

Kael looked at Nar. Why is he confronting him repeatedly? He wondered. This is not like him. Usually, I would be the one causing trouble.

Levy raised his fist, but before he could punch Nar one of the guards appeared and grabbed his fist.

“If anyone fights they will be immediately taken out of the premises. It will also result in a failed exam and expulsion of the sect.” the guard said with a powerful voice.

That made Levy cringe back and return to the front.

Kael stared in shock. The guard had moved fast, too fast. Having him so close, he finally saw his shoulder plate. Five slashes. A man at the fifth fracture.

Why would an elite fighter be a guard here? Kael asked himself. It shouldn’t be like that.

The man paced back confidently, armor clinging and boots resounding through the whole room and took his watchful position once again.

Brin came out shortly after, proud of his achievement and probably expecting the crowd to praise him. However, he was disappointed. The kids stayed quiet, scared to even breathe loudly. Brin looked at Levy for an explanation, but he just lowered his head and tried to hide within the crowd. Angry, Brin stomped his way—cage in tow—through the kids. He stopped in front of Kael and said something, but he was too shocked by the level of the guard to listen to his words. Fuming, Brin left the building.