It was only a day before Zelotes’ last trial, his last chance to prove his worth as a paladin, and after hours of training, before dinner, Zelotes was unloading a cart of food for the monastery. This would be his last task as an apprentice.

“Hey! Zelotes!” A voice cried from the gate.

Zelotes approached to investigate. He knew that voice. “Polos?”

“Zelotes!” The young leothien boy, little older than thirteen, jumped out. “Is it true? Are you going to finally be a paladin?”

“I’ll do my best. Now get back to Riole, doesn’t she have something for you to do?”

“Can’t we go to the arena and watch the game?” Polos asked.

“Polos, I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Polos was silent. He looked down.

Zelotes knelt down to Polos, and lifted the young leothien’s gaze. “Once I am done here, I’ll do whatever you want with you, I promise. But right now I just have another day and then I’ll be with you and the others.”

“Okay.” Polos nodded and left.

With that, Zelotes finished his task and ate with the priests. Following the meal, Zelotes and the rest of the monastery priests, paladins and apprentices had gathered in the nave to hear a sermon. A leothien cleric wearing yellow robes stepped up to the podium and began to speak.

“Friends, brothers, fellow sunchildren. We gather today to discuss the ascension of those under our tutelage. It is they who now hand a torch to blaze the trail of the Sunfather’s holy light. But perhaps it is best discussed by asking a simple question: why?”

Zelotes knew the daily speeches were a bore, but it at least brought the local members of the order together for a while, and it would be irresponsible not to attend.

“Why do we honor the Sunfather’s holy light? Why do we carry his torch? Can any among you apprentices answer.” The cleric prompted his audience.

Zelotes stood up. “The Sunfather’s light stands against the darkness.”

“Very good!”

Zelotes sat back down as the cleric continued his sermon.

“Many forget, but long before our world, Sphereus, was born, the Sunfather was not merely a symbol of bravery and triumph. He was a liberator! And his tool of liberation was a light so bright that shadow was severed from darkness!”

The lecture would continue on for another thirty minutes before the audience was dismissed and sent back to the dormitory. Zelotes laid down in his bed, looking out his window to the horizon. It had been a month since he had last seen his twin sister, and his few other surviving siblings: Polos, Elias, and Agathe, even though they still lived in the same town. Most of all, he missed his father, his mother and the oldest of his brothers, Lucias, the ones who couldn’t see him. But all that was part of his training, which would be coming to an end tomorrow. This time, it mattered. This time, there would not be another one which he could attempt. Failure now was not an option.

“Hey, Zelotes?” Cato, the youngest of the apprentices proving themselves tomorrow, asked. “Do you think you’ll pass?”

Zelotes thought for a moment. “Well there’s always three trials. I haven’t been able to pass the second yet.”

“W-what about me?” Cato asked.

“Most do.” Zelotes answered.

“Except for you.” Cato replied.

Zelotes sat silent for a moment. “You have a point there…”

With that, Zelotes laid down in his bed, putting an end to his evening.

Zelotes awoke in a chair, looking around at the familiar, warm, earthy tones of the room he found himself in. He realized he was in Lial’s office again.

“Zelotes!” Lial exclaimed as he turned to face him in his chair. “Please make yourself comfortable!”

Zelotes stood up. “I will not accept your offerings.”

“Oh, Zelotes…” Lial shook his head smiling. “I would never lead you astray.”

“You’re a devil! That’s what you do!” Zelotes protested.

“Oh I don’t want anything from you, I just want to do business!” The debonair fiend drew a circle of vermillion red runes, commanding the fireplace in his office to blaze. “Now, is there anything you’d like to drink, Zelotes?”

Zelotes refused to answer.

“Hmm, let’s see here…” Lial drew another red rune. “I’ve got whiskey, ale, or… ah! Would you enjoy some wine with me? I know the drink is popular among your kind.”

“No.” Zelotes continued to refuse.

“Oh, I thought you knew what was good. I suppose you leothiens really are savages.”

Irked by Lial, Zelotes wouldn’t tolerate such an insult to his kin. “Fine! I’ll take it!”

“Excellent.” The orange-attired devil pulled a bottle of wine out from the rune and a glass for each. He poured and handed the first glass to Zelotes. The two sat back down in their chairs.

“You know, you leothiens should be regarded with the same level of prestige as the elves! Other races tend to like ale, or whiskey, but you, my friend, have good taste.” Lial took a sip. “Say, don’t you have a trial tomorrow?”

“I will not let you sabotage it!”

“Oh I don’t care if you fail or succeed, Zelotes! Why don’t you take a minute to relax before your big day, it’s better than your frequent nightmares isn’t it?”

Zelotes stood up, and slammed both his hands on the desk. “Leave my mind!” He demanded.

Lial laughed. “Please sit back down, I just have a certain intuition about these sorts of things. I’m not a betting man, but I’d wager you lost someone once, maybe many someones.”

Zelotes was silent. Everything Lial had said about him was true.

“Listen, you delude yourself enough that you think you want is to bring the Sunfather’s light to cleanse the darkness and warm the hopeless, but you really crave vengeance deep down, don’t you?” With that, the office and Lial faded.

The crackling of flames, and the feeling of intense heat surrounded Zelotes as he found himself surrounded by fire.

“Get out of here!!!” He remembered a familiar voice followed by the sound of collapsing timber.

“I-I-It's too heavy, Father, w-what do we do?” He remembered his younger voice saying.

The bell rang, commanding the dormitory inhabitants to awake. Zelotes among them, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he groomed his mane before standing up out of bed to dress in his robes before going down to the cloister with his fellow apprentices.

About fifteen others were gathered, waiting for the first trial to begin, and Zelotes knew it too well: the bath of sunlight, where he and others would be gathered to meditate, nude, under intensified sunlight for the duration of the day to test their endurance and cleanse their souls.

“Good morning.” A paladin templar, higher ranking than a centurion walked into the cloister.

Zelotes and the other apprentices kneeled in his presence.

“I’m very sure many of you are anxious to begin your trials, but before that, I must give you all a reminder of what path you walk. Today, you are not to become mere knights for a secular army, you are to become paladins, knights in service to the ideals of a god, knights who fight not only with sword but also light given by the Sunfather, and whose power is maintained by their adherence to their oaths!”

“Yes, templar!” The apprentices said in unison.

“You are not merely warriors who fight with sword and magic, you are symbols of the Sunfather, and spiritual guides to those trapped in darkness! Do you have any objections?”

“No!” They all said.

The templar looked among them, focusing on Zelotes, he had seen the leothien in these trials before. “Now as warriors of the light, you are to complete your first trial by bathing in his light. Those that leave this cloister, break their meditation or seek any shade before the sun sets cannot move onward to the second trial! Your first trial begins now!” He uttered just as dawn broke, and clerics casted spells of yellow runes, making the light hotter and brighter.

Zelotes and his fellow apprentices proceeded to disrobe, and sit with their legs crossed, and arms outstretched up to the sun as though receiving his holy light. Zelotes closed his eyes, and began breathing. In through the nose, and out through the mouth. From prior trials, Zelotes knew that this was a test of will, and he couldn’t let anything distract him from it, and even in baking sunlight, he had to maintain his pose no matter what. But it wasn’t the increased heat and aching muscles from maintaining a single pose for an entire day that would be the most difficult part. It was maintaining his stead fast concentration as a fly landed on his shoulder at just midday.

It was enough to endure being cooked in the sun, it was quite another to ignore the movements of a fly down his back. Ordinarily, Zelotes would’ve swatted the insect, but with how important this test was, he couldn’t even move. He couldn’t do anything even as it began buzzing around his head and inside his ear. He was relieved when it finally left and he could just bake instead.

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“The sun has set, you all may now stand up and move before our next trial!” The templar announced after the day had passed.

Relieved, Zelotes rose, and stretched, finally being allowed to move after hours of near constant concentration and motionlessness. He took a brief look around him as he robed himself again. He had noticed five of the apprentices were no longer present. They must have failed.

“Alright, now the next trial is a trial of combat.” The templar continued. “You will now don your armor and your favored weapon, in an attempt to defeat your opponent: the trial angel.” A priest began drawing a circle of holy yellow runes that then left their hand and expanded onto the floor of the cloister.

With a flash bright holy light, an armored being carrying sword and shield appeared with brilliant yellow wings outstretched as they descended. It looked around at the apprentices. “Prepare thyselves.” It then looked at Zelotes.

Zelotes looked back at the angel. He had fought this one three times before.

“I shall only tell thou that thy faith is key.” The angel told the mortal leothien.

The bunch redressed themselves and went to the armory to equip themselves for the trial. Zelotes was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder before entering the armory. He turned his head to look. It was Razael.

“What is it mas-”

“Hush.” Razael looked around. “I know I can’t give you much information, but I’m only going to tell you that for your next trial, you need to have faith.”

“I’m training to be a paladin, aren’t I supposed to have faith?” Zelotes inquired, irritated.

“In more than one thing, my boy.” Razael said before leaving his apprentice.

Zelotes returned to the cloister among his peers, armored and armed with his greatsword. In a line at the wall they were all arranged, waiting for their turn against the angel.

“Exekias Viaitas, step forward.” The templar commanded.

A young, cowled leothien stepped forward, armed with sword and shield, bared in front of him anticipating for the angel’s first strike.

“Nay.” The angel said as it looked upon the leothien.

The gathered bunch looked toward the celestial being with surprise.

“I choose…” The angel pointed their sword at Zelotes. “Zelotes Nemean, of the Eastern Savannahs. Prove thyself”

Compelled, Zelotes stepped forward, both hands on his greatsword’s handle, holding the blade diagonally upward, pointing forward at the angel that hovered only five paces in front of him. Zelotes knew that he had to pass this trial, failure now meant he could never be able to achieve paladinhood at all. But he wondered, given how his prior matches with this angel fared, why would this one turn out differently.

“Attack, Zelotes Nemean.” The angel prompted him.

Zelotes lunged forward, clashing his blade against the angel.

“Thou hath power behind thy weapon.” The angel then swung it’s shield, bashing Zelotes and knocking him back three paces. With Zelotes’s guard down, the angel struck once then twice with its blade energized by holy light, each swing striking Zelotes’ torso.

“Argh!!” Zelotes growled. The angel had hit him quite hard as he felt the power from those strikes through his armor. Zelotes questioned the likelihood of his victory further. And he was getting tired of the angel besting him for perhaps the final time. Holding the blade over his head, Zelotes leaped again at the angel, his attack ready to swing harder than he had ever before. It was blocked as the angel raised its shield. The angel then blasted burning solar light at Zelotes, sending him into the wall at the other side of the cloister, and putting Zelotes down to his knees, panting.

In pain from the blast, Zelotes further doubted his ability to overcome the angel. He through his holy symbol, he prayed and casted a spell, revitalizing him and lifting his spirits. He still felt his doubt. Although, he remembered that the angel and his mentor had both mentioned faith being important, maybe it was time to utilize his more magical abilities.

With another invocation of the Sunfather's power, Zelotes’ wreathed his blade in flames, and charged up to his winged opponent, managing to lay a strike that caused the angel to grunt from burning pain. He was surprised, he then struck twice, then thrice, both deflected. Zelotes prepared another spell to strike the angel with his own blast of scolding light, which was blocked by the angel’s shield which then bashed him three paces away.

“Powerful thy magic is, as is thy faith, yet the Sunfather alone will not grant thee victory.” The angel spoke.

Zelotes could not understand this, up until the trials he was very capable in battle, and knew that the trial angel was supposed to be his match, not a superior opponent. Yet, he could hardly even make a dent. Then he thought about the angel’s words. Maybe this wasn’t a mere test of strength and power, but what was it then? His mind went back to a time before this trial, before even his first trial, it was a time when his mane was only just growing in.

"Are you trying to be a door? You left yourself open, Zelotes!" Razael said jovially.

Zelotes got back up. "You're just so much better at fighting than me, master."

Razael laughed. "There's no room for doubt, Zelotes, and fighting me is how you get better."

"But when are we going to start on holy magic?" Zelotes asked.

"When you demonstrate your ability to defeat opponents at least as skilled as me, but keep in mind that holy magic is a privilege, and that a paladin's true power comes from their devotion and their sureness."

His mind returned to the present. Taking a breath, Zelotes did not know how he was going to defeat the angel, but he knew it was possible and that he had to. Holding his sword in front of him, Zelotes struck. The shield blocked him. He struck again and again and again, with each fiery swing, the impact was blocked by the angel’s shield, but it didn’t matter, Zelotes couldn’t think of his doubt now. With another swing, Zelotes finally landed a searing strike onto the angel and with one final blow as Zelotes landed his blade from over his head, the angel was knocked to the ground, with glowing golden ichor leaking from the strike across its chest.

There was silence. All eyes were on Zelotes and the angelic opponent that he had just fell. The failed apprentice had finally struck the angel down. They waited for what would happen next.

Zelotes looked upon his blade, now stained with angelic blood. He swung his greatsword, sending the golden ichor off of it, before sheathing it, and reaching down to the angel’s hand pulling it upward, and channeling holy energy into his hand as he sealed the angel’s wounds.

“I could’ve done that myself, but thy effort is welcomed. Thou hath fought well.” The angel congratulated him.

Zelotes nodded.

The angel held Zelotes’ fist upward. “I present to thee, Zelotes Nemean, worthy of the great Sunfather’s brand!”

The crowd clapped as the failed apprentice had finally succeeded. The apprentices continued having turns with the angel, most succeeded, although one could not best the angel and would not be able to move onward to the next part of the trial. By the time the second trial was finished, the moon hung high over the lands at midnight.

“Apprentices, this is the part of the trial that matters most!” The templar announced. “Each of you shall meet with your mentors unarmored in the nave of the church. There, you all endure your final test, a test of resilience. You will each recite your vows as you are branded. Failure at this point, especially for some of you…” He glanced at Zelotes. “Will mean that future trials will be impossible.”

With that, Zelotes and his fellow apprentices made their way into the nave of the church, Razael, a few knights and another centurion all stood, holding a brand, the ends for marking glowing a golden yellow, charged with holy energy.

Doffing his chestplate as were the other apprentices, Zelotes approached his mentor. Zelotes felt a swelling of both joy at the prospect of finally becoming a paladin, and sorrow that he was now leaving his mentor. “We’ve come a long way.”

“Indeed we have, my boy!” Razael smiled.

Zelotes knelt, arms outstretched as he braced himself for the sun-charged metal to sear the Sunfather’s mark onto his bare chest. He felt the metal burn his flesh over his sternum, resisting the urge to wince or even react to the pain of the metallic brand scorching his flesh, he felt also, a marking within, as though his very being was now tethered to the power of the Sunfather.

“Knight of the Sunfather’s holy light, what is your oath?”

“To burn the malevolent, and the unholy in the fires of the sun.

To lead the lost with the shining example of day.

To rise with courage against any hardship that has begun.

To shepherd the weak and those in dismay.

To uphold my faith and the Sunfather’s lessons, even as I stand as only one.

To live with purpose and die with a blaze.”

The brand was pulled away from his chest as the mark was now clearly branded onto his sternum. Panting, Zelotes fell to his hands from the searing pain. He had done it. He had passed the final trial.

Razael lent a hand, pulling his apprentice to his feet. “Concecration ceremony is during Solarifest.” He smiled. “You finally did it! You have someone waiting for you outside.” He pulled Zelotes up, and guided him to the entrance of the Church.

“Congrats, little brother!” A familiar voice coyly spoke up as Zelotes left the door.

“Riole?” Zelotes looked around, spotting his twin. “What’s my little sister doing here so late at night?”

“I was waiting for my twin to come out, but I got a paladin knight instead!” Riole laughed. “Come with me, we saved a nice warthog roast for you.”

“Well, you know how much I like that.” Zelotes said warmly.

“Hey! Leave some for me!” Razael shouted as he joined the two.