The Day Before The Test

It was late at night. The world outside lay still, cloaked in darkness, with a full moon hanging in the sky outside. Usually, Alaric preferred to practice his chakra visualization meditation at this hour. It had been nearly a full year since he had been reborn and a lot had happened.

He still hadn’t fully adapted to being a child, but he was adjusting. After all, he has progressed rapidly.

He had a friend now — Rowan — whose companionship he surprisingly enjoyed. Much more than either of his half-brothers Lucien or Edwin. For some reason, they kept their distance from him.

Well, ever since they realized how much smarter Alaric was compared to either of them.

He eliminated those thoughts and focused on the task at hand. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he focused on the cadence of his deep, rhythmic breathing. Slow inhales, slow exhales. Once his mind was sufficiently centered, he turned his focus inwards and visualized the base of his spine.

He envisioned a glowing red orb at the base of his spine, flickering like a controlled flame. The red glow had gotten brighter over the past few weeks. It felt warm now, radiating a subtle heat that spread through his body.

His legs, hips, and core grew heavier and felt more grounded like roots anchoring themselves deep into the earth.

He exerted his willpower and tried to spin the root chakra. The process was sluggish but he continued with sheer willpower. As he settled deeper into the trance, his thoughts drifted toward all that he had achieved. His mind roamed through vivid flashbacks, replaying moments with remarkable clarity.

His early lessons with Rowan, back when he was still struggling to wield his wooden sword. The replays of the guard positions. He remembered the moment Fenrir observed him and Rowan practicing.

Fenrir’s words echoed in his mind, “Your stance is your foundation, like the roots of a tree.”

The clash of wooden swords and the grunts of sparring partners echoed in his thoughts. Fragments of practice duels surfaced — slashing, thrusting, and feinting. Scenes of parrying, blocking, and dodging against Rowan’s strikes flashed in his mind’s eye.

Alaric relieved the triumph of defeating other sparring partners with ease. The sharp sting of failure when Rowan’s strike landed on him. The surge of pride when he successfully dodged Rowan’s attack for the first time.

He recalled the countless times Rowan corrected his form, encouraging him to move faster and do better. Rowan’s voice echoed once more, quoting his father’s wisdom, “If you want to stand tall, your roots must be unshakable.”

His awareness returned to the present moment. Alaric felt the warmth of his root chakra growing stronger. He envisioned the swirling red energy flowing smoothly and gently stabilizing. Slowly, it was transforming from a flickering glow to a steady, pulsing warmth. He imagined himself as a young tree with roots burrowed deep into the ground. He was unshakable.

Alaric sensed the last remnants of a knot — a dark spot nestled in the core of the red glow — dissolving within the chakra’s radiance as it stabilized. His mind and body felt more connected than ever in this new body. Alaric’s eyes drifted open, and he released a slow, measured breath.

My root chakra is nearly purified. Perhaps a few more days. A smile spread across his cheek.

***

Alaric 8 Years Old

The day of the test arrived. However, instead of feeling anxious, he felt better than ever.

Today was Alaric’s birthday, and he suspected that Elara was preparing a delicious meal for him. Perhaps, something else awaited, and he couldn’t wait to find out what it was. Alaric chuckled.

Instead of stressing about the test, I am daydreaming about food.

The training ground buzzed with a sense of quiet excitement and mild tension. Apparently, news about the test had reached the ears of all the guards and the children who trained there.

The guards continued with their drills but they all tracked Alaric as he approached the training grounds. The children were clustered to one side, eagerly waiting to see his performance. He couldn’t blame them.

Alaric had sparred with many of them over the past few months. Although it wasn’t quite right to call them friends, all of them recognized Alaric and admired him. They knew he was skilled and wanted to witness just how far he could rise.

He spotted Rowan off to one side, a serious expression etched into his face. What’s up with him? Alaric wondered. For some reason, Rowan appeared grimmer than usual — as if he were the one undergoing the test instead of Alaric.

Off to the side, three kids his age lingered, faces unfamiliar to him. Hmm..where did they come from? One of them eyed Alaric intently, inspecting him from every angle. The other two whispered to each other. When Alaric met their gazes, they quickly averted their eyes.

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A few moments later, Captain Farrow strode onto the field. He announced the rules of the test to Alaric.

He would face challenges in one-on-one sparring matches, a reflex trial, and endurance runs. After finishing his explanation, the captain smirked. “There’s a final challenge, but I’ll share it only after you’ve completed the others.”

What was that about? Why the suspense? Alaric shrugged. No matter what awaited him, he would strive to come out on top. Alaric stepped into the dueling ring with his trusty wooden sword. A moment later, the three unfamiliar boys approached.

One of them entered the field with a wooden sword of his own. Alric was up for a challenge but was sorely disappointed.

His first opponent was too predictable. His swings, thrusts, and blocks were all very easy to predict. Alaric swiftly dodged a telegraphed overhand swing and countered with a tap to the chest. The match ended.

His second opponent moved faster. Alaric had to rely on his precise footwork. However, he defeated him easily with deft side steps and feints to misdirect him. It wasn’t difficult to land a decisive hit on him.

The third opponent was a little tougher, but Alaric quickly adapted to his rhythm. He slipped inside his opponent’s defenses and struck his wrist, disarming him. Some of the kids cheered for him, and Alaric felt proud.

The test is easy… so far.

Captain Farrow simply grunted as he observed Alaric. As though he expected no less from Alaric. Without hesitation, Alaric proceeded to the next test area, where a series of weighted pendulums swung at random intervals.

He smirked and advanced. Alaric either deflected or swiftly dodged each pendulum with sharp, controlled movements. He was forced to duck, twist, and leap backward as needed.

It was a test to evaluate his footwork and defensive skills. One pendulum nearly grazed his arm, but he adjusted his rhythm for the next swing. By now, his breath came heavier, and his legs burned from the relentless movement.

His forehead was adorned with beads of sweat but his focus remained unshaken.

Once he was done with the second test, he advanced to the sprint track. Other kids waited at the starting lines. The test included a series of short, explosive sprints to test his endurance. Alaric’s speed was unmatched, and he left behind all the children competing alongside him.

He gasped for breath and felt his chest tightening. However, he couldn’t help but smile. He was satisfied with his performance.

Captain Farrow approached, Rowan trailing behind him. “Good work, Alaric. Now, for the final test…” He gestured towards Rowan, who slowly stepped inside the dueling ring with a wooden sword in his hand. “You don’t have to win. Just survive for ten minutes.”

Alaric had anticipated something like this. He felt many sets of eyes settle on him as he stepped into the dueling ring once. However, it was Rowan’s gaze that unsettled him the most. It was filled with a steely focus, his usual playful demeanor completely absent.

Rowan glanced briefly at his father, who gave a curt nod.

Captain Farrow raised his hand and declared firmly, “Start.” As his hand dropped, signaling the start of the duel, Rowan lunged at Alaric. He was swift, aggressive, and relentless.

Rowan’s strikes hit much harder than during their usual sparring sessions. He didn’t use any playful feints — just raw, calculated offensive strikes. Alaric was forced to remain on the defensive, blocking and parrying with all of his focus.

His heart pounded in his chest. He’s serious this time. For some reason, Rowan’s attitude felt different.

Alaric’s arms grew heavier with each impact, the force of Rowan’s blows sending painful vibrations up to his shoulders. Alaric was already exhausted from completing the previous tests. However, he didn’t mind having to fight Rowan without being allowed to rest for some time.

No enemy would wait for me to recover during a life-or-death battle. He took it up as a challenge — a chance to sharpen his focus, strengthen his resolve, and purify his chakras.

Why is Rowan fighting like this? His eyes flicked to Captain Farrow and then back to Rowan. Is he trying to prove something?

Alaric’s breaths came in ragged gasps, and his vision began to blur. Suddenly, Rowan executed a perfect feint, and Alaric fell for it. Rowan used that opening to strike Alaric in the ribs.

The sharp pain dropped him to his knees, gasping desperately for air.

***

Captain Aldric Farrow's POV

Captain Aldric Farrow was astonished by Alaric. The boy had improved tremendously over the past year. He didn’t believe the child had any potential at first, being a bastard. However, Alaric quickly proved him Wrong. His technique was still rough but his strength and raw battle sense were extraordinary.

Even without learning any of the advanced techniques, he instinctively adapted to the rhythm of his opponents and saw through their fighting patterns. It was not a stretch to claim that no one his age could match him.

The results of the test did not surprise him that much. It was merely an official assessment that served as a record of Alaric’s performance. Farrow was acutely aware of Alaric’s discipline and talent.

In fact, Captain Farrow had already decided to begin teaching him the advanced techniques the next day.

The final test against Rowan was more of a formality. It was intended to give Alaric a taste of humility before progressing further. After all, it was still not possible for Alaric to defeat Rowan, who was three years older than him. Farrow personally trained his son, teaching him everything he had to offer for years. His child was his proudest achievement.

Watching Rowan overpower Alaric so decisively lit up his face. Yes, that’s my boy. Don’t go easy on him. His chest swelled with pride for Rowan, yet his respect for Alaric remained. Sure, Alaric’s form was still rough at the edges and his footwork was imperfect.

However, the instincts he displayed were sharper than boys twice his age. “He’s not ready for Rowan, though,” Farrow muttered under his breath.

And that fact was easy to observe. As expected, Rowan dominated the duel from the start. He took the initiative and kept Alaric on the backfoot for the whole time. Yes, push him. Show him the gap between talent and experience.

Alaric was struggling, his movements growing slower with every passing second. He was pushing himself too hard. It’s too much even for Alaric to fight Rowan without rest. Farrow glanced at the clock.

Only three more minutes. Unfortunately, it looked like Alaric wouldn’t be able to endure to the end at this pace.

At that moment, Rowan struck Alaric in the chest, and the boy slumped down on the ground. Will he give up? Farrow inspected Alaric closely. He pondered whether he should call off the fight or let it continue.

Just as he was about to signal for the fight to stop, he saw Alaric push himself back onto his feet as his gaze hardened. Hmm…what’s this? Farrow paused and inspected Alaric more closely.

Something had changed — something unusual. This isn't normal.