"Simply put, the 'duel,' so to speak, will consist of three trials or rounds. Each of these rounds will be used to cover a specific aspect of the necessary essentials."
"The restrictions in each trial will align with its type, and will be adjusted according to the participants' capabilities, in order to measure them at their peak."
The Council head paused, letting the information settle.
Livia abruptly slammed her fist against her thigh. "What game are you playing here, Walter?" she spat, cold with venom.
The council head glanced at her, utterly unbothered. "No game. I'm merely following the contents of our contract," he said innocently.
"I thought this was a duel? Not a sequence of trials." She glared. "We never mentioned anything like this in the contract."
The council head chuckled softly.
"...And on that same breath, we also never specified that I couldn't."
"Seeing as I'm here speaking with you, I'm not breaking any terms in our contract." He shrugged.
"So, where exactly am I in the wrong?" he asked with a saintly smile.
"I digress."
Livia gritted her teeth.
This snake!
This damn scheming snake bastard!
With a deep breath, she pulled her composure back into place.
"Fine, continue speaking." she said in a cold voice.
He nodded.
"The first trial will test one's mastery over their respective weapon. The use of Will or any traits beyond the capabilities of the First Destination will be prohibited. To ensure participant compliance, alchemical restraints will be applied to both participants."
"With that said, a weapon will be provided to each of you to compensate for your lack of a proper [World View]."
Rue and Minho both nodded, understanding the general layout for the first round.
"The second trial is designed to measure combat intelligence and quick thinking.This trial is in essence the same as the first, but the usage of Will and personal combat methods are expected. For any person who holds back during the fight, will be penalized accordingly."
It was straightforward enough.
"The third trial isn't necessarily about combat per se," the council head continued, "but survival."
Several seconds of silence looped.
"Explain?" Livia asked.
"The third trial will take place in the border lands, making it a trial of true survival not some watered down simulation or mock test, but genuine life-or-death."
"The trial's duration will be one hundred days,only ending prematurely if one or both participants die."
"If you fail the third trial, then you simply die."
"However," he added with a flick of his wrist, "this final trial is primarily a tiebreaker—meant only to be used if each participant wins one of the first two." he explained.
Minho's complexion drained white in fear, while Livia's darkened.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!" she seethed loudly.
The monastery rumbled.
"You're basically asking them both to—"
"GRANDFATHER! What is the meaning of this?!" Minho shouted, his voice jumping a few octaves higher than anticipated.
Walter gave him an indifferent sidelong glance.
"I said I would help you become an Heir's disciple, not hand it to you." he said evenly.
Minho opened his mouth to argue, but the coldness in his grandfather's eyes shut him up instantly.
Watching silent from the side, Rue furrowed his brows.
'Am I retarded or something, or am I missing something? How is this considered a duel?' He mentally sighed, 'I'm going make a guess and say this is the old snake bastard two faced fuck, that Livia was referring to.' he shrugged internally.
Whatever he didn't really give a shit either or, as long as it was stimulating then he was happy.
With a defeated exhale, Livia spoke.
"Walter… who gave you the documentation to use the Border Lands?" she silently asked.
"The patriarch of course"
Hearing this, even Rue widened his eyes in shock.
"...Daddy actually gave you the go-ahead?" she muttered in disbelief.
"Yes. I'll even show you his John Hancock," he mused with amusement, pulling up a translucent silver screen.
"Here," he said, tossing it to her.
Livia caught the silver screen with one hand and scanned its contents.
Sure, enough they were authentic.
She couldn't believe her eyes.
The council head really wasn't lying.
She couldn't believe it. Her father really approved of this ludicrous ask.
Biting her lip, Livia steeled herself.
"Fair enough," she said, rising to her feet.
"When and where?" she said with a weak smile.
"Tonight at midnight we'll begin the first trial,"
~~~
~~~
~~~
Click!
The study door closed behind both the master and disciple duo.
Livia and Rue walked in deathly silence down the monastery hall.
Rue glanced out a window, watching the expansive colorful garden from the indoor monastery hall.
As they approached the main hall of the monastery, Livia let out a pent-up sigh.
[I'm sorry you had to see that childish side of me Rue…] she mentally transmitted.
Rue nodded sympathetically, taking his eye off of a fat yellow frog perched on a leaf.
[It's fine.] he offered.
[Plus it's not like this is all BAD right?] he said, trying to cheer her up.
Livia shook her head, clearly still distraught.
[Rue, you're going to have to win the first two trials. I don't know what that bastard is planning—and why he'd go so far as to endanger even his own grandson…—but I know it's nothing good.]
Glancing at his master, Rue scratched his chin in thought.
[So… what are the Border Lands? And why were you and the green haired-dude so apprehensive about it?] Rue mentally transmitted.
They stepped out of the monastery and onto the marble plateau.
Livia stood there—silent—on the marble tiled plateau.
"Hell," Livia answered aloud rather than using mental transmission. "That's the only way I can put it."
Hearing the sincerity in her tone, Rue nodded.
"Hell? How so?" he asked as they descended the polished stone steps.
"Just in the sense of it, for the sake of it, imagine an island tens of thousands of kilometers in radius and it's entirely surrounded by an electromagnetic energy field that prevents anything on the island from escaping.
"Okay." Rue nodded
"And on this island, the inhabitants are millions of Lovecraftian looking beasts—each of which are either equal to or above your realm."
"More specifically, every creature there is bred and cultivated to the cusp of breaking into the next realm. All they need left is a little bit of energy to break past that threshold and advance."
"That," she said, stepping off the final stair onto the cobblestone path,
"Is the Border Land."