Chapter 76 – Trial by Fire

Dazed, black bags under his iris, retina, wobbly head, the pale moon behind his back illuminating silver light through the window, his eyes pointed on a parchment barely readable. His eyes went half close, his iris dilated, his hands shivered, his teeth biting his lip, gritting the pain. Willpower, through that he barely stays still, curiosity made his mind work like clockwork.

His head recoiled back, his chin pointed forward, as he started looking around. He noticed the slightly dark room, he noticed the silver light, and he saw that it is late. Paranoia overtook him, his head registered that he spent too long on the spells.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

He smacks his head on the table, he grabs his gray hair, and his eyes turn dead, rotating, twisting nefariously. Agonizing, making a screech as he holds his throat, a voice came upon his head, laughing madly. He widens his eyes, he took a deep breath, and he produced a soft orange light in a form of sphere and let it touch his throat. A hysterical sound escapes his mouth, his legs throbbed, and his heart palpitated.

Red veins popped on his eyes, his teeth grated as he clenches it together. His hand keeps on producing this light that softens the pain he is feeling. Cure, detoxify, purify, he used the spells he learned but to no avail, it did not help. He agonized in the table, his throat, his wrist, and his right leg trembled in pain. Balls of water appeared on the side of his eyes, a trail formed into his cheeks, his teeth clattering.

His right eye closed, he tried to stand up, and a sensation of burning came upon his right leg. The black spots that are on his leg pulsate as if being pinch with burning tongs. His leg trembled as he drags himself into the small room he is in.

He saw the bed stuffed with sheep fur, he put his hand on the bed, his hand trembled, as he slowly sits down on the bed. His vision rotated as his world then spins as if he was in an 80 mph merry-go-round. He held his mouth as his shuttering eyelids felt pain, as he saw a misapprehension in front of him. A bald young man, with a smile that reaches his ears, eyes that look blurry. Sanity seems to lose at the illusion in front of him, he shakes his head, he laid his body flat on the bed.

He suddenly grits his teeth, his body convulses, and he held his right cheek, noticing a painful bump. He clicked his tongue loudly, his face crumpled, his expression grew worse as negative thoughts flood his head. A small sob escaped his mouth, he tried keeping his pain down, yet the anguish he feels at the moment was rather spirit crushing. Possessing no iron will, possessing no burning spirit, possessing no mind of steel. Ramiel prayed his eyes close, hoping that he will wake up without any pain the moment he opens it again.

...

On top of the fighter’s guild, a burly bearded man had his hand's clasps together. His eyes pointed towards his rough, calloused hands. Looking at the two in front of him he asked:

“So how is our new hire?”

“Quite knowledgeable, especially caring for his patients.” said Eziel.

“Yeah, he is a good doctor by the looks of it Sir...” said Dall.

“I see...so how are his studies, Dall?”

“He is quite obsessive about it sir. He never even glances at me once the little wound I made on my hand was gone.”

“Same here...” said Eziel. “He was quite chatty if asked, he knows his stuff and I could see he at least takes his job with a serious tone. But...” Eziel paused. “He looks like he won’t last long in this guild. He seems sick.”

“Yes, sir, I did notice that he is pale. He seems to be someone who lost weight, he has a thin face, but I could see that it wasn’t because of training; I say that it is more that he got starved.” Dall added.

“Oh, speaking of him, he has quite a dead-eyed look, he has a quite average build, but even I could see that he went through some suffering,” Eziel said.

“I could see that. The young man only has three fingers on his right hand, while his other hand is missing a middle finger. I could also see that he is limping, not to mention his right-hand looks shaky.” Randal added.

“He seems to be quite ill, Sir. Should we really hire someone like him?” Eziel said.

Dall didn’t say anything and listen silently. Randal folded his arms, he looks up, and then back at Eziel.

“It matters not, but how he handles the bloodletting ritual is where we decided. In this guild, we always prefer the strong, and if he could not handle a bit of beating, then he should be immediately kicked out.”

“I wonder how it will turn out,” Dall said.

“Who knows? It depends on the guy, but I bet he will get hurt quite a lot.”

Randal nodded his head in agreement.

The bloodletting of the guild has always been a common ritual. It is the way for them to see if the one joining is worthy of joining the guild. Randal made it this way to filter the unworthy from the guild. Every fighter that joins is always sent to a task, but as for Ramiel’s case, he will face someone that would test his ability to defend himself.

Randal sent someone to Ramiel at this hour. He sent someone not affiliated with the guild, as usual, a local thug paid to test the abilities of those that joins as a staff of the guild. He has done this to everyone, hence Eziel and Dall, was quite curious how things will turn out.

Randal didn’t mean harm. But it does not mean he will allow weakness to enter their fray.