Chapter 10. The trembling.
The examiner made no comment. "Second test." They entered another chamber but this room was empty. Metal devices lined up the walls, their surfaces covered in rotating mechanisms and narrow openings.
The examiner turned to Echo and said with a sharp tone. "This second test will measure your speed and reflex." He handed Echo a strip of dark cloth.
"A Blindfold !." Echo hesitated, then tied it around his eyes.Darkness swallowed the room.
"Stand in the center." The examiner said. Echo walked carefully forward. "Do not move until the trial begins." Echo nodded and stood still.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then...
CLICK...
Aghhh, echo felt pain across his shoulders, he was too late to notice a dart thrown against him. He readied himself and focused.
A sharp sound from the wall..... His instincts screamed at him, he reacted instantly. He leaned sideways just as a metal dart shot past his shoulder.
Another click...a second dart fired from behind. Echo twisted. A third dart flew toward his chest.
He stepped back quickly. More mechanisms activated, blunt arrows,darts,small spinning blades.
Echo moved again and again, relying only on instinct and sound. HUH! He noticed heat rising. He heard a voice....."The heat of this room will be raised gradually to test your resistance and endurance."
"The heck"Echo was feeling dizzy. His movements were getting sluggish. He was feeling pain from the frequent hit of projectiles.
Ahhhhh !!, come on!
Some he dodged but one brushed his sleeve. A dart passed dangerously close to his neck, if it was a blade he will be dead by now.
The devices kept firing. Then silence was a threat for echo. Then suddenly—
"Stop." The examiner's voice echoed.
Echo heaved a sigh of relief and removed the blindfold slowly. The scribes he saw earlier was writing again.
The examiner looked at him calmly. "Acceptable."
Let's not waste time.e and move on.
He walked towards another followed by elsa and echo. The final chamber was larger. This time it was full of weapons that covered the walls.
Spears, axes, bows, swords. In the center stood a thick stone pillar covered with glowing measurement runes.
The examiner turned to Echo. "Okay the final trial." He gestured to the weapons. "Choose." Echo looked along the wall with curiousity, he was familiar with one weapon...the sword!.
His hand eventually stopped at a sword. He lifted it with a swing. The blade was simple, balanced, and slightly heavy.
The examiner pointed to the pillar."That over there measures your strike's strength." Echo walked forward.
"You must attack the pillar with full force." Echo tightened his grip. He stepped back slightly.Then swung the sword with his might.The sword cut through the air with a sharp whistle.
CLANG!
The blade struck the pillar.
A burst of light ran through the runes.The pillar trembled slightly.
Numbers of glowing symbols appeared briefly along its surface before fading.
The scribes recorded the result.Echo lowered the sword slowly. The examiner studied the readings. Then he turned to the scribes. "Compile the results."
They quickly started gathering their notes. The room fell quiet again. Echo stood still.
After a moment, the examiner walked toward him.
He held the final record sheet in his hand.
Echo felt tension build in his chest.
The examiner looked up.
"Your results are… unusual and confusing."
Echo blinked. The man continued calmly.
"Your core density is moderate."
"Your reflexes is slightly above average."
"Your strike strength is unstable."
Echo frowned slightly.The examiner folded the sheet. "Your rank will now be determined."
The room went completely silent.
Even the scribes paused.
The examiner lifted his eyes toward Echo.
And spoke.
"Echo… you are hereby assigned...." The chamber doors suddenly burst open.
BOOM!!.
Every head turned towardsthe noise. A guard rushed inside, breathing hard.
"Sir!"
The examiner frowned. "What is it?"
The guard hesitated. Then spoke.
"There trembling has started again, it will be upon us soon." The examiner's eyes darkened.
"Prepare all the forces now!" The guard nodded and moved out quickly.
The examiner locked eyes with elsa , he nodded towards her and teleportated away as if he was not there.
Elsa looked towards echo with uncertainty.
"Let's move quickly" Echo nodded.