The Ascension Trial

by CJ Embers

  I rounded on Oren, holding the tip of the sword under his chin as he looked up from where he still lay on the cobblestone. “Tell me why I shouldn’t end your life right now!” I snarled.

  “I helped you twice now, possibly saved your life,” he said, wincing as the metal bit his skin.

  “Irrelevant,” I growled as the battle raged around us. “You’re a liar and a traitor.”

  I couldn’t figure out the emotion behind his eyes, and he said, “Kill me, then, if that’s what you wish. Whatever I say will not be able to convince you regardless.”

  Every second that I waited, every second I wasted standing here trying to figure out whether I truly wanted to end his life was one second more that I wasn’t helping my people with the most important battle of our lives.

  I pressed the blade harder against his flesh and he winced again but didn’t complain or recoil. “I don’t have time to weigh your sins right now. But if you get in my way or try to stab me in the back again, I will end you.”

  Blood and sweat dripped in my eyes and I wiped my face with the back of my hand as I pulled the sword away from Oren. Looking around as I struggled for breath, my stomach sank as I saw that we were losing.

  It’s because none of the Marnori citizens are helping… They’re not even here. Where are they?

  I dropped the sword I had taken from the dead fighter and picked my own back up from where it had fallen near the Adeptus’ body. As another enemy came for me, I swung at him hard, slicing his sword clean in half. I went after him and backed him against the wall of a building.

  “Where are the citizens?” I demanded.

  He spat at me and I pressed my sword against his neck. “Speak, or I will make sure you bleed out slow.”

  “They’re in the arena,” he snarled.

  “The arena? Where is that?”

  “Center of the city.”

  I drew the blade across his throat and turned away as he dropped. Seeing a riderless horse prancing and pawing at the air in panic, I ran for it. Jumping into the saddle, I whipped the horse around and took off.

  My heart roared in my ears as my mount shot down the dimly-lit streets. Nearing the center of Marnori, I looked for anything that looked like an arena. When I lay eyes upon a huge wall with a big set of double doors, I knew I had found it. Pulling back on the reins, my horse skidded to a stop.

  Jumping off, I ran up to the door. It was prevented from opening by a huge block of wood. Seeing stairs to my right going up to what looked like the top of the arena, I rushed up them.

  I was right. Standing up at the top, I was in the midst of seats that faced down into the center. My legs nearly buckled in relief. The entire, huge arena was stuffed full of Marnorian citizens.

  They saw me a moment later and started calling out to me. Jogging up to the edge, I stopped and peered over to speak with them.

  There was only one question I wanted to ask. “Whose side are you on?”

  A chorus of answers shot through the air, all a resounding “Yours!”

  With their support on my side, I mentioned the door’s blockage and needing to find a way to remove it; it would take way too long to help them climb up the side of the arena, but I would keep it as a last resort if needed.

  Running back down the stairs, I got to the door and heaved against the huge block of wood that was stopping the doors from being opened. When it wouldn’t budge, I pounded on the door in frustration. My people were getting slaughtered while I tried to get this stupid piece of wood out.

  Someone hit the door back, beating fiercely against it. They yelled out, but I couldn’t make out what they said.

  I pushed and hit it, but the blockage wouldn’t move. My pulse hammered below my jaw. Getting onto my back below the heavy plank, I thrust at it with my foot. A couple of heavy kicks later, the wood budged slightly. I kicked again and it popped up.

  Scrambling to my feet, I grabbed the plank and heaved it out. Ripping open the door, the people flooded out. I pointed them in the direction of the fighting and ordered them to grab the weapons of the fallen fighters. Jumping back on the horse, I dug my heels in and the animal took off back towards the battlefield.

  Submerging back into the fighting, I jumped off the horse, aiming for an enemy. I landed on top of him, forcing him to the ground. Raising my sword, I shoved it through his chest.

  Leaping off him, I went for another. He was just about to end the life of one of my own when I thrust my blade through his back. My fighter kicked the body off, gave me a nod of thanks, and bolted back into the fray.

  Slicing and hacking, blood sprayed everywhere, coating me and making it hard to grip my weapons. Every time I slaughtered an Adeptus, I wondered if it was even making a difference. While I knew the fewer Adepti the better, it still hardly looked like I was making a dent, and I barely had time to look around to see how the people of my army were faring.

  Despite the uncertainty of which way the battle was going, I didn’t waver in my resolve. Even if we were losing, I would kill as many as I could before we either died or retreated.

  “We surrender!” a booming voice called out.

  Silence fell over the area. Weapons froze for a moment, inches away from flesh.

  I ordered my people to hold, then told the enemy to lower their weapons.

  The metal clattered to the cobblestone. Hearing the sound of victory, I could hardly believe it. We had actually won? It felt surreal.

  …And it also grated against my bones like gnashing teeth.

  After all this time, all this bloodshed, all this misogyny… and it ended with a surrender?

  “Bring them to the arena!” I called out. “Lock them in there and take your seats!”

  Everyone followed my orders despite a few confused expressions, forcing the remaining members of the Marnori army to move. Citizens of the capital lead them in the direction of the arena.

  Before following, I looked around for two people. The first was Algar, but I couldn’t spot him. I hoped he survived, but I didn’t have time to search for him right now. The other was Oren, and I didn’t see him either and silently wondered whether he had taken off, or if he had gotten killed.

  When I spotted him through the crowd, my jaw clenched. Sifting through the people as they went to the middle of the city, I went up to my former second in command and stepped in front of him, preventing him from going with the others.

  With the battle now won, and knowing it would take some time for everyone to get settled in the arena, I had a little bit of time to speak with him.

  I was silent for a moment, unsure of what exactly to say; looking into his eyes, the anger I felt over what he did wavered, and I worked my jaw, slightly narrowing my eyes.

  Taking my silence and expression as anger, Oren began looking uncertain… but it also seemed like there was acceptance as well.

  Amidst the swirling in my mind, I could only muster up one word. “Explain.”

  Oren sighed, looking like he was trying to gather his thoughts. “I was being truthful when I said I was tired of the fighting, Kena.”

  “You were a coward,” I responded venomously.

  He dipped his head in a nod. “Yes, you’re right; I was also a coward. After we were captured, I didn’t see it possible for us to win. It was us against the capital. Hell, us against the entire country. They offered to absolve me of my crimes if I changed sides. I refused at first, but after giving it more thought, I just couldn’t justify the fighting anymore.”

  “You mean besides the reasons such as the misogyny, inequality, the horrible treatment of the women, et cetera? Yeah, you’re right— totally not enough justification.”

  He sighed and slightly adjusted his armour. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Kena. At the time, the odds were severely not in our favour.”

  “And what made you change your mind and come crawling back to me?”

  “When Algar was caught, word spread through Marnori, eventually reaching me. When I realized how
much you had accomplished despite those odds, I felt horrible for my betrayal; I knew I had to help the people, and you, during this battle.”

  I didn’t respond, eyeing him silently. It seemed like he was telling the truth, but even if he felt horrible, that didn’t change the fact that he was a traitor. While I knew the odds had not been in our favour, he still chose to stab me in the back.

  My army and the people of Marnori had been gone for a few minutes already, and I knew I had to get over to the arena; but I still didn’t know what to do with Oren. Betrayal should call for death, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to raise my blade to his throat.

  One thing, however, was clear. “Even if I let you live, and even if I don’t cast you out, you will no longer be given a position of power. You certainly won’t be my second in command again, and you won’t be allowed to be a guard, either. Put bluntly, you’re not trustworthy, and I refuse to have someone as my second or in my guard who can so easily switch sides like you did.”

  Oren dipped his head again. “I understand; I accept that. If it means anything, I’m sorry for my betrayal, Kena, and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me.”

  I was saved from responding by a handful of people coming down the street. When they got close enough, one mentioned they came back to ensure I was okay.

  I gave them a nod. “I’m fine, but it’s good you came back, because I need your help. First of all, can someone please escort Oren to the arena? Sit him at the top and ensure he’s guarded.”

  After my former second in command had left, led by one of my people, I motioned for the rest of the people to follow me and took off for the palace. Except for the one Tehjin who met us at the gate, the leaders had not been seen this entire time. I was sure they were hiding like cowards in their palace while their people fought and died.

  At the palace, the doors were locked, but someone shattered a window and crawled through. As soon as the doors opened, I strode inside.

  Ordering the people to spread out and search the entire building, I went my own way. I searched through many rooms, and to my frustration didn’t find anyone.

  A few minutes later, someone called out, and I jogged in the direction it had come from. They called out again, and I turned a corner to see a few of my people standing outside a door.

  Seeing me, one of them nodded towards it. “They’re in here. It’s locked, and I heard noise from inside.”

  “Do whatever you can to break down that door,” I said.

  They took turns ramming their shoulders against it, to no avail. Even my strength as an Adeptus was not enough. The rest of my people showed up during this time. When the last person arrived, he grabbed the warhammer from his back and everyone stood aside.

  The man swung and the wood cracked. He swung again, and the door crunched loudly. One more swing, and the hammer busted through. He reached through the hole and unlocked the door.

  Everyone went inside and I followed on their heels. Inside, the remaining Tehji were huddled on the far side of the room, looking both terrified and angry. Their red robes fueled my anger and I fought with every fiber of my being to keep it under control.

  “Take them, and let’s go,” I ordered, muscles tense.

  My people grabbed the Tehji, and I led the group outside. Down the streets we went, until the big wall of the arena came into view.

  At the top, I brought them to the edge of the ring. All my people and the citizens of Marnori who had sided with me were sitting on the stone bleachers. In the arena below, the remaining men of the capital’s army were milling about, looking confused about what was going on.

  I grabbed a Tehjin from one of my people. “Today was a beautiful victory!”

  My people cheered loudly, raising their fists in the air.

  “And now, for the final event!”

  I shoved the Tehjin and watched as he fell over the edge of the top of the ring. He cried out when he hit the ground.

  “Send the rest,” I ordered.

  One by one, they were thrown down into the arena.

  “Tonight marks the end of the patriarchy, the end of misogynistic laws, and the end of women being treated like lesser beings.”

  Turning to face the men in the arena, I said, “For the crimes you have committed against the people of Karua, fight to the death! If you want to survive, be the last one standing!”

  Cheers were mixed with gasps of horror, and I ordered my people to throw their weapons in the ring. Metal soared and clattered onto the packed soil below.

  I sat with my legs hanging over the edge of the ring. When no one moved, I said, “Fight, or you will all be killed by torture.”

  The threat of a horrible death kicked them into gear. They all lunged for weapons, even the Tehji.

  I kept my eyes on the former leaders of the capital. With no fighting experience, they were cut down fast. One hadn’t even gotten a weapon before a spear was thrust through his back.

  Another’s head was nearly severed right off, but the blade didn’t go fully through. The Tehjin’s attacker yanked the sword from the flesh as the body dropped, head lolling to the side as it hung by a thin strip of skin.

  One of the remaining two Tehji was backing away, terror on his face as a man came after him swinging a mace. The former leader tripped on a dip in the ground and went down hard. His enemy was on top of him a moment later and bashed his head in with the heavy weapon.

  The last one was putting up a semblance of a fight, but he was weak. His thin arms did nothing to stop an assault from a trained warrior, and a powerful thrust knocked the weapon from his grasp, sending it flying. The Tehjin tried pleading for his life, but the man shoved his weapon straight through his chest.

  There were a couple dozen fighters remaining by now. Bodies littered the arena floor and blood soaked the soil, making it difficult for the survivors to keep their footing. One by one, they dropped like flies until only one man remained.

  As the crowd cheered, I slipped down from the ring’s edge and landed on the arena floor below. I went up to the victor and turned to face the crowd as I lay a hand on the man’s shoulder.

  “And so we have a winner! The remnant of a dead patriarchy, standing before you.”

  As the crowd celebrated, I unsheathed my sword and slid it across the man’s throat. Everyone instantly went quiet, looking shocked.

  As the man clutched at his throat, panic in his eyes as he desperately tried to stem the flow of blood, I loudly spoke to the crowd.

  “Now, that remnant is gone!” I said as the man dropped to the ground. “Marnori is a free city now, and Karua is a free country. Under my rule, you will be able to live!”

  Ear-shattering cheering filled the air. Up at the top of the ring, most people were celebrating. Many others, however, still looked appalled at the murder of the victor.

  As I went for the door, the barricade on the other side was removed, and I strode outside. People poured down from the ring and flooded the streets, rejoicing in their newfound freedoms.

  The city was a mess and coated in blood and bodies, but by the time I got cleaned up, the citizens had sprung into action to clear a block. The streets were alive long into the night with music and laughter filling the air.

  * * *

  I had gone to retrieve Kain while the celebrations continued, and I returned to the city just as the sun was rising, bathing the sky in pink. By this time, most people had gone to sleep, and I went to follow suit. Back up at the palace, I found the nearest bed. Flopping into it, I reached out to Helis.

  We did it. Karua is free…

  Too bone-tired to wait for a reply, I drifted off.

  When my eyes opened, it appeared to be the beginnings of the evening. When I saw Helis standing at the foot of the bed, I shot up.

  Not even waiting for him to talk, I slipped out of bed, ran up to him, and threw my arms around him. My head barely reached his chest.

  To my confusion, the dark deity grasped m
y arms and moved me away. Before I could speak, he stated calmly, “I warned that you were treading a dangerous path, Adeptus.”

  At his shaming, my mood shifted and I snapped, “I don’t know what that means! Maybe instead of being cryptic, you should tell me what I’m doing wrong so I have the chance to fix it!”

  His red eyes blazed. “I did. When you killed your mother, I gave you a warning. But last night, you not only did it again, but you also committed an even greater atrocity.”

  “What? The arena?” I demanded.

  “Yes. The remaining warriors surrendered. Instead of showing mercy, you slaughtered them to prove a point. When you get a taste of power, you let your anger lead you. This led to your downfall the first time. I had been hoping you had since learned, but the murder of your mother showed otherwise.”

  “I was lenient, and hoped you would learn your lesson after my warning. Yesterday, however, showed that you have learned nothing. You’ve ruled through fear, Kena. Your successes have been accomplished with force, not through true leadership.”

  I scoffed, the sting of his sharp words making me angry. “And what would you know about leadership? You’re the deity of the Ascension, nothing else!”

  I went to turn my back to him, but the dark god grasped my shoulder. “You have lost sight of what it means to be an Adeptus.”

  I tried to pull away, but his grip was firm.

  “Just as the power of an Adeptus can be given, it can also be taken away. You have been given too many chances, and now there must be consequences.”

  “If you don’t want to lose your power, you must run the Trial again to prove you are worthy of the mark of the Adeptus.”

  Chapter 23

  S hocked, I stopped resisting his grip and stared up into his fiery red eyes. The surprise was quickly replaced with anger. “I beat you once; I can do so again.”

  “Clearly, even the threat of losing your mark is not enough to humble you. Would the threat of losing me be different?”