"I understand, the threat of the abyss is more than we can dream of handling. But you don’t like the way the trials happen," Jake said.
"Exactly. What’s the point of removing one sword only to get another? I’m sure that when the Trial was created, the dark dragon didn’t see it that way.
The stronger you get, the more you begin to see the bigger picture, and that makes you less connected to those weak and under.
The dark dragon saw what he did as so sort of solution, but never took into account the lives of those that were here, the lives that would be lost," John said. He pressed his cigar into the table to quench it.
"But I believe there is a way to stop the trial, to fix it up. Maybe a way to find a permanent solution for it. But in order to do that, we need to understand all five thousand years of the trial as well as the trial of this century," John said. He looked at Jake, their eyes locking.
"What we do here is not based on trust in each other. There is no trust here. Chosens can never trust themselves. I suggest you don’t as well," he said.
"I have a question. Are you guys here the only ones?" Jake asked.
"No. Like I said, we are spread out over the entire continent, and soon beyond. We are trying to cover as much ground as possible in this ti, uncover all the secrets that will help us.
So I’m asking—no, I’m offering—will you join us? With you being a necromancer and all, you’ll be a great asset. We will be able to get through this, and maybe before the trials ask us to kill ourselves, we will find a solution," John said.
"Hmm, honestly, I don’t really have a choice here, do I? If you found worthy of your organization and brought here, it simply ans you have limited my choice: agree or die.
I’m sure there is no leaving here, but seeing I knew that before I walked in, I can’t complain. I’ll join. I don’t trust you or this whole shenanigan, but I’ll join. I need all the preparation I can get before the start of the next trial," Jake said.
"I’ll take that as a yes," John said with a smile. He got up from his chair and pointed at the boy. "That’s Ray. He is also a chosen like us," he said. He walked to the man that was sleeping and tipped the chair all of a sudden.
The man jerked awake, feeling like he was falling. His eyes imdiately looked around, locked on John, and from that sitting position, he pounced on John, sending him to the ground and strangling him.
"I’ll make sure I kill your stupid ass today," he cursed. He looked up and saw Jake. He imdiately stopped, but his hands were still on John’s neck.
"I’m guessing you are the necromancer that Rion spoke about," he said.
"Yes, I am," Jake replied.
"That’s good. Nice to et you. I’m Lucas. I’m a mage, not a chosen like you lot, but I’ve got a lot of connections and resources, so this bag of bones allows to stay around," Lucas said.
"I’m right here, you know," John said.
"I know, and I’m not done," Lucas replied before choking him harder.
"Can you two get a room and get out of my sight?" Petra roared from where she was seated.
"Hmm? You are normally grumpy, but it seems worse today," Lucas said.
"Yeah, she got attacked and injured by soone from her trial," John said.
"Ohhhh, that will do it," Lucas said.
A shoe ca flying out of nowhere. It slamd Lucas right in the head. "Stop talking about when I’m here!" Petra roared.
Lucas rubbed the side of his head. "Ouch, man, you are really in a bad mood," he said. He finally got off John and stood up.
"Uhm, Jake, tell about your own trial. Everyone seed to have been forced to visit grave killings today," Lucas said.
"I was with John today when his own trial started. The bar above—over a hundred people were forced into this cramped bar, and fifty of them died.
All I had to do was listen to John, and I survived. The others could have as well. But fifty deaths, that’s a lot, and John wasn’t really pleased with it," Lucas said.
"I was in a tight spot, but in the end it all ended with half the people alive," John said.
"Fifty? You only lost fifty?" Jake asked.
"Yeah. What about you?" John asked.
"My trial happened in the guild. Four hundred adventurers trapped inside," Jake said. He kept a straight face, but his tone was heavy.
The mont Lucas and John heard the place and the number, their hearts braced for impact.
"Three hundred and forty. That’s the total number of people that died in my trial. Three hundred and forty adventurers, with wives, husbands, families to go back to.
And about forty of them ca from my own hand," Jake said.
The mood imdiately got tense when they heard what he passed through. The bla for over three hundred deaths was not small.
John stretched out his hand and placed it on Jake’s shoulder. "Honestly, I want to console you, but it only gets worse from here," he said.
"Shut your gutter up. Is that why you alive soone?" Lucas yelled and smacked John behind his head.
"What? We all know the truth already," John said.
"Doesn’t an you should open your mouth and spew rubbish," Lucas said, grabbing him by the throat again.
Jake watched the scene between the two of them and couldn’t help but chuckle. Ophelia looked up and saw him laughing. She smirked as well, as if she had just thought of sothing.
The two finally stopped, with Lucas being the obvious winner, and they turned their focus back to Jake, who was still standing there chuckling.
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