Confusion and disarray.


    He was stuck in nightmarish memories from his worst day.


    Worst day.


    Worst day.


    WORST DAY.


    Thinking about it made him laugh. He covered his face with his healthy hand and laughed like a hyena.


    His life was nothing more than a collection of worst days. His laugh came to a rapid stop. He pulled his hand from his face. No emotions were present on his bloodied and bruised face.


    “PTSD. Just admitting it feels weird.”


    He swung the sword in his hand to beheaded a draugr trying to grab him. What was happening to him was familiar. He was hallucinating. While this kind of hallucination was a first for him, he saw it before in his comrades. Out of nowhere, they would think they were on a battlefield they fought previously.


    He took a deep breath. The smell of death and iron filled the air.


    “This isn’t real.”


    He said with no emotion. He was on a Trial. A dream space. He remembered Valieria and what she told him. G?kb?rü, Lily, and Nocturna were all fine. Of course that didn’t mean that he was able to fully snap out of it. He still saw himself in a concrete building inside of a wooden tavern. He could even feel the cold and the snow falling down.


    Despite the disorienting surroundings that still plagued his senses, he pressed on. This was just like the last floor of Tomb of the Wolf King. He just had the move. I kept striking draugrs. His body felt heavier and heavier with every swing but he moved.


    “Hey, youngling! Come here!”


    A weak voice called to him. He looked at the old man calling him.


    “Bolverk…”


    Poyraz looked at the old man hiding the table.


    “Everyone else is dead… I knew I shouldn’t have listened to you!”


    Poyraz kicked the table he was hiding.


    “What are you doing? Are you going to get me killed?”


    “I think this is enough, don’t you also think so?”


    The old man crawled towards a stool and held it against Poyraz.


    “What do you think you are doing? Have you gone insane?”


    Poyraz took a step forward, his blood dripping to the ground.


    “I don’t know how you wanted us to behave by putting us in an unwinnable position but I am sick of your game, First.”


    “I see.”


    The surroundings came to a standstill. Even the blood dripping out of Poyraz’s wounds stopped.


    “So you knew.”


    Bolverk rose up. His old robe was replaced by ornate armor and a golden cloak while a strong vitality flushed his face. The staff he held to support himself turned into a long sword, hidden in its sheath. He suddenly grew taller than Poyraz. The frailty and oldness he had were replaced with dignity and overwhelming presence.


    “When did you realize?”


    Wounds all around Poyraz closed by themselves. Despite the immense pressure pressing down his shoulders, Poyraz looked at the man with a blank expression.


    “Does it matter? Just give me the sword.”


    Poyraz streched his hand to Bolverk. He shook his head.


    “I am just wondering. Valeria and Rodrick couldn’t guess who I was.”


    Poyraz raised his eyebrows.


    “So the goal of this Trial isn’t to find you?”


    Bolverk shook his head once again.


    “It is to see what you would do when you are faced with the insurmountable.”


    “We would have failed if we ran?”


    Bolverk spoke up after shaking his head.


    “You wouldn’t have. Retreating to fight another day is the smart move. Though you still would have rushed all around by draugrs.”


    “What is even the goal of this shit then!”


    Poyraz barked.


    “To see how you would do things. There were many people before you who tried to push villagers to the frontline for their sake. There were also some who stole from the village before escaping. But you didn’t. You actually formed a line and fought with them. You have the makings of a great lea-“


    “This is the most pointless test I ever took. And I took a bunch of pointless tests.”


    Poyraz cut Bolverk off. He covered his face with his hands before letting out a noise similar to a growl.


    “It doesn’t fucking matter what you do if you don’t succeed! It doesn’t matter if you use villagers as pawns or comrades if you can’t defeat draugrs! It doesn’t matter if you steal or not if you can’t escape!”


    He spat out his words with such hatred and anger yet Bolverk didn’t take a step back.


    “Honor matters.”


    Bolverk answered.


    “HoNoR mAtTeRs.”


    Poyraz repeated sarcastically.


    “You set us up for failure just so you could watch us fail in which way! And you talk about honor?”


    Bolverk remained composed, his expression unchanging despite Poyraz''s outburst. He looked at Poyraz with a mix of curiosity and something resembling sadness.


    "You misunderstand,"


    Bolverk said calmly.


    "I didn''t set you up for failure. I set up a challenge, a test of character. Honor does matter, even in the face of insurmountable odds. It''s easy to be ruthless or selfish when you believe there are no consequences. But true character is revealed when you''re faced with adversity, when there''s no clear path to victory."


    Poyraz clenched his fists, still seething with anger.


    “What a load of bullshit.”


    Bolverk sighed, his tone softer now.


    “You will understand, one day. I pray that day will come before you make a great mistake.”


    A mocking smile formed on Poyraz’s face.


    “A mistake like sending a bunch of men to death for your own glory?”


    Bolverk looked at Poyraz’s mocking smile for a minute in silence before speaking:


    “I should have guessed you connected the dots when you found out about me.”


    Poyraz laughed.


    “Of course, I connected to the dots. We enter this Trial and the first old man we rescue is dropping a bunch of lore to us? You couldn’t make it more obvious if you wanted to.”


    “Your precessors couldn’t…”


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.“I am not them.”


    "Very well,"


    Bolverk conceded.


    "You''re not like the others. Perhaps that''s a good thing. If this means that you would succeed where we failed, I would gladly accept your sharp tongue."


    Poyraz shrugged and turned slightly away from Bolverk. He lifted his sword slightly and hit it to the ground. A loud voice was heard.


    “Before you leave, I want to give you a piece of my wisdom, my experience.”


    Poyraz turned to him and scoffed.


    “Just so you know: I am nearly 70. I also have that “old man wisdom and experience”.”


    It was now Bolverk’s turn to smile.


    “I was well over 300 years old when I died. Guess my old man wisdom and experience exceeds yours.”


    “Hmft!”


    Poyraz grumply looked at him and listened. Bolverk looked up before speaking:


    “Just like I told you, I was an irresponsible king. It was too late until I realized my mistake but by the time I wisened up my country was in ruins with draugrs everywhere. Guilt and shame gnawed me every day. I had no treasure left, what little military force I had rebelled against me, and my people hated me, rightfully so. I thought of taking my life but I was too ashamed to meet my ancestors who raised the kingdom from nothing I destroyed. In my desperation, I prayed to the Stars.”


    Bolverk stopped and gulped. It seemed that just remembering those days caused him immense agony. Poyraz’s eyes softened when he realized the man in front suffered a fate similar to him. The anger he had lessened even though it still was there.


    “And Aliera answered you?”


    Poyraz asked. Bolverk nodded.


    “It was more of a scolding for my failures. But she gave me a chance to redeem myself. But at first, I had to put every draugr to rest.”


    “It was your Trial…”


    “Yes. I was just a shriveled old man when I finally finished my task. But that time was well spent. I traveled all around my country and met with my people. I learned about their struggles, dreams, and ambitions. I… I realized that what made a great country wasn’t the military conquest one made. It was conquering people’s hearts.”


    “Sounds cliche but okay.”


    Despite Poyraz’s words Bolverk contiuned:


    “I was content with dying but Aliera had other plans. When I finished my task and returned back to her she told me of countless dangers waiting. She needed a Champion to defend the weak. To protect those ambitions, dreams, and struggles I accepted her offer. But even with her blessings, human lives are fragile. I had to rest and give my title to the next generations.”


    “Valeria…”


    Bolverk smiled.


    “She was very fiery… She was actually very similar to you. She tried to fight though she tried to fight alone.”


    “And Rodrick?”


    Poyraz asked.


    “Hmm. Now you are the curious one?”


    Poyraz aggressively raised his eyebrows.


    “Just teasing you. He tried to travel to other villages to gather more man.”


    “How many failed before?”


    Poyraz couldn’t conceal his curiosity.


    “Too many to count.”


    Bolverk solemnly stated.


    “Not a comforting fact.”


    Poyraz cracked his fingers.


    “What will happen to you? To Valeria, to Rodrick?”


    “So you do have a soft side.”


    “I don’t. Apparently, I am going to be like you guys. Will I be trapped inside this sword until someone new comes?”


    Bolverk shook his head.


    “I am just a fragment, a memory left on the sword. My true self is dining with others in the Halls of Heroes.”


    “I prefer going back to the darkness.”


    “I am pretty sure Aliera will respect your wishes.”


    Poyraz snorted.


    “Yeah, I am pretty sure she will.”


    Bolverk extended his sword to Poyraz. He slowly grabbed it. As soon as he grabbed it the frozen surroundings started to shake and break down.


    “Farewell. I’ll pray for your safety.”


    Poyraz didn’t say anything. He looked at the man in front of him with mixed emotions.


    “Wield your sword carefully. What makes us good is for whom we swing our sword.”


    The dream space continued to crumble around them as Poyraz held the sword passed down to him by Bolverk. He felt a strange mix of emotions – respect for the old king''s sacrifice and wisdom, frustration at the nature of the trial, and a growing determination to carry on the legacy of the Champions who had come before him.


    As the world around them disintegrated, Poyraz simply nodded to Bolverk. There were no words left to say. Bolverk had imparted his wisdom and shared his story, and now it was Poyraz''s turn to face whatever challenges lay ahead.


    The dream space dissolved entirely, and Poyraz found himself slowly waking up in the real world. He was back in the cave when they found Rodrick.


    (You completed the Last Trial of Selection.)


    (You gained the ownership of Sacred Sword of Selection.)


    (You gained the title Aliera’s Champion.)


    Poyraz felt the pain of his stats being increased. He also felt divine power fill his body and soul. It was different than mana, he could at least tell that much.


    “My head. It wasn’t nice to die a second time even in a dream.”


    Lily’s loud voice pierced Poyraz’s ears.


    “Woof.”


    G?kb?rü jumped to Poyraz’s face and started to lick it.


    “Not inside my mouth!”


    Poyraz put down G?kb?rü and looked at Nocturna.


    “Are you okay? It must been hard on you.”


    “I just need a minute to collect myself.”


    Nocturna reassured Poyraz while pulling her hood to her head.


    “I am okay too Poyraz. Don’t need to check on your best friend.”


    Lily complained.


    “Yes, how unfortunate.”


    Poyraz’s tone was deadpan. His gaze was fixed on Rodrick who was slowly fading away. Poyraz gave him a salute. Rodrick bowed down wordlessly before disappearing. Poyraz raised his newfound sword.


    “Let’s go. We have a certain masked asshole to kill.”