CHAPTER 41: THE TRIAL BEGINS

Hermes rose to his feet and turned his gaze back to Arthur, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve and determination.

"Commander, can you give me a quick briefing on everything I should know before I enter?"

Understanding his request, Arthur nodded his head. "The test will take place the moment you touch Elizabeth's body. You will be immediately put to sleep and transported to whatever challenge is taking place."

He continued his lecture with a stoic voice. "Because we cannot remember what happens after the test, I cannot offer you much advice, since the trials are different for different people."

'I see… So I must go in blind then. If the domain she belongs to was known, they may have been able to give me some advice, but that's not the case here…'

After some brief contemplation, Hermes nodded his head toward Arthur. "Alright, let us get started immediately. I don't know how long Elizabeth can last…"

The officers gathered in the room unanimously concurred with his analysis. They quickly arranged a chair beside Elizabeth's bed for Hermes. He lowered himself onto it and drew in a long, steadying breath.

Then, in a simple motion, he grasped her hand tightly and closed his eyes as he awaited the intended outcome. He didn't take long to completely surrender to the drowsiness that was filling up his mind.

Darkness consumed him completely, and his thoughts slowed down as if they were submerged in quicksand. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared within his vision, followed by the return of all his senses.

'This is…'

The photons that rushed toward his retinas presented a desert scene that he was familiar with. The reddish-textured regolith he had grown accustomed to walking on was felt beneath his feet, as the sand rushing toward his eyes from an incoming breeze rubbed against his skin. Hermes looked at his surroundings in bewilderment.

"Isn't this Mars? Did I get teleported or is this all an illusion created by the Dreamscape Challenge?"

Before he could even finish analyzing his surroundings, a large magic circle adorned with exotic symbols appeared before him. In his vision, he could see the complexity behind its formation as it rotated slowly. Its color was that of a pitch-black, giving it a sinister visage.

In an instant, it disappeared, leaving a line of text formed from the same exotic symbols that engraved the circumference of the magic circle. Using [Lesser-Lexicon] as well as his personal understanding of Solari, he was able to understand its meaning.

"Kill the Last King or save the Witch of Calamity before her inevitable execution five days later."

'The Last King… Witch of Calamity? Who are they? Is this supposed to be the mission I need to complete to pass the dreamscape challenge?'

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Although he knew he was on Mars, he didn't understand exactly where he was on the planet. The text before him added more fuel to his perplexity, as the names it mentioned did not ring a single bell inside his mind.

'Is this supposed to be some alternate version of Mars with its own different history or something?'

Shifting his attention, Hermes began to observe his own body for anything he could use. He found that he was currently wearing a white open trench coat fitted with belt-fed ammunition strapped to his double-breasted vest.

Underneath the trench coat was obsidian-tinted metallic armor plating that fitted his entire chest. Moving past his sleeves were arm guards of a similar design and color to his chest plate with finger-less gloves laced underneath.

Past his waist belt were black trousers fitted in plated armor that matched the rest. Not even his boots were an exception. On his trench coat's left shoulder epaulet was a belt strap that revolved around his armpit and held what looked to be an emblem of sorts.

'Are these clothes also imaginary?'

He then felt the weight of something strapped to his back. Deciding to check it out, Hermes rotated his neck; his expression transformed into that of shock.

A weapon with the exact proportions of Dawnbreaker was strapped to his back. Pulling it out, Hermes covered his eyes as the seamless edge reflected the rays of the sun resplendently.

'Could it be that whatever entity manages these trials tries to account for whatever advantages the challenger should have? It assessed that I am trying to master the gunblade, so it offered me the optimal gear to facilitate that advantage?'

This was the only hypothesis that made sense to him. After all, if the upcoming challenges involve physical altercations, the system behind these trials would definitely need to offer the weapons the challenger is best fitted to equip.

Strapping the gunblade to his back, Hermes began to observe his surroundings. Sand dunes that dwarfed the clouds above encompassed his vision completely. He had no clue where exactly he was or where he should be heading.

Using the training he had with Arthur, Hermes immediately activated [Sensory-Boost] on his ears to pick up anything that may assist in his endeavors. This was a necessary precaution that Arthur had drilled into him. After all, you may never know when a Mutant may show up.

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Suddenly, faint sounds of metal clashing against each other were heard. The reverberations were so soft that the wind was easily able to drown them out. Hermes tilted his head toward the source of the noise.

"East, huh?"

…

About ten miles from Hermes' position, a large merchant caravan found itself stranded in the heart of the desert. Their cargo stretched for a few hundred meters in length.

The way they navigated the treacherous wasteland was through formidable tanker trucks that could hover above the shifting sands. Each of these trucks towed a colossal metallic trailer, similar to a Lorey carriage seen on Earth. However, these convoy trucks had been transformed into futuristic machines, boasting advanced technology and robust armor plating.

For every futuristic trailer truck, was a formidable hover tank with large plasma cannons mounted on the top used to guard the cargo. Their sleek, rectangular design featured angular corners, strategically crafted to deflect incoming threats. The tanks were not only imposing but also spacious enough for soldiers to stand atop their open-mounted decks and engage adversaries with precision.

The entire caravan of armored cargo and defense vehicles had markings of wear and tear appearing everywhere on surfaces, giving them an aged look.

But what completely painted the scene was not the vehicles themselves, but the dilapidated states they were not supposed to be in. Fires blazed across many of the armorer hover tanks, as soldiers were scattered across the open desert field fighting for their survival.

In some cases, the supply-laden trucks had suffered grievous damage, with a few even tilting precariously on their sides, displaying deep gouges on their heavily fortified trailer walls.

Amid this chaotic scene, the desert air resonated with the cacophony of gunfire and the clash of swords. Soldiers, brave and resolute, battled a horde of grotesque adversaries. Some of these foes assumed humanoid forms, while others appeared as mindless, monstrous bipedal creatures.

The tide of battle teetered ominously, swaying in favor of the merciless Mutant forces as the once-pristine red sands of Mars were dyed in a dark crimson by the mounting casualties.

At the center of a caravan, a distinctive armored hover vehicle stood apart from the rest. A massive hover truck towed a trailer unlike any other, featuring a rectangular base reminiscent of medieval carriages. Yet, its construction consisted of metallic textures, adorned with rugged edges and menacing spikes along its sides, designed to fend off any assailants. This unique vehicle exuded an aura of wartime might and intimidation, as blood splattered against its fortified walls deterred even the bravest of men from approaching.

This did not stop the mindless and suicidal mutant forces however from seeing it as a target for annihilation. Their minds were warped entirely on destruction as a fervent bloodlust exuded from their pupils and onto the 'fresh meat' before them.

Inside the imposing confines of the monstrous carriage, a stark contrast to its bloodthirsty exterior was revealed. Its interior was adorned with opulent furnishings that would leave even the grandest of nobles in awe. Despite its monstrous outward appearance, the carriage exuded a sense of humanistic design, featuring intricate artworks and golden accents that bestowed it with an air of tranquility.

Inside the jewelry-ridden carriage, two women with lustrous brunette hair hugged each other in fear. Their complexions were as flawless as freshly polished porcelain, devoid of any imperfections. The two women possessed different statures, with one notably taller than the other, emphasizing their apparent differences in age.

Both were adorned with resplendent dresses, bedecked with intricately engraved flower embroideries, and other ornate designs. The fabric of their attire possessed a silky smoothness that rivaled the finest materials reserved for nobility, further enhancing their grace and beauty. An ethereal perfume lingered in the air, spreading the aura of nobility with it.

Shaking in fear, they found warmth in each other's embrace as the older of the two women spoke words of comfort to the younger one.

"Elara, you do not need to worry. Father's brave soldiers will protect us…" Her soft and enchanting voice traveled into the little lady's ears.

Elara tilted her head upwards and gazed at the woman holding her tightly; a radiant smile was shown on her beautiful rosy lips. Still in doubt, she decided to voice her concerns.

"B-but Big Sister… I heard that a M-mutant Beast R-rampage is imp… Impossible to survive without the help of Guardians…"

Trying her best to keep her smile, the eldest sister tightened her hold on her sibling and spoke once more in a soothing tone.

"You do not have to worry about anything. Big Sis Eleanor here is a Celestial too! If push comes to shove, I'll make sure no one ever gets to you!"

Hearing her harmonious words of courage, tears began to swell and fall on Elara's plumb and soft cheeks. She began burying her head inside her bosom for extra warmth. Noticing the state of her sister, Eleanor shifted her expression into a frown and began sighing inwardly.

'Just our luck… Why did a Mutant Rampage have to occur so close to the capital? What are the Guardians doing...'

Suddenly, the heavily plated door that leads to the outside opened in a rushed manner, interrupting her train of thought. Stepping inside with panic in his eyes was a man roughly 7 feet tall, garnished in white-plated knight's armor. Silver accent lines slithered across its white-dyed metal plating, embellishing its beauty even more.

In his heavily plated hand was a silver long sword covered in pitch-black blood. His blonde disheveled hair was covered in sand and ash and his face was warped in a state of fear. His hysterical expression was reflected in the shaking of his blade as he spoke in a frenzied voice.

"Lady Elara, Lady Eleanor! We still have a chance to escape! Let's let the troops hold the enemy back!"

Hearing his remarks, anger flooded Eleanor's expression as she lashed out in fury. "Knight Trevor! How dare you suggest we run like cowards! Are you not ashamed of yourself?! How can you call yourself a Guardian!"

Trevor began to plead with her. "Lady Eleanor, my duty is to protect you and your sister! The enemy we are facing is too strong! It would be of greater shame to me if I failed at my mission!"

"I refuse! Those soldiers have followed my father for a long time and are loyal to the family! I refuse to abandon them! Do you want me to dishonor the Valencourt name?!"

"But young lad–"

"No buts! If you are this much a coward, you can run away by yourself! I will stay here and die in honor rather than live with eternal shame!"

Hearing her harsh words, his previously panicked face twisted into anger. He began cursing them inside his mind. 'This damn bitch! She is nothing but the eldest daughter of an almost fallen noble family, and this is how she treats me?! She even has the nerve to reject all my advances!'

Calming his thoughts, Trevor began plastering a fake smile on his face, contrary to his internal storm of thoughts and emotions.

"Lady Eleanor please recons–"

-Boom!

A powerful explosion reverberated through the open field, jolting all the vehicles to their very foundations. Trevor, who had been standing near the entrance, was forcefully propelled forward, his body crashing to the floor with a resounding thud. The exquisite artwork and ornate decorations that had once adorned the carriage now lay strewn about in a chaotic tableau.

Eleanor and Elara, who were tossed back into the leather cushioned seats behind them, began looking around in terror. The eldest of the two voiced her horror openly.

"Wh-what just happened?!"

Trever stood up from his position and began rubbing his forehead. Confused, he decided to peek at the entrance to figure out the source of the blast. The moment his eyes landed on the cause behind the large explosion, his face warped into total despair as his knees buckled from the weight of the horror presented before him.

"Impossible…"

End of Chapter