narx smiled slightly at Neveah’s question.
"Do you know what the five trials of the rider academy are called?" narx asked Neveah.
"Master Maloway said the first is known to be the trial of worth." Neveah replied.
"And the other four?" narx asked.
Neveah shook her head slightly, she still knew nothing about the other four trials. With all the had been going on, she had been too focused on surviving through each day, she did not have the free ti to even think about them.
"The second trial is a test of integrity, it tests the decision making ability of a rider and above all, the strength of your justice. All of these you have proven without a sliver of doubt by making Lady Adrienne admit and pay for her cris." narx pointed out.
"That was the second trial?!" Neveah asked in surprise.
"Other than the first trial, the other four trials are never officially announced, you must encounter them on your own. It is why the trials for every rider are always different, the last four trials are real world scenarios and what you would least expect."
"The academy masters keep a close eye and they will know when the trial is completed to their approval. You risked your own na to bring Adrienne to justice on that day, Veah, thus completing the second trial." narx revealed.
Neveah blinked in astonishnt, she already considered herself an official dropout from the rider academy, how could she have expected she was still within their radar and her every action was being asured and judged?
"I didn’t realize." Neveah said with a shake of her head.
"I am also sorry I said nothing of it, but that is precisely the point, Veah." narx replied with a nod.
"But even so, even if I have completed two trials, Lady Kaliana was only granted the first rging after her third trial." Neveah pointed out.
"You did not let finish." narx said with a quiet chuckle.
"The third trial is a test of wit... this tests your ntal strength, depth of knowledge and the ability to turn situations to your favor especially under a short ti constraint." narx continued.
"Have I done that?" Neveah asked with a raised brow.
"After Lady Adrienne was convicted, we had the academy of magic take a closer look at the portal shards Dante and Estelle brought in as evidence." narx added.
Neveah’s eyes widened slightly and she turned her face away from narx’s amused look.
Neveah had not thought they would still look into the portal shards when Adrienne’s guilt was already proven beyond reasonable doubt with her confession, hence she had instructed Dante to get rid of it imdiately after the trial.
Neveah had not even considered that the dragons would still take another look at the portal to confirm it’s source.
"All jump portal shards are identical pieces of magical energy, it is difficult to decipher what kind of magic was used in casting it exactly since it is an elusive magic art. There is only one distinct difference..."
"The portal shards of the Fae royalty eventually disintegrate into nothingness in a few days, it was already more than a few days since you went missing, Adrienne’s portal should have left no evidence behind." narx pointed out.
"Estelle and Dante were questioned but they would not confess, though we already knew it was your plan. Only you are fearless enough to dare fabricate evidence before the entire rider council and the Dragon King." narx finished.
"Ah... I’ve been caught..." Neveah said, wincing slightly as she recalled the orders she had given Estelle.
"You knew the evidence of Adrienne’s jump portal would already have been destroyed by the ti we returned from the Fodder Grooves,"
"Yet you trapped her with a false evidence and pushed her into admitting her cris before the council." narx continued, shaking his head slightly at Neveah’s guilty look.
"How did you even co up with such a plan? You could not have had enough ti. I have been at a loss of how awed to be since I heard." narx admitted.
"I had recently read about jump portals after the situation with the troll golem and so I did figure out a few interesting facts and how such portals always left traces since they crashed in a hurry."
"I just didn’t expect to put it to use so early but I had no other way out."
"The mont I figured out Adrienne was setting up a trap for , I decided to repay her in the sa coin. It was just my luck that a junior mage at the academy owed a favor and was within keep premises at the ti."
"All I needed was evidence, be it false or real, it would create the perfect scene that would let Adrienne fall into her own trap. It was also the only way to get the council to listen." Neveah explained.
"So yes, my orders to Dante were to get fake portal shards and bring Adrienne to the audience hall. I knew there was no true evidence left but I was certain she was the culprit and I had to do sothing about it." Neveah admitted.
"I thought it was a great cri to deceive the king and the council, you all knew about it and let off just like that?" Neveah asked suspiciously.
"No one could argue with your thods, why do you think nothing was said when we all found out the evidence was fabricated? Your thods are quite effective." narx comnded, a small smirk settled on his lips.
"The academy has also heard of it?" Neveah asked again.
"They have, indeed. Hence by academy laws, your third trial is also regarded as completed, Veah. The fourth trial is a test of duty...to choose to fulfill your duty, even when they contradict your personal feelings."
"You were at odds with His Grace yet still choose to co out here and handle a trouble of his, which you have done effectively so far. The academy has heard of how you exposed the source of magic of the dwarves."
"Last night, I received word from Master Maloway. Your fourth trial is also considered complete, you have just one trial left, Veah. You are the first rider to have completed four trials in successions within a short period."
"Though if we are being honest, you have the most eventful life out of everyone else in Keep Skies." narx said.
Neveah laughed quietly, her life was truly one event after the other.
" Now tell , do you still think you are not worthy of the second rging?" narx asked in a more serious tone.
Neveah was quiet for a mont before she shook her head slightly.
"I will accept the second rging." Neveah decided.
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