The three vessels closed in on them, two of them oversized boats, very similar yet different to the one Xenon rode in. While the one Xenon rode in was a colossal boat of simple design, built entirely with strong, sturdy wood; the one to their left looked like a sunk battleship that was savaged and repaired.
It was hard to tell if it was originally built from wood or metal as they were conjoined unethical way that made up the whole vessel.
While the one to their right was definitely crafted purely for its appearance, it was made of wood alright, but whoever built it did something to it that made it seem like you were gazing at a legendary vessel created not for the use of man but to be worshipped by man and...that made it hard to look away.
The third vessel looked a proper ship, though it was not as humongous as the colossal boats, it's height made it possible for the people on the deck to see into the boats without much effort.
One look at the ship and everyone could very well guess where it's from; the island of the royals, Vasileia. The ship had a proper deck and though there was a wheel at the stern used for steering –unlike the boats that are steered by the captain's thoughts– it was clear that it also ran on the engineering of runes like that of the boats. It was built with a graceful and seamless use of both wooden and metal materials, it's frame, internals, body and deck was built with the best materials available and it was obvious. The four vessels closed in on each other and continued forwards the sun went to rest.
"Rogers! I see you have more passengers this year, but they're still no match for my horde". A man sporting messy black hair with more than half of it already grey and a surprisingly well kempt beard, visibly the captain of the mutilated boat shouted over, his boat teeming with teenagers.
"And as I say every year, Thorfin, my boat is not meant for transporting teenagers across continents, I am simply providing services to the Prasedymum house who employed me to do this once every year since they don't like having you around their island". Captain Rogers replied calmly.
"Would you guys stop making a ruckus! Your spittle might by chance stain my boat and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't like that!"
"Good morning to you too Tony". Captain Rogers replied
Captain Thorfin scoffed "Boat lover. I bet he goes down on that boat when no one's looking".
"Who would do such a shameful thing to a grand vessel... well I can't blame you for having such thought when you're riding a mutilated monstrosity. That junk doesn't worth being called a boat anymore". Captain Tony, the one who is in charge of the elegant boat retorted his short blonde hair fluttering in the wind and his smooth face cast a pitying gaze at Thorfin's boat, his smooth chin raised slightly in a semblance of elegance.
"Don't you dare talk to Betty that way. These scars are proof of victory". Thorfin's face contorted in anger.
Tony scoffed and was about to reply before Rogers stepped in
"Okay, that's enough guys, if you don't stop this it's me and my passengers who will be covered in spit".
The journey continued rather peacefully from there on they shifted between moving at breakneck and normal speeds and rode till sunrise.
A shore came into view in the distance once the sun rose and at some point another boat appeared, approaching the shore from the opposite side. Eventually all five vessels –4 boats and 1 ship– arrived at the pier built on the shore and docked their ship.
"Everyone, Welcome, to Ruach!" Captain Rogers announced, but before anyone could ask any questions or do anything he pointed to the large building not far from the shore and put them on a narrow path that couldn't accommodate more than three persons walking side by side which led directly to the building, there was some kind of barrier around the path making it impossible to stray from it.
'Xenon! There is a very strong spirit here that's suppressing my influence. I will not be able to do anything in here'. Kusin informed Xenon.
'Well, fair enough, I kinda expected it, they wouldn't want a spirit aiding the aspirants would they. Seems like I won't be using my system in this place either, who knows if the spirit can tamper with it too, better to be safe'. He walked along the narrow path, trying to weave through the teenagers to get further faster without colliding with anyone.
Eventually the path led to a large clearing situated right at the entrance of a quite large amphitheatre.
'Wow, this is... very large'. Xenon said to himself. 'It looks like the Colosseum from earth's history, just way smaller. I wonder how many of us are participating in this examination today'.
There were six people at the entrance, from their looks they shouldn't have just scratched the surface of adulthood.
Of the six people, four of which were men stood 2 each at either side of the entrance while 2 ladies in one wooden booth each collected the information of everyone approaching the building from the two queues which had formed on the clearing from the crowd. The queue moved quickly and in a few minutes it was Xenon's turn.
The lady attending to the queue he was in looked up from the ledger in which she scribbled the name of each participant that passed through her and gave him a faked warm smile.
"Your name? full name". She demanded.
"Xenon Prasedymum". He replied.
She looked at him with an amused expression one of her eyebrows raised before she turned back to the ledger and scribbled his name.
"Age?". She continued.
"15". He answered
"Ousia stage?"
"Transitional 2nd"
"You hail from where?"
"Where all Prasedymum descendants come from, Wartorn Island"
"Ok, step right in, goodluck". She pointed at an archway that divided her part of the booth from the other lady. Xenon passed through and walked into the amphitheater.
'Oh, I'm gonna need all the luck I can get'. He muttered as he was greeted by the sight inside the amphitheatre.