Chapter 90: A Test of Strength

  The sun had barely begun its ascent when the beastfolk elders summoned Marcus and Arixa to the proving grounds. The air was crisp with morning chill, though it would soon be burned away by the trials ahead.

  The proving ground was unlike anything Marcus had seen before. A massive natural stone basin, its walls smooth and worn from generations of combat. Around its perimeter stood towering monolithic totems, each carved with the likeness of past warriors—some beastfolk, others not. Their names and deeds were etched into the stone, eternal witnesses to the battles yet to come.

  At the center of it all stood Chief Garrun, the massive minotaur whose presence commanded instant respect. Beside him was the Elder Seer, a cloaked, wizened figure with piercing golden eyes that seemed to see past flesh and into the soul itself.

  The rest of the tribe gathered along the rim of the basin. Thalron stood with arms crossed, calculating, watching. Vira smirked, clearly enjoying the spectacle, though there was an edge of genuine curiosity in her gaze. Younger beastfolk, some barely old enough to hold a spear, whispered excitedly, eager to see outsiders test themselves against the ways of their people.

  Marcus took a slow breath, sensing the Ki in the air. This place was alive with it, as though the energy of past battles had soaked into the very stone. He clenched his fists. This wasn’t just a fight—it was a rite of passage.

  The Elder Seer stepped forward, her voice like distant thunder.

  "The Trial of Strength is not mere combat. It is a measure of spirit, of will, and of endurance. Power alone is fleeting, but true strength endures beyond pain, beyond hardship."

  She gestured to the three sections of the arena.

  "Three trials await you. Only by completing them will you be judged worthy of your past."

  Arixa squared her shoulders. "Tell me what needs breaking."

  The warriors around the basin chuckled at her confidence, some approving, others skeptical.

  The Seer’s gaze sharpened. "We shall see."

  The first trial was a brutal endurance test.

  Arixa and Marcus were led to the starting line—a path littered with obstacles designed to break even the most seasoned warriors. Ahead of them lay mud pits, jagged rock climbs, and thick brambles meant to shred unarmored flesh. Heavy wooden logs swung like pendulums, and spears of stone jutted from the ground in uneven patterns.

  The Seer raised her hand. "Begin."

  Arixa took off like a storm, barreling through the first obstacle without hesitation. Marcus followed, his movements more calculated, adjusting his footwork rather than plowing through as she did.

  The first major challenge was a deep mud trench, meant to sap their strength early. Arixa grabbed Marcus’ arm and hauled him forward, using her superior weight to counter the mud’s resistance.

  "Try to keep up," she teased, smirking.

  They pressed on. A jagged rock wall loomed next, and here Marcus took the lead. Where Arixa’s brute force made climbing difficult, Marcus’ Spacial Footwork allowed him to find grips faster, moving with a grace she lacked.

  Reaching the top, Marcus extended a hand. Arixa hesitated, then accepted.

  They weren’t just being tested individually. They were being judged as a unit.

  The final stretch was the hardest—a series of swinging boulders that required both timing and raw strength to push through. Arixa bulldozed through the first, taking the impact head-on. Marcus, meanwhile, ducked and weaved, dodging past them with precision.

  By the time they crossed the finish line, Arixa was barely winded—a testament to her raw endurance. Marcus, though breathing hard, was holding up better than expected.

  A murmur rippled through the beastfolk. The outsiders had passed the first test.

  At the center of the basin sat a boulder nearly twice their size, smooth but dense as iron.

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  "The Stone’s Burden," Chief Garrun rumbled. "It represents the weight of history. Of responsibility. You must carry it together to the other end of the arena."

  Marcus frowned. "That’s it?"

  The Chief smiled. "You may not drop it. And you will be attacked."

  The warriors watching grinned.

  Marcus and Arixa exchanged a glance.

  Arixa cracked her knuckles. "Let’s move."

  Together, they heaved the stone off the ground, muscles screaming under the sheer weight.

  Then—the attacks began.

  Beastfolk warriors rushed in, striking at them with dulled weapons, aiming to knock them off balance. Marcus had to fight while holding the stone, making use of quick counters and evasion rather than trading blows.

  Arixa, meanwhile, bulldozed forward, tanking hits with Ki-reinforced muscles, refusing to yield.

  That’s when Marcus felt it.

  Arixa’s Ki was… different. Not just powerful, but raw, untamed—like something ancient, something primal.

  "Not the time for thinking," he grunted, shifting his grip.

  With one final push, they slammed the boulder into the ritual circle.

  The watching beastfolk stomped their feet in approval.

  The crowd of beastfolk warriors stomped their feet, shaking the stone basin with their rhythmic approval. The anticipation in the air was thick, charged with the weight of tradition and challenge. Arixa wiped sweat from her brow, her muscles still burning from the previous trials. But she was far from done.

  Across from her, Salvo, the panther beastfolk warrior, cracked his neck, a confident smirk on his face. His sleek frame belied a monstrous speed, his claws sharpened for combat. He carried no weapon—he didn’t need one.

  Marcus, bound by ritual chains, stood on the sidelines. His jaw tightened as he watched Salvo drop into a loose, bouncing stance, tail flicking behind him. Marcus had fought fast opponents before, but Salvo… Salvo moved like a ghost.

  The Elder Seer raised her hand.

  "Begin."

  Salvo vanished.

  Arixa's eyes widened as he blurred forward, his clawed foot slamming into her ribs before she could fully react. The impact sent her stumbling sideways, but she recovered fast, swinging her warhammer with a two-handed grip.

  WHAM!

  The ground cracked where the hammer landed—but Salvo was already gone.

  Arixa gritted her teeth. “Damn—”

  A flash of movement.

  Salvo was suddenly at her left flank, his claws darting out in a sharp strike at her exposed ribs. Arixa barely twisted in time, catching the attack on her forearm guard, but the force of it still rattled her bones.

  She retaliated, sweeping low with the haft of her warhammer, trying to force him to back off. He jumped clean over it, flipping mid-air and landing behind her.

  Arixa spun just in time to see his claws coming.

  Marcus’ voice cut through the chaos.

  "Stop chasing him! Use your footwork!"

  Arixa snarled but listened, shifting her stance. She planted her feet, letting her weight settle low instead of lunging wildly at her opponent. She let Salvo come to her.

  And he did.

  Salvo feinted right, then dashed left at inhuman speed, going for her exposed ribs again.

  But this time, Arixa was ready.

  She twisted, absorbing the momentum, and threw her full strength into a sideways strike.

  Salvo barely managed to twist mid-air, but the hammer’s shockwave still clipped him, forcing him to roll away instead of capitalizing on the attack.

  He crouched, golden eyes sharp with newfound respect. "Better."

  Arixa exhaled sharply, her arms burning from exertion. He was fast. Too fast. She was landing near-hits, but she needed to catch him fully.

  She needed to make the next hit count.

  "Arixa!" Marcus shouted again. "Your Ki!

  She barely spared him a glance. “What about it?”

  Marcus' eyes flickered with realization. "Your run-off Ki. You’re generating more than you’re using—feed it into your hammer!"

  Arixa hesitated for half a second.

  Run-off Ki? It was true—her body always burned excess Ki, radiating it instead of efficiently cycling it. It had been a flaw in her reinforcement for years. A waste of energy.

  But Marcus… Marcus saw it as something else.

  A resource.

  Arixa clenched her teeth. If Marcus thought it was possible, she’d damn well try it.

  She closed her eyes for half a breath, shifting her Ki flow.

  Instead of just letting it bleed off her muscles, she redirected it—flowing it into her warhammer.

  Immediately, the weapon hummed, the runes along its haft flaring to life.

  Salvo tensed. He felt the shift.

  Arixa grinned. “Alright, kitty. Let’s see how fast you are now.”

  She charged.

  Salvo darted sideways, but this time, she didn’t just swing—she predicted.

  Arixa’s warhammer moved faster than before, its Ki-infused weight dragging space with it.

  Salvo barely dodged the first swing—but she pivoted mid-motion, using her own Ki as a counterbalance.

  And this time, she caught him.

  The hammer’s head smashed into his ribs, sending him flying backward.

  BOOM!

  A crater formed where he landed, dust and stone flying into the air.

  Silence.

  Arixa breathed hard, rolling her shoulders. “Yeah. That felt good.”

  She started toward Salvo, ready to finish the fight—

  But he raised a hand, coughing. "Enough."

  Arixa hesitated.

  Salvo grinned, despite the blood on his lips. “You’ve passed.”

  The Aftermath

  The crowd stomped their feet, some cheering, others still murmuring in surprise. The Elder Seer stepped forward, nodding.

  "Strength is not simply power. It is the will to endure, the wisdom to know when to fight, and the heart to stand unbroken."

  Arixa exhaled, exhaustion settling into her bones. She had passed.

  But her mind was elsewhere.

  She turned, eyes sharp. "Marcus."

  Marcus blinked, still rolling his shoulders. “What?”

  She strode toward him, stopping just short. "How did you know about Ki run-off?"

  Marcus barely hesitated. "I’ve been watching you use it since we met. Figured there had to be a way to use the waste energy. It just made sense."

  Arixa squinted at him, unconvinced. "You shouldn’t know that. You’re a Mana-user."

  Marcus shrugged. "I’ve been learning from you."

  Arixa frowned. It wasn’t a lie—but something about it felt… off.

  She studied him a moment longer before sighing and shaking her head.

  "Fine. Whatever."

  Then, to Marcus' surprise, she grinned.

  "Good call. That made the difference."

  Marcus grinned back. “Glad to help.”

  Vira, watching from the sidelines, rolled her eyes. "Would you two quit making warrior-eyes at each other?"

  Thalron smirked. "It is rather entertaining."

  Arixa groaned, but the exhaustion in her limbs felt lighter now.

  The first trial was complete.

  But she had a feeling—the hardest part was still to come.