Chapter 9 - 8: The Trial Begins!
Standing at the top of a hill above the trial grounds, the elders, commanders, and the Chief's band watched as the 1,000 kids organized themselves, took their places, and formed groups.
While the audience in the stands around the massive area turned into a stadium over generations of work, they watched the same, curiously waiting to see what these kids had to offer, the captains, especially, already looking for a target to sponsor until they officially finished their training 4 years from now.
There it was, a forest zone isolated for this, with acidic trees and blood all over and around, carrying the ominous feeling it always had. Even though I had contained it, the Blood Forest was still the Blood Forest.
Yet the first part of the trial was coming, and while things could change from past years, the basic gist of it stayed the same.
Rising from his seat, there was a young elder with flames coming out of his mouth. He stood before everyone, and some people started covering their ears immediately, the moment they saw him.
"Huh?... Why are people covering their ears... Elara, you too?... Boss?" Toro looked around in confusion, only to find the golden-eyed boy wasn't doing it.
However, before an answer ever came, something much more urgent came.
Pain.
"WELCOME! TODAY THE 457th TRAINEE PASSAGE TRIAL!" The elder's voice was so potent it could be heard throughout the entire village, and even the whole trial arena, and as his words left his mouth, an explosion occurred, as flames burst from his mouth, before making way for the smoke.
The sound was so powerful that most of the kids, even those covering their ears, could not help but fall to the ground and whimper in pain; none of them had their ears ruptured. But they felt acute pain in their heads.
"Aaaaahhhhh!!!!" Rolling on the ground, Toro let out tears together with multiple others.