Torva could hear the pace of his heart increase as each trial was described, the thunderous boom echoing in his head as he came to regret more and more his decision to speak up. They had fought side-by-side before, and the risk of death was ever present, but this somehow felt more... visceral. Perhaps it was knowing she would have to push beyond her limits, or perhaps it was the faint pulsing of Arach in the center of the room, almost taunting Hagumi to draw its power out.
“Torva has seen this once, long ago” Hagumi said, drawing Torva's gaze to hers just as his fur began to stand on end. He stood there, enduring the cold as freezing winds picked up, tearing through the small chamber as if searching for a way out. Frost formed along the tips of his fur as the mages in the chamber all cast protective barriers. The guards, too, began placing shells around each of the observers in the room. When it was his turn, Torva simply waved the guard off who, confused, simply moved on, not particularly concerned if a crazy daeva had a death wish. It was not that he felt he could endure the blizzard, far from it. He had seen it freeze men in their tracks. Rather, it was his unwavering faith in Hagumi. The knowledge that, even in a blizzard, he could trust her. Her magic would protect him from the worst of it. He just knew it.
The room was white, visibility no more than a few inches beyond one's face. To most, the roaring winds of the blizzard drowned out all sounds, and yet deep in this blinding chaos Torva remained, ears alert and eyes starting right where Hagumi was, as if gazing through the storm itself. He could hear every tiny whimper as she struggled, smell the faint change in her scent as the ice began to coat her very body. His every senses were attuned to her. It was not until the snow began to fade that he allowed himself to relax. Her breath, however sharp, remained constant; her heart steady. The weight of a race sat on her shoulders, and it had driven her resolve to surpass their limits.
The frost on his body quickly melted as the final and most dangerous trial began. Arach burst into life and Hagumi drew out its power. A great red dragon, made entirely of fire, burst from the blade, lingering like a genie over the ice mage. It's great claws reached forward, as if to draw out Hagumi's life energy. It hesitated, recoiling slightly just shy of touching her before swirling back into the blade and vanishing.
Although the party would never know, Ardal gave the slightest of glances towards Neon during the final trial. As Arach had begun to consume Hagumi, the queen's eyes had turned a pitched black, and she gave the faintest of shakes towards the flame dragon, as if to tell it “no, this one is not yours.” Neon was hardly aware of it herself, as was her intense focus on the trials, if not for Hagumi, than for the vote they knew she would cast. She felt ashamed, knowing her vote weighed just as heavily in her mind as Hagumi's life, but this was bigger than all of them, and she hoped the others would feel the same way if the situation was reversed.
Before Hagumi had even hit the floor, Torva was at her side monitoring her vitals. Neon, meanwhile, had not moved, her eyes locked now with Justica. She had no love for the council, nor for tradition. What Neon believed in was results. “Has she passed?” she asked bluntly.
“It will take some consideration before we can fully determine...” Justica began to say, somewhat humbled at the unexpected show of talent. Hagumi was certainly not the most powerful mage she had ever seen, not by a long shot, but for her age she was clearly far above the average, and her determination was among the best. The councilwoman had not expected one among the ragtag group to be so... qualified.
“Yes or no.” Neon belted, surprising even the guard.
Justica's almost trademark snark was nowhere to be found. She had, for the moment, rediscovered what it really meant to stand on the council. “If she survives, she has passed.”
As if responding the the news, the doors swung open and a madman entered the chambers, shouting at the top of his lungs about “master” this and “idiocy” that. It was enough to bring the somber nature of the trials come crashing down. Startled, Neon turned to see who was crazy enough to just come crashing into the chambers. Even more confusing, the guards at first did nothing to stop him. Clearly whoever he was, the council guards were familiar with his presence. It wasn't until they noticed he was inebriated that they moved to restrict him, even then moving with the presence of one taking pity on an old friend. Fergus crashed back out of the chamber and into the hall, nearly tripping into Chii, Cadogan, and Morian as they sat waiting.
Fuming, Neon stormed after him, leaving the council to resolve their matters for the day. No vote would be finalized until Hagumi had recovered, but it was obvious that the winds had turned. There would still be war, no doubt about it, but at least it would be against humans, and humans alone. Catching up to the drunken vagrant, Neon spun him around and grabbed him by the collar. “I don't care who you are. I don't care that Vates was your master. What I DO care about is that you nearly interrupted my friend at the most crucial moment of her trials when her life was most at risk!” She shouted, shaking him slightly in an attempt to get his glazed over eyes to focus. “If we hadn't just prevented the seraphim from going to war, I'd probably rip your arms off right now!”
“...but you caught me in a good mood.” Neon added, lowering her voice significantly. Hoping that the severity of his actions had penetrated however slightly the rage fueled brain of the man before her, she finally released her grip on his clothing. “Chii, Hagumi needs you right now.” Neon said, not breaking her gaze on Fergus. “Whoever killed your master, they had a very good reason for doing so. I happen to have a very good reason for needing to slowly melt his fingers off until he tells me who he works for.”
Neon reached back into a pouch, and pulled out a fresh bottle of strong-smelling booze. She placed it into Fergus' hands, clasping them together. “Tell me everything you know.”
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Torva took no notice of the scene that unfolded as the doors swung wide and Fergus charged in. Sunlight poured into the room, illuminating Hagumi's body held gently in Torva's arms. Her pulse was faint, and the daeva dare not move her for fear of further injury. Her wings were frostbitten in some places, singed in others, and her sweat-drenched body looked surprisingly gaunt and frail. It was not until medics arrived on the scene that he dare move.
As they carried her off, Torva simply sat there, trying to remember the weight in his arms; lock into his mind the smell of her hair. Hagumi has passed the test. She was now a member of the council.
And the council never leaves.
Blazion