Bab 6: Graduation
It took ten years for him to graduate, the average time it took a guardsman.
He had forgotten their names, but he saw faces, familiar ones. Comrades, now dead. He recalled how some had left earlier and others he preceded.
Who they were was unimportant. What mattered was working together, learning trust and friendship, and leadership. One cannot lead without willing followers.
In his final battle, he was again charged with defeating an instructor, this time a giant man who stood well over any normal man and was entirely composed of bulky muscles that were desperately attempting to escape the training suit they all wore. His face was like a block of ironstone, squarish and tough. Before him, the warrior was like a skinny teenager, his body all angles and cut muscles, like an Olympic God. It didn't matter that the warrior stood far above most men, this giant before him was unnatural.
His instructor stood there calmly but looked at him with a thousand-yard stare. His eyes were unfocused to perceive movements with his peripheral vision better. They both wielded the signature equipment of the Vrean Sun Guard, a circular shield that guarded most of their torso magically bonded to the left forearm of their suit, and a training glaive as tall as the instructor.
The warrior crouched low, and his gold-flaked green eyes were unfocused as he used the same gaze. This battle would be decided quickly, for there was no room for error.
They stared at each other, analyzing their breathing and unconscious movements.
'His arms are far longer than mine, so he's got the reach advantage. It means he will probably take the first strike!'
The instructor moved first. Power coursed through his muscular legs as he rushed toward the warrior, thrusting his glaive at his head, a slight wind being generated by the force of the strike.
'Oh shit!'
He quickly slipped the thrust by leaning to the side and down, ready to counter with a strike to the torso. Using his shield would've blocked his vision, which meant instant defeat. Suddenly, a chill went down his spine as the glaive passed his head and the thrust became a slash at his neck.
'How can he do that?! Is he that strong?!' He thought, a cold sweat dripping down his neck.
The sun knight in training leaned back as far as he could, narrowly dodging the glaive by a hair, the wind produced cutting his face.
He stepped back, slashing horizontally with his glaive to create some space, but it didn't work.
'Damn! The range difference is too much!'
The instructor's glaive followed him like a snake as he thrust at his legs, trying to disable him. The warrior's shield deflected them, taking the opportunity to attempt to stab the instructor in the chest, which was blocked but forced him to take a step back from the strength of the blow.
'I need to take the offensive, or I'll never win!'
His legs dug into the soft dirt as he rushed towards his staggered instructor at lightning speed, closing the distance. The warrior thrust at his head, trying to rip through the very air with his glaive.
The instructor side-stepped and tried to create some distance, but the warrior followed, thrusting at his unprotected body, trying to crack his defense.
Suddenly, something changed. The instructor unleashed a massive slash that seemed to create a gale as it tore through the air, but the warrior was ready. He extended his left hand while circulating his mana, catching the glaive. He quickly used his strength and mana to tear it out of the instructor's grasp and impale him with his spear.
Or rather, the weighted but rubber tip smashed into the man's ribs, fracturing them and effectively ending the fight as he lay on his back.
The warrior froze and stared at the setting sun in the distance, close to the horizon but not touching.
Tears fell down his face, and he fell to his knees as he roared to the heavens, informing them of his victory.
The instructor patted his shoulder as he got up, a proud smile.
"Well done, Guardsman. You have graduated from basic physical training and are officially a Sun Guard of the Kingdom of Vrea."
He grasped his student's arm and pulled him up.
"Remember this moment, Guardsman," he said, "I am Sir Jagan Alfrun the Unbroken, and I hereby pronounce you as fit for duty. For the Flame!"
"For the Flame!!" The sun knight roared. His voice in the memory differed from his voice now, it sounded more like a man than a beast.
He couldn't help but wonder why he remembered this man's name and not the others. Was he so important, or perhaps the ceremony itself was important enough to remember his name?
The Vrean found himself within that endless plain of darkness, his golden eyes glowing faintly before extinguishing and regaining their usual appearance.
'I've no idea what my purpose is, but I know that I must be strong enough to accomplish it.' He looked down at his body, no longer emaciated but still malnourished.
He left the darkness starting to lift, his consciousness pulling away from the endless plain, and he found himself once again upon his bed, but with one main difference this time, three people were looking back at him.
They stared at each other for a second, the warrior's golden eyes piercing them and the uncomfortable situation piercing into the Vrean.
"Um... Can I help you?" He asked.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Mord looked at Gwen. "I told you if we simply stared at him for long enough, he'd wake up!"
Rick face-palmed. "Of course, he would!! That has nothing to do with anything!" He shouted.
Gwen stared at the masked sun knight, who was sitting up on the bed.
"We must report to Lord Colm at once, Rick, go. Tell him everything and that the Vrean won't be going anywhere. Mord, stay here." Gwen said, walking quickly out of the room.
The warrior clenched his fist, his fingers jittery.
'I feel like I'm overflowing with energy... I need to move, to fight!'
He tried to get up, but Mord stopped him.
"Sorry, Guardsman, but you've got to stay here, can't have you fainting at your own appearance again."
The man sighed, sitting down on the bed again, and resigned himself to waiting for the Lord of Redvale to show himself.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
_Dais
_Dais Things are starting to pick up for the Masked One. Leave a comment or powerstone if you enjoyed this chapter!
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