“Now everyone is gathered. I will explain the test.” The combat teachers for the few different classes of combat were present. “Now for some of you this is your last chance to pass this test.” The unfamiliar teacher looked to their group. “Some of you are here early, due to skipping classes of the basic combat training.”


    “You will have a chance each year at the of Jazen to take this test. You can tell your younger siblings or friends. It won’t help them though. In fact, it may even make it worst for them. Your sense of time will be magically skewed. You can take the time down now, but when you leave it may not be when you were done the test. Some times we hold you for another few hours or days.” The teacher turned to a group that was chatting.


    “Stop chatting this is important.” Her pointed glare made them stop. “We will be putting you all into your own testing area. You are all, or should be, over sixteen. Those of you who are younger your parents have signed off. You may end the test when ever you want.” Again, she looked to their group.


    “We will stop the test if we need to. The test is a tradition of this school. Every combat student who goes past the basics must take, and pass this test. We will not be telling you how long you must last to pass the test.”


    “The test will be one of resilience. As an adventurer, dungeon raider, or solider there will be times you can’t find food, or water. Even in these times you will have to fight still, to survive you will have to keep going. To verify you can do that we will test you.”


    “Each student will be placed in a room with training weapons they are familiar with. There will be no access to, light, food, or sound. You will be given water via tap once a day. You will be isolated completely. You will have to practice daily, either in the dark or via your magic. If you stop practice for more than a few hours, outside of sleeping, the test will be ended by us. We will be watching 24/7. If you sleep for longer than ten hours at a time, the test will be ended. If you sleep less than six hours daily, the test will be ended.”


    “This test is to make sure you can stand the mental pressure of survival. The pressure of hunger, and thirst will be difficult. Once you can not handle anymore you may end the test. There is a list of criteria we will use to test you. We can tell you there are points for how long you stay, how much practice you do, how much sleep you have, and more. We will not tell you the specifics.”


    “You can bring your tamed pets. However, you must trust they will last as long as you. If we find they are unable to continue your test will be ended as well. If you do have a storage skill you are not allowed to use it. You may only have the items that are in the room. If you use the storage skill your test will end.”


    “Does anyone have any questions?” The teacher asked. Then pointed to Auna who had her hand up.


    “Can I request weapons I am not familiar with?” Auna asked.


    “You may if you want to.”


    “Can I request a letter be sent to my younger sister; she worries. I need to let her know I may take a few days.”


    “That can be arranged.”


    “Thank you miss.”


    “Anyone else have questions?” The teacher moved around the room answering questions.


    “Can I go get my tamed monster?” A boy asked.


    “We will collect it for you.” The teacher answered.


    “Can I have paper and a pen?” A girl asked.


    “No.” The teacher answered.


    Some asked for books, or other entertainment items. All items were denied. Others asked for extra clothes, also denied. Some asked other small questions. The rules did not change though.


    “Are you going to bring Theo?” Meredith asked as they were given ten minutes to ask for which weapons they wanted, send the letters they needed, or to ask for their familiars to be brought.


    “No. If I were to ever come to a point similar, I would send Theo away. I would send them all away, releasing them in hope they could live. I would not allow them to suffer along side me. I am not really a tamer though. If you wish to have your tamed monsters by you, then do so. Do what you think will help you pass this test.” Auna sighed as she carefully wrote to Ciela.


    The teacher who took the letter read it carefully. Auna had written only a few lines.


    ‘Hi Ciela. My test is going to go for longer than I thought. Take care of Theo and the others for me. Take them to Grandmother and stay there until I am done. Jensen and the others are with me. They also want you to take their tamed pets to Grandmother. Play with Rowan until I get back. Love you.’


    Meredith had decided not to take any of her tamed monsters with her. She wanted to test herself not pull them into the test as well. They had been separated and led under the school to hallways of small chambers. Auna without much trouble had been placed in a room without light.


    In the room was a bucket, a pipe with a different buck but no taps, blankets in a corner, a training dummy, and the weapons she asked for. She asked for a spear, staff, sword, and bow. The bow would not be useful in the room, there was barely room to properly swing a sword. The floor space was tiny. Auna gave a stretch and took a look around, running her hands on the soft stone walls of the room. There was only silence.


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    Slowly Auna sat down on the bed. Her eyes could see perfectly well in the pitch black. The weapons that had been given were all dulled. She decided to meditate first, her mapping skill told her there were other rooms close. She could see the dots pacing or perhaps already practicing. She picked up ten other rooms by spreading her magic out. The plan was to be the last one of her self-made groups. Her skills allowed her to keep track of time as Mr. Voice did it in her log. It wouldn’t be the first time she had no food or little water.


    Slowly she got up and picked up one of the dull arrows. She scratched into the soft stone a rune, a modern one. When she was finished, she touched it, and push some magic into it. Modern runes needed magic to be pushed into them, the ancient ones would take the magic from surroundings. If she used an ancient one, she may accidently steal magic from the others. She didn’t want that. She also didn’t want the teachers to know she could easily see in the dark.


    The rune gave off a soft blue glow. She then took the bow and practiced releasing it without an arrow. She did not want to hit herself with an arrow bouncing off the wall. She did this for a few hours. Then she had to go to the washroom, which made her feel very uncomfortable without privacy. It was more like a torture cell then a test. However, she did not wish to do this test again. She then swung her sword for a few hours. After she meditated, scratched a few runes into the floor, drank the water provided, then went to sleep. The runes she scratched into the floor would make a small pop sound in seven hours. They were used in military for shift changes, and different strategic decoy attacks. It would make sure she would not sleep too long.


    The next day she started with going to the washroom. Scratching random runes into the walls and floors for practice. Then she did some normal exercise, bow practice, sword practice, ending with a bit of staff practice. She did not want to use too much magic under such surveillance. She would mediate, then scratch more runes into the floor. Lastly, she drank the water provided and went to bed.


    The day after was also the same, though she had stopped using the washroom. She noticed that everyone else in her self-made group had left on the third day. Auna had not heard Mr. Voice since entering the room. She had become consumed with her routine, her mind going into a gentle emptiness. It was her coping strategy at times like this.


    “Miss Jasper. It is time to go.” The teacher who had placed her in the room opened the door. Jensen was stood beside her. Auna just kept practicing her sword swings.


    “My moon, Ciela waits for us with Grandmother.” Jensen walked slowly into the room. “Do you know how long you have been in here? I personally left at least two days ago. I had refused to leave the waiting area until you came out. Everyone else is waiting still.”


    Auna continued her practice.


    “My moon, can we go?” Jensen tried again.


    Auna did not stop, then slowly she did. She blinked slowly at him. Then looked around the room. The walls and floors were covered in runes. The smell in the room was very strong. Her clothes were closer to soiled rags than the soft fabric she had come in. The clothes were covered in grime from the walls, and her sweat. There seemed to be some dried bile on her clothes as well, she must have dry heaved a few times. The training dummy was in small splinters, as were most of the weapons.


    “I think it is time to leave. Sorry about that. I was a bit too focused, wasn’t I?” Auna seemed to eerily shake off the emptiness in her eyes. Dropping the weapon, she looked to the teacher. “Does this mean I don’t pass?”


    “You passed. It is not customary to let people know how long they have been in the room. However, I can tell you were the last to leave. And we only opened the door as we are not permitted to keep you longer than this. There is a room with clothes, and a shower for you.” The teacher led them to another small room. Jensen waited as she showered and got dressed in a track suit that had been provided for her.


    Are you back? Mr. Voice asked as she brushed her hair. Why didn’t you tell me to leave? Auna asked. The spells stop a lot of different skills; however, I have now corrected the logs for you.


    Auna quickly looked to the logs. What she thought was only a few days turned out to be ten whole days. The logs time stamps had been fuzzy and improper before. Mr. Voice had been mostly blocked too. The rooms had strong magic designed to keep students from cheating. However, now outside of the room her skill reset or rebooted itself. It is impressive how well you are able to survive in such situations, then just bounce back. Mr. Voice said after she finished looking. I think the key is practice. Auna answered putting down the brush. Right now, though I just want something to eat.


    Leaving the small room, she was guided back to the waiting area they started in with Jensen. Once there Meredith, Chloe, and the triplets were waiting for them. “Want an apple?” Bruno pushed one into her hand. She eagerly bit into it.


    “Shall we go?” Auna asked looked around. She saw Mateo and Chloe whispering together.


    “Yes please, we have been waiting for days!” Diego laughed. As he started leading the group out. They would pick up their tamed monsters from the handler, then head to their dorms. On the short break between the second and new first semester many stayed on campus. From there they will head to the dungeon as planned.


    “Your pets missed you guys.” The handler called out as the group approached. “Yikes did the combat test I take it?”


    “That easy to tell?” Auna remarked as she climbed on to Theo. Ayda and Kaida followed behind. Auna was too tired to walk the rest of the way. The handler bid them farewell as they left. He was a kind man who had worked along side the original handler when they started school years ago. He was also now accompanied by a young boy, a teenager who was now the apprentice.


    “I take it you all passed the test?” Grandmother elf asked as they entered the administration building. “The dungeon raid should be pushed off until you all look better.”


    “I second that. I want more food, and rest. I might work on the skull. I think we all should take a bit of a break.” Auna slid off Theo to sit on the floor.


    “The city is safe currently. Why don’t you children rest there?” Grandmother elf gave a smile. “The walls are finished, and the monsters don’t bother it much. That dormant egg you brought here is also at the Altan Dawn. It has begun to change a bit.”


    “That sounds interesting. I think I will take you up on that offer.” Auna pulled herself up once again. Everyone was in agreement, even Ciela was happy to join they had about thirty days until the next semester would start. They would be safe inside the dungeon or Altan Dawn, no one would get to them. While they took their break their information network would continue to hunt down Wardite and Jade. They even had a group called new moon; they were basically ninjas.


    Within a few minutes Auna was tucked into a big circular bed under a beautiful canopy. She was in her tower in the main building of Altan Dawn. The others were also in her room at the tables, in her bed, and in the bay window. The book cases were nearly empty as she didn’t have many books, the ones she did had been given to the school in Ember Moon. Nero had copied the books, giving her back the original ones. They sat nicely on her shelves now. Little trinkets she had gathered over the years also were placed on them. She was happy. It felt like home. Ciela cuddled closer. A woman had brought them all food and drinks. Some other rooms on the floor had been claimed, though she knew Ciela would sleep with her tonight.