Before I knew it the day had come. The day I would take that dreaded assessment examination or considering my limited magical abilities most likely die trying. Insult to injury it was also my thirteenth birthday. The night before I was to take my exam I went to talk to my mother, but couldn't bring myself to face her when I heard her crying, so instead I sat outside her door. All I could do was listened to her sobs, she knew what awaited me but could do nothing to stop it.

~Etta's thirteenth Birthday~

Etta was standing at the base of one of the tallest mountains in the Knee. She looked toward the top of the mountain which was hidden in the clouds. It was the place where she would be dropped off and left there to find her way back down to the base using only her magic and knowledge. Lilith was standing beside her the good thing was with Lilith being the Coven leader she was overseeing the assessment trials. The bad news was that she would also be one of the first ones to know if Etta did indeed not make it back down the mountain. Kikimora prepared the scouts that would be dropping off those taking the trial at the summit. Leaving Etta and Lilith a rare and blissful chance to be alone.

Etta looked up at her mother and saw her staring at the clouded top as well. She saw tears starting to form in the corners of Lilith's eyes. Etta reached out and gently grabbed a handful of her mother's skirt like she always did when she was young and said while looking up at her mom, "It's okay, I'll be back here before you know it,"

Lilith bent down till she was at eye level with Etta. She gently placed her hands on either side of Etta's face and said softly, "Do anything to reach the bottom of the mountain. Do you hear me Merletta anything! No matter who or what gets in your way," She then murmured softly, "I can't bear to lose you my little Etta," And she placed a kiss on Etta's forehead. "I'll always find my way back to you Mom I promise no matter what," Lilith's smile one that was bittersweet as she gently brushed her thumbs across Etta's cheeks, one last show of affection and love.

"Saying goodbye? It would be unfortunate if Merletta was unable to complete the trial, after all, It's against protocol to send a rescue team to retrieve anyone, and there are no exceptions," Lilith stood up and turned to see Kikimora walking toward them with a false look of concern on her face. "I am aware of protocol Kiki, my apprentice will perform just fine,"

Kikimora smiled and said, "I'm sure she will but first I need to make sure things are fair," She approached Etta and before Etta could dodge away. Kikimora slapped a sigil onto Etta's back it glowed brightly and caused Etta to cry out in pain and fall to her knees into the snow.

Lilith kneeled down beside Etta as she struggled to get her feet. "What did you do Kiki?" Lilith demanded as she rounded on the short demon.

Kikimora wasn't threatened and simply said, "Remember your tone Lilith and don't worry while dramatic in its performance it's simply a sealing spell. It's to keep Merletta from using her wings during the trial. I'll gladly remove it when Merletta completes the trials, or should I say if she completes them," Etta stood up, her back felt like it was burned and she tried not to wince when she rolled her shoulders. She looked up at her mother and saw Lilith's fist clenched and she was staring daggers at Kikimora's back as the woman walked away.

Kikimora called over her shoulder, "Come Merletta it's time to go,"

Etta reached out and gently touched Lilith's hand and said just loud enough for Lilith to hear her, "I love you, Mom," before following after Kikimora.

Lilith called after her daughter, "Remember Merletta to be great you have to make sacrifices," Etta knew what her mother actually meant but she hoped it wouldn't have to come to that. Before Etta knew it she was dropped off at the top of the mountain with a couple of other people including Hunter. Kikimora then left to rejoin Lilith at the bottom. The others immediately started to use the spells they knew to help them to begin to descend the mountain. Leaving Hunter and Etta still standing. Hunter looked at Etta and said, "You could use you're wings Etta right?"

"No... Kikimora sealed them away..."

"Seriously?" Hunter said in disbelief.

"Yeah," a chilly wind swept through the two and they both shuddered. Etta turned to Hunter and said, "We're as good as dead if we don't reach the bottom aren't we..."

Hunter nodded his head grimly and said, "I'm afraid so," He then started to pick his way down a path. He stopped though and turned back to look at Etta who still hadn't moved and he said, "I'll see you at the bottom right?"

"Not if I beat you down there?" replied Etta and offered Hunter and hopeful smile, before turning to go another way.

"Take care, Etta,"

"You too, Hunter," The two parted ways. Despite wanting to they knew they couldn't help each other through the trial they would end up disqualified. Hunter and Etta shared a bond much like sister and brother and both desperately wanted to believe they would be reunited once again with the other at the base of the mountain.

Etta tugged her cloak around her tighter as she struggled against the wind that battered her frame. Snow blew in her face and stung her cheeks. She stumbled past trees and ferns desperately going in what she thought and hoped was the direction to the base of the mountain.

She heard a voice scream at her to watch out. She turned and saw one of the other participants cut down a large tree using a spell and it was now falling in her direction. She tried to leap aside only to find her cape was stuck to a thicket bush. Etta desperately began to try to free the clasp but with her frozen fingers, it was no use. In desperation, she reached down and tore the cloak throwing herself to the side in the process. Only to tumble down a bluff, she faintly heard the tree crash to the ground. But didn't have much time to think about how she just had escaped death as she felt her head strike something hard and everything went dark.

When she came too she was laying on a cliffside. She stumbled to her feet and observed the cliffside only to see it hung over a very steep embankment down to the base camp. It looked as if an avalanche occurred at some time because it was clear of trees. Etta saw the fire had been lit and the other participants of the trial had already made it and were sitting around the fire warming up. Even from that far away Etta easily recognized the blurry figure of Lilith. She stood out against the white landscape, dressed in black wrapped around her shoulders was a coven cape that blew in the wind along with her long navy blue hair. She was anxiously gazing at the place where the remaining participants were emerging and entering the clearing. That's when Etta recognized Hunter's form stumble into the clearing of the base camp. Etta's heart sank as she saw the coven scouts start to pack up the camp. Her time was running out she'd never make it in time unless...

Etta turned back and looked around desperately finding a large log. She attempted to flip it over but it was too heavy. She braced her back against it while pressing her feet against a rock and managed to turn it over. Finding it hollow except for some cobwebs. She saw that under the log seemed to be an abandoned animal burrow. She strained her already aching muscles and pushed the log to the edge of the cliff. She hesitated was she really about to do this?

She then saw Kikimora's blurry form approach Lilith's. She must have said something to her because Lilith's form buckled and she fell to her knees in the snow. She then heard Lilith's voice in her head say, "My little Etta can't be gone... Please Titan no..."

Etta shoved the log off the edge of the cliff and jumped into it. Her heart lurched into her throat as the log free fell for a few feet. Before hitting the ground jarring her bones, the log slammed onto the snow and began to rocket down the embankment toward the camp. Etta's screwed her eyes shut and held on for dear life. She knew screaming was a waste of breath. Etta felt the log hit a bump and fly into the air before coming back down hard on the ground once again jarring her. But she only tightened her grip on the sides of the log, all she wanted was to see her mother again to let her know she was okay.

She heard voices shouting, "Get out of the way!" Etta opened her eyes and saw the log flying straight toward where the other participants were sitting. They dove out of the way as the front of the log slammed into the fire launching Etta flying through the air. This time Etta screamed but it was cut off when she landed in a snow drift several feet away from the camp. She clawed her way out of the drift and fell out of it and onto her back in the snow staring up at the cloudy sky her chest heaving. She closed her eyes but opened them when she heard her mother's voice.

"Etta! Etta, there you are!" Etta looked up and saw her mother's face come into view above her. She could tell her mother had been on the verge of tears. "Hey, sorry I was late..." Etta laughed weakly up at her mom. Etta sat up and groaned in pain she saw Kikimora walking toward them.

"Cutting it close Merletta but you pass... although I wouldn't say with the respectability expected from a member of the Emperor's Coven,"

"She passed this trail, Kiki that was all that was required," Lilith said firmly. Etta groaned in pain she muttered "I never want to do that again. I saw my life flash before my eyes, and sadly it was too short to last me the whole trip down..."

Kikimora let out a scoff and she walked away ordering the Coven scouts to begin to pack up the camp. The rest of the participants followed her. Leaving Etta and Lilith alone, Lilith gave Etta a kiss on the forehead and said, "I'm so glad you are okay," Her voice shook as she said, "Kikimora told me another participant had informed her that they believe they had accidentally killed you,"

"Well, it was a close call," Etta muttered and lifted her cloak showing the torn and ripped edge. Lilith pulled her daughter into a hug and gently stroked her hair. Etta hugged her mother back tightly, "I just wanted to see you again, and make sure you knew I was okay,"

Lilith tightened her hold on her daughter and whispered, "I know I love you... My little Etta," The two parted and Lilith said, "There are still two more trials," Etta nodded her head there was a determined glint in her eyes and she said, "Bring it on,"