Cursed mage

"What's gonna show up?" Jessica puts us at her back. I aim to do similar. Although anything is possible here. We can't be facing something truly dangerous, but that doesn't mean we can't get hurt.

"Besides the horse requirements and using a sword in a basic sense, anything is possible." I say. I've watched these training before. Asking those who'd seen even more had me aware how very random they can be.

"The tests change based on who is involved." Ryan adds. "Proof of will..." He shivers.

"Strength of will not proof." Jessica scoffs and pulls her sword.

"Is your sword not dull?" I tap my scabbard.

"Dull swords can still slice things." Jessica huffs stancing. "I got this."

A big snake slithers in my direction. I dodge having little understanding of what the thing is or can do. But I do know distance is important. Either snakes are a threat with bite or squeeze. That's it. Unless it's a magical snake that should be marked beyond us.

The thing doesn't follow me, it aims for Jessica from behind. I try to call out, but the snake goes for her sword knocking her down in the attempt. Before going into the ground.

I blink. "It's underground." I scan the ground waiting for the telltale side of surfacing. A mound will form first before they escape their safety. "What is it?"

"A Knat." Ryan says looking to Jessica. "It smells metal."

I look at my scabbard. But even if I exclude my sword, I have multiple pieces of metal on me. I thought that would be expected. "Are we supposed to kill it?" The mound appears close to where Jessica is. "Left of you, Jessica! Throw the sword."

She tosses the sword further from the mound. The snake goes for it not her. She quickly moves to our side. "What is going on?"

"A Knat feasts on metal." Ryan pulls his sword out. The Knat's mound appears close to him. "I'll bit it's aiming specifically for our swords."

I pull my out as well and toss it beyond us. A new weapon is kinda useless. Especially if it's drawing for the creature in question. "And then?"

We watch as the Knat takes the two swords into the ground. We lost our weapons not that a dull sword should be that useful. Unless you're skilled. And none of us are used to these swords. Jessica is just used to swords in general.

Ryan throws up his hands. "Wait and see."

"Knats aren't normally human predators... Right?" Jessica scans the area.

"Strength of will." I nod. That's the purpose. We're getting tests to prove even under strange circumstances we won't bail. "I'm wearing metal, but I wonder if I have enough in any one location to draw it out."

Ryan holds up a finger. He pulls a small medicine bag from his belt. "Give me anything you don't mind losing."

I grunt at him. Then see a mound appear near me. "Alright." I pull off anything that wouldn't make my clothes fall off me. I even pull out the coins I brought along. Should be enough metal.

"Thanks." Ryan places the items into the bag and closes it. After shaking it a bit, he tosses it on the ground close to the Knat. The snake thing surfaces and takes the bag.

Before the entire snake can retreat into the ground, it stops.

"Did you kill it?" Jessica asks keeping distance.

Ryan shakes his head. "No. That was sleeping dust. I get anxiety and it helps me sleep."

I search for wherever Hydrangea is. She's not in sight. Are we done? "What's next?"

"Get away from it." Ryan shrugs. "I don't know."

"Hydrangea said to stay here." Jessica spins looking around. "We are being watched."

"Trial is still on." I think of it. "No one has ever died from the trials before." Ryan nods. "Can't start now."

Shouts from the far side of the courtyard happen before a wall blows out. The Swornyx stands in the dust and rumble. It shakes off the wall and walks into our area. When it sees us, it charges.

"We don't have any weapons!" Jessica calls out as we run in different directions.

When the dust settles, I find the Sworenyx facing Jessica. We weren't supposed to face this. What happened? I'm in the shadows. I look at my hands. We're weaponless. And facing something we shouldn't be. Hydrangea's words come to my mind: don't use magic.

"Yeah, well, circumstances are different." I lean into my mana. We don't need to win; we need to live. What cannot be found cannot be harmed. I allow the magic to flow through me. I don't know exactly how it'll work, but I know it always gives me exactly what I'm asking for. The how may not be the best choice. I lose sight of the other two. It calms me to still be in the courtyard. Although maybe the magic listened to Hydrangea too. We aren't to leave.

Several knights drop into the courtyard to handle the Sworenyx. We're close to this raging battle as they secure it with ropes. It's a big difficult to manage monster, though. Truly beyond us. Releasing the magic... Or maybe the magic released itself, I step back into the zone of battle. The Knat is gone. The Sworenyx is gone. We survived.

"Strength of will, huh?" Ryan comes to my side where we focus on the far broken wall. "What happened?"

Jessica drops to the ground next to us. "I... I... That was..."

"Sorry about that." Hydrangea appears behind us. We spin to face her. "It broke free from its pen."

"Pen..." Ryan looks at the broken wall. "Most don't think a reinforced concrete wall to be breakable."

Hydrangea grins. "You'll grasp what we deal with here isn't for the average person." She motions us to follow her.

"The tests aren't done?" Jessica asks moving to her side.

"No." Hydrangea doesn't seem phased by anything that just happened. "Hurry up. I think we're late for our next test."