Silver eyes.
Ancient.
Unmoving.
Yet somehow...
They carried more life than many living warriors.
The gigantic Moonstone Guardian stood silently in the center of the chamber.
Its body resembled carved moonstone, yet every breath it took made the ancient hall tremble.
The silver flames lining the walls flickered violently.
No one moved.
No one dared.
...
The Guardian's gaze slowly swept across every member of Group Seven.
Riven.
Nyss.
Zoldick.
Lyra.
Marlis.
Roran.
Soren.
The other Nocturne youths.
The common-born challengers.
The former Valen representatives.
Every soul.
Finally...
Its voice echoed once more.
"ONE..."
"STEP..."
"FORWARD."
Silence.
Nobody knew who it meant.
Several competitors exchanged uncertain glances.
Then...
Riven calmly stepped forward.
At the same moment...
A fisherman's daughter from the Fourth Order also stepped forward.
A young blacksmith from the First followed.
Soon...
Nearly half the group had answered.
The Guardian remained motionless.
Then...
Its eyes flashed.
"WRONG."
BOOOOM!!
A wave of invisible force burst across the chamber.
Everyone who had stepped forward was pushed back several meters.
Not injured.
Simply rejected.
The Guardian spoke again.
"STRENGTH..."
"...WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING..."
"...IS IMPATIENCE."
Realization slowly dawned upon everyone.
This truly wasn't an ordinary battle.
...
Several moments passed.
Nobody moved.
Even Roran remained still.
Marlis quietly observed the Guardian.
"It isn't choosing someone..."
Soren nodded.
"It's waiting."
"For what?"
Lyra whispered.
No one answered.
...
Then...
Nyss slowly walked forward.
Not confidently.
Not arrogantly.
Simply...
Peacefully.
She stopped several meters before the Guardian.
Placed one hand over her heart.
And bowed.
"I seek the Moon's acknowledgement."
Silence.
The Guardian stared at her.
Its enormous silver eyes softened...
Almost imperceptibly.
Yet...
Nothing happened.
After several seconds...
It spoke.
"YOU..."
"...UNDERSTAND RESPECT."
"...BUT NOT YET..."
"...STRENGTH."
A gentle pulse pushed Nyss backward.
Unlike the others...
She wasn't thrown.
She merely slid back to the group.
The Guardian had rejected her.
But gently.
The difference did not go unnoticed.
...
The chamber became thoughtful.
Every competitor began thinking instead of acting.
Riven closed his eyes.
The Elder's words replayed in his mind.
"The Guardian is not your enemy."
"It is your mirror."
Mirror...
His eyes slowly opened.
"I think..."
"...it's judging intent."
Zoldick frowned.
"So we're supposed to impress it?"
"No."
Riven shook his head.
"I think..."
"...we're supposed to understand ourselves."
...
The Guardian remained perfectly still.
Waiting.
Watching.
Judging.
...
Suddenly...
A loud laugh echoed through the chamber.
Roran stepped forward.
"I don't understand any of this."
Several competitors groaned.
"But..."
He smiled broadly.
"I know one thing."
"If you want to know my strength..."
"I'm not going to hide it."
He slammed a fist against his chest.
"I fight to protect the people beside me."
"I don't care if I win."
"I don't care if I lose."
"If someone behind me survives..."
"Then I'm satisfied."
" That's what I've learnt over these months"
Silence.
The Guardian stared.
Its glowing eyes brightened.
For one brief moment...
The silver runes beneath Roran's feet shimmered.
Everyone held their breath.
Then...
The light vanished.
The Guardian spoke.
"HONEST."
"...BUT..."
"...INCOMPLETE."
Roran scratched his head.
"I'll take it."
The others couldn't help smiling.
...
Nearby...
A young former Valen representative stepped forward.
"I fight..."
"...to restore my family's honor."
Nothing.
Another.
"I fight because I refuse to remain weak."
Nothing.
Another.
"I fight to become famous."
The Guardian's eyes dimmed.
"EMPTY."
The young wolf's face flushed red as he hurried back.
...
Minutes passed.
No one had succeeded.
Outside...
The rulers quietly watched glowing images projected above every chamber.
Queen Nyxara folded her arms.
"So this generation faces the Guardians immediately."
The Elder nodded.
"The Sanctuary wished to see their hearts first."
Selene watched Nyss carefully.
"She almost earned its approval."
Caelum smiled.
"Almost."
...
Inside Group Twelve's chamber...
Kieren Drakhar stood before his own Guardian.
The giant construct towered over him.
Its silver eyes glowed.
"WHO...ARE...YOU?"
Kieren cracked his neck.
"I'm Kieren."
The Guardian remained silent.
Kieren shrugged.
"Heir of House Drakhar."
Nothing.
"...Future champion?"
Still nothing.
He scratched his head.
"...A guy who really likes fighting?"
Several competitors behind him laughed nervously.
Then...
Kieren's smile slowly disappeared.
His golden eyes sharpened.
He looked directly into the Guardian's glowing eyes.
"I'm..."
"...someone who was born for battle."
The chamber became quiet.
"But..."
He continued.
"I don't fight because I hate."
"I fight because..."
"...it's the only time I truly feel alive."
The Guardian stared.
Longer than before.
Its silver eyes flared brilliantly.
The runes across the chamber ignited.
Every competitor instinctively stepped back.
The Guardian slowly nodded.
"ACCEPTED."
BOOOOOOM!!
A pillar of moonlight descended from above.
It engulfed Kieren completely.
When the light faded...
A glowing silver mark had appeared upon the back of his right hand.
The first Mark of Acknowledgement.
The remaining competitors gasped.
He had done it.
...
Inside Group Seven...
Everyone suddenly felt something.
A pulse.
The Guardian looked upward.
As though sensing another Guardian's decision.
Then...
Its gaze returned to Riven.
For the first time...
It took a step.
THOOM.
The entire chamber shook.
Another step.
THOOM.
Until it stood directly before him.
The enormous silver eyes looked deep into Riven's soul.
Past his body.
Past his wolf.
Past everything.
Then...
The Guardian spoke words that froze every challenger.
"YOU..."
A long pause followed.
Silver flames erupted throughout the chamber.
The Guardian's voice became deeper.
Older.
Filled with unmistakable surprise.
"...CARRY..."
"...HIS..."
"...SCENT."
Riven frowned.
"My... what?"
The Guardian lowered its gigantic head.
Its glowing eyes narrowed.
For the first time in thousands of years...
Confusion appeared upon the face of an immortal construct.
"...THE..."
"...KING..."
The entire chamber fell into stunned silence.