A few days earlier...
"Please, wait here for a moment, the Sovereign will see you shortly." The footman said, closing the door behind him and leaving both youths alone in a dark, almost gloomy room. Xander closed his eyes for a moment, invoking Master Ding's teaching to calm his heartbeat.
Today was the day. Both he and Connor, his best friend since childhood, were summoned before the Sovereign of the Sandford Haven for their coming-of-age day. The previous day, they had gathered both their families, friends, and their Master to celebrate the end of their apprenticeship. They were now ready to make their first foray onto the Path as most, if not all, of their peers. But, the Path goes only one way. This day also marked the last time they would see their families, their friends, their Master forever.
Shrugging darker thoughts aside, Xander let his eyes wander around. This was the anteroom to the Great Hall where the sovereign received important Pathers and hosted the most important ceremonies. While both had already been to the Sovereign's Palace, it had mostly been either for simple administrative purposes or ... summoned by the guards with their parents about some mischief they had done.
Well, that's mostly on Connor's shoulder,... he sighed. I'm not sure I would have done half of the things we did if it wasn't for him.
Still, he found the anteroom to be a bit too dark for his taste. Of course, Sandford was an underground city, so he was used to darkness and such. But usually, there were either natural fluorescent crystals or artificial mage light to chase the gloom away. Yet here the light was dimmed to the point he could barely see the ceiling, giving it an unfathomable height. And maybe that's the point. he thought. To make us feel small and insignificant.
Besides, theirs wasn't an important meeting for the Haven, nor a celebration worth all of Sovereign pomp. Still, the man was a stickler to Tradition, with a capital T. The room was sparsely decorated, but the few pieces of furniture were of the highest quality. The chairs were made of dark wood, with a soft cushion of a deep red. The table was made of the same wood, with a dark blue tablecloth, on top of which a silver plate throned with several pastries. The only other piece of furniture was a small cabinet, with a few books, a decanter of wine along with four crystal goblets. The soft glow of the light aged everything severalfold adding to the feeling of sobriety he felt.
The only other presence in the room, beside Connor, was the guard in his customary dark sand livery, a halberd on hand and his short sword secured at his hips. He stood by the tall wooden doors that would lead them to the Great Hall itself. In the otherwise silent room, he could feel his friend's trepidation which he wouldn't mistake with cowardice. He was just as nervous as he was, but probably even more excited. Connor was always the more adventurous of the two, always the first to try something new, always the first to get in trouble. He felt the Haven was too small for him, a sentiment Xander despite his calmer temperament shared. He was eager to leave the Haven and to see the Realms, to experience the Path.
The right panel of the door opened in a strikingly silent movement, surprising the young swordsman. Beyond emerged the Sovereign's secretary. "Alexander, the Sovereign will see you now," he said his voice as cold as the room. "Connor, you will wait here until he is done," he added, his eyes never leaving Xander's face.
He exchanged a glance with his friend, along with a companionable nod, before stepping into the Great Hall. Its majesty was highlighted by the three long openings to the outside that projected the orange light of the setting sun into the room. This was one of the few buildings that reached the surface, and thanks to its impressive height it could stay cool enough despite the outside heat. The sun fell on the Holy Ascender Robert's statue in his customary garb: a plain unadorned robe, a book secured at his hips, the famous Lightbringer head jewel secured on his head. In this representation, he was serious, his naked sword point resting on the ground while firmly held in both his hands.
Please look over me, Lord, prayed silently Xander. While he had never been a fervent believer, if there was a day when he might need an extra push from the Holy ones, it would be today. This meeting wouldn't change much, but what awaited them would change both their lives forever.
The statue itself was located on the far side of the room, in front of which the Sovereign's throne lay. The Great Hall was guarded by six other statues of previous remarkable Sovereign and heroes of Sandford. As the sun was the only light source, the statues were cast in a deep shadow, giving them a severe look. Besides these, only a few tapestries decorated the walls, depicting the most important events of the Haven's history. Sovereign Petridis was seated in front of the throne, his back to the sunlit statue, at a very impressively chiseled desk. He was clad in his formal wear Xander had seen only on a few occasions. It was a simple white robe made out of a heavy cloth. While the cut may have been simple and fitting it was ornated with the red metallic glyphs and a very elaborate version of the Sandford crest.
"Alexander, come here," ordered the Sovereign's deep voice. As he stepped forward, the secretary closed the large door behind him. He faltered a bit before reigning himself, gathering his courage and resolution, and met one, if not the greatest Warrior this Haven harbored.
The man was middle-aged. Even in his dark robe, his bearing couldn't hide the heavy musculature he was known for. His face was square, with a strong jaw and a short beard. His deep blue eyes somehow glowed in the evening light, and his hair was cut short. Despite his customary administrative attire, he projected the very image of a warrior, and an impressive one at that. He was said to have bested more than a hundred claimants to the throne. Truly a man to respect, and fear.
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Before him, on the desk, several stacks of papers were neatly organized. The Sovereign had been reading one of them when he had entered and was now giving him his complete attention. The weight of his gaze was hard on the young man, but he bore it well. He had been trained for this moment, and he would not fail.
"Since time immemorial," the Sovereign began, reciting one of his sermons, "young folk have to leave the premise of their home to brave the Path. It is a rite of passage, a test of their mettle and their will. It is a test of their worthiness, to earn the right to be called Pather."
He paused, the silence somehow gaining another layer of weight. "Today it is your turn, to bear the same mantle as your forefathers. Today you will leave the Haven and brave the Path. Today you will become Pather."
The Sovereign didn't even mention the alternative of staying in Sandford. Xander's Master had explained that in some Haven, they tolerated those who didn't walk the Path, yet those were never truly considered as people. But in Sandford, it was unthinkable. The Path was the only way to survive, and the only way to be worthy of the Haven's protection. Refusing was exposing oneself to the penalty of death.
"As per Tradition, I ask you whether you wish to brave the Trial of the Hero, as the Holy Ascender did?" the Sovereign asked, his eyes boring into Xander's.
"I do, your Grace," he answered, his voice steady and clear.
The Sovereign face betrayed for a second his disappointment. The Trial of the Hero was also more widely known as the Trial of the Fools, as it was the most dangerous and the most difficult of the Trials. It was also the most prestigious, as it was the one the Holy Ascender had chosen. But it was also the one that had the highest mortality rate.
The Sovereign Petridis had never hidden his disdain for the Trial of the Hero, and a few years ago he had even tried to forbid it. But the Tradition was strong, he clearly couldn't go against the Holy Church teaching, and there was no way for him to enforce his will, anyway. Instead, he insisted all youth were given all the tools they could get to survive the easiest of Path and to reach the next Haven in relative security. Those who wanted to brave the Trial of the Hero were given the bare minimum to survive the first leg of the Path, and nothing more. It was their choice and their choice alone.
"And so it shall be," replied the Sovereign. "According to the Scriptures of the Holy Church, Lord Robert departed his home Haven with a purse containing one of each Orbs for good fortune, and a book to record his adventure." He withdrew a small purse from his desk and handed it to Xander. "Here is your purse, it contains one of each Orb," he said, his voice betraying his distaste. "You will be escorted there by the guard to the armory where you may requisition a weapon of your choice, as per our Tradition, along with a book."
Xander took the purse and thanked the Sovereign he would never see again. He bowed and turned to leave the room, but the Sovereign's voice stopped him.
"Alexander, I wish you good fortune on your Path. May the Holy Ascender guide your steps."
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With the help of their Master, Connor, and Xander had prepared their bags the previous day. For more than a year they had toiled to and fro, gathering the necessary equipment for their upcoming departure. Armors to protect them, and the kits to repair them when the necessity would call. Balm and bandages to soothe their wounds. Food and water to sustain them. And a few other things they had deemed necessary. Sadly, as they weren't yet Pather they couldn't afford the best that was available. Their Master had helped as much as he could within the bounds of his obligation, along with their parents, and got them one Analysis Talisman each so that they could learn what their Seals were, as well as a spatial cantine that could store liters of water. Their backpacks were heavy, but they were used to it. They had trained for months with them, loaded with stones, and they were confident they could carry them for days without tiring themselves too much. They had drilled in taking them off in case of emergency, and they had practiced fighting with them if the necessity arose.
Connor had unstrung his bow, he had a dozen arrows in his quiver, a dozen knives of every size sheathed wherever he could fit one, and a short sword hanging in his back. His armor was a simple leather armor, with a few metal plates to protect his vital organs, all dyed in darker tones of green and gray. He had had to cut his pink hair short and tinted it in a darker shade of brown.
Xander had chosen a long sword for his gift and had sheathed it on his back. He had a dagger on his belt and a roundish buckler secured on his left arm. His armor was a little on the heavier side than his friend's, but not that much more, as every bit of metal was costly. Just like his friend he had had to alter his appearance to reduce the chances of being spotted by the various foes they were likely to meet on the Path. Thankfully his hair was already on the darker side of the spectrum, albeit blue, and had cut them short as well.
The guards hadn't escorted them for their last preparations but they had been forewarned that they must leave the premises of the Haven before nightfall. So they had to hurry. They exchanged a few last words with their adoptive parents and their Master before heading out of the Village itself. The tears were few, as they had been prepared for this day for years now, but they were still there. It was the way of the Path, and all knew it. After all, their parents were Pathers too and had left them here, continuing on their Path. They quickly found the right gallery that would lead them to the surface. The guards were waiting for them there and they promptly made their way to the Doors.
Trepidation was building up. He could feel it in his heart, in his stomach, in his throat. He was nervous, and he knew Connor was too. The three Doors were standing tall in front of them. Three blocks of dark stone sparkling as if infused with thousands of little stars. Only one was lit for them, the left one, the "easy" way away. The other two were dark of course as they hadn't completed any of the Challenges the Haven had to offer to the visiting Pathers.
"Are you ready?" asked the guard with some impatience.
He looked at his friend. Connor was looking at the Doors, his eyes wide open. Xander could almost read his lips as he was muttering a prayer to the Holy Ascender. He was nervous, but he was ready. He nodded to the guard.
"Yes," he said, his voice steady. Resolute, even. He poked his friend out of his reverie. "See you on the other side, Connor." He stepped through the silver light of the Door and disappeared.