Hudsonus leads Al and Darretta to the arena in the back. As they reached the arena, Al now sees why the guild hall was empty earlier. Majority of the adventurer was around the arena, drinking shouting, and even started a betting pool. The odds were fifty to one for us winning, and two to one for Hudsonus. Even then, majority of the bets were on Hudsonus. And just right around the edge of the arena stood eight people all at different point of the arena. Kreyg went to an empty spot and stood there as well. Hudsonus went to one side of the arena and instructed Al and Darretta to the other. “Alright so, this test is extremely simple. Survive for five minutes against me. I will be going at you at the same strength and speed as a Devil Tusk have.” Hudsonus stated. Al and Darretta looked at each other and then back to Hudsonus.

These guys still doubt that we killed one. They are using this test as a judgment and to see if we were able to kill one by ourselves. Al started looking at the people standing near the arena. They were all the supervisors and head supervisors. “Now, you are allowed to use your real weapons, while I’ll still use training ones. Come at me as if your lives depends on it. Because it will, and I will not hold back.” Right as he said this, his smile disappeared from his faced and he focus intently on us. The pressure he exerted was heavy. The crowd grew quiet, all the cheering disappeared and they only sat and watched now. It took all of Darretta’s strength to stay standing while the pressure had already forced Al down to his knees. This pressure is insane! It almost feels like the time I spend with Death. Not as strong, but still overwhelming. Kreyg tossed a wooden sword and a shield to Hudsonus. He then swing the sword around for a bit, then turns to focus on the pair again. “Are you ready?” His usual light hearted tone gone, replaced with a deep gruffed voice. Al manages to get to his feet, and took one final glanced at Darretta. They made eye contact, and then turns to Hudsonus and nodded.

Within a heartbeat of their nod, Hudsonus leaps forward with great speed, giving almost no time for the pair to react. They both leaped to the side away from each other and from Hudsonus. Al was just a tad slow, and his hands barely touched by the lunge attack from Hudsonus. His hands felt as if they were slammed against a boulder. He immediately focus to slow the madman down. “Bind” Hudsonus stops for a moment, realising that he had been slowed, and turns towards Al to beat down first. As he was about to reach Al, Al had leaped back. “Now!” To the side of Hudsonus came a wave of light. He lifted his shield to protect himself. The sound of the impact echoed away through the crowd and faded of into the distance. “Oh-ho. Sonic Blade is it?” Hudsonus chuckled, amused to see a Copper rank with such a skill.

Seeing as Hudsonus was distracted with the small amusement he was having, Darretta charged forth with blurring speed giving Hudsonus a rough time dodging and blocking the attack made from her. He then blocked a frontal attack, steps forward, and Shield Bashed her away and down from him. He thought to himself how is a copper rank moving at a speed equivalent to that of a Iron, almost Silver rank. He turns to see Al channeling a spell. “Boost: Agility too? This is getting interesting.” He said to himself. “But I will finish you off first!” He then strikes down on the fallen Darretta. She tried to dodge to the side, but was struck hard in the side. She rolled away afterwards and stood up. He was confused as to how she stood up after taking a direct attack from him. She was hurt, but not as much as she should’ve been. Just then Al lets out a scream of pain, and fell to his knees, his hands applying pressure to the same area that Darretta had been hit in. Hudsonus stare at Al confused. Then his face turned into anger. “Where did you learn that?!” He shouted.

Hudsonus started stomping his way towards Al. Al tried to get up on his feet, but failed as the pain to his side was too much. As Hudsonus reached Al, Darretta springs in from his blind side and struck him. Hudsonus turns towards her, and started attack and blocking her attacks. Her speed was not as fast as before, making it easier for Hudsonus to deflect her attacks. Using this precious time, Al started to heal himself with Minor Heal. The pain subsided, but his sides were going numb. He then focus to try and heal Darretta as well, then to continued Boost:Agility and switching to Boost: Sharpen when the timing is right. Just as he finally healed her, and then buff, it was too late. Hudsonus speed came back and he was out matching her in speed even with the channeled boost from Al. Bind had wear off.

Hudsonus knocks Darretta’s weapon away, and then kicked her far to the side of the arena. He then turn his focus onto Al. Al had already lunged at him with his dagger, hoping to land a hit from the blindspot. Hudsonus easily deflect Al’s blade to the side with his sword, and then used his shield to slam Al down to the ground. Al let out a gasped for air as the blow had knocked all the wind out of him. Hudsonus then grabbed Al by the collar and pulled him up to him. “Where did you learn Aura of Sacrifice?!” He shouted. His faced full of anger as he said the skill. Just as he waited for Al to answer, Darretta had taken this time to pick up one of her swords and launched another Sonic Blade at Hudsonus.

However, Hudsonus used he swords to deflect the attack up into the skies. He then throws his shield hard to Darretta, hitting her directly in the chest, knocking her out, and far away from the arena. He turns to Al, who started spitting out blood from his mouth, and tightly clenching his chest. His Aura of Sacrifice was still on. He stood up and shouted. “This test is over!” Kreyg then look at his watch and announced. “Four minutes and twenty seven seconds. Unfortunately, these two have failed the test, and denied promotion."

“Quickly heal them up!” Hudsonus shouted. Kreyg then clasp his hand together. “ Healing Light!” A wave of light shined down onto both Al and Darretta. Al quickly sat up, gasping and confused as to what had happened. He looks up to see an angered Hudsonus looking down on him. “Come see me in my office later!” Hudsonus shouted. He threw his sword down to the ground and stomps off into the guild hall. Al could only blankly stare forward, dazed and not even know what was going on. Darretta had gotten up and walked over to Al. “Damn, we were pretty close to it. Another thirty seconds, and we would’ve been Iron rank!” She exclaimed, unsatisfied that they were so close, yet so far from beating the test. “No…” Al replied. “We weren’t even close. He didn’t even use a single skill once. He was merely having fun as usual.”

“Alderick. Hudsonus wants to see you in his office. Make your way to him once you have recover.” Al turn to see Kreyg standing over him. “His office is up the stairs, and once you go down the small hallway, and then turn left. Continued going down it and it will be the room all the way at the end of it.” Al nodded and tried to stand up. He was struggling, so Darretta helped him up. She was about to accompany him to Hudsonus, when Kreyg stopped her. “He only wants to see Alderick. You on the other hand can go home. It is getting late.” The sun was beginning to set. “Alright people, pack it up. Shows over. All of you are to return home now!” He shouted at the crowd. None of them made a peep, and just quietly made their way into the streets. Al on the other hand made his way inside the guild hall, accompanied by all the supervisors. None of them said anything to him. As they walked in, Al walked over to the stairs, and took a glance at them. They just stood over by the door, not moving and watching him go up the stairs. Once he reached the top, he made his way to Hudsonus’ office and knocked. “Master, it’s me, Alderick.” “Come in, and close the doors.

Al walks into the room, and closed the door behind him. He took a look around the room. It had all sorts of weapons hanging on the wall. There were greatswords, battle axes, and shields everywhere. “Come, sit down.” Hudsonus said, and pointed towards a chair in front of his desk. Al walks over and took a seat, while Hudsonus pours drinks into two cups at a table near the wall. He walks over and handed one to Al, and then walked over to sit down on his chair on the other side of the desk. “Tell me, and tell me truthfully. Where did you learn Aura of Sacrifice?” Hudsonus ask, with a serious tone. “I-I…” Al was too fearful and nervous to answer the question. “Take a drink, and take your time. I apologize for earlier. I didn’t mean to go that far with the test.”

Al took a sip of the drink, and coughed. It was an alcoholic drink, something that he was not used to. He then put the cup down on the desk, and tried to answer again. “I just learned the skill earlier today when I went to pray at the Temple of the Divines, sir.” Hudsonus had his hands clasped together in front of his face and his eyes focus intently at Al as if trying to determine if he was telling the truth. “If I may, can I ask you to tell me who you pray to?” Al hesitated, unsure if he should tell Hudsonus about Death. Although not banned, none prays to Death for he is said to claim your soul at the end of your life and sentence you to servitude for eternity. He is also the only Divine to be worshiped by demons.

“I… I worship Death, sir.” Hudsonus showed a dead serious look. He lowers his hands and leaned back as if to ponder what to do about this. He grabs his cup, and chugged his drink down. “I will not stop you from worshiping who you wish. But I will say that worshiping him is a terrible choice. May I ask why you worship him out of all the Divines?” Al stayed quiet for awhile. “About ten years ago, my village was attacked. Houses were burning, fields destroyed, everyone running and screaming as they got cut down from bandits. The village had request aid from the kingdom’s army months before the attack, but no one came. As I was outside in the fields as a child, watching my friends and family get slaughter like animals, I did the only thing I could. I prayed to the Divines for aid. There was no answer. I prayed and prayed no answers. When I had given up hope, and was ready to accept my cruel fate. I heard it.”

“Swear yourself to me. And I will give you the power to survive this fate.”

“I didn’t hesitate. I wanted to survive. I wanted to help whoever else was still alive. I didn’t even question who or what it was. I was merely a child who needed help with no other choice but his. So I swore myself to him. I swore myself to serve him forever should he allowed me to survive this as bandits approached me. Next I know, shadows rosed up and surrounded me and my mind faded away. After that I awoke to see myself standing, with a short sword I do not recognized, dead bandits everywhere, and my childhood friend crying near me.” Al stopped. He waited to see what Hudsonus response was. But he too was quiet, lost in thought, listening and thinking hard about what Al had just told him. “May I ask what your true class is? Death is not someone who can grant Mystic skills. He can grant similar and a few basic ones but not them all. Nor can a Mystic learn Aura skills.” Hudsonus ask, in a much softer tone now, after hearing what Al had gone through and the reason he chose his current Divine. Al looked up to Hudsonus. And he mutters…

My real Class is Rune Master