Silence lingered over the enormous plaza.
Every competitor remained standing where they were.
The Elder slowly lowered his silver staff.
His ancient gaze swept across the countless young werewolves assembled before him.
Nobles.
Commoners.
Hunters.
Blacksmiths.
Scholars.
Warriors.
Children of every village and every great House.
"...The Trial of Strength..."
His calm voice echoed throughout the Sanctuary.
"...does not begin with battle."
Confused murmurs spread through the competitors.
Even Kieren raised an eyebrow.
The Elder continued.
"It begins..."
"...with understanding."
He struck the stone once.
CLACK.
The plaza trembled.
Silver runes ignited beneath everyone's feet.
One after another...
Ancient circles appeared across the enormous courtyard.
There were dozens of them.
No...
Hundreds.
Each circle glowed with soft moonlight.
"The Trial of Strength..."
"...shall take place within the Hall of Guardians."
The gigantic temple behind him suddenly rumbled.
Ancient stone doors slowly opened.
RRRRRRMMMM...
A powerful gust of cold air escaped from within.
Darkness greeted them.
Not ordinary darkness...
Ancient darkness.
The kind untouched for thousands of years.
...
The Elder slowly pointed toward the entrance.
"Inside..."
"...sleep the Guardians of Lythara."
Instantly every conversation stopped.
Even the rulers outside became serious.
Riven frowned.
"Guardians..."
Nyss whispered quietly,
"I've read about them..."
"They're living constructs created by the first priests."
Lyra looked surprised.
"They're real?"
Nyss nodded slowly.
"I thought they were only legends."
...
The Elder smiled faintly.
"They were created long before the Four Orders existed."
"They know neither noble nor commoner."
"They know neither king nor servant."
"They recognize only strength."
He slowly raised one finger.
"But understand."
"They are not your enemies."
Another finger.
"They are your mirrors."
No one understood.
The Elder made no attempt to explain further.
"You shall learn."
...
Several priests approached carrying crystal bowls.
Each bowl contained dozens of glowing silver stones.
The Elder spoke once more.
"Each challenger..."
"...will draw one Moon Stone."
"The Moon Stone shall determine your group."
"There shall be no choosing companions."
"No choosing allies."
"The Moon decides."
Immediately excitement rippled through the crowd.
Mixed groups...
Nobody could predict who they would fight beside.
...
Competitors began approaching one after another.
Kieren reached into a bowl.
A glowing symbol appeared upon his stone.
XII
He lazily tossed it into the air.
"Twelve."
"Sounds lucky."
...
Riven stepped forward.
His own stone glowed.
VII
Nyss reached into another bowl.
Her stone shone brightly.
She smiled.
"Seven."
Riven blinked.
"We're together."
Nyss laughed softly.
"The Moon decided."
...
Zoldick looked at his.
"Seven!"
He grinned.
"Looks like we stay together."
Lyra smiled after checking hers.
"So am I."
Roran burst into laughter.
"Seven!"
Soren opened his hand.
"Seven."
Marlis simply nodded.
"Seven."
The entire group looked at each other.
Then everyone laughed.
"The Moon really likes us."
...
Not everyone shared their fortune.
Leela Lunaris ended up in Group Three.
She offered Nyss a warm smile.
"I suppose we'll meet later."
Nyss nodded.
"Good luck."
"You too."
...
Baran Vargan landed in Group Fifteen.
He cracked his knuckles.
"Finally."
"I was hoping to fight strangers."
...
Adriane Silverfang drew Group Nine.
Veylor Nightveil...
Group Four.
Sergey Umbraxis...
Group Sixteen.
Zuvai Duskryn...
Group Eleven.
Asha Ashgrave...
Group Twenty.
Ellia Frostbane...
Group Eight.
Alfid Thorncrest...
Group Fourteen.
The unnamed Veilbourne representative...
Group Two.
Every House had more than its heir present.
Other noble youths checked their own Moon Stones.
Likewise...
Talented competitors from common households found themselves scattered throughout every group.
No group consisted only of nobles.
No group consisted only of commoners.
The Moon had mixed everyone together.
Exactly as intended.
...
The Elder watched with quiet satisfaction.
"So it has always been."
...
Soon...
Every competitor stood beside others bearing the same number.
Group Seven quickly became one of the largest.
Alongside Riven and his companions stood nearly twenty more competitors.
Several were common-born.
A hunter from the Third.
A fisherman's daughter from the Fourth.
A young blacksmith from the First.
Two Valen youths.
Three Nocturne nobles besides Riven.
Several Duskryn representatives.
Young wolves from Velmora and Umbraxis.
Everyone looked at one another curiously.
Their backgrounds differed completely.
Yet for this trial...
They would advance together.
...
The Elder raised his staff once more.
"The Hall of Guardians..."
"...contains twenty chambers."
"Each chamber houses one Guardian."
"Every group shall enter a different chamber."
"You need not defeat the Guardian."
Confused expressions appeared everywhere.
"You need only..."
"...earn its acknowledgement."
Now everyone looked even more confused.
Kieren scratched his head.
"What does that even mean?"
The Elder simply smiled.
"You will understand."
...
The enormous temple echoed.
One after another...
Twenty gigantic stone doors slowly opened.
Each doorway shimmered with silver light.
Ancient symbols glowed overhead.
Group One.
Group Two.
Group Three...
Until Group Twenty.
...
Priests guided every group toward its assigned entrance.
Before entering...
Every competitor instinctively glanced toward the rulers.
Outside the temple...
Nyxara stood proudly.
Beside her...
Eryx folded his arms.
Vadok nodded encouragingly.
Lady Seraphine smiled toward Zuvai.
Lord Garrick raised a fist toward Sergey.
Lord Magnus quietly wished the young Valens luck.
Lord Darius Ashgrave placed a reassuring hand over his heart after spotting Asha.
Lady Freya Frostbane smiled confidently at Ellia.
Lord Cedric Thorncrest nodded proudly toward Alfid.
Across the courtyard...
Selene's gaze found Nyss.
A warmth softened her expression.
Nyss smiled back.
Only for a moment.
Then Selene's eyes shifted.
Toward Riven.
Her expression instantly hardened.
No warmth.
No approval.
Only cold calculation.
She said nothing.
Neither did Nyxara.
But Nyxara noticed.
So did Caelum.
The old tension remained buried beneath royal composure.
...
Group Seven finally reached its doorway.
The priest bowed.
"May the Moon judge fairly."
The doors slowly opened.
Darkness waited beyond.
Kieren's booming laugh echoed from another corridor.
"About time!"
"I was getting bored!"
Several competitors chuckled nervously.
Others looked worried.
...
Riven inhaled slowly.
His instincts screamed.
Something ancient waited inside.
Something powerful.
Beside him...
Nyss gently placed a hand upon his shoulder.
"You ready?"
He smiled.
"I've been ready."
Zoldick grinned.
"Then let's stop talking."
Roran slammed his fists together.
"I hope it's big."
Lyra sighed.
"Of course you do."
Marlis quietly stepped forward.
"Stay alert."
Soren opened his eyes.
"The air..."
"...is changing."
Everyone immediately became serious.
...
Together...
Group Seven crossed the threshold.
The instant the last competitor entered...
The enormous stone doors behind them slammed shut.
BOOOOM!!
Darkness swallowed everything.
Then...
Silver flames ignited across the walls one by one.
Ancient pillars stretched toward a ceiling so high it couldn't be seen.
The chamber was enormous.
Nearly the size of an entire battlefield.
Runes covered every surface.
At the center...
Something stood motionless.
Covered in centuries of dust.
A gigantic stone wolf.
Nearly twelve meters tall.
Its body resembled carved moonstone.
Massive claws rested upon the floor.
Its eyes remained closed.
The chamber trembled.
A deep...
Ancient heartbeat echoed.
THOOM...
THOOM...
Dust slowly fell from the Guardian's shoulders.
Its eyes...
Opened.
They burned with brilliant silver light.
A voice older than kingdoms itself echoed throughout the chamber.
"WHO...SEEKS...THE...MOON'S...ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?"
Every competitor instinctively froze.
Outside...
Across the Sanctuary...
Similar voices echoed from every chamber.
The Trial of Strength...
Had truly begun.