Beardo's words rang clear in Totsu's mind as the windbag went on and on with his spiel, the more drivel oozed out of his tongue-flaps the more she started to understand just how true his sentence was, and why he talked like he tried to kill him before. What arose even greater suspicion about his first trial is just how inanely simple it sounded, sure he sounded annoying but nothing that would bring one to bring up arms against him, maybe it was a running joke or something she missed.

It was time to get this over with, Totsu put her staff on her back and walked to the weapon rack before lofting one of the spears and taking it to a position in front of the torches, waiting for the command to start the first trial.

[color=gold]"Start!"[/color] the haughty knight commanded, soon after giving his commands. [color=gold]"Green! Red! Yellow!"[/color] the first set was easy enough, run to the first, then the second, then the third, nothing glamorous or even that much fun but probably needed to take the next quest on. [color=gold]"Red Green Yellow!"[/color] came the second one a bit faster, again rather easy and completely post-haste. [color=gold]"YellowRedGreen!"[/color] even faster still. Totsu again ran to the designated torches but by the look on Beardo's face she had only just begun.

[color=gold]"Yellow! Green!"[/color] a slow pace but only two this time, raising an eyebrow and running to the first two destinations, stopping at the yellow one before she heart a disdainful scoff coming from the asshole working to earn his certification in general cuntery. [color=gold]"Another brain-dead squire who can only follow orders and not think logically for themselves, typical. What will you do in a field of battle when communications with your commander is cut off? Sit on your ass an invite death? Get out of my sight and call someone worthwhile"[/color]

[center][h1][color=crimson]QUEST FAILED[/color][/h1][/center]
[center][h3][color=808080]Restart from checkpoint?[/color][/h3][/center]
[center][color=808080][[b]YES[/b]/NO][/color][/center]


Looking back at Beardo with an incredulous expression, he just shrugged with a look upon his face which meant "Told you so" in every language known to man and beast. She just inhaled deeply and groaned, using her menu indicator to confirm the "Yes" button. There was a brief animation in front of her, akin to common visualizations of traveling through wormholes before she appeared back at the gate and much to her horror, there stood a man in Onyx armor, battling some training dummies until she approached just a foot before letting out his rather flashy attack and destroying it. He repeated his entire spiel, verbatim, the condescending tone, the three trials so seemingly simple but made Herculian by this glorified middle manager with standards set unreasonably high.

The raised the pillar again, he placed down the queer gem, put the torches into place... But for some mercy the order of the torches wasn't randomized so following them this time was even easier. [color=gold]"Yellow! Green!"[/color] The command came again, this time she managed to do it properly, running to the Yellow, then the Green and by the magic of inference and logical deduction, running to the Red next. 

[color=gold]"YellowRedGreenRedGreenYellowGreenRedYellowRedGreen"[/color]

Totsurugi blinked a few times before starting to run, Yellow, Red, Green... ah Red and Green again. By some miracle or will of the gods she didn't make a single mistake during that part. She dropped the lance and groaned, [color=45bd2a]"What a b[/color]-[color=gold]I suppose that is adequate"[/color] she was cut off, [color=gold]"Communications over great distance is not always possible, as such a squire should always be able to remember a long list of commands should they not be able to receive them once their mission starts"[/color].

The petite elf stood up again and shook her head, [color=45bd2a]"Please tell me there is a like a save point or whatever in this...[/color]" she muttered before she heard a voice behind her [color=68bcdd]"Don't worry, there is a checkpoint after each section... after enough protests from the players"[/color] her head snapped by at that with her eyes wide, Beardo just shrugged, [color=68bcdd]"Didn't make it any better that he took so long to respawn after... I... uh. Well I am glad they fixed it for the new players"[/color]

[color=gold]"Good. You pass this section."[/color] Sir Laig commented before walking over before snapping his fingers, the light on each torch going on before they 'dissolved' and despawned. [color=gold]"Now, to pass this next step you will have to answer me my three questions. There is no one correct answer but you will be judged on your ability to respond reasonably"[/color] after the explanation he held up finger and his voice took a turn towards the dramatic

[color=gold]"What. Does it mean to be a knight"[/color]

Totsu blinked a a few times as she made it back to her feet after her short bout of rest and thought, chances are it was something dramatic and overly vague like one would read about in a cheesy novel, [color=45bd2a]"Uh... To act with honor, duty and a sense of justice"[/color] she tried and hoped that the correct answer wasn't horribly specific one would need a series of logical jumps to understand. The man in front of her stayed silent for a few seconds before holding up a second finger; the look of relief plain to see on the elf-girl's face. 

[color=gold]"What. Does it means to be a squire"[/color]

Since the first one had worked then it likely had something to do with anything similar to her last answer, trying her hand at a blind, vague jump once more, [color=45bd2a]"To serve a knight faithfully to the best of one's ability"[/color] and to that question the third finger was raised, making Totsurugi question for a moment whether she had gotten lucky or if the answer was really just that easy, though the logic of how one could check for such an answer in the videogame flew right above her head.

[color=gold]"What."[/color] Laig stopped for dramatic effect for a few seconds, looking directly at Totsu, [color=gold]"Is the meaning of Justice"[/color]

This time she was stumped however, thinking it over for a moment but feeling compelled to answer, feeling like she was on a timer even though there was none visible. [color=45bd2a]"To... uh..."[/color] she raced to form some sentence in her mind, [color=45bd2a]"To set wrongs right and give victims a sense of closure"[/color] she pulled practically out of her ass. The time it took him to parse was likely not more than a few seconds but Totsu looked visibly uncomfortable doing it, not exactly relishing the thought of having to re-do this part of it with some new answers even though these questions barely made sense to her to begin with.

[color=gold]"Well at least maggots haven't rotted your brain already, you may pass to the next stage. Place your hand on the gem"[/color] Laig responded, stretching out his hand in a gesturing motion for her to come forward and complete the last task of the second portion.

Totsu looked behind herself towards Beardo, this one challenge was a completely black box as far as she was concerned, he didn't give much of a reaction to indicate it was something excessively hard so she strode towards the gem and closing her eyes as she placed her hand upon the gem, almost soon she felt her sense shift subtly, the smell hanging in the air changed from damp to one of lacquered wood and the aroma of food and the air went from slightly chilly to rather quite warm. She opened her eyes and gasped a bit, she was stood inside of a large and lavish room, dressed in a formal dress that reached down to her ankles, looking fit to attend a royal banquet by the looks of the room and her clothes.

[color=gold]"You have proven you won't embarrass me in the field, now demonstrate proper etiquette to not sully my honor in front of honored guests"[/color] a familiar voice came from her side; Sir Laig, dressed in his evening finest. He headed towards the door and opened it, standing by the side and motioning her to walk first. The next room away from the one they were in was was even larger still, with a long table filled with a myriad of foods. Plates, cutlery and glasses lined the table each next to a chair, it seemed like seating arrangements were a part of the plan too.

Totsu walked to the chair on the side, the one nearest to the end and pulled it back and waited there as Laig stood next to it, slow but heavy-set footfalls were heard as a rather fat man walked down the hall, dressed in whites, purples and gold accents, signifying his rank of royalty, followed by a servant who, too, pulled the chair out and allowed the regal gentleman to sit before pushing the chair in, followed by Laig sitting down and Totsu repeating the process the other servant had done, pushing Laig's chair in before taking a seat herself, first sitting on her dress before looking down and standing up half way and brushing the dress from under it so it didn't bundle up under her.

The two men started to talk, about something that Totsurugi honestly just zoned out on for a while before she heard the low voice of the man sitting at the end of the table say [color=purple]"What about you, squire. What is your opinion on Sir Laig?"[/color]

Totsu bit her teeth together and rolled her eyes before mouthing [color=gray]"not here too..."[/color] silently before inhaling and speaking up, [color=45bd2a]"I think he's a Knight of great honor and a man admiration, it is a privilege to serve under him"[/color] to which the royal smiled and nodded, she was sure he said something next but it went in through one ear and out the other. From there it didn't take long for Totsu to open her eyes and inhale sharply, [color=45bd2a]"User... Can we just please kill this little sh[/color]-[color=gold]The gem glows green, the enchantment is satisfied with your performance. Only one trial remains before you may be qualified by call yourself my squire."[/color]