Blades of Rebellion

Ryuma held his fist to his palm and bowed like the rest of them. His mind was running a mile a minute. What was somebody from the High Edict doing here? Not that this was unheard of, but it was abnormal to say the least. The only explanation for this would be somebody with close ties and high standings in the Sky lands was taking the test. He dared not look around at this time, but there was not a thought to mind who this hidden nobility was, that was in the class.

{Nuna and Talo?} No it couldn be them. They were of high standing, but not close enough to the Edict to warrant a visit. Plus, they were White Dragons. This didn make any sense.

”You may rise, ”

Like the warrior priest they trained to be, they all rose in almost exact co-ordination. The whole class was silent and waiting.

”Worry not my young order recruits. Ive only come here on a personal whim. You see, one of my guards here is getting old and withered. Its about time I find a new recruit for the last guard. Of course, itll most likely be the best amongst you. So please, just pretend as if we
e not even here, ” The man smiled.

{Who in gods hell can do that?}

What he said was the best among them would be able to join the Last guard. Everyone was pumped and primed now. Everyone, except him.

Who trains all this power, just for the chance to waste away guarding men whos never going to get attacked? A dumb question even from his point of view as everybody would be gunning for that spot. A cushy, safe job that pays well. Only a moron would really take that job as anything other than an easy retirement with a boost in social status.

”It would be an honor to join the Last Guard, ” Toga said.

Of course, there was straight forward idiots like this. The Red Dogs were the faction that embodied loyalty, justice, and protection more than anything else. Toga himself embodied every bit of what it meant to be a Red Dog; it wasn just a saying to him. It wasn any surprise hed see it as some noble and important job to be fulfilled.

With no record of any demons having come above the clouds, Toga would be nothing more than a personal prop to the High Edict that flaunts their power to the rest of the Skylands.

Regardless of his opinion, this was Togas call. He wasn going to influence the decision he wanted to make with his own life. At the end of the day, what that means is Togas score will have to surpass his. It must be extreme pressure being placed on him right now.

Ryuma looked over at Toga who was already staring back and smirking. It looked like he already came to the same conclusion he did and accepted it as a worthy challenge. Ryuma smirked himself. Some things never change, do they?

”Now the test will be divided into three parts. The first part would be spirit force. This will assess how much of your spiritual nature you currently contain. Anything above fifty and you pass. Below that, youll continue with more courses until you can raise your spirit force, ”

Fifty… This part of the exam was odd. Most residents of the Skylands would at least average around a thirty-five give or take if they had done nothing their whole lives. A fifteen-point difference from that in Ryumas opinion, was barely any effort at all. Basic exercise and meditation could close that.

And he wondered why everyone was so nervous.

”The second test will be a test of control. How well you can hide your spirit force from an examiner. There will be times where hiding from the demons will be more efficient than fighting them. This test, is to examine whether your stealth can be useful in a team, especially in dire situations, ”

That one made more sense to Ryuma. Not only was it beneficial out in the field, but it was a challenge to do. He could tell, this would be the test some would get eliminated in. Hell, hed even admit that this would be his toughest part of the exam.

”The third and final test, is the test of combat. This test can determine your placement within the Order. Whether you
e fit for the front lines, or whether you
e a collector. Also, as previously stated, if the High Edict likes you, they may even recruit you as a Last Guard. Also, getting the highest average in all three categories also qualifies you for being in the Last Guard, ”

Everybody looked amongst each other. It was already a mental competition as to whether they even had a chance at it. The one they really set their eyes on was him. Ryuma ignored the stares and the whispers of envy. He didn even want the spot. This wasn good by any measure. He wanted to be good enough to be able to skip being a collector for who knows how many years, but not be so good that hed be forever stuck up here protecting the High Edict.

He cupped his chin. What was the best way out of this situation?

”Now that everybody has been informed on what the test are, without any further delay, well begin the first test right now with the soul scale, ”

A massive diamond was carted over into the middle of the arena. They started hooking machines up do it.

”No need to be nervous. All you need do is place your hands on this stone, and the machine will tell us the rest. You may step up whenever, ”

”Hah! I don see any point in dragging this out. Guess Ill get this over with now, ” Binzo said stretching his arms.

He went up to the stone and placed his hands on it. It started giving off a glow before a number popped up on the scale.

”Eighty-Nine! ” The recorder wrote down the number next to his name.

”You see that? Thats the marker to have to beat. Lets see how many of you that can best me, ” Binzo said.

”Sure… why not? ” Clara said. Her half-lidded eyelids and casual display of disinterest put him in an embarrassing spot.

She placed her hands on the stone, lighting it up for a second time. A number displayed itself on the screen again.

”Ninety-One! ” It was recorded next to her name again.

She turned around, smirking at Binzo. ”Would you look at that. Guess my number is the new number to beat now is it, ”

Binzo stared with disbelief. Even Ryuma didn expect someone with a personality like hers would score that high. Never judge a person by the attitude they carry.

”Common misconception that the leader of the group would be the highest, ” Toga said.

Wen stepped forward with heavy steps. ”Are we going to just let these Red Dogs go before any of us dare to, ” He forced his way forward and put his hand on the stone.

”Ninety-Seven! ”

Everybody started whispering amongst each other.

Toga whistled. ”That was actually pretty high. He almost broke a hundred, ”

While everybody was impressed, Wen was the only one who sucked his teeth.

”Well, he doesn look so happy about it, ” Ryuma said.

”Of course he doesn . He was probably hoping he was the one, ” Toga said.

”The one? The one what? ” Ryuma asked.

”Haven you heard? Theres never been a recorded history where any potential Shining Spirit got below a one-o-five, ” Toga said.

”So you mean to tell me his dream got dashed? ” Nuna asked.

”Why anyone would rely on that as a measuring stick is absurd, ” Talo said.

He wouldn have said it like that, but Talo did have a point. It didn matter whether you were a Shining Spirit. Hard work is the only method of achieving said goal.

”I don know why the surprise. Its a common knowledge that theres never been a Shining Spirit amongst the White Dragons. Your delusions of grandeur is almost laughable, ” Diaga taunted, walking up to the crystal.

He touched it until it shined bright. Everybody looked at his curiously. It was commonly known that his great uncle was the last Shining Spirit for the Red Dogs before he passed.

”Ninety-Seven! ”

An impressively high number, but the fact that he tied with Wen was nothing more than ridicule if anything. He went back scowling.

”Whats the matter Diaga? Its common knowledge that Lineage isn a factor in being a Shining Spirit. Your delusions of grandeur are even more so laughable, ” Wen taunted.

”Ooohhh! ” Nuna tightened her fist to the point it shook and closed her eyes tight. She rushed up to the crystal and put her hands on it.

”Eighty-Nine! ”

She came back smiling. ”Sorry about that. I was just so nervous, I had to force myself to do it, ”

”Well, you weren half bad. You matched Binzo, ” Ryuma assured.

”Ninety-Three! ”

Talo took his hand off the crystal and walked back. Ryuma didn even know he left to go touch it.

”Eighty-Seven! ” This time it was Krill

”Sixty-Nine! ” That number got a chuckle from the rest of the students.

”Seventy-four! ”

”Sixty-Seven! ”

”Seventy-One! ”

At this point, it was all the people that were average that was left going up. ”Welp, I think Im going in now! ” Toga said.

”What a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing, ” Ryuma said.

Toga went up to the crystal and put his hand on it. The crystal glowed bright. Brighter than previous users.

The examiner looked at the scale with widened eyes. He was all but frozen in place. ”One-Nineteen! ”

Everybodys mouth was ajar. Even Ryuma was shocked to see a number like that did that mean he was a Shining Spirit? ” People started gossiping already.

”Calm down everyone. There are plenty of cases where normal Spirit warriors can break out these numbers. It just takes dedication and practice, ”

Whatever the case was, Ryuma was glad Toga was there to absorb a lot of that focus. Now everyone would stop looking at him as the only one to beat.

The recorder got done jotting his number down before looking back at the scale. ”Ok young man, now its your turn. Go on and touch the stone, ”

He was talking to him. Ryuma nodded his head and walked over to the stone, shining in all its splendor. He put his hand on it and let it read his soul force.

The recorder looked at the number. A number that was in Ryumas blind spot. They awkwardly shifted gazes at each other. This unnerved him quite a bit. What was going on between the instructors that held them up? After enough speaking with their eyes, the recorder finally jotted down a number, but hesitated in calling it out.

Ultimately, he decided to do so. ”TWENTY-FOUR! ”

Ryumas heart sank in disbelief. Surely that couldn be the number displayed. Did he hear that right? Indeed, looking at the number it had the exact same as the one called out by the recorder.

”Holy crap, Im screwed, ”