The person at the top is my image of what Xel looks like at this point in time. Lmk if you like him?

The few precious days I have left are spent feasting up and gaining the knowledge I thought I might need during the test. After trying a few different things, I find I'm amazing at building , okay at potions and absolutely terrible at pvp. I tried for the better part of an hour before giving up completely.

I tried to craft some new things, and I found a campfire which lead me to my new favorite food: cooked salmon. I also ended up trying to bake and cook, which rewarded me with some beautiful pies and some hideous cakes.

When the knock comes, I'm sitting on my bed wondering what else I can cram into my already full brain.

"Xelqua? Are you ready to go," asks a muffled voice.

I slowly get up, wishing I had time to do more, but am glad I got most things done.

The guide to my disappointment isn't Zane, Yelqua or Xander, but he looks friendly enough to be agreeable with. As we're walking down to where ever the test is, he explains that the test will consist of two parts: pvp and then miscellaneous things like building or brewing.

"A more detailed explanation will be provided at the location of your test," he says, gesturing to the door we've stopped in front of. "Your first test, pvp, will be here."

As he takes a moment to open the door, I do some of the breathing exercises that Yelqua showed me, and then I step through the door. The room is extremely dark compared to the bright hallway, and I blink, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

With my eyes still adjusting, I see a figure leaning against a wall. Even though they have their eyes closed, I have a slight feeling that they knows I'm in the room. The door shuts harshly behind me, plunging us into darkness.

"Welcome," booms a smokey voice as the lights turn on abruptly. "To you first test."

He finally opens his eyes and starts to slowly stalk towards me.

"This will be one of many, many to come. But be prepared, not everything is always as it seems."

His smile is a little unnerving. He starts to list off the rules, but I only pay attention to the ones that seem most important. The other ones don't matter to me. Those ones I might be able to get away with.

The list goes on for a minute or two, and finally his boring rant stops. He gives me a quick glance, then walks over to where he was when I entered the room.

"Get into position over there," he says, pointing to the room across from him.

A sword appears in his hand, and I realize that I am horribly unprepared. I didn't bring anything in my inventory. Quickly sifting through it, all I can find is an almost broken diamond shovel.

Well, I guess it's better than nothing.

A voice, which isn't coming from the Watcher in the room, starts the fight.
"Begin."

As the other watcher and I start circling, neither of us appear to be making the first move quite yet. I then make an extremely rash decision and run straight at him with the shovel raised high above my head. I manage to hit him back a few steps, though all it manages to do it make him mad. While he's still getting over his confusion I try and make another move but he blocks and takes a swipe for himself.

I take a step back, narrowly avoiding the glinting sword. He takes another quick swing, and I trip, which very well may have saved my life. I quickly roll to the side as he takes another swing, and his sword hitting the ground where moments before I was laying.

With a few quickly placed steps I'm up in the air, flapping my wings frantically to move out of the way. He looks up and seemingly glares at me. It's hard to tell with the mask that covers almost all of his face. Come to think of it, no one else but the illusion has had one on.

I end up not having any time to think about it when he mutters something and starts glowing. On his back, his wings grow even larger than they were, mending the broken feathers and making his wings a glowing grey instead of an inky black.

My eyes grow just as his wings do. Soon they're the shape they were before they looked all crumpled. He grins wickedly, and positions himself to fly up after me. I grip my shovel even tighter from my position up in the air.

This watcher? He's fast. Almost too fast, but when it comes to them I wouldn't doubt it. He's up to my side in two seconds, and manages to draw a long cut up my left arm. I jerk away, breathing heavily,  holding my hand over the cut the try and stop the bleeding. Even though the cuts long, it isn't deep so the bleeding isn't too bad.

I'm basically already spent at this point, while my opponent looks as fresh as a daisy still. I lower myself to the ground, trying to think of a plan while keeping him in my line of sight. Doing anything to distract him, I start talking.

"Before you brutally murder me, can I ask you one thing?"

He stops midair, giving me a suspicious glance.

"..."

"I guess. Better ask quickly."

I inwardly sigh, before talking again.

"How did you do that thing with your wings? Was that an illusion spell that entire time?"

He snorts, and grins. "You really don't know? You're more innocent than I thought! If they didn't tell you, maybe you shouldn't know!"

In response o just break my shovel in half and fly up to him, dragging the splintered end along his forearm. Now it's his turn to jerk away, hissing with surprise and with pain flashing across his face.

"How dare you-"

I silence him again by stabbing him in the shoulder with one broken piece. Which my other piece, and his hands reaching up to take off my other hand, I drag it across one of his wings and grab the other one, snapping it. He screams in pure fury and pain, falling to the ground.

As soon as he thuds to the ground, while at first he manages to stay standing upright, he falls down face first into the ground. I come right after his and start stabbing in every place that isn't covered with his robe.

Stabbing him in the stomach, he lets out a long shrill shriek while flirting his belly, and slowly disperses into smoke. I blink, panting while not believing my eyes.

"I... did that."

"I... I did that."

Realization finally sets in.

"I did that!!!"

I start grinning like a child during Christmas, and start to stand up straight before wincing and flopping down on the ground. Oh man, that was crazy. I can't believe I actually won. I usually suck at pvp. Actually make that always suck at pvp.

I attempt to stand back up, using a wall to support myself, and the door that I came through opens back up and the same watcher from before walking in. He's smiling as well.

"That was amazing! I thought you said you were terrible at pvp. Guess your not all that means the eye, eh? Anyways, you need to follow me."

He motions for me to follow him, and I oblige. He notices the cuts along my arm and where ever else they are as I get close, and simple says, "I can fix that."

He gives a subtle flock of the wrist, mutters ∷ᒷᓭℸ ̣ 𝙹∷ᒷ, which causes my cuts and bruises to glow just as the watcher before. They heal up in a literal matter of seconds. I stare in awe, and mentally store that word for later use.

"Thank you."

He nods. "No problem. Now, if we hurry we can fit in your next test today as well. Would you be willing to do that, or are you still 'tired'?"  He air quotes the word tired. I frown, but nod as well.

"I'd do that, if there's time, but yeah I am tired. And hungry. Gosh, am I hungry. Can we get something to eat before the test, if that's allowed?" 

He just stares for a moment, but then recuperates and says, "We do not have food here normally, for we just use our magic to get rid of those needs if they ever arise. Shall I?"

I shrug. "If it means I'll be less tired then sure."

This time, instead of me glowing, his eyes glow as he speaks the next spell. "⎓ᒷᒷꖎ╎リ⊣ᓭ ʖᒷ ⊣𝙹リᒷ" I store that word as well as I feel no more hunger and tiredness.

"Oh wow, that was so tingly," I say with a slight giggle, or maybe it was a snort.

(Thank you to SparklingWonderQueen for this head canon! If you haven't caught on to what's happening, Watchers use their magic to get rid of the human feelings like hungry, tiredness, bathroom breaks and sometimes pain. See if you can catch any other little things from her series 'Xelqua Rising'! Ruby, challenge for you. As this book goes on, see if you can spot the head canons I'm borrowing from you if you can! >:D)

He tilts his head. "I have never experienced this spell as you have, so I would not know. At least you did not explode, that's a good sign. Now, onto you next test." He starts to slowly walk away, with me trailing after him, wondering what's gonna happen.

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HI HI THIS IS RED SPEAKING, IF YOU COULDNT TELL ALREADY. I honestly just have one question. WHERE THE FREAK DID YOU ALL COME FROM!?!!? I really appreciate all the support, thank you all so much for 655 reads and 13 followers!!! You have no idea how much this means to me. I really appreciate all of it, from the bottom of my heart :)

- Red <3 <3 <3
1723 words (BIG CHAPTER)