[center][h1][color=6a4830]Ethan Conrad[/color][/h1][/center]
[hr]

Though he had gone into the second phase with some confidence thanks to the praise he received from Manilow, Ethan quickly found the course to be a challenge he could not overcome. No matter what he tried those damn vines kept getting in his way. He cursed at himself over the fact this was the first obstacle and he couldn’t get around it. After the thorns had taken a few strips of this clothing for their collection and left him with a number of small cuts, the boy simply gave up. He hated himself for it, but in his mind he clearly wasn’t up to the task at hand. Turning back, Ethan climbed back up the stairs of the course humiliated and dejected. He could only pray that whatever phase three was, it was something he could actually succeed at. 

It wasn’t long before Kano announced the third and final phase would be... Combat… Yeah he was screwed. Not only was Ethan scrawny and weak, but he hadn’t actually been in a fight before. Not to mention he still didn’t have much confidence in his abilities. Worryingly he looked to the stone wall as it vanished revealing his opponent to be a beautiful brown eyed girl. She greeted him with a smile a wave before jumping right into things by creating reflective panels of light around the arena.

By the time he was able to shake off her charm, Ethan found he had been trapped in a hall of mirrors. Everywhere he looked he saw his own reflection, only the images were coming in and out of focus. It was dizzying and disorienting to say the least, making it nearly impossible to look for the girl. Eventually, Ethan simply shut his eyes and dropped to a knee trying to regain his balance. It was only then he realized he didn’t need to see at all. The second his hand touched the ground he began to feel the vibrations in the area around him, meaning he could now feel the girl’s footsteps.

Now that he knew where she was, he had to plan his attack. Thinking back to his first test, Ethan slowly raised to his feet and lifted his arms to his chest just as he had done before. One by one the rocks around him broke free from the ground and began flying around him, only this time, he waited just three before turning in the direction of the girl and throwing his arms out forward. Instead of flying in all directions like before, the small barrage of rocks went forward shattering every mirror in front of him and heading straight at the girl.

[color=6a4830]“Looks like I found you, [i]darling.[/i]”[/color] He said with a smirk. He couldn’t tell why, but something about this was making it easier for him to speak up.

[@Raptra]