Bulak

I walked briskly down the hill, morning sun doing little to change the cool air. I sighed to myself as I grew closer to the barn. “Dexter does not need to be at the gauntlet for a while. I trust the other apprentices to make it there; I merely grow concerned about Dexter. He appeared distant and nervous the other day. I could not blame him. Many apprentices experience nerves before their passage. It is often what causes them to fail their rite.” I rounded a corner and saw the barn in the distance. I approached it as I let out another low sigh.“Either way, it would be best for him if he is given an adequate warning to prepare. I may also ease some of his concerns. He may find comfort in my presence.”

I pulled open the door as I heard shuffling parchment, or as Dexter referred to it, paper. He was seated in a chair, back to the door, as he picked up and examined one of the many pages littering the table. I walked over as I heard him mutter to himself. “Me upfront, Urgran and Wurthu to my left and right respectively, with Umurn behind Urgran, Vargan taking the middle, Yargug behind Wurthu, and Yamarz taking the rear; Codename Triceratops. . . I really need to work on my names for these.”

I silently glided behind him and looked over his shoulder. The paper he was reading was a hastily scribbled description of his formation, near illegible as Dexter moved it about. I grinned as I realized he hadn’t noticed me yet. “What are you reading?” I asked suddenly, causing Dexter to jump.

He let out a sigh as he saw who had made the noise. “Jesus, you scared me.” He gasped. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.” He continued as he chuckled. “You don’t want to give me a heart attack before going through the gauntlet, do you?” His eyes suddenly went wide. He looked up at me in fear as a thought appeared to cross his mind. “Is that why you’re here? Is it starting now?”

I chuckled softly as I shook my head. “The gauntlet run will be at midday. Once you and the others have run it, the arena battle will begin. If you are successful, it is off to the Great Hall for a celebration feast. I merely came down to give you an adequate warning beforehand.”

Dexter let out a relieved sigh as he turned back to his papers. “That's good. I don't want the last three weeks to be for nothing because I didn't show up.”

I grinned and nodded as Dexter pulled out another page and looked at it. I tilted my head as I watched him read. “Did you forget one of your formations?” I asked curiously.

Dexter shook his head as he ran a finger down the page. “I'm just going over these one last time. I don't want to forget one in case I need it.”

I nodded again as Dexter turned to look at another piece of paper. His brow furrowed as he read. I looked down as I noticed his hands were trembling slightly. “What do you plan to do for the gauntlet?” I asked cautiously, looking back up at him.

Dexter let out a sigh as he continued reading. “I'll think of something when I get there.” He shrugged. “For now, I don't know enough to make a plan. I’ll be able to think of something once I get in there. Until then, I’m at a loss, unless you have any advice for particular obstacles.” He glanced up at me as he finished his explanation.

I frowned as I shook my head. “Nothing I have not already told you; avoid the moving objects and be careful of the platforms you stand on. They may pivot and reveal the pit below you.”

Dexter nodded as he sighed and picked up another page. “I just hope I don't have to dodge any actual blades in there.”

I shook my head as I sat in the chair next to him. “If they have any weapons in there they are as dull as the practice blades you used. The builders will not kill you if they can help it, but they will make defeat immensely painful.” Dexter nodded as he continued to stare at the page, eyes gliding back and forth. He did not continue the conversation, merely read the paper he was holding. We sat there in silence for a moment, neither of us resuming to talk. Dexter's free hand was drumming on the table. taptaptaptap . . taptaptaptap I looked down and noticed his leg was shaking slightly. I thought back to his actions during the last week, how he had repeated these same actions throughout with a stifled nervousness that he could no longer suppress. I leaned forward and placed a hand on his, causing him to stop and turn to me. His nervousness was apparent in his expression. I let out a sigh as I chose my next words carefully. “Despite what I said prior, I believe that you can complete the rite. With all the effort that you have put in, you are certain to leave the arena victorious.”

Dexter grinned briefly, his nervousness momentarily melting away. His face fell again as he let out a sigh and turned back to his notes. “Thanks, but I can't take all the credit. You helped a bunch with the training, not to mention the potion Brokil made. I doubt I'd be here without you two.”

I nodded as I gently squeezed his hand. “Our help would have been pointless without your own efforts. No one pushed you to train so thoroughly. Not even Agrob would have pushed you to such intense ends. You do not have anyone to thank but yourself.”

Dexter chuckled and nodded as he turned back to the pile of papers. “I guess you're right, but that still doesn't dismiss the time and effort you've given for this.” He picked up a different page and tilted as head as he began to read. “You've helped a lot, including the thing with the . . .” He trailed off as he placed the page down and tapped his head.

I nodded as I understood what he was referring to and squeezed his hand again. “You have still achieved this through your own efforts. No one else spent hours sparring with countless opponents. No one else organized to find apprentices for the arena. No one else created an elaborate plan to ensure success during the rite.” I leaned forward as I put emphasis on my next words. “No one else was so driven, to do all of this and still have enough confidence to dream of success.”

Dexter grinned wide as he looked down. He was quiet for a moment, then looked back up at me. I felt my heart skip a beat at what he said next, an expression of tranquility crossing his face. “Thank you, I really needed to hear that. I don't know where I'd be without you.” I grinned back and nodded as he turned back to his papers. He let out a sigh as he looked at the mess in front of him. “Now then, back to my notes.” I nodded again as I watched him pick up another piece of paper, my hand still squeezing his.

Dexter

Bulak spent two or three hours sitting beside me. Her presence was comforting to my nervous state. I managed to read through my entire list of formation, twice. At this point, nothing short of a concussion would make me forget them. The first read-through would've done that, but I didn't want to move yet. I wanted to savor this moment for a while longer. Finally, Bulak stood up, let go of my hand, and gestured towards the door. “We had better leave soon; it would be rude to leave them waiting.”

I thought for a moment then nodded as I stood and stretched. I felt my jeans scrape along my leg. A thought occurred to me. “Let me get changed first. Jeans are comfortable, but they'll probably slow me down a bit during the rite. I have a better idea for pants.” Bulak nodded as she watched me move over to one of the boxes. I reached in and pulled out the last pair of unworn shorts. “No matter what happens today, I'll need to find a way to clean these.” I moved to circle the car as I glanced over my shoulder. “I'll be right back.” Bulak nodded again as I disappeared behind the corner. I flexed my hand, causing several joints to emit a small pop, as I began to change into my shorts. “Three weeks of training for this.” I removed my jeans and folded them neatly. “Two weeks of incomplete combat practice and one week of hardcore training.” I placed the jeans aside and picked up the shorts and began pulling them on. “Hopefully the recruits are up to the prospect of the gauntlet. It would suck if some of them didn’t make it though.” I let out a relaxed sigh as I finished changing pants and began to stretch, warming up my legs for the events ahead. “Nothing else left to do but dive in headfirst. Let’s see how deep these waters go.” I stood and moved back around the car, cool air chilling my now exposed calves.

Bulak looked me up and down as I walked towards her. She grinned as she saw the confident smile on my face. “Are you ready?” She asked happily. “Ready as I'll ever be.”

I nodded as I slammed my fist into my palm and stopped in front of her. “Let's do this,” I replied confidently. Bulak nodded and turned towards the door. I followed her as I went through my mental checklist one more time.

My imagination tends to come up with worst-case scenarios. Even small details increase my paranoia about their validity. Before each exam, I’d imagine my calculator breaking. Before each semester, I’d imagine getting lost on my way to class. I’d even imagine missing textbooks for important subjects. I swear my calculus class was cursed. Every time it happens I grow more convinced that the world hates me and wants me to know it beforehand. I'm surprised at how often my paranoia turns out to be true.

Bulak led me up the hill and towards the Great Hall. She gestured towards it as she explained. “The gauntlet is beneath the Hall. We will enter the hall before descending.” I nodded as we approached one of the doors. “The preparations room is there. You are meant to wait there before you enter the gauntlet. The builders always have a few words for any trainees going through a rite. Hopefully, they give words of encouragement.” I nodded as we moved toward the staircase at the end of the hall. I expected her to use the one I went up before; Instead, she crossed the hall towards a door I hadn't noticed before. She pushed it open and disappeared through it. I followed her in and down a wide flight of stairs. The wooden walls turned to stone as we spiraled down. The air around us grew colder and grew damp as we descended. We passed a few doors as we walked, but Bulak moved past them and further into the hill the Great Hall sat upon. Finally, the staircase leveled out and we emerged into a damp room lit by braziers and lined with wooden benches. The grey stone composing the walls were slick with water, spite the fires burning in the iron braziers. Three doors led off the room, one in each wall. I saw Wurthu sitting on one of the benches, leaned against the wall, eyes closed, sleeping soundly. Bulak turned, approached the door on the left, and knocked, causing her blows to echo off the damp walls of the room. There was a pause, then the door was pushed open by an orc.

He gave Bulak a curious look as he spotted her. “Lady Bulak. What are yo-” He stopped as he noticed me standing behind her. His confused expression quickly turned into a scowl. “I see.” He spotted Wurthu on the bench behind us. “Is this all of them?” He asked dismissively.

I shook my head as I gestured towards the staircase we just walked down. “There are five others,” I explained. “After they get here, we can get started.”

He nodded as he gestured at the benches. “Take a seat then. Notify me when the rest arrive. Otherwise, do not bother us.” I nodded, prompting him to step back through the door and close it behind him.

I let out a sigh as I turned and sat on one of the benches. “So much for words of encouragement.” I sighed.

Bulak nodded as she sat beside me. “Most still do not think kindly of you. One can only hope that this will change that. In any case, it is not time to encourage, considering not all the recruits are here yet.”

I nodded as I looked up at Wurthu; he still hadn't moved from his sleeping position. “All we can do is wait then,” I replied. “Hopefully they’ll be able to make it through.” Bulak nodded as she leaned back against the wall. I let out a sigh as I interlocked my fingers and brought them up to let my head rest on top of them. I felt my leg tremble as we waited.

We didn’t have to wait long for someone else to walk into the room. Yargug trudged down the steps not long after me and Bulak and glanced around. I waved to him as I let out a low sigh. “Hey. You ready for this?” I asked nervously.

Yargug nodded as he sat on another empty bench, the braziers casting a dancing light across his face. “As much as I can be.” He sighed. “I am hesitant at the specifications I desired. I am fearful I made a mistake choosing this design.”

I tilted my head as I stared at him. “How so? Are you afraid it’ll be too heavy? How big did you make the flail? I know you made the chain really long. How big is the ball? and the handle?”

Yargug let out a sigh and shook his head as he gestured. “My weapon has no handle and the ball is no ball at all. I requested Shurkul create my weapon with a hooked dagger on the end. There is more utility in a slashing weapon with a long reach.”

I let out an exasperated sigh as I shifted in my seat. His change of plans just threw a wrench into mine. “Are you sure you’d be able to use something like that?” I asked, angrily. “I saw what you were able to do with that flail. You wouldn’t get power like that with a dagger.”

Yargug let out a sigh as he gestured dismissively. “Power is useless without a blade to direct it.” He countered. “In any regard, I am certain I will be able to utilize the weapon. My initial hope for the flail was to control a large space with the reach of the chain. Unfortunately, the handle was unwieldy and the chain was far too short. It was too stiff for my tastes.”

I let out another angered sigh as I rubbed my head. “Why would-“ I stopped as Bulak gently placed a hand on my shoulder. She gave me a calmingly and I felt myself relax a bit.

She looked up at Yargug as my shoulder’s slumped. “Such a weapon sounds rather unorthodox.” She remarked. “Are you certain it would be useful in the arena? I would expect the beast to be rather large. A mere chain and dagger would not be a formidable weapon against the likes of that.”

Yargug nodded as he let out a sigh. “Gashur certainly believes such. Fortunately, there are methods to combat besides ours. My father was adamant about learning Varthug tactics.”

Bulak furrowed her brow as she tilted her head. “How does your father know of such tactics? The tribes are secretive about their battle styles. Surely he would not know how to carry himself on their battlefield.”

Yargug rubbed his neck as he appeared to consider for a moment. He seemed to be hesitant at what he was about to say. “That is the matter in its entirety, you see.” He explained. “My father was not born in Gashur. He is from Varthug, one of the merchants that made the journey with the caravan.”

Bulak let out an intrigued hum as she leaned back in her seat. “Remarkable. I had not heard of any of the merchant retiring to remain in Gashur. Tell me, what encouraged him to remain instead of returning home?”

Yargug chuckled as he glanced towards one of the braziers. He watched the flames dance for a moment as he spoke. “My father says it was his love for my mother to remain. My mother jests that he was merely too cowardly to make the trip again.” He shook his head slightly as he turned back to us. “In any regard, they found each other and appear happy with their lot in life, despite their meager beginnings.”

Bulak nodded as she appeared to consider something. “What is his profession now? If not a merchant, what has he chosen to become?”

Yargug gestured towards the door as he explained. “He has taken up a builder’s position. It is not rich work, but it is sufficient for his needs.”

Bulak nodded as a grin flickered across her face. “A most noble profession.” She remarked. “I am certain Snakhagr is thankful for his efforts.”

Yargug nodded as he grinned in response. “That, I am also certain of. He is a great and honest man if a little passive in some cases. He always encouraged his children to follow their hearts. I am certain he would approve of my choices, even if he is not aware of them yet.”

I furrowed my brow as I stared at him. “He doesn’t know you’re going through the rite?” I asked curiously.

Yargug nodded calmly as he gestured towards the door again. “I wish for that matter to be a surprise. He may wish for us to follow our hearts, but he will still be concerned for our safety. Going through a rite of passage with an outsider may not be dangerous, but it is certainly risky.”

I nodded as I glanced towards the stairway. I could hear footsteps echoing down. “Sounds like someone else is on the way,” I remarked. I turned back to Yargug as his latest words echoed in my mind. “It can’t be that dangerous. I can still hold my own in there, at least for a while.”

Yargug shook his head as he too glanced towards the stairway. “That is not what I am referring to.” He countered, turning back to me. “The city still dislikes you and your presence here, even if the Northern District has come to appreciate your help. The others still despise you.”

I nodded and rubbed my head as I thought about the rite. “That’s the whole point of this.” I sighed. “Chief Dubak would’ve disapproved of my title outright if he thought I could never convince the other districts. This is probably my best and only way to convince them I’m on their side. I might never get a chance like this again. It’s especially prudent to obtain the title in general. I might need to use authoritative power like that in the future.”

Bulak turned to me and frowned. “Do not think you can use it on a whim. Such high authority with certain expectations.”

I nodded as I turned to the stairway again. Vargan stepped into the room and glanced around. Wurthu’s eyes were flickering slightly as his breathing grew irregular. I turned back to Bulak as I gestured dismissively. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thoughts like that are for the future though. For now, we should focus on the rite. I can concern myself with expectations and responsibilities later.” I turned to Vargan. “How are you feeling about this? Ready for the rite?”

Vargan nodded and let out a nervous sigh as he sat next to Yargug. “As ready as I can ever be.” He replied hesitantly. He began rubbing his chin as he glanced at the far door. “I am hesitant about our preparations. A single week of training is laughably short in comparison to such an important event. Surely we are being overconfident in this regard.”

I let out a groan and nodded as I tilted my head back. “It’s definitely not ideal,” I admitted. “but it’s all we have to work with.” I glanced towards Wurthu as he sat up suddenly, letting out a gasp as he looked around. “Did you have a nice nap?” I asked.

Wurthu nodded as he rubbed his head. “I came down early.” He let out a long sigh as he stretched. “I did not wish to burden others with a wait. Evidently, I arrived startlingly early. I was unable to remain awake in this dreary place.”

I nodded as I glanced towards the braziers around us. Their flames rose high as they consumed more of the wood within them. I stretched my neck and felt muted pops as I considered what the gauntlet might entail. “Hopefully it won’t be all that bad.” I prayed. “We just have to get through and make it to the arena. Then we can put our training to good use. Until then, a dangerous obstacle course stands in our path.”

Wurthu, Yargug, Vargan, and Bulak nodded. Bulak glanced towards the staircase as another set of footsteps started echoing down the steps, shortly followed by another. “It would seem the brothers are approaching.” She remarked. “Soon they will open the gauntlet and the rite will begin.”

I nodded as I stretched again and glanced at the two unopen doors. “Which one goes into the gauntlet anyway?” I asked. “Surely there aren’t three rooms off of this one.”

Bulak shook her head as she gestured towards the far door. “That one leads into the gauntlet. The other is a return path, in case one finds themselves fallen from the path of the gauntlet.”

I nodded as I glanced towards each respective door. Now that she had pointed it out, I could see a subtle engraving, almost invisible in the dancing flames. The old image of a sprinting orc was carved into the wet wood. The orc was in the middle of some kind of jump, but that’s all I could tell at the moment. I didn’t feel like getting up to examine the door. The other one had a set of stairs carved into it, with an orc ascending them in a defeated expression. It honestly should have been obvious, now that I saw it. “I need to work on my observational skills. I should have spotted that when I walked in.” I shook my head as I focused on the present. “I can work on that later. Right now, it’s time for the rite.” I turned to the stairs as Umurn and Urgran walked in, breathing deep as they approached. “How are you guys feeling?” I asked. “Ready for the gauntlet?”

Umurn and Urgran nodded as they sat with Vargan. Urgran stretched as he let out a yawn. “I must admit as remained awake longer than I should have last night. I am awake, but my body is heavy with lethargy. I may attempt to take a nap before it all begins.”

I nodded as I felt myself frown and Umurn tapped his hand onto his brother’s shoulder. I sighed as I glanced towards the stairway. “You still have time. Yamarz still has to show up. We can’t really start this thing without him.” They nodded as they both let out a low sigh. I glanced at my watch as I felt my leg beginning to tremble. “He should be here shortly. Wurthu has been here for a while, but the rest of us got here only a little while ago. So, I’m guessing Yamarz is going to follow you two soon.”

Umurn and Urgran nodded as Urgran leaned on the wall behind him. “That is comforting,” Urgran remarked. “I suppose I should get rest while I can. Once I enter the gauntlet, I have little doubt that I shall remain awake for the rest of the day.”

I nodded as I glanced towards Wurthu. He was stretching his neck back and forth. I yawned and scratched my own as I let out a sigh. “What about you, Wurthu? You feel good about all this?”

Wurthu let out a sigh as he glanced towards the door. “As well as one can.” He remarked. “I must admit I am apprehensive about our success. I can only imagine the beast they send into the arena. I am uncertain they would present us with one that could be slain.”

I nodded as I let out a sigh and rubbed my head. “As I said before, it’s not an ideal situation, but it’s the one we’ve got so we might as well take what we’re given.”

Wurthu nodded as he let out a sigh. “I am hopeful that my assumption is ill-founded. However, it is impossible to banish one's own doubts.”

I nodded as I drummed my fingers on my other hand. I was starting to have my own doubts about the ordeal. So many variables to consider. Not enough time to reduce them all. I hook my head as I let out a calming sigh. “Stop. Don’t let yourself get distracted. You can’t reduce something like this so you shouldn’t. Just calm down and focus.” I turned towards Bulak as my leg continued to jump nervously. “How long does a run usually take?” I asked curiously. “If there are seven of us, how long will it take for all of us to get through the gauntlet?”

Bulak glanced towards the far door as she thought. “With all of you, it should take all but two hours to complete this portion of the rite of passage. You will be in the arena shortly.”

I nodded as I heard one last set of footsteps descending the stairs, tapping down them quickly. Yamarz would be here shortly. I turned to Bulak as I felt my heart pounding in my chest. “Thanks again for your help,” I said nervously. “I’m glad you agreed to train me for this.”

Bulak grinned as the quick footsteps grew louder. “It was my pleasure.” She assured me. “I am glad to have learned more about you, even if your demeanor was disrupted by your affliction.”

I nodded as I turned to the stairway and saw Yamarz, dashing in and placing his hands on his knees as he panted. I turned to Bulak as I stood to knock on the door again. “Hopefully it’s all going to pay off. I can figure out what I’ll do after. For now,-” I lifted my hand and rapped on the door in the left wall.

There was another pause and then the orc that had answered before pushed open the door. He looked at me then glanced at the others on the benches around the room. He turned back to me as he let out an annoyed sigh. “It would seem that you are all here.” He growled annoyedly. “Let us begin.” He turned to walk back in but stopped as he glanced and saw Bulak. He gestured towards her then towards the stairs. “You may leave for now. There is not a reason for you to remain.” Bulak glanced at me, questioningly.

I thought about the idea for a moment then nodded. “Make sure Amelia gets to the arena. I think she’s still studying that spellbook.” Bulak nodded and stood as walked towards the stairwell, giving me one final wave before disappearing from view.

The orc waited for her footsteps to disappear before he turned and addressed us. He let out a sigh as he glanced at each of us in turn. “I assume you all are familiar with the process, but as a required courtesy I shall relay it. You enter individually, the rest remaining in here to wait their turn. As a cautionary measure, you will exit through a different doorway. We cannot have you exposing tricks or obstacles to others. If you complete the course you will be given a validating token and instructed to head down to the arena for the second portion of the rite. If you fail, you will be sent home empty-handed. As an additional courtesy, and since none of you have experienced a real battle, you will be given three attempts to clear the course. Failing in an obstacle will mean you will start from the beginning. If you fail your third attempt, you have failed the passage. Are there any other questions?” I glanced around at the others. They shifted slightly as they started going through their own nervous motion, but none of them raised a question. The orc nodded as he gestured towards the door at the end of the hallway. “Then we will begin in a moment. I will return shortly and have a contender chosen by lots. Once it is your turn, you will enter the doorway and begin.” I nodded as he turned and disappeared through the door behind him.

I stretched and turned to the others as a silence fell over the room, punctuated occasionally by the crackling of the brazier. Several joints popped as I pressed on my knuckles. “You guys ready for this?” I asked casually, trying to break the silence.

Vargan let out a low groan as he sat forward and clutched his hands to his head. “This is sarding insane.” He exclaimed. “I only have a year's worth of training, some of you barely anymore; and yet, here we sit waiting to enter the gauntlet with such a small group of apprentices. It is not a guarantee for us to complete this and move on to the arena. We might only have one of us make it through and he will still need to overcome the challenge in the arena.” His speech continued as he began listing reasons for our failure. I realized he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

“Calm down.” I interrupted loudly. “That's what the last week has been for. It's why I need your help to complete the rite. There's strength in numbers, yes. We might not stand a chance if not all of us make it through, but we can worry about the arena later. For now, we should focus on the task at hand, the gauntlet. There's no point in worrying about a future that might not happen.” Vargan sighed and nodded as he let his head fall into his hands. He appeared to calm down at my reasoning. I looked around at everyone else again. Their nervousness remained, but it was more muted than before. I gestured towards the far door as I tried to lift their spirits a bit more. “As long as we do our best and give it our all, we can do this.” They sat in warry silence as the door was pushed open again, this time feeding two orcs into the room. One held a roll of parchment while the other carried an iron cauldron.

The first orc cleared his throat as he unrolled the parchment. His eyes drifted back and forth as he began reading the page aloud. “Welcome, initiates. Today, you embark on a journey, a journey through a perilous gauntlet to test your mettle and prove your worth for the arena. This is the first step on your road to greatness; to become a soldier for the tribe of Gashur. Many have attempted before you and many more will after, but today it is your turn to make this journey. Should you succeed, there will be but one final obstacle between you and your goal. However, that is the future. For the moment, you must face the gauntlet. Prepare yourself, for we only accept those that can prove themselves.” He rolled the scroll back up and looked at us. “We will now determine which of you will enter first. Please step up and draw from the cauldron.” The others stood and moved over to the cauldron. We each took a turn pulling a wooden token from the cauldron, orcish numeral indicating who would go when. I felt my hairs stand on end as I pulled my token from the cauldron. “│╱” “Shit, I'm going last.” I glanced at the others, their reactions to their outcome were mixed. Their faces ranged from nervous to relieved. The orc holding the cauldron nodded and stepped back as Vargran pulled the last token from the cauldron. “Now that you have your token would the first one please make themselves known.” Yamarz stepped forward and raised his disk a single “╱” sat proudly in the center. The orc nodded and gestured at the door at the far end of the hall. “Then please step through and begin. The rest await our signal.” Yamarz nodded nervously and moved towards the door.

I let out a nervous sigh as Yamarz reached for the handle. “Good luck,” I called out as he pulled the door open. Yamarz glanced back and nodded as he stepped through. The door closed itself once Yamarz stepped over the threshold. I let out a sigh as I moved back over to one of the benches, gazing at my token. “At least I have time to think. Then again, that might turn out to be a bad thing. Just deal with what I have.”

Going last sucks. I was forced to wait and watch as the room slowly emptied, ten-minute intervals between each of them. I tried to voice words of encouragement as they entered, but I ended up just repeating the same two words every time the door opened. A half-hearted “Good luck” was all I could come up with. No one spoke as each one of them was told to enter the gauntlet and begin the rite. Finally, I was the last one in the room. I looked down at my token as I waited for the orc to come back through the door. The wood was rough and heavy in my palm, the symbol carved into it a testament to my poor luck. “Of course I had the last token. I couldn’t have it be over and done with. I had to be the last one to see if I am able to complete their obstacles.” Finally, after fifteen minutes, the door was pushed open and the orc stepped through. I stood and walked over. “Did they make it?” I asked, nervously.

The orc just pointed towards the door at the end of the hallway as he scowled down at me. “You will know if you make it through the gauntlet.” He growled. “At present, it is your turn.” I nodded as I turned to the door. I felt my heart pounding nervously in my chest as I walked.“One other thing.” He interrupted loudly, causing me to stop. I turned back to him, confused at what he could possibly say next. The orc had a sly grin on his face, almost mockingly smug. “You will be participating under modified rules.” He sneered. “You are not like the others. Certain courtesies they were given cannot be extended to you.”

My curiosity quickly turned into disgust as he spoke. “What do you mean modified rules?” I asked credulously. “What are you conspiring?”

The orc grinned at my confusion and held up three fingers. “The others were given three chances.” He dropped two of his fingers and left only his index finger standing. “Since you were supposedly involved in a battle, you only get one.” His grin grew wider as he saw my expression change.

My disgust turned to anger. I felt like punching him. I wanted him to hurt. I clenched my fist as I held back the impulse and glared angrily at the orc. “Are you fucking Kidding Me?” I barked angrily. “I Barely Survived That Battle! Why The Fucking Rule Change? How Is That Fair?”

The orc let out a chuckle as he shook his head gleefully. “There is no such thing as fair.” He retorted. “Only opportunity, and those too cowardly to take it.”

I clenched my fist tighter as I realized what he was saying. My heart pounded in my ears as I felt like charging him. I clenched my jaw as I fought the urge to lash out. I took a deep breath as I stared at the orc. “Do you really think Bulak is going to let this fly?” I growled. “I tell her about this, and I can't even imagine what she'd do to you.”

The orc just grinned and let out a short laugh. “You assume that the council will believe her.” He replied cockily. “If you emerged soaking wet she can deduce that you fell at least once. Considering the time since we last sent a trainee through, she may safely assume that you merely failed the rite and have taken to bemoaning your poor skill with blame. I and my builder comrades will gladly corroborate a story of miserable failure should we be questioned. No amount of complaints will be able to change that fact.” I panted and looked down at my token as I realized something. Out of all the token in there I was the one that had to get this one. “They planned this from the start. How could they have done that? There's no way they could've known I'd draw this. The number of factors is astronomical. Unless . . .” I gritted my teeth as I realized my situation. They had orchestrated this from the start. They were determined that I get this disadvantage, with no one able to protest on my behalf. I let out shuddering breaths as I forced myself to calm. “There's no point in yelling, besides you don't know where Bulak is. By the time you found her, the rite would be over and you'd lose your title.” I let out a sigh as I looked at the token again. I wasn't getting out of this through force. I had to play by their rules, no matter how unfair.

I turned and glared back at the orc. He continued to smile happily as he saw my rage. I let out a snort of derision as I relaxed my shoulders and forced myself to calm. “Alright, let's get this started then.” I fumed.

The orc grinned wide and pointed towards the door. “You know what to do.” He sang. I turned and marched over as I felt my chest burn with rage. “Fucking Inconsistent, Dishonest Bullshit.” The engraving on the door became clearer as I approached. The carved orc appeared to be sweating in the mural. Either that or it was some other substance. I let out a stifled growl as I pulled the door open sharply and stepped inside. I was immediately hit by a gust of cool air, causing goosebumps to sprout across my arms and legs. I looked around as I panted heatedly, each breath chilling my chest with cold air. This new room was massive, a gigantic cavern of rock complete with a lake of water a short distance below me. The sounds of ambient drips echoed around the walls as I stood on the damp stone surface. I was on some sort of large stone column, flattened at the top to allow others to stand on it. I heard a loud wooden creak and looked out across the cavern. A path of obstacles stretched out before me; swinging balls, blades, and, somehow, mobile teetering platforms and walls, connecting the stone pillar I was on to more across the chasm. The pathway was punctuated by more pillars of stone, platforms all on their own, separating what must have been each obstacle. I turned as I noticed an alcove, illuminated by yellow torchlight, where a group of a dozen orcs sat and watched me. I squinted and noticed a large hourglass figure next to one of them. “Of course they'd time this.” I thought angrily. I looked down at my watched and switched it to stopwatch mode. “In case they try any tricks with time.”

I looked out over the obstacles again as I watched them move and undulate. I could only see parts of the others, but the first one was clear as day. Beyond the first obstacle was a clear stone pillar, stalactites quickly dripping water from above. I stretched my neck as I look out over the path before me. “Time for the first one.” I thought angrily. The first obstacle seemed simple enough, a series of mobile platforms that moved back and forth along the path and seemed to sway with each change in direction. They just a little bigger than my shin, giving me plenty of room to plant my feet on the quickly shifting platform. I looked below them and saw a mess of wooden arms and rotating gears. “Jesus that took some ingenuity. I wonder if- No! No time to admire, just do.” I looked out over the platforms again. The tilting was more than simple arm movements. They seemed to pivot on their own axis, bending this way and that as the arms stopped and started abruptly. “It must be some kind of trick.” I thought as I watched the platforms sway. I stared out for another moment as I analyzed the platforms then took a few steps back, reading myself for the charge. I placed a hand on my stopwatch, ready to officially begin the clock. I took a few deep breaths, psyching myself up for my next action. “Given their movements, the platforms will tilt sharply if I press on one of those platforms. I'll need to be careful. I'll fall if I'm not correctly centered on them.” I took one last long breath as I calmed my nerves for a moment. I tensed my legs and propelled myself forward with all my might, aiming for where one of the platforms would be. I sprinted towards the ledge as fast as I could and jumped off, sailing through the air and stretching my foot towards my first target. The wood groaned as my shoe slammed onto the platform and planted my foot in the center of my target. I didn't give myself a chance to slow and immediately pushing off and leaping towards the next platform. I repeated the process as I quickly bounded across the long gap created by the pillars. I performed this series of rapid-fire hops as I heard the wind whistle in my ears and my heart pounded in my chest. I could feel the wood groan underneath my feet with each landing. I was almost afraid of the wood breaking and my leg slipping through.

I finally came close to the first stone pillar and braced from my final jump to stop on the new pillar. The wet stone refused my movements and propelled me forward, sliding me quickly towards the next obstacle; a maze of swinging blades. I had half a second to register the event and keep my hydroplaning feet from toppling me. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” I had only half a second more to see the swiftly approaching obstacle before me, a wooden bridge extending through a maze of swinging blades. I angrily resigned myself to my fate as the daggers let out loud swishing sounds. “FUCK IT! START RUNNING!” I change the direction of my movement and sprinted forward as the stone ended and the new wood began. The swinging blades were attached to innumerable points and pivots, intruding every which way across the path before me. Some descended from above, others from the side. Some had their flat facing towards me while others had the blade and many others in between. I ducked and dodged as the blade spun sickeningly close to me. I felt several small breezes as I continued to run, moving out of the way before a blade took up the space I was occupying. My body groaned as I twisted and turned my torso to avoid the blunted blades. I lept and rolled as an axe threatened to hit my shin. I ducked as a sword threatened to clonk me in the head. Spears jabbed their way into my path and pushed their way into the soft of my stomach, threatening to topple me from the path. I clutched a hand to my side as I continued my instinct fueled run and focused on the second pillar ahead. My feet pounded on the softwood of the bridge beneath me. I was almost there. I was almost safe. A sharp unexpected pain suddenly radiated through my right shoulder as I neared the home stretch, throwing me forward and onto my side on the second pillar. I slowly slid to a stop as I panted, the cold stone chilling me to my bone. I lay there as I felt pain permeate the shoulder and side. I brought my hand up and felt where a dull blade had hit me. I could feel a bruise forming as I gasped for air. I waited for as long as I dared, letting the pain subside a bit, then slowly crawled to my feet, looking down at my watch. Barely a minute had passed on the digital interface. I looked up at my audience. A few of them were standing now, staring at me intently. I resisted the urge to flip them off. “Don't antagonize. Don't antagonize.” Instead, I turned to the next obstacle.

Another bridge sat before me, this one much less confined than the last. A series of leather-covered spheres whistled past, crossing the thin wooden bridge in an instant. I looked around as I tried to count the spheres. They moved too fast for me to differentiate any individual one after they got up to speed. I shook my head as I focused on the path ahead. I watched and visualized the areas that would be frequented by the spheres. After a minute I determined the pattern and zones and started walking through. I would wait in a safe space for the ball to roar past, then rush to the next safe zone. I repeated this action across the thin wooden bridge. I felt myself grow impatient as I slowly made my way across the obstacle. “Calm down. If you fall you fail. If you fall you fail.” I took a deep breath as I quickly moved to the next safe space. I waited; one second, two seconds. The next sphere roared past and I sprinted for the next zone. I took a few breaths as I turned and looked at the next ball. I watched it go, go, slow, then begin to travel back. I waited for it to approach. I squinted as I watched the large sphere grow larger. “Hang on. That swing seems a little- OH SHIT!” I sprinted forward as sphere swung where I was standing, scraping the boards below and causing a large rumble to radiate along the path. I had half a second to process the event before I saw the next ball come swinging towards me. I turned and sprinted forward, desperately trying to avoid the spheres that seemed to hone in on me. I leaped the last few feet to the pillar as a sphere nicked the heel of my foot. I finally skidded to a stop as I landed the last pillar and began panting from exertion, free of the swinging balls of doom. I gasped as I glanced at my watch. The stopwatch counted just under four minutes. I looked forward as I refocused on the issue at hand.

The next obstacle was a small jump, ending in a shear wall with a rope hanging along the center. I looked up and saw a set of walls in close proximity to each other, exposed to the lake below as they undulated back and forth in unison, growing closer and further apart in step. I let out a calm breath as I psyched myself up for this next jump. “You can do it. You can do it. You Can Do IT!” I took a few steps back, then sprinted forward, pushing off as I neared the edge and reaching out for the rope. My body slammed into the wood as I grabbed at the rope, gripping it tightly in my fingers. I gasped and gave myself a second to orient myself before pulling myself up. I planted my feet on the wall and used my hands to keep my feet planted as I slowly climbed the ten-foot that separated me from the platform above. My arms and legs ached from the continuous exertion, but I ignored their protests. I climbed up the rope and pulled myself over, panting for a moment before looking out over the stretch between me and the next platform. All that was there were two oscillating walls that I assumed I had to get across. I tilted my head as I caught my breath and climbed to my feet.“Kind of like that spider wall thing.” I thought. I took a few more breaths and then took a step back and waited for the wall to come close again. I sprinted forward once I saw my chance, jumping forward and planting my hands and feet firmly on the swaying walls. I took a second to stabilize myself, then slowly made my way forward. The moving walls made progress slow, requiring me to pause as they grew far apart. My hands and legs started to groan from exertion. My heart pounded in my chest as I kept my muscles tense. I became starkly aware of the bruise now riding my back. I ignored all of it and just focused on the path ahead, moving forward with every chance I got. I panted as I paused for a moment partway along the path. I looked and watched the walls undulate as I realized something. The walls were slowly growing farther apart, making it difficult to move forward. I was now stretching just to stay on during each surge. I quickly realized what they'd done. “Son Of A Bitch! They made it impossible to cross. When I- Stop! Don't think, just do.” I breathed heavily as I kept my hands and feet pressed to the moving walls. I waited a moment for the wall to grow close together then I sprang into action, changing my positioning between the walls. I threw myself up with all my might and twisted my body to the side, bringing my feet to one wall and my hands to another. I crouched into a squatting position as I pushed against the walls as hard as I could. I turned down the obstacle and quickly shuffled forward. Given my height and arm length, I was no longer hindered by oscillating walls. I quickly closed the gap between me and the platform, threw myself off, and collapsed on it, panting. I gasped as my arms and legs screamed from the exertion and grew thankful for the rest. I shook my head to focus myself and looked over the edge as I urged myself to continue. I saw the fourth and last pillar of stone below me, the final obstacle sitting beyond the platform. A long thick rope descended down a wall below me, a mirror to the one I'd climbed up on the other side. I looked out at the last obstacle as I prepared to descend. “Come on. Come on. Final stretch. Final Stretch.” I grabbed hold of the rope as I twisted myself over the edge and slowly began to repel down the surface. I descended a short way before turning on the spot. I looked down at the pillar below me. I still had about five feet to fall. “Close enough.” I turned and braced against the wall, preparing to jump off and onto the pillar. I tense my legs and pushed off, falling and rolling as I slammed onto the platform. I knelt there and panted as I took one step closer to my goal. “One more to go. Then it’s the arena.”

I stood and looked out at the last obstacle, a series of ropes hanging from the ceiling, forming a path between me and the door out of here. They swayed slightly as they sat there, pushed about my invisible wind. I grinned to myself as I looked out at the ropes. “That looks simple enough. They’re like gigantic vertical monkey bars.” I backed up again as I formed a plan. “Jump, grab, swing, repeat.” I let out another breath and sprinted forward one last time, focusing intently on the gently swaying strands. I lept and grabbed the first rope, swinging forward towards the second. I had enough momentum to just reach out and grab the next rope, moving forward as if swinging from tree vines. I grinned as I made my way across this comparatively easy obstacle.“Eat your heart out, Spiderman.” I quickly crossed the obstacle, swinging from rope to rope as a surge of adrenaline marked my proximity to the exit door. “Holy fucking shit, I'm almost there. I can fucking make it!” I was on the rise, gripping the last rope when a sickening sound echoed around the cavern that caused my heart to drop. A loud snap indicated my rope had snapped and I went into freefall. I flailed my arms in an attempt to move forward. My flight ended with me slamming onto the edge of the stone platform, knocking hard against my ribs and leaving me struggling with my arms. I felt one last surge of adrenaline as I processed the series of events. “THEY SEVERED THE FUCKING ROPE! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! GOD DAMN FUCKING DISHONEST SABOTAGING BULLSHIT!!” I gripped the stone harder as I heard a splash echo below me. “Stop! Just Get Out Of Danger! Get Out! Get Out! Get Out!” I felt blood on my fingers as I ripped at the stone and desperately pulled myself up. My finger cried out in pain as their skin punctured. My arms scratched against the stone as I hooked my leg onto the ledge and finally climbed up. I knelt there and panted as I had time to relax, rage coursing through my veins. “They Just Couldn't Stand Me, Could They? They Just Had To Try Everything Possible To Sabotage Me.” I turned and glared at the door as I let out a low growl. “I Ought To Give Them A Piece Of My Mind.” I jumped to my feet and strode towards the door, reaching out to yank it open, but faltered. I took a deep breath as I let my head fall against the thick wood. “Calm down, there's no point in antagonizing them. You still need that token to get into the arena. Just take a breath and move forward.” I stood there briefly as I gasped calmingly, feeling my heart slow before I reached towards my watch and stopped the clock. “Just go in there and get the token. You can deal with them later.”

I looked back up and grabbed the door handle, pulling it open and revealing a staircase leading upwards. I stepped in and followed it as I saw flickering light illuminate the room beyond. I stepped out from the steps and found myself in a new room, a mirror of the one I'd just spent an hour in, populated by the orcs that were in the alcove earlier. They scowled at me as I entered. I kept a calm face as I looked at them, desperately hiding the anger I felt. “Can I get my token now?” I challenged. “I’m pretty sure my dry physique means I earned the thing.”

They just stood and glared at me for a moment, silently condemning me. One one of them appeared to not hold a hostile expression. Finally, one of them stepped forward to speak, strangely grinning. “We would be ecstatic to present you with a token.” He chuckled happily. “Unfortunately, you failed to complete the course in the required time frame. So, we must instruct you to exit the gauntlet empty-handed. Have a peaceful day.” He appeared to take great pleasure in his final statement.

I clenched my fist as I heard this latest excuse. “E-excuse me?” I growled. “What do you mean failed in the time-frame? What crap are you pulling?”

The orc continued to grin as he pointed at an hourglass. Pale white sand filled the bottom portion of the timepiece. The orc gestured to it as he beamed. “You failed to complete the course in the required time.” He repeated. “To prevent apprentices from gaining an unfair advantage we have a time limit set. Any longer and they would likely recover too much to give a fair assessment. You failed to complete the course in time, hence you failed.”

I clenched my fist as he repeated the first statement again. I felt my chest burn with anger as I ran through how long I could have possibly been in there. I might have taken a while, but it definitely wasn’t that long. “How long?” I asked angrily, trying to calm my nerves. The orcs looked at me questioningly. “How long did I have?” I repeated angrily.

The orc let out a chuckle as he pointed at the hourglass. “A quarter of an hour.” He replied slyly. “A quarter of an hour has been deemed adequate for the first portion of the rite. It is twice the normal time a trainee will need to complete our creation.”

I looked down at my watch to verify their claim. 7:15 I felt my rage surge as I realized what the reading meant. “Wrong,” I growled pointedly. The expression on the orc’s faces flickered as they saw my heated expression. I turned to them as I felt my fingers tighten on my watch. “You're wrong about the time. I made it in under ten minutes. I properly completed the right.” I directed my finger towards them as I growled again. “When I tell Bulak about this-”

The orc bellowed in laughter and interrupted my rant. “And what makes you think anyone will believe you? All we need do is claim you went over the time limit. They have no reason to doubt our words. Face it, outsider, you will never complete this rite.” I clenched my jaw as I heard his retort. The orcs began to cackle at my rage, save for one. I stood there and fumed as I mulled over this development.“Even after everything, even after all that, they still managed to fuck with my rite. How many god damn times do I have to deal with this shit?” I glared at the group of orcs before me. The orc that stepped forward continued to laugh. “Did the outsider expect another outcome? Did you really think you could be on par with any of us orcs? Ha Ha. No, you are merely a lowly outsider, a mere flea that is no match for our might.” The orcs behind him roared with laughter as he threw insults at me. I tensed as I saw my whole plan come crashing down around me, the week of training and planning for nothing. “Those fucking bastards. All I wanted was to complete the rite. I couldn't get one day where I'm not having to bow to the mercy of orcs that hated me? . . . Violence is sounding really attractive right now. If there's nothing else to gain from diplomacy. . .”

I took a step forward to attack but was interrupted as another orc stepped from the crowd, the one that had refused to laugh with them. He planted himself between me and the others as he glared at them angrily. “Enough of this. Give him the token. He has more than earned it.” The orcs glared at him while I stared at him in confusion. The orc gestured towards me insistently. “We are better than this. We would bring dishonor on ourselves if we continued. This undue hindrance would not be seen favorably by the gods, even if he is an outsider.” The room fell deadly quiet, interrupted only by the crackling of the brazier around the room.

The first orc stepped forward as he spat at the other. “Silence, Derthag! We cannot have this wretch tainting our city. If we fail to stop him here, then he will just continue to corrupt our city, our people.”

Derthag shook his head as he let out an angry growl. “You did not see what I saw.” He insisted. “This outsider is nothing like Him. His spirit burns bright for this city. We cannot deny his deeds, his actions, his sacrifices. We would deny our people momentous potential. We must treat him according to his character, according to his words, according to his actions. Any other choice would dishonor our name, the name of Builder.”

The first orc shook his head angrily. “No! We Cannot Allow Him To Continue! He Would Destroy The Chief, The City, Our People!” He snarled. “Do Not Think You Speak For Gashur! You Yourself Are Not Of Our Tribe! You Are Little Better Than The Wretch Behind You! Worse In Fact! At Least He Knows When To Bow To His Betters!”

Derthag suddenly drew a sword and leveled it at the orc. “We are acting dishonorably.” He hissed. Everyone fell silent, glaring at Derthag intently. He glared back as he gripped his sword firmly. “This would not stand if he was born an orc. Why should we treat him differently? His heart is no different from ours. He only wants to better the tribe.”

The first orc stepped forward and barked again. “Do Not Be A Fool! He Wants What Is Better For Himself! He Will Discard Us Once He Obtains What He Needs! Why Should We Hasten His Inevitable Betrayal!?”

Derthag let out an angry growl as he shook his head. “You misjudge his heart. He would never betray his companions. He Would Never Betray Us!”

The first orc drew his own weapon in response, an axe that was strapped to his waist. He growled as he lifted the blade and glared at Derthag. “I should have known you were a fool.” He growled. “Varthug always produces such gullible traitors. I will break that proud blade of yours. I would rather give up my own weapon than give that outsider the satisfaction of victory.” The orc drew his axe back to strike, glaring angrily at Derthag as he changed.

What happened next took only an instant. Derthag swung his sword around his head and flicked his wrist. There was a loud metallic CRACK then a loud clatter as the orc followed through on his swing, the head of his weapon now absent and resting on the floor. The orc stared in shock at his once-proud weapon, the stump near his fist all that indicated it once had more to offer. He looked up to glare at Derthag. Derthag glared back as he lowered his blade slightly. “I believe it is your blade that will be broken. Now stand down before I do something I truly regret.” The orc let out a low growl as he straightened, still gripping the handle of his now-useless weapon. Derthag took this opportunity of submission to reach into a pouch on his side and pull something out. He reached back and held his hand out to me, his fingers clasping a small palm-sized object. “Take this and head to the arena.” He instructed, opening his hand. I looked at the other orcs hesitantly before quickly grabbing the white object and examining it. It was a roaring bear head, carved from a milk-white bone. The material scraped gently against my fingers. I looked up at Derthag apprehensively. “Get to the arena.” He repeated, not taking his eyes off the other orcs.

I nodded and dashed for the door at the far end of the room. “Thank you!” I called over my shoulder. I pulled the door open and quickly began ascending the stairs beyond. I heard my footsteps echo up with me as the walls turned to wood and the air grew warmer once more. I gripped the object tightly as I tried to rationalize what I’d just seen. “How in the fuck did he break that weapon with a single strike? He wasn’t even in range. What was that strange motion he performed? Is there something special about his weapon?” I glanced back as a pained roar echoed up the steps. I shook my head as I kept running. “Don’t think about it. They were assholes that deserve whatever is happening to them. … Then again that might have been that Derthag guy.” My eyes grew wide as my mind conjured up a brief image I had seen during his strike. His weapon had extended, stretching beyond what they originally were, attached by some kind of chain, and returned to its original shape as quickly as it had changed. He had swung his blade around to slice at the vulnerable handle of the weapon. I let out a gasp as I finally realized what had happened. “Holy shit that was awesome. Wait, they said he was from Varthug?” I glanced down again as a thought occurred to me. “Could it be? No, that would be too much of a coincidence. Then again, it’s a possibility. I’ll have to confront Yargug when I get the chance.” I continued winding up the steps and gasped as the light in the steps gradually changed from torchlight to sunlight.

I finally came to a door at the top and threw it open, emerging into another room, presumably in another building on the side of the hill. It was a relatively small room, weapons and armor sat on racks along the wall. A counter sat in the corner of the room, overseen by an orc behind it. Bulak was waiting beside the counter and she turned to the door as I threw it open with a loud bang. She hurried over as I panted, winded from my dash up the steps. “Did you make it?” She asked, worriedly. I nodded and held out the carved head. Her face immediately lit up as she looked down at the sculpture. “Excellent. Come, you still need to prepare for the arena.”

I held up a hand as I gestured down the steps. “One thing. You might want to send someone down there. The Builders are having a bit of an argument right now. Weapons are drawn and I’m pretty sure blood is being spilled.”

Bulak gave me an incredulous look of shock. “What in heavens for?” She gasped. “For what reason could they be fighting.”

I let out a sigh as I glanced towards the door behind me. “Long story. For right now, just send someone down there, preferably a mage. They might be able to resolve the issue.”

Bulak hesitated for a second as she continued to stare at me in confusion. “Were you harmed in this encounter?” She asked curiously.

I shook my head as I held up the token again. “No, I’m unharmed, if a bit pissed off. I’ll eventually need to talk to you about what happened down there. Though one of them is free from blame and really fucking intimidating. Anyway, I’m fine and ready for the arena.”

Bulak hesitated again as she stared at me hesitantly before finally letting out a defeated sigh. “Very well. I shall speak to someone as quickly as possible. For now, we should depart. I expect the others will wish to begin shortly.”

I nodded as I stretched and gestured towards the door. “Lead the way.” I grinned.

Bulak nodded as she turned and lead me away. She waved to the orc behind the counter as we passed. “Have a good day,” She called. He nodded and raised his hand in greeting as we walked out into the street. We broke out into a run once we left the little building. I followed Bulak as we ran towards a large circular building in the distance. I looked down at the token in my hand as my feet pounded along the road. “Jesus that was fortunate of me. Thank you, Deus Ex Machina.”