Merit: A currency used by inquisitors and inquisitor candidates to purchase various items and rights. These are only valued among inquisitors and their respective noble house.

Trial: a test conducted for inquisitor candidates to prove their abilities and worth and to cull the weaker specimen. At the ages of 10 and 15 major trials occur and every year minor trials are conducted. The final trial also known as "The third major trial" occurs at the cusp of turning 16, and marks the birth of a new inquisitor.

- CODEX OF THE SEVENTH HOUSE, GLOSSARY

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Robin awoke once more in the early hours of the morning, this time in the comfort of his dormitory. Although the bedding was somewhat thin and rough, it felt luxurious compared to sleeping in the wild.

As he rose from his bed, he noticed his roommates were also stirring. Marc was the first among them to voice his concerns.

"I hope I didn't fare too poorly on the test," he grumbled, still groggy from sleep.

Robin doubted the talkative youth's self-doubts. He, along with his roommates, ranked among the top 15 in their cohort, grouped together due to their consistent high performance in previous tests.

All four boys were inquisitor candidates, destined to undergo grueling and life-threatening trials until the age of 16, when they would undergo an ancient ritual to transform them into inquisitors. Robin's first encounter with one of the inhuman creatures had occurred two years ago when he became a candidate. These creatures, created through the ancient knowledge obtained by the first God-Emperor from a true Daemon, were justified by the Seventh House as a necessary evil to combat the heretics plaguing their holy lands.

Robin understood he lacked the power or standing to question these laws, yet the idea of becoming a perversion of nature dedicated to killing abhorred him. He was snapped out of his thoughts by an urgent tug from Albert.

The timid boy tugged at his arm again, his determination evident. "We have to get to the mess hall before the food gets cold!"

Robin smiled and nodded, shaking his head to clear his mind of distracting thoughts.

"What do you say we do for the solstice?" Robin asked as they made their way to the mess hall.

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"We must attend the solstice festival!" Marc proclaimed, enthusiastically waving his arms. "I heard there's going to be a circus this year, and they say it features exotic and wild creatures in death fights!" His voice grew slightly high-pitched with excitement.

Albert smiled at his friend's enthusiasm. "That's if we can maintain our positions in the top 15 candidates."

"Ugh, you know we will. Besides, I'm sure we've accumulated enough merit to earn ourselves a few days of respite beyond the fortress walls."

Albert snorted, about to retort, but Krell interrupted.

"We'll definitely stay in the top 15," he said quietly but confidently.

Upon reaching the mess hall, they continued their conversation on trivial topics. After finishing their meal, they made their way to the courtyard, where they would receive the results of their latest test.

Shortly after their arrival, a bell rang three times, and an inquisitor entered the courtyard, stopping amidst the gathering of young candidates. The creature stood over two meters tall, its long, sinewy arms ending in claw-tipped fingers. It wore no shoes, its webbed and slightly scaly feet revealed. Draped in dark iron armour, it carried two swords at its waist and a large battle axe on its back. The most disturbing aspect of the creature was its face—a thick metal band covered its eyes, its nose was absent, replaced by two holes, and its mouth extended almost to its ears, each sharp tooth gleaming as it smiled.

The creature remained silent as it surveyed the candidates, and Robin couldn't fathom how it managed to see, nor did he wish to know. After seemingly confirming all candidates were present, it unfurled a large scroll.

The scroll had two sections: "Independent Ranking" and "Group Rankings." Robin's eyes quickly found his name in the seventh spot on the independent list. He cursed silently, realising that Albert's name occupied the position just above his. It was puzzling, as Albert wasn't notably stronger or more skilled at survival than Robin. Perhaps surviving the bear had been a more significant accomplishment than Robin had initially thought.

He then shifted his gaze to the group rankings, finding his group ranked thirteenth. Not bad, he thought. He might have ranked even higher if he had chosen team members based on skill rather than friendship. Krell ranked fifteenth, while Marc was in twentieth place among the one hundred candidates. Yet, Robin felt that this camaraderie was his only respite in the ceaseless struggle to survive. He had known his friends for two long years, and they had become his anchors in this unforgiving environment.

At the beginning, over 500 candidates had joined, some lost and bewildered like Robin, others eager for the opportunity. However, after two years, only 120 candidates remained, with brutal trials and harsh training claiming countless lives. Death had become disturbingly familiar to Robin, it's cold grip seeping into every corner of his life.

When Robin was six, his mother had passed away. He remembered her funeral—the gloom, the silence, the uncomfortable feeling as if she might return at any moment, restoring normalcy. Though her death had been upsetting, he had found solace in the knowledge that she would be remembered. Her paintings still adorned the walls of his father's manor. Yet, in this place, when someone died, no one remembered them. Robin had witnessed many friends die over the past two years.

He had initially tried to recall their names, but eventually, he stopped caring. The gruelling training in the mornings and afternoons, followed by intensive evening lessons, left no time for mourning. The instructors' heavy-handed discipline had wiped away any tears the boys might have shed long ago.