When It Reigns (Cursed Reigns, #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Zoran's scowl could wither even the most lethal demons. 

Trainer Reishell's lips parted in shock as she gaped at me. Composing herself, she straightened and ducked her chin at Hyrule. 

"As you intend," she said, rotating to face us. "Your selected Duty as bonded Champions in the Force will be declared at graduation." 

"She won't succeed in the Test of Talons, let alone survive it," Zoran asserted, narrowing his intense gaze on me. "And when she dies, I die." 

"Guess it's a good thing you vowed to make me unstoppable," I retorted, giving him a pointed look as my stomach flipped. 

I did not want to see the look on my father's face when he found out I'd be fighting under his command in his Elemental Force. His wrath would rival Zoran's scornful fury tenfold. 

Trainer Reishell passed the scale back over to Hyrule and climbed on her gray dragon. They launched into the air, surpassing the tallest peak on the mountain as she declared, "The final challenge is now over! Everyone congregate at the lake in Clear Water." 

All at once, the black wings of shifters flew among a colorful mass of dragons above the mountain peaks and orbited the sides of the alps, the commotion of beating wings echoing around us as they descended. Trainer Reishell joined them as they landed along the shoreline, casting apprehensive looks at Hyrule whose severe scrutiny locked on the students. They formed a semicircle around Reishell, and I lifted my chin as they regarded me with mixed expressions of disbelief and derision. 

"This challenge assessed all the skills, knowledge, and competencies you've developed over the past year and a half at the academy. Those of you who were not cut out for life during the war were eliminated either permanently through death or temporarily by being defeated by your opponent. Among the perished are Tauren, Vesper, Kairo, Pallonia, Derryn, Blayze, Alara..." 

I zoned out the list of casualties as Tauren's fall replayed in my head. Immense remorse filled me when Reishell mentioned Pallonia's and Derryn's deaths. 

"...Misty, and Nyaxia," she finished, and a shiver wracked my spine as I bit the inside of my cheek to distract myself from the pain and focus on the physical sting pulsing in my mouth. 

"Based on how many opponents each of you were able to take out by killing them or forcing them to the ground will determine your class rank. The top fifteen percent of you represent the toughest and most adept fighters suitable to join the Force. The rest of you will be given Duties where your proficient abilities can be utilized best during this time of war," she reiterated for what felt like the thousandth time. "Final evaluations will be completed within the next couple days and graduation will occur right after. Duties will be assigned and you will start your training immediately." 

Excited and nervous whispers were shared amid the students until Reishell silenced them with her hand raised in the air. 

"As such, here are the events that led to the conclusion of this challenge," she described next. "Aeryn Glastos and Misty Lexton found the scale first. They faced off in a fight to the death in which Aeryn came out on top. Zoran Masters intervened when Nyaxia Lexton seized Aeryn. He killed Nyaxia and took the scale since he did not have a partner to compete against. We left the decision up to Hyrule to pick a winner between them," Reishell explained, scanning the crowd. "He chose both Aeryn and Zoran." 

"Damn, good thing we didn't find the scale," Odin whispered to his girlfriend from where they stood at the front of the class. "I wouldn't have been able to kill you for it." 

Eowyn nodded her head in agreement, rubbing her arms. "It's not worth losing you to select a Duty." 

"Which Duties did they decide to pursue?" Odin asked, drawing attention to himself as he raised his voice. His shaggy brown hair plopped in front of his pale blue eyes and a dusting of freckles spattered his nose and cheeks.