Thorjen Verse.3 - The Knights Exam (Pt.1)

Thorjen

*Order of events prior to this chapter*

*Marco Verse 3 >

Moon Jin Teahouse acquired

"Thorjen will be able to take Special Quests from the Teahouse - Look out for these quests during the story"

Thorjen made his way back towards the arena. But he couldn't shake away the feeling of doubt and uncertainty clouding his mind at this moment. His eyes continued to behold the new spatial ring he had acquired which contained a generous sum of money. Only, he felt undeserving of it, unsure whether this so called benefactor had actually taken a liken to him, or if there was something more sinister at play here.

'The Moon Jin Teahouse...sigh...I wonder if you're doing ok...Geary...'

As much as he tried to do so, he couldn't simply just forget about her. Other than the clear lines which had been crossed between them both. She had in fact been a source of comfort and a friendly helper to him, especially after he unearthed himself from the prison he met Mastramundus inside of.

"huh?"

Thorjen finally looked up and noticed he had already arrived back at the front of the arena. The tall pale cedar pillars welcomed him, along with that dazzling golden statues which looked like the faces of Gods. He suddenly felt his woes being washed away as he was reminded he had arrived at the doorstep of his journey.

The line to get inside looked even longer than before, but whilst he observed the interactions between the guardsmen and the local people. He noticed a second line trailing towards a different entrance. This line in particular only had a few or so young looking people aligned. There was also this sense he felt that they were knights in training. He could feel a density to their aura's compared to the rest of the people. Remembering the instructions given to him, he marched towards the second line and took his place at the back.

At the front of this much shorter line, Thorjen noticed the youths were handing a small token to the guards before being allowed entry inside. The guards checked the token once over before handing it back again.

'I wonder what that token is about. Hmm, could be what I need to take the knights test. But then...how do I get one?'

He thought having the money aspect sorted would be the last hurdle he faced. But of course, there was always something else in his way. Thorjen started to tap his pockets desperately trying to figure out if he could find a solution. In the meantime, there was shorter figure he had only just noticed standing right in front of him. She had a full head of fiery red curls falling just below her slender neck. Her curvy and slightly toned body was sculped within a skin tight light leather armor. With metallic plates in certain areas.

She seemed to have noticed Thorjen busying about and turned around with a look of annoyance plastered against her face.

He wasn't quite sure what to do, finding himself frozen beneath her fountain coloured almond shaped eyes, which he might've found attractive if it wasn't for the **** stare emitting out from them.

"Ah-h-hello?" he lightly spoke with a smile.

The girl's frown looked to have softened at a sudden. He felt her eyes filled with intrigue begin to start scanning his entire body from head to toe. This continued in silence for a few minutes until she finally opened her pretty mouth.

"Oh!...I guess I was mistaken...too weak." and with that said she turned around and made sure she increased the distance between them both.

Thorjen was a little stunned by that odd encounter, but his brows soon narrowed once reality had finally filled his thoughts.

'How rude...hmph! And don't be so sure i'll be this weak forever' He vowed internally. He had expected to meet arrogant and pompous people along the way, but he wasn't expecting to meet such a stuck up girl so early. Thorjen couldn't wait to get stronger, he had quite the list of people he needed to prove wrong. And for some strange reason that snide smirk of a particular green haired elf resurfaced against his mind again.

By the time Thorjen was free from his daydreams he discovered he was practically almost at the front. Only the rude fiery headed girl stood between he and the awaiting tall guardsmen blocking the entry.

"Badge or royal house?" Asked the guard lazily

"Badge of course ?" The girl confidently raised the same bronze badge Thorjen had seen the others carrying. The guard gave it a quick look before he slowly reached his hand out. But then the guards hand suddenly froze midway, his face foretold he sensed something off so he double looked at the girl then at the badge again.

"Y-you...L-lady Skal-"

"IS THAT ALL? Yes- well? Then I'll take my leave." She practically barked at the guardsmen cutting him short

The girl practically snatched her badge away and stormed pass the stunned guardsman. It took him a little while to catch his bearings before he called upon Thorjen to come up next.

'*Huff-puff* OK- here goes...'

Thorjen steadied himself before he gently started to make his way towards the guard.

He received an expressionless look from the bronze iron wearing fellow, who rehashed the exact same question to him also.

"Badge or royal house?

The question he had been dreading and still unable to find a clear enough answer for. He started to check his pockets again, thinking, stalling, hoping but nothing short of an awkward silence surfaced. Thorjen could see the look of annoyance forming against the mans chiseled features.

'Damn it- what in the world could it be...wait! b-badge?' The beautiful smiling face of his mother formed into his mental. Thorjen could almost remember her soft words. Which flowed so serene like water into his heart whenever she spoke settling there, and never leaving him.

He tapped one of the two spatial rings he had received and summoned a small azure crest with enchanting white runes drawn against it. As soon as the crest surfaced onto his palm, he saw the face of the guard instantly loosen in surprise.

"*Whistles* ooooou well what do we have here. Another one from one of those poxy Elf sects? haha well under the laws of Queen Hada you're welcome to partake in the trials. Although...I thought we had all of youse trained, assigned and already taking quests by now almost a year ago. And cant say I remember another intake of hopefuls....hmmmm...whats your deal kid?" He asked Thorjen, smoothing his chin with his gloved hands.

'Ah-I cant actually tell him the truth, probably wont believe me anyway...'

"I...I got lost...s-sorry" he chuckled lightly scratching his head.

"hmm suppose that makes sense. No worries Kid, im sure you'll catch up with everyone else in no time. Oh- afraid to say you've just missed it as well."

"Missed what?" asked Thorjen

"The main event kid! Lucien Kingdom's got its 14th Holy Wielder-what a time ey! and he's one of your people too. Can you believe it...a damn Elf ahaha"

Thorjen heard the collective roars from a great multitude of people gathered inside of the arena. He had only just stepped foot onto the uneven stony path which led towards the near distant arch shaped light on the other end of the tunnel he was inside of. His eyes trailed down as he felt the entire floors beneath him vibrating. His heart couldn't stop beating fast.

By the time he reached the end, he was **** to shield his two eyes from the bright pale lights blinding his sights. But his ears weren't safe neither, as an almost deafening chorus of cheers erupted into the air. And very slowly Thorjen found his gaze clearing to an incredible sized dome arena. With an opened roof and countless rows of seats encircling an oval shaped clearing in the middle.

At this precise moment Thorjen felt his entire body stiffen. Was it fear he wondered...no, it was something more. Something more...deeper.

By instinct his mouth creased into a slightly ugly smile.

'I'm...I'm finally here...amazing!' he thought to himself, he couldn't help but remember the promised both he and Julien made about becoming knights. 'Julien...wait for me...I've finally started my journey.'

Thorjen could hardly contain the swell of excitement coursing throughout his bones right now. This place was exactly as he imagined it. Where the heroes of the old had come to stake their claim as the strongest knights in the world. Thorjen took a single look at the great arena and knew this was exactly where he needed to be.

"Hey you...Yeah you with the blonde locks...hurry along will you we're trying to get the test started as soon as possible." He heard a gruff voice saying to him from the left side. He turned towards his left side where he met a partially bald man, clothed in rural garbs, partial leathers and carried a sword by his hip concealed in a scabbard.

"Oh...I'm coming..." he quickly removed his starstruck gaze and walked towards the left side where another tunnel with doors a series of doors .

The place was devoid of most of the sunlight from the outdoors, needing small oil lamps with glowing fires trapped inside the smoky glass. Along the walls Thorjen noticed feint golden runes flickering in and out, at first he thought he was seeing things so he rubbed his eyes hoping to clear away the illusions.

'No they're real?' he thought oddly whilst inspecting the golden runes which didn't look to reveal any sort of audible sentence nor hidden code. They could well as be gibberish for all he knew.

Thorjen wasn't quite exactly sure why, but he found his feet moving on their own. Those golden runes continued across the walls, intertwining and changing, like locks of some kind. Or where they a code. He felt something unknown inside of his heart, a sense of knowing. As though he could understand their purpose. Only, he needed to delve deeper...

Thorjen passed by a closed brown door, but was startled by the animalistic sounds he suddenly heard filtering through. The door looked rather thick, so the sounds were slightly muffled. But once he drew a little closer he was shocked by the noise inside.

*SMACK-SMACK-PLAP-PLAP-SQUELTCH-SQUELTCH-SQUELTCH-SMACK-SMACK-SMACK*

"Ah! Yah! Ummm! Uuh! Haan! Haa! Ahn! Ah! Hauh!! AH!...I'm...about...t-to...I'm CUMMING!!!!"

He heard the curdling cry of woman who sounded like she was losing her sanity. Thorjen was awoken by that cry and embarrassingly realized he had wondered off, so he twisted on his heels and hastened back down the tunnel.

His heart was still beating fast, he couldn't believe people were so daring as to be doing...that! at the arena. He shook his head a few times and clamed himself down.

*Knock-Knock-Knock*

"Com3 in" . The door opened and Thorjen proceeded inside

Once he had entered, he found himself inside of a spacious stone wall room, dimly lit by the same style of oiled lamps he noticed outside. The room housed a few wooden benches, a few tables with wineskin bottles placed on top alongside a basket filled with dried fruits.

Also inside, were the youths he had met lining up before hand. As he had earlier thought, they indeed were here to take part in the knights exam. Including himself they numbered up to 30 in total. The mood felt tense as he noticed hardly anyone was talking or carried a face which looked as though they wanted to talk.

He exhaled a deep breath before he quickly scanned the scarce spaces left and picked out a random spot on the edge of one of the long benches.

Thorjen took his seat but instantly wished he had chosen someplace else. He first heard a voice snorting, unusual it seems, since he was assured he didn't recognize anyone inside of here. But the moment he noticed those fiery curly locks. A wave of annoyance descended upon his mood again.

The girl sat in a regal position, she had both of her arms crossed and one of her slender legs folded over the other. Her scowl was filled with a smug and slightly indifferent look. In response he naturally scowled back towards her

"That's a very dangerous look you're giving me there. Don't you know we're in a place where looks like that could earn you an official beat down. Hmph! What rite do weaklings have to act tough anyway." She said before dramatically turning her nose away from him.

Thorjen wasn't quite sure what to say in response, he was still filled with excitement from just being here. So there wasn't much he could think of which would ruin that feeling. But perhaps, continuing to engage with this fiery little lady might just do that.

"Look, im sorry if I've bothered or offended you b-but..."

"But what! Don't get ahead of yourself and think someone like you could pose any sort of trouble to my mind state."

Thorjen felt his brows knitting deeper. His voice sounded a lot more hoarser as he replied.

"Then what's your problem?"

"nothing, the only one with a problem is clearly you. I merely made an honest observation earlier about your level of ability I could smell and clearly you've decided to hold a grudge. Listen, I admit at first I thought I noticed something strange about your aura. But turns out you barely have any of it in the first place!"

'Wait huh she could smell me?' Ignoring her obvious rude remarks Thorjen was quite surprised to find another person who could sense aura's. He was assured in the texts he recalled reading that only a select few of individuals were born with such an ability. Selective races in particular.

'If memory serves me correctly. I'm sure they were called...Gi...giants?' He stole another glance at the girl whose mouth was still moving but he had tuned her out whilst he tried to piece together some old information

"...and so what if you're quite beautiful looking. Have you no shame looking like a dandy flower but having no ability at all. No doubt you're probably a love child from some royal family. Pfft, I've seen your type before..." Whilst she continued to jabber on, Thorjen noticed the others seated around them giving her secret looks of annoyance. But surprisingly nobody said anything. Which confirmed his earlier thought where he reckoned her background wasn't normal.

"Hey! Enough about all of that-is it true what you said earlier? about smelling auras? I didn't know humans could do that. Are you using a special power or is it something you were born with?" He asked abruptly cutting her ramble halfway.

"Eh-w-wh-wha-"

"I only ask because I've got a similar trait you see. So I had never met anyone else with the power to accurately smell auras and Qi! Amongst other things of course haha. Is it just auras? Can you sense Qi and the flow of other beings as well." Thorjens voice was laced with excitement.

She leant back slightly whilst both of her cheeks turned red like rose petals.

"Wh-what do you mean yo-you can also sm-smell...Au...pffft don't make me laugh. Good-good you almost had me fooled. I see your games, I know your type before." She lifted her nose away from him in the same dramatic fashion as before.

'What is she going on about? And why does she keep doing that weird head movement- But I guess it might sound odd without any real proof.'

Thorjen thought about the best method to prove his worth. And very quickly an idea struck his thoughts.

"H-hey can you try forming aura. I...I can show you what I mean." At first she simply glared at him wordlessly but looked to have changed her mind soon enough, she shrugged her shoulders and placed herself into the lotus position, firmly shutting her eyes.

Thorjen felt the temperature around the room change. Then he narrowed his gaze a little and started to see a colourless mist rising out from her body. It first started around her bosom, before gently spiking above her helm. The silvery mist delicately started to change its state, it became more erratic and fiery. And from the inside the silver was gradually forming into two distinctive colours. Green and Blue. The opposing colours looked to almost be raging against one another. And judging by the discomfort showing against her face. He felt he understood why.

"You have...dual Qi center's? " He announced without giving it further thought.

The girl was instantly snapped free from her meditation. Her eyes opened wide as an owls whilst her mouth stammered inaudible things.

"N-no..h-how do you..."

"Erm... also...word of advise but you should stop trying to handle both at the same time. It's causing needless strain against your acupoints and will half your battle power whenever you attempt to purify Qi." He explained that carefully, Thorjen had seen something similar when he had met Julien for the first time. Now that he thought about it, didn't Julien have a lot more colours fighting amongst themselves.

"Oi you two your the last ones left. Which one wants to takes the exam first?"

"Ah?" Both he and he girl said in unison. Looking around the once cramped room, he noticed surprisingly they were the only two ones left. 'Time had flown so quickly' He thought to himself.

Thorjen glanced towards her as she too looked towards him, but strangely enough he noticed her demeanor had changed completely. Her cheeks were blushing rose and she could hardly look at him straight in the eye.

"I-I'll go first. Lets get this over with..." She jumped from her seat and looked to swiftly stomp away towards the door she couldn't escape quick enough but the looks of it, but just before she left she stopped on her heels and stiffly turned around.

"H-hey you...yo...you're weird....and my name is Arya...hmph!"

Thorjen could only watch slightly dumbfounded whilst she left. The fellow who arrived to fetch them gave him a strange look whilst he wore an ugly smirk.

"Say kid, no use staying here waiting for me to come fetch you. Why don't you hang around the arena. It'll be easier once that miss is finished with her duel. And you can watch her battle...maybe get a chance to see someone from the Heroes linage do battle hehe"

'Huh? Heroes linage..' He held no idea what that meant, but he assumed it was in regards to Arya.

Thorjen nodded without a second thought. He wasn't going to pass the chance of seeing the arena up close.