The spirit marched out. A slim, tall humanoid creature of thickly black hide that seemed to move like nano particles in a nonstop frenzy across its body. It had jagged, sharp bones for limbs and two white dots in place of eyes. It struggled with the chains, trying to get at the many people it was looking at.
Spirits were classified into four sections. Each having a particular set of features that made it fall into that classification.
The first and most seen ones are Shades, spirits that are more like ghosts (e.g, ghostling.) or phantoms, usually have smoky bodies. Spirits like these are the commons and are usually between Tier-5 to Tier-4 in power.
Second on the list are Grimkins, spirits that took on animal-like forms (e.g, Vex-hound.) or humanoids possessing bone-like weapons (e.g, Black-Scourger) or lastly had more than two legs. They are quite disastrous and are nearly as rampant as Shades. Usually between Tier-4 to Tier-2.
Third are the Maleficars, spirits that are either completely grotesque creatures beyond understanding or have human-like appearances. Their intellectual capacities are no joke and they are often territorial, farming power off of trapped people. These are major threats to the world and are unarguable Tier-1 threats, though a few roughly fall to Tier-2.
And then the Arcanids, spirits that are new, out of class and are complete anomalies to the spirit order. They are rare but not myths and are certified Tier-1 upper disasters. Some believe there may be Arcanids that surpass Tier-1 even if by a little.
The spirit that just stepped into the arena was a Grimkin and a very violent one at that, making Riku's blood run cold. He could hear the whispers spreading between aspirants. This was not supposed to be the spirit to be used.
The Ascendancy were not supposed to use any highly aggressive spirits above Tier-4 mid for the trials and it was written in the parchments handed to clarify. Why the sudden change?
The aspirants threw looks the way of the six pillars but no one seemed bothered at all, like it was something normal. Most didn't have the courage to speak up, while the minority, mostly Tier-3s didn't care as the were already confident in their powers.
The clerk started to call the names as usual, also unbothered.
The boy who went up first in the last stage stepped into the arena, his skin already changing color as he started to use his powers.
Immediately the chains were withdrawn, the spirit lunged after him. He met it head-on, clapping his hands together, sending a wave that pushed it back. He saw this as an opportunity, but to his surprise it recovered almost instantly, slashing across his hardened chest and sending him to the ground.
His body strengthening was useless as he layed there unable to get up, blood starting to spray out. The chains reappeared and held the spirit as two Ascendancy personnels rushed in and took him out for healing.
Seeing the look on faces of other Tier-4s, Riku stood there frozen by his own fear. What exactly was he supposed to do against this thing?
The next set of aspirants that went in either gave up or got badly injured and then there was the minority of Tier-3s and Tier-4 uppers that managed to last the complete four minutes, passing the stage.
Lorna went in, her confidence never once waning. She was the only one to deal a heavy damage on it by yanking out its hand from its body with her telekinesis. She made beating the thing look easy and eventually, her time was up before she would end up killing it.
It grew back the fallen limb and the tests continued. About 50-60% of aspirants that passed the first test lost this one badly and there was no doubt that Riku was only going to add to the tally.
Just like last time, he was the last name to be called. He stepped into the arena, his legs feeling wobbly as if they would give out any moment now.
His breath caught in his throat the very moment the chains disappeared. He managed to raise his hand, creating an illusory wall, but it just stepped right through it. At that moment, he realized spirit intelligence differed with their Tiers as well.
He stood there, willing his body to move but it refused to answer his commands, causing him to eventually receive a stomp to the side, sending him into a wall.
Riku coughed out blood, falling to the ground. The instant he raised his head, he could see the spirit towering over him ready to strike.
"Somebody do something, he's going to lose after all! Why let it get this far?!" Someone shouted from the ones who successfully passed. Lorna.
Just then, Master Kalen stood up, "Stop!"
The chains appeared and grabbed the spirit just before it could complete its attack, drawing it back.
Master Kalen shook his head. "Not Ascendancy material. Fail!"
"What do you mean by that? You knew too well but did this after all." Lorna muttered under her breath, glaring at the six pillars. She knew deep down that this was all intentional, but what did she have to stand against the mighty Ascendancy?
Riku stood up, the only sound he could hear being that of his heart pounding wildly. It suddenly started to clear and he could make out what the pillars were saying about him.
"Pathetic. How did he even get in?" Lord Valerius said.
"I think you should direct that to Kalen," Lady Ironwood chuckled, clearly enjoying the fact that Riku was eliminated.
"He lacks everything," General Torvin grunted.
Riku was utterly dejected and frustrated, walking out of the arena with his head low. 'I failed, okay fine. Why are you all shit heads rubbing salt on the open wound. Tch. Fuck everything in this shitty world!'
He was walking towards the exit when a hand landed in his wall startling him. It was Lorna, with a concerned look on her face. "Hello, uhh… Riku, yes. I think you should go check yourself at the infirmary. Are you okay?"
Riku barely turned to her, pushing her hand of his shoulder. "Thanks. Go back, before you get mocked for speaking with a useless person."
"You're not useless—"
"Then what am I?!" Riku snapped in a levelled tone, just enough to be heard by both of them alone. "Enjoy your stay at the tower. I'm going back to where I came from." With that, he left the hall.
"Why's he acting like that? I only wanted to help," Lorna frowned, a bit annoyed but still couldn't hide her concern. She shook her head, deciding to walk back to her group.
Riku felt a pang of guilt, but it had already happened, right? His frustration got in the way and he couldn't help it. He held his ribs, feeling a strong pain there from the spirit's attack. He must have broken a rib or two.
He walked to the infirmary and could see a bunch of the injured aspirants groaning in pain while some of the healers chatted or were glaring at the patients that groaned too much, another one telling the patients he wasn't on duty today.
A few just hovered their hands over the injuries and removed it, moving to the next person without bothering to check if the latter was healed right.
This was wrong. It was all wrong. Riku was staring when one of the healers walked up to him. "Go inside, find a bed and wait for your turn."
On second thought, he could actually still walk, right? It would be best he left before he would get his case worsened, he thought. "Oh, no. I just came to check on a friend. Seems like they left already," Riku said with a forced laugh.
Then he left, heading for the gates. This was nothing like what he read about. Weren't the Ascendancy sentries? Guardians of humans? Why exactly would they treat humans in such manner? Did everything go with a hierarchy here? If it did, then it was all bullshit.
While on his way to the gates, Riku heard a familiar voice. He turned to his right and saw a door slightly opened. The voice was clearer now and it belonged to Master Kalen.
"...handled. He's out now. No further complications. We couldn't complete it here though,"
It was Master Kaelen. The tone was cold and utterly devoid of the kind curiosity he'd shown before.
Driven by a growing unease, Riku slowed, peering back toward the door. As if feeling the weight of his gaze, Kalen turned. Their eyes met through the opening.
The kind scholar was gone. In his place was a man whose face contorted with a sudden glare that made it looked like it was down for something deeply personal, as if Riku had badly offended him for years. It lasted only a second. Then, without a word, Kaelen slammed the heavy door shut.
That was him they were talking about, right? The look on Master Kalen's face when he passed the first test… it had to be him. "He's out now."
The words echoed inside his head. He was Riku. But 'handled'? 'Complications'? The pieces refused to fit.
The friendly act, the last-minute rescue at the gate… had it all been a performance? But for what? To get him inside just to fail him? None of it added up.
Something was wrong.