Aramora

Chapter 28: Trial of Courage

Beautiful artwork made by Randompeephere <3

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As the sun sets behind the array of mountains that hold Kilead, the group has already gathered in the Kirix Fortress with Evgenia Val'Kirix and her Court Mar, who is casting a projection on the stone wall using his Mind Magic linked to the spell he put in Lavern's mind before he and Nesosa left to where the Warrior's Test is taking place.

They see from the projection that their two absent party members have arrived at a dungeon of sorts. Some kind of old crypt that has been altered over time to have three sections, each befitting to the stages of the trials that the Warrior's Test entails.

Admittedly, they're all rather on edge about this whole test thing. But it's kinda hard to stay disheartened when they're now seeing exactly how often Lavern apparently stares at Nesosa's tits when no one is looking. It's certainly making this a bit easier to watch, as they are all now being subjected to watching Nesosa's tits. Once again, Malachi is left flustered and forcing himself to look away while everyone else watches intently.

The memory of what happened in Arkala with the whole Exer'Valan thing is still lingering in everyone's minds, making them worry about the fact that Lavern is once again in a rather dangerous position. But Nesosa is with him, and the test is focusing on her and not him, so Lavern should be fine.

They find it kind of hard to worry about Nesosa. She's always so strong in everyone's eyes that they have no doubts about her ability to get through this test unscathed.

They can't imagine how Jerair is feeling right now. As Nesosa's family, he and her brothers weren't allowed to watch as Nesosa goes through the trials. A possible layer to the test is keeping in mind that her family doesn't know if she will survive until she does. They just have to hope that she'll be alright. Though it's doubtful that Corb and Todo are all that worried.

So for now, they watch.

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The stone walls of the dank crypt have withered through the centuries, and Lavern can't help but stare at them with imminent apprehension.

"Are we sure this place is structurally stable?" he asks and has to jog to keep up with Nesosa's power walk as she speeds through this place as quickly, but also safely as possible. He also has to keep in mind that he is here to watch Nesosa, and not the walls while he ponders on the integrity of the dungeon they were tasked with running through for Nesosa's 'Warrior Test'.

Nesosa doesn't answer and keeps her eyes on the prize, which is getting the fuck out of here as soon as possible and with the fragment and their lives intact.

The walls aside, the main thought on Lavern's mind is why Nesosa chose him to come here with her for her test. It could be because he's a Cle and can avoid traps and enemies pretty easily, but he gets the feeling there might be more to it than that.

He and Nesosa have known each other for just over a year at this point, and the time wasn't exactly spent on emotionally bonding. It was spent on jobs and getting paid. He needed her help to retrieve a valuable item from a group of Latyrs on a job for the Cle'va Guild, and she was down so long as the cut was split. He may or may not have bullshit her on exactly how much was 'half', but they worked well enough together that they kept doing jobs.

But this Warrior's Test seems far more personal and not at all lucrative. It's a test that will determine what kind of person Nesosa is seen as amongst her people. He doesn't consider for a second that there might be a chance she trusts him. And honestly, he's not entirely sure if he trusts her. Not as in he's uncertain of where her priorities stand, but more of a genuine curiosity of not knowing what to make of Nesosa Val'Dernak.