Sunlight pierced through the gaps Kathara’s towering cobblestone townshoppes as Yui and Alistair stepped onto the training grounds. It was their first day as Sun Guard recruits, and they had been filled with anticipation, eager to prove themselves worthy of their new role.
But as the two entered, Alistair’s face suddenly turned from determination to disdain. "Look at this lot!" he said as his eyes surveyed the dozens of other recruits in attendance. "It's like they just picked up the first group of drunks they saw at the tavern!”."
"Perhaps they have hidden talents, just like us." Yui murmured, mostly as a joke. Still, he adjusted his grip on his sword, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest. It was beginning to appear as though their prestigious invitation to the Sun Guard training regiment wasn’t so prestigious as they had thought.
As their sparring sessions began, it quickly became clear that Yui and Alistair were a cut above the rest. The Staav brothers both felt those they were fighting against really were the tavern drunks they had initially assumed, coming ahead mostly thanks to their guard training as well as in no small part to a true gift in swordsmanship. .
"Excellent form, Yui," Ketal Whisperwind himself called out as he watched the young man dispatch another opponent. Yui noticed that there was an intensity behind his gaze, as if the legendary warrior sparked an interest in Yui in particular. .
"Thank you, sir," Yui replied. He stole a glance at Alistair, who grinned back at him, equally pleased with their performance.
At the end of the training, the recruitment representative of the Sun Guards announced that a tournament would be held the following week. Those who landed highest in the tournament would be considered first for admission into the prestigious group. The Staav brothers, of course, seemed like early favorites – but little did they know that there were those amongst them who would like to see nothing more than their fall.