The Earthrin Stones 2 of 3: Trials of Faith

by Douglas Van Dyke

  “Unfortunately, you were incorrect in regards to what happens once it is open. Once opened you do not need both parties to continue their efforts. Once the transdimensional bridge exists, you need only one of the two interested parties to continue holding the gate open, thus they can support the portal from only one side. This party would be henceforth called the gatewarden for simplicity and obvious reasons. They may continue to hold the passage open by continuing the proper spell phrases, or by keeping concentration constant on the aforementioned magically focused device. If a foreign interest seeks to close the gate against the wishes of the party that is still supporting it, they must go through extreme efforts to close the gate. Usually this requires strong spells of the proper type as one method to close the gate peacefully. If nay such spells or power is available, then the gate must be broken by means of destroying the concentration of the gatewarden, by destroying his magical device, or if all other means fails by killing the gatewarden himself. Remember this, Trestan, for it may benefit you some day.”

  Trestan nodded his thanks as was proper, though he felt heart-struck by failing at such a challenge. Cat was shocked as well. The failure put the worries of the half-elf foremost in her mind again. She did not want Trestan to be separated from her any longer, but beneath those personal feelings there was also the knowledge that she hadn’t shared with Trestan yet. When Trestan rejoined her, she gave him a warm hug to comfort him and reassure him. Yet, in her mind, she remembered the awful images of his hometown and felt the burden of the undelivered message. She knew Trestan had to be able to go home and bring comfort back to his father…but how could she tell this to Trestan now without disrupting his concentration? She wanted to curse the church for not making it easy for him to go on his way. Most clerics she had known in her life would probably say that it was all for some higher purpose, but often Cat failed to see the reasoning behind such rationalizations. Trestan had failed one test. He couldn’t afford to fail any more and still be able to leave that day.

  With her fears kept hidden, Cat spoke supportively to her beloved. She encouraged him to pray and seek guidance from Abriana, as well as to keep a clear mind in order to focus on the challenges ahead. Trestan’s name was called for more tests, and Cat gave him as much encouragement as she could. If anything, Trestan’s failure at the arcana challenge did cause him to refocus his thoughts and prayers. The two companions also formed mutual support amongst the other acolytes that Trestan knew from his time at the seminary. Leander and Rhijin were often nearby. Rhijin was quiet and did not speak much, as her own focus had shifted inwards after her failure at the challenge of the beast. Leander often had a serious look about his face as he approached every test, but the young man was often around to answer any questions that Cat held about the challenges.

  As the day wore on, Trestan continued to meet every test put before him. One of the martial exercises involved Trestan trading blows with a swordsman. Cat watched with a sincere admiration as the combatants went about several series of strikes and counters. She remembered when they had first met and took to the road to rescue the village’s kidnapped noble. She recalled the memories in which she had practiced swordplay with him in order to see how good he was. He wasn’t bad with a sword then; today, he performed magnificently. Trestan moved with balance and grace, reacting properly to all the tactics the instructor used on him. Sir Wilhelm initially, and secretly, instructed Trestan’s swordsmanship before his death four years ago. It seemed that Trestan’s early teaching under that man laid the foundation for some truly remarkable style in the art of the blade.

  Another challenge required Trestan to recite prayers and passages from the Holy Scriptures of Abriana, some of which lasted fairly long. Trestan not only recited them word by word, he passionately accentuated the meanings to inspire those around. Acolytes applauded his efforts after the elder pronounced the challenge a success. Cat enjoyed all of Trestan’s victories…but while she smiled on the outside, the inside was nervous that Trestan might lose one more. Her heart pounded when Trestan was asked to perform another miracle on behalf of the goddess. Then her spirits soared when they all bore witness to the miracle and Trestan stood triumphant once again. Test after test Trestan was slowly getting closer to completing his tenure at the seminary. All the time Cat watched him, she hid the secret message from back home far behind her lovely green eyes.

  Then the second failure was pronounced, though not for Trestan. Rhijin stood upon the platform with the elders, her eyes downcast after failing to answer one of their questions properly. The curly-haired cleric-aspirant visibly tried to hold tears back as they pronounced her second fail of the day. Rhijin stood silent as one of the elders spoke to her in regards to her failed question, yet Cat was certain the young woman’s mind resided on the hard facts of her failure. The woman would not be allowed to graduate from the seminary this day. The half-elf held Trestan a little closer, fearing for his own challenges yet to come. Trestan returned a comforting squeeze around her shoulders.

  Rhijin walked down from the platform, unable to keep the moisture from her eyes. She started to turn back towards the main housing of the seminary. Trestan excused himself as he slipped out of Cat’s grasp. “I have to talk to her, I’ll be right back.”

  Cat watched Trestan run to catch up to the acolyte as she walked away from the rest of the crowd. Leander whispered something to no one in particular, though Cat heard his words. “She is giving up.”

  “What?”

  Leander nodded towards Rhijin, even as Trestan caught up to the young woman and intercepted her course. “Even if an acolyte fails two challenges they are allowed…even expected…to try and finish the rest of the challenges. They aren’t required to finish, but certainly the clergy expect them to continue the rest of the tests for the individual pursuit of their faith. Rhijin is walking back towards the acolytes’ housing, away from the remaining tests. She is giving up.”

  Trestan was speaking to Rhijin, but the young woman was paying more attention to the dirt at their feet. Eventually she tilted her head up and responded to Trestan’s words, and the two of them continued eye to eye. As Cat and Leander watched, Trestan was able to turn Rhijin around and guide her back towards the rest of the acolytes.

  Leander smiled, “That’s good old Trestan. He has a way of inspiring people at times. It looks like Rhijin is going to finish the rest of her challenges after all.”

  Cat watched as Rhijin took her place alongside them. The woman still had tears in her eyes, but she was standing with her jaw defiantly forward and her head up. Trestan slipped back into Cat’s arm without a word. She gave him a tender squeeze around his waist. Cat had another reason to be proud of her man.

  * * * * *

  Trestan stood and faced the last challenge of the day. Though he had lost only one so far, he still had to succeed in this test in order to leave the seminary this day. This challenge centered on philosophical beliefs. Trestan stood upon the platform with several elders, facing a row of impassionate stares. He did not return their gazes, choosing instead to close his eyes in silent meditation until they directed their questions at him. Near the platform stood Cat, Leander and Rhijin, each offering their silent support. Leander in particular was in good spirits and full of hope, for he had just passed his final challenge of the day. The ponytail blonde warrior was ready to leave the seminary and begin his new life in the service to the goddess. Cat stood hopeful that Trestan would finish this last task successfully. The half-elf’s heart lay with him, and within her heart also lay hidden the images of pain and loss from the small village from which he hailed. Trestan was needed at home, though he was not aware of the weight of that knowledge yet. The young man stood before his teachers, focused on his goddess, in the near silence of waving banners under the shadow of the chapel.

  “Senior acolyte Trestan,” one of the elders addressed him.

  Trestan’s brown eyes slowly opened, and in the depths of those orbs were reflections of the wisdom he had
gained in four years of teachings. The first elder continued speaking, posing a question to him. “As a paladin, you would fight for the safety of those you love, correct?”

  He responded, “Aye, I would. If my loved ones were threatened I could not stand idly to the side. Mark my words witness: I would be willing to risk my life for that which I love.”

  Off to the side of the elders sat one who performed a special task. It was one thing for an acolyte to offer words that sounded correct, but it was another thing for them to mean it with all their heart. One or two elders would always be using a miracle that allowed them to judge the sincerity of the acolyte’s words during responses. Trestan feared not how the elder would weigh those words, for Trestan had already placed himself in great danger for his friends.

  Another of the gray-bearded tutors leaned forward and spoke. “How do you feel when you strike out at your enemies? Please explain it in great detail when you answer.”

  Trestan’s mind conjured up an image as he considered his reply. Words from Sir Wilhelm in days gone by came to him with the memory of a one-eyed man who lay bleeding to death from Trestan’s sword. “I feel sorrow for them”

  Cat watched Trestan answer, aware of the many other people who stood nearby. There were younger acolytes listening, as well as the families of the senior acolytes. To some of these people the concepts and faith of Abriana were foreign, maybe even misunderstood. Not even Cat could claim any advanced knowledge of the goddess other than what she saw in Trestan. When acolytes answered philosophical challenges, the words often made anyone stop to think on the goddess’ virtues.

  Trestan continued his answer. “I try not to let hate ever guide my blade; such emotion is defeating towards love. Many times a loved one may be threatened by another for reasons one can not understand. If they are an enemy of love, and their ways are evil, it is a choice in their life that I may not be able to alter. I may have to kill them to protect my loved ones, but even as I do I will feel sorry they chose to end their life that way.”

  The same tutor spoke again, “And what do you do when such an enemy lies bleeding and helpless at your feet?”

  “I experienced such a situation,” Trestan honestly replied. His memories recalled the blood on his hands as he tried to hold back the bleeding from the one-eyed man. “When the threat was over, I tried to save him. I wasn’t sure what type of man he was, there was even the chance that he had raped or mistreated someone that was dear to me at the time. That didn’t matter to me when I saw him bleeding to death on the ground. I felt compassion, and I tried to keep him alive. In the end, he mentioned that he had some woman waiting for him in some far away port. She probably knows by now that he is never coming back home.”

  Cat remembered the day of the battle on the bluff as well. Never had she seen anyone that could have the compassion for an enemy that Trestan carried. Yet, if called to battle, he would fiercely defend those he loved.

  The first elder who had spoken offered up the next question. The rest of the tutors and clerics of Abriana looked on and waited to judge Trestan’s forthcoming answer as the question was offered. “You will defend your friends, but what about the special holy days of Abriana?”

  Trestan visibly paled at this question. Cat was unsure of the significance of the days, but something in the question pained Trestan greatly. The elder continued, “On the first day of every month, we are forbidden from using arms or taking aggressive actions against a foe. This is a sacred edict from the goddess that can never be broken or we lose her faith. How will you fare on these holy days when your loved ones are in danger?”

  Trestan glanced at Cat out of the side of his eyes, and the movement was not lost on Cat, or on some of the elders. A few of them looked towards the richly garbed, attractive beauty that stayed by Trestan’s side all day. Cat began to understand the weight of the question, if not the reasons for it. Trestan was being asked if he would be able to hold back from using his sword, effectively ceasing to protect his loved ones if their lives were threatened, on the first day of every month. The idea sounded so odd to Cat, and yet it was apparently a mandate of the goddess whom Trestan hoped to serve. The correct answer would be for Trestan to say that he could hold back; therefore, not draw his sword to defend Cat if she was threatened. Could Trestan truthfully answer that he could hold back in using his sword just because of a date on a calendar, despite any kind of mortal danger looming over his love? Another elder still held his concentration on Trestan, and would know by use of a miracle whether Trestan could sincerely speak the truth.

  If he couldn’t speak sincerely about restraining his sword with his loved ones in danger, then the challenge would be lost. Trestan would not be joining Cat that night. The unspoken message from home might tear at everything Trestan had worked for when the young man found out what had transpired in his village. Cat looked on with near helplessness as Trestan was about to fail his second challenge. She knew he could not honestly answer in the way he was expected to speak.

  Cat was a rogue at heart in many ways. She didn’t care if it broke protocol, but she had one chance to help Trestan succeed and take him from the seminary with the blessings of his goddess. Her green eyes fierce, she stared at Trestan’s eyes as he glanced at her and she yelled up at him with hard words. She had to remind him of his faith. Cat spoke in a stern tone that admonished him for his lack of beliefs.

  “Trestan Karok! You put your trust in your goddess once; you must do so again! She puts her faith in you, and you must do the same for her.”

  There were murmurs and words whispered about this outburst, but Cat just crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. Trestan stared at Cat, digesting the message she had given him. Trestan reflected on the meanings of her words for a few tense moments. The elders glanced from Cat to Trestan but patiently awaited his answer.

  Trestan nodded to himself, the weight of uncertainty had lifted from his shoulders. He addressed his elders. “I once was afraid to put my faith so deeply into following a god or goddess. When Cat was dying in my arms, I found my faith. I put my trust in Abriana and she was healed. I must do so again. This is not unlike the challenge of the beast. We enter a dangerous situation armed only with our faith and reliant upon our miracles. If my love is threatened on the holy days, I will keep my sword in its scabbard and trust in Abriana.”

  The other elders looked to the one who was concentrating on Trestan’s sincerity and truthfulness. That elder nodded that Trestan had spoken from his heart. In return, one of the other elders came to stand in front of Trestan.

  “Abriana watches over you this day, my brother.”

  Trestan smiled from ear to ear. It didn’t take Leander’s confirmation for Cat to know that Trestan had graduated and was free to leave the seminary this day.

  The elder continued to speak, “Be sure to see the proper instructor before leaving this day to do Abriana’s service in the world. May she watch and protect you, Squire Trestan!”

  The newly proclaimed squire bowed to his elders, then rushed down the stairs of the platform to embrace the woman he loved. Cat didn’t care that her dress was under attack from a fierce hug, instead she joyfully buried her face against his shoulder has he held her close. She felt the thumping vibrations as other acolytes, including Rhijin and Leander, slapped Trestan on the back in congratulations.

  Cat was so filled with joy that the long period of learning was over for Trestan. He was now free to go where he wanted. The world was opened before them, and they could travel together and enjoy their time. They would have a romantic night here and then they would have to visit his home…

  …his blackened, damaged home.

  She kept her face buried in Trestan’s arms. She loved the look of pure joy on his face. He seemed so vibrant and energetic at that moment, like he was in control of his destiny. She was only afraid that when he looked at her face, he would see the sadness hidden within her eyes. Cat could have told him everything then. Yet in his warm arms, and feeling the joyou
s emotions in his voice, Cat could not bring herself to tell him the news.

  Later, Cat thought to herself, she can tell him later…

  * * * * *

  “You called for me, Cardinal?” Trestan asked, from beyond an open door.

  Cardinal Alunetar Gracegiver stared out one of the open windows in his office, but he motioned for the young squire to enter. “Indeed, come in. I’m here to give you one last item before you are on your way to meet the world.”

  Trestan stepped into the office of the seminary’s highest ranking official. In truth, Cardinal Gracegiver presided over much of the domain of Kashmer’s Protectorate, but he set his office in this holy seminary. Only a lucky few students were greeted by the cardinal as they went into the world. Before this moment, Trestan never even glanced inside this office. As the young squire looked around the room and its contents, he noticed the few luxuries the official enjoyed included a large library of books and a comfortable chair in which to read them. There were symbols of Abriana in abundance, of course, but few other luxurious trappings of any kind. In contrast, the cardinal was dressed in his finest in honor of the graduating acolytes. Gracegiver showed the facial lines and white hairs from many years of service to the church and his goddess. There had been the rumor that the aging man had once been a warrior of some repute, but many rumors surrounded such a figure of note. A man of such great power and yet soft words often motivated people to stir up fables.

  Trestan closed the door behind him and moved into the office, unsure where to stand, how to act, and whether or not to even smile. At seeing his uncertainties, the cardinal responded with a warm smile. It helped to set things in a lighter mood. Alunetar Gracegiver met Trestan in the middle of the office. Trestan could see that the elder had something hidden in one closed hand.