Chapter 5 : Relena's Test

A loud knock came on Remiel's door the next morning. He groggily stepped around Thierry's bed, and opened the door. Seeing Lord Jiron standing there, he snapped to attention.

"Lady Relena requests your presence at the training grounds in one hour. She says to bring your sword," he said, then walked back down the hallway.

Remiel closed the door and quickly bathed himself before he began getting dressed. Putting on one of his training outfits, he hurriedly left the room, sword sheathed and at his side. He arrived at the training grounds with nearly twenty minutes to spare, and rested against a fence. Relena came along shortly, and for the first time since Remiel had seen her, she was not wearing her armor, but a pink training uniform.

"Today you're climbing the rest of the mountain," she said. Remiel looked behind him at the rest of the mountain, which was twice as big as what he had previously climbed. His heart sank. "Not only that, but you'll do it wearing this." She held out a silver bracelet that had an inlaid sappire.

"What is it?" Remiel asked.

"A Magick Eater. It's made specifically to train knights like you."

"Like me?"

"Yes. Like you. You want to make your way through knighthood without using your magick, but it's always your first reaction. You've always played the role of a mage, so it makes sense, and you'd be a top rank spellblade and knight if you could learn to think with your sword and your magick as two equal weapons."

"So this eats up my magick, and that's going to help me not use it?"

"On top of this mountain is a beast that you must slay. If you wear this Magick Eater all the way up, even you won't have much magick to fight him with, and you'll be forced to think with your sword."

Remiel nodded. Relena walked ahead of him. "Shall we go then?" she asked.

"You're coming along?" He asked.

"Well I at least have to witness this. I doubt I'll have to interfere, but this test won't be easy, and I'd like to keep an eye on you to make sure you keep the Magick Eater on at all times." She said as he put the bracelet on his arm.

He felt a wretch in his arm. It felt like his arm was being dehydrated.

"It's strange, I know, but you've got to come on."

Remiel followed the lady knight and they were on their way up the mountain. He ran out of breath quickly and his legs burned with the stress, all the while it felt like he was losing immense amounts of water from his body. His eyes began to blurr, and he realized it had only been about twenty minutes of walking.

"We can stop for a minute. Catch your breath and shake out your legs, but we're moving on quickly."

Remiel grabbed his arm, wishing to yank the bracelet off, but he knew that he couldn't. He shook off his legs and turned to look at Relena. She nodded and they began to walk again.

Within another half hour, Remiel had to stop again. The same thing happened as Relena patiently allowed him stop after stop, allowing him to become accustomed to the terrain and the heavy loss of magick.

They came to a point near the top where there was a large cave with rocks that acted as a staircase. Relena easily hopped from one to another, but Remiel had much difficulty with the stairs. Leaning slightly against the cave wall, he was eventually able to reach the top, where the mountain finally reached its peak.

"Alright, you can take a good rest here," Relena said, tossing him a gourd of water. "Try to use your magick before you drink that."

Remiel tried to pull the water out of the gourd, but was completely unable to do so. Amazed, he drank the water and sat on the grass overlooking Saint's Cross and Glorelia. It was peaceful, and Remiel enjoyed knowing that he had made it up, but was also afraid of the battle that loomed before him, one without the use of magick.

As if reading his mind, Relena held out her hand to help the knight-in-training to his feet. Remiel accepted it, and the two walked toward the other side of the mountaintop. There were several kinds of livestock on the top of the mountain, and the two were constantly watching their feet to make sure they didn't step in dung, when they came across a large dark grey animal. It had a wrinkled face that appeared to be diseased, and two extra long arms. It appeared to be somewhat like a wolf, but also something more. Remiel stood nearly at the height of it's shoulders, and began to feel for magick. Instead, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. The Magick Eater bracelet was sending a small pulse into his arm, resisting the use of magick.


Remiel reached instead for his sword. He remained a cautious distance from the beast, and kept his guard up.

"Remiel, this is a Wolf-bear. It is extremely powerful, and could easily kill a normal man. You'll have to beat it if you want to continue into knighthood. And as I'm sure you've already noticed, magick won't be helping you out today." Relena said, standing quite a distance away from the scene.

Remiel breathed deeply and tried to remember his sparring lessons with Pierre. He made a mental note to pay more attention and take extra lessons if possible. The wolf-bear ran headlong toward him, and reached out with its long arms. Remiel sidestepped just as the left arm crashed into where he had been standing. A small crater formed from the impact. Remiel ran in and attempted to slice the arm, but the creature swiped with its right arm. Switching his blade to a defensive position, Remiel stopped the creature's second attack. A small cut appeared on the creature's arm, but it seemed to not mind the wound too terribly.

Remiel was breathing heavily again. He was already tired and unable to use magick, so this fight was more than anything he had ever faced before. Added on top of that, the speed and power of his foe seemed ridiculous. He spent most of his time evading attacks, landing a slice here and there to the wolf-bear.

Finally, the wolf-bear managed to smash it's massive paw into the ground nearby Remiel, and he was sent flying. He flew just over the beast's head, and sliced through, neatly beheading the wolf-bear.

Relena smiled and walked over to Remiel, unclasping the Magick Eater from his arm. Remiel could feel his arm slowly regaining the magick he had lost, as if his arm was being dunked into a pool of water.

"Congratulations, Remiel. You passed the test. Now lets get back... you've got to report on Beatrice's success." She said sharply.

Remiel smiled faintly. "She did fight excellently."

"She'd be dead right now if you hadn't stepped in."

"You don't understand the situation... I can't take credit for this mission."

"I do understand. Lord Jiron and I both know that she's blackmailing you."

Remiel opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off.

"Furthermore, I think it's foolish of you to give in to her, and it would take more than a push from an upstart like her, no matter her ties to the council, to get Jiron and I imprisoned. So long as you keep true to the oaths, you must have no fear of what Beatrice tries to throw at you."

Remiel nodded.

"If you want to become a knight without using magicks, you proved to me today that you'd make an excellent one. I encourage you to wear this Magick Eater for training purposes, but if you hesitate on missions because you don't want to use your magick, you have no right to be here. I know you're sacrificing a lot to be here, but Jiron and I have sacrificed a lot because we believe in your character and ability. I pray that you won't disappoint."

"Thank you, Relena." Remiel smiled. "I promise that I'll work twice as hard to be a better fighter, and I won't hesitate to use my magick if the need arises."

"I hope so. Now let's get to this meeting."

The two continued on to the main building, where they both gave their reports of the mission before the council, leaving out details of Remiel's involvement with the ice. Beatrice was officially awarded the title Amber Burst, a name Remiel had come up with on the spot, but the council felt was appropriate.