Go check out the trial grounds.

"I want to see the Throbbing Immortal Fist school." Alea decided. "I've heard you can get a good idea of what's going to happen at the trials by checking it out early."

"I've seen some mystic artists headed up there over the past few days." Yadra confirmed. "Even some more alpha warrior-types like me wondering if they might be able to learn a little magic themselves. Apparently they're having practice matches."

"I'd love to watch you destroy some arrogant, uptight futa!" Thali giggled as she stared bashfully at Alea.

Both Jenna and Yadra seemed thrilled at that prospect as well, so they headed off in the Direction of the Throbbing Immortal Fist school.

The school itself wasn't difficult to find. It was located on one corner of Hardrock, but to say it was in the corner did it a disservice. It almost looked as though the town had grown around the school, and would have encompassed it completely if the school hadn't walled off a section to give themselves a private pierce of wilderness and their own exit.

Alea sensed the air grew denser as she neared the school, as though the mystical energy hovering around her grew thicker with every step. She reveled in the sensation as even the passive sense of Resolve accumulation Alea enjoyed with every steady and well-trained breath seemed to double with each minute of walking. A beta could reach the first layer of Resolve Condensation in a few weeks of meditation in a place like this!

The school had a steep cliff around it around it, complete with castcading water that fell from a seemingly endless source. The sight was intimidating, but the gates were opened wide and inviting. A pair of gargoyles made of stone adorned the entrance, looking like monstrous creatures sporting huge cocks. The sight of them intimidated Alea, as though she instinctively knew they weren't just there to intimidate those who entered.

Besides the statues, there was no one from the school waiting by the entrance. So Alea and her companions made their way into the school and continued walking until they came across a main courtyard.

As they walked they caught sight of a few disciples of the school, attending to daily tasks and shaking their heads at Alea and their party, as though scoffing at the sight of a few overconfident brats making a mistake they'd seen a thousand times already.

"I don't like them looking at you like that." Thali whispered to Alea. "It scares me."

"It'll be fine." Alea comforted her beta. "Many futas try to enter the Throbbing Immortal Fist school, and few end up getting in. They probably don't think I have a chance."

After following the path and a couple of signs clearly nailed up for visitors like Alea and her group, they found their way to a large sand pit. There were several obstacle courses and bulletin boards around the sand pit explaining what would happen during the trails, and Alea realized they were already at the trial grounds.

"You there!" A disciple shouted at Alea. She was the first who'd deigned to speak with them at all. "Here to see the trial grounds?"

"I am." Alea confirmed. "Are these them?"

"They sure are." The disciple said. "You going to run the obstacle course, or are you here for a practice fight?" The disciple gestured to the sandpit. The way she spoke made it seem as though she placed far more emphasis on the practice fights, as though those who were only present for the obstacle course were weaklings she'd already discounted in her mind.

"Both, if I can." Alea shrugged.

"I want a practice fight." Yadra said.

"We'll watch Alea run the obstacle course." Thali grabbed Jenna by the arm and hauled her over to where Alea was standing.

The disciple dismissed Alea with a snort and a wave of her hand, pointing to the entrance of the obstacle course.

Then she smiled as she tugged on Yadra's hand and brought her over to the fighting pit. Yadra was actually the larger and more muscular of the pair, but somehow the disciple looked by far the stronger of the two.

Alea turned her attention to the obstacle course, and Thali cheered her on as she prepared herself. The entrance to the obstacle course was a long corridor, and it seemed at first to be a straightforward race. Alea would need to pour resolve into her legs to increase her speed as much as possible.

"Thali, Jenna, please start counting. I want to know my time." Alea said. Then she took off, racing down the track.

There were a few hurdles in front of her, but with magically enhanced arms and legs, Alea easily jumped over them in a single bound without breaking stride. She was starting to get comfortable when she landed on the ground and found her footing gave out beneath her. The floor of the obstacle course was a trap, leading to a pit in the ground.

Alea nearly slipped inside, but she reached out with an arm and grasped hold of the lip of the trap. With one hand, she pulled herself out and launched herself back into the air, flipping gracefully and landing back on her toes as she continued her sprint. There were several more pitfalls ahead of her, but now that she was watching for any sign of them, Alea spotted them easily and leaped clear every time.

The course quickly started getting more difficult as spikes lined the walls, popping in and out with every second and sometimes closing off completely to bar the way forward. Alea ducked low, slipping between two sets of spikes an instant before they slammed shut. Alea had never been the most physically talented of futas, but if she had to pass this obstacle course to get into the Throbbing Immortal Fist school, then she'd learn to use her body.

After overcoming a series of tests to her athleticism, Alea was feeling confident and eager to continue. To her surprise, the wall came to a stop in front of her with a small recessed region of the wall in the shape of a person. There were four buttons to press, two that needed to be stood upon and two that needed to be pressed with either hand.

What could this possibly test? Disqualify anyone missing an arm or leg?