He resisted the urge to look back. His usual unwavering demeanor was not with him as he walked away. She was on her own from here. It wasn't fair; but neither was what awaited them. He wanted to protect her from it, shelter her from the pain that was to come. But that wasn't his role to play anymore. He grit his teeth and took the last few steps into the one place everything left. No more voices. No more fear. Nothing but him and his demons. They hissed and mumbled amongst themselves. He shut his eyes and concentrated. From here on, he'd be tested to his very limit. Everything would be lost. Or won. There was no more in between. He'd either win, or be suffocated in them. Either way, his trial had already begun and there was no more time to think. The battle was on.

She paused in her spot, steadying herself. It was time to see what the trial was. It was meant to be their deaths, and for some it could be. For others, it could become a lifestyle. Or they'd win and be changed. Either way, this wasn't her choice of plans. But now it was time. Their wants, their desires, their very lives no longer mattered in the bigger picture. For now was their one chance. And it was time to fulfill destiny's greater design.

He stepped back from the door, bracing himself. There was no time to change what had been designed, what had been planned. But that didn't mean he had to like it. The course of his life, the pain and suffering could finally amount to some greater purpose. Or it could only mirror all his effort in this. He wasn't too keen about that. But if he did loose, he'd promised to have them taken care of. He no longer had the option till this was over. If he lived that long. So he took a breath and walked in.

She stared, watching as things seemed to slowly start again. It was weird. This whole thing. She avoided it like the plague. But in the same likeness, it stayed attached to her. Not for lack of trying. It wasn't fair....but the results if they refused were not fair either. And so, she had no choice but to accept. She wished she could run and hide as she had done so many times before. Yet, how could she? The feeling set in again; selfish betrayal. She couldn't refuse. And now she stood waiting for it to take her over. It was like a wave. It threatened to pull her under. But unlike before, she had things to fight for now, people to save. And she'd use everything inside her to save them.


She stared into the distance, the rain thundering down in floods and soaking into her skin. It had started. It was going to be much worse now. She hadn't liked how they'd left things. And now that everything she'd ever trained for was coming to a close, she wouldn't let it stay like this. She blinked, pulling out of her thoughts. Her skin was numb to the cold by now, and she could tell her body was shivering. She debated going to get something warm to help, but all of a sudden she wanted nothing more than to curl up at his side and sleep. She could feel all their eyes on her as she made her way back down. Things were going to start but she just needed to be near him now.

Fog covered the mountains, snow falling lightly around her. Her raven hair whipped around in the wind and she held the hilt of her sword tightly in her hands. This wasn't what she wanted. She had never wanted this. Why this was her trial, she didn't know. But she had to go through. She was tough, her entire life clearly stated as much. But for her, this was the worst of it. Where it had all started. Where everything would change; where she would change. This was the last of it. After this, her whole life would change and everything she had defined herself to be would be ripped from her. But the cost of her life over millions wasn't a consequence worth debating. She'd do it no matter how much it would hurt. She was a warrior and this was her conquest. Her hero's journey. And it all starts now.

So This is the end of Victory. I'll be writing another story, with each individual's journey and then you'll be able to figure it all out~