The Versati were worshipped as Gods. Noone dared to challenge their rule exept for one race, the Ismarels. Unable to control them, the Gods cursed them making it impossible to use any form of violence. Centuries later the descendants of the great wa...
Seeing the result, Talin was startled and contemplated for a while. The tank was filled with trash and only a small amount of water was visible but after a while he nodded confirming the result. Technically they passed. He guided them to a house further inside the camp where they met with the first two groups. The third group was nowhere to be seen.
"So, how did you do it?" The bulky kid approached, glad to see them. He burst into laughter after Leo described the solution they came up with.
"Well, that was smarter than ours. I got mad on the second day and convinced the rest to throw the tank in the water" the bulky kid said and laughed even harder with their shocked expressions.
*
"Congratulations on reaching rank 3B. You will soon receive the number you will use to identify yourself until you finish the training. Afterwards you may use your own names if you wish" Talin explained "The next part will not be as fast as the previous two, so take your time to rest and fill your stomachs. You won't have to worry about food for the next sections. In the previous two exercises we tested your willpower and ability to cooperate as a group. You also got a taste of how scarce the supplies could be during a campaign and how necessary it is to keep moving forward despite your exhaustion and hunger. The next part, though, will be about physical capabilities and growth. If you don't manage to surpass the standards, you will have to wait for over a year before you get to rejoin the training, make sure to try your best to not fall behind. For those who give up or fail, a much harsher life awaits. Either as servants, slaves or common foot soldiers without the chance to improve before having to risk your lives."
*
Two older children a boy and a girl around the age of 15 walked in the cabin carrying a heavy looking box and a few white slates that looked like marble. The box had the number 'nine' carved on its lid and inside were five cases with nine medallions each. Numbers were written on the medallions in random order from single digits to three digit ones.
"Pick a medallion, the numbers don't really matter, drop some blood on its surface and on the plaque where your number is written" the guy who was carrying the box explained nonchalantly and left a thin dagger next to the box.
The bulky kid took a step forward and grabbed the knife confidently placing it on his palm.
"A finger man, do you want to destroy your hand?" The guy rushed to explain before the bulky kid slashed his hand.
The bulky kid chuckled awkwardly and touched the tip of the dagger with his finger. Immediately a scarlet drop was formed. He smeared it on a medallion with the number 24 and then stood in front of the plaques to look for his number. A minute past, then another and then a few more.
"What's taking so long?" The girl with the plaque complained.
"I can't find it" the bulky kid said in deep contemplation.
"Which number did you pick?"
"Don't know, looked like this" the bulky kid said and shook his hands in the air trying to imitate the number.
"Just say that you don't know how to read numbers, for fucks sake. Hey, Seventyone, what did this idiot pick?" She asked the one next to the box and after receiving the answer, she knocked the correct number twice with her nail.
The bulky kids laughed and touched the number pressing on purpose downwards making the girl holding them adjust her posture so she wouldn't drop them. She grimaced but didn't say anything. Immediately after, the bulky kid grabbed his wrist and yelled since he felt like he was being stung by hundreds of bees. Slowly the number 24 started appearing on his palm in black, and meanwhile the same number on the slate and the medallion started shining.
"Are you done Sixtyfour?" Seventyone asked the girl "Next"
"Hey man, why are some medallions darker?" Leo asked in a friendly manner before picking his number.
"The medallions that change owners during the training period are reused. The more often a medallion changes hands the darker it becomes" Seventy-one answered nonchalantly.
"And how often do they change hands?"
"These are bound, the number continues to shine as long as the owner's alive. Only when the recruit dies they pass it on to the next person. If you finish the training alive they will make a new one and you get to keep yours"
Absolute silence followed his words. A lot of the medallions were much darker than the original, shining gold colour. Leo picked one of the cleaner medallions with the number 6.
"For good luck" he said trying to lighten the mood.
When the boy's turn came there was only one medallion left in the current case. The number 13 on it was almost black.
*
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