8th of Janviay, 0000 A.C.

Noon

Northern Forest, Outskirts of Ravissant Brotherhood

The team had been walking cautiously through the forest for several minutes. They couldn’t hear anything from the other teams.

Jacques impatiently started to walk faster, while the others were forced to increase their pace. “Jacques, slow down,” Anarax called, but Jacques didn’t want to waste any more time. He started to run, scanning the foliage above him for a hidden team waiting to attack them.

All of a sudden, the ground below him disappeared, and he started to fall. He’d run straight into a pit!

He crashed into water. Coming to the surface, he shouted for help. Luckily, the pit wasn’t that deep. Jeanne and Anarax appeared at the mouth.

“We told you!” Jeanne called. Disgruntled, Jacques shouted back, “Never mind that, find a way to pull me-“

Jacques froze. Something had rubbed against his leg. Holding his breath and going underwater, he could see a long, scaly organism swimming away from him.

“Guys!” he started to panic. “There’s a snake in here!”

“I’ll make a rope,” Jeanne offered and ran to find some strong vines. Anarax sat guard, to defend against any other teams that might try to take advantage of the situation.

Jacques, in the meanwhile, tried to slowly manoeuvre out of the snake’s path. Maybe it hasn’t seen me yet, he prayed.

Several minutes later, Jeanne reappeared at the rim, holding a long vine.

“I think this’ll be long enough!” she called, and started letting down the vine. As Jacques grabbed it, he felt a commotion in the water. Realising the snake was coming towards him at super speed, he freaked out.

“Pull me up now!” he screamed frantically as the snake appeared on the surface of the water. It was an anaconda! Filled with fear, Jacques held onto the rope tightly, as Jeanne and Anarax heaved him out as quickly as possible.

Reaching the mouth, Jacques clambered out and hugged his teammates. Panting really hard, Jacques sat down at the foot of a tree. “Let’s rest for a while, and then go after the flags,” he suggested.

9th of Janviay, 0000 A.C.

Noon

City Centre, Ravissant Brotherhood.

The trials had concluded on the 8th, and Jacques was recovering from the brutal challenges he had faced. The results were going to be announced today, so he went to the city centre.

The nobles and judges were waiting for them, and immediately started assigning categories. Jacques knew that he would get picked for Nobles, as his father was in the parliament, Jacques was a master debater, and could answer any question on history. He had also fared well on the parkour course and the battles, but not well enough.

“Jacques Rachine!” Roi Knox announced. Jacques intently waited for his category to be read out. This was a pivotal moment in his life. Quivering with excitement, Jacques stood in anticipation, until the president announced his category.