Tyrcestus attempted to run to intercept Vizard, to cushion his fall - but leapt back as an arrow struck the ground where he stood.
There was a collective gasp on the battlements, and the guards fell back in awe as a new figure, clad in golden cloth armor, handed the bow back to a guard and glared down at the group.

"Tristan! Should this group fail to meet your expectations, feel free to kill them. Such trash should not be let even near the walls of this castle."

His eyes, a rich purple, velvet, fell upon Trinity who was still panicking.
"This one in particular. In fact, she strikes me as so pathetic it wouldn't trouble me to slay her myself, especially if she does not learn that every power can be brought to the battlefield. She can morph, apparently, into a cat. I can imagine many uses for a cat upon the battlefield. To shred the eyes and claw out the vitals of an enemy, or to spy if the enemy is unsuspect. To refuse to fight, despite having come here to... now THAT is what makes my blood boil!"

He disappeared from the battlements, and the guards shouted down to the gate.
"OPEN THE GATES! GENERAL MANDRATE IS RIDING OUT!"

The General of the King's Forces, Mandrate, emerged, a claymore at his belt, his grip on it steady and ready.
He leveled it at Trinity and Tyrcestus.
"Those that will not fight, shall either fight me or shall be slain. Should you wish to run, that is not a problem either."
His mouth smiled. His eyes stayed stern.
"I have stabbed more than one man and woman in the back in my time."

Tyrcestus was now trying his utmost not to wet himself, but he stood firm - and went to help Vizard.

Hexy gave an angry growl and lunged at him from the left, Fweep sparking off lightning and spitting fire at Tristan.  Clun lumbered in from the right and opted for the ancient troll method of "thump target until target stops moving." Gizzard started to form another delusion for Tristan, a pretty tall scale one that he might not even be able to pull off - worth a shot though... "Too bad I have the ability to instantly kill any opponent now, isn't it?" he taunted, letting the magic flow...

"Just a bruise, kid... nothing to worry about..."
Vizard got up, impressed and yet scared at the same time. "That guy is shrugging off my magic as though it's nothing. Not to mention his speed... yeah, I'm laying down good money he's not human."

Mandrate took a step towards Trinity and Celestine. "You have until I get over there to either run or stand and fight."
Tyrcestus rolled his eyes at his own stupidity and stepped between them.
"Seriously, not, necessary! Just because someone doesn't fight on a whim doesn't mean they can't fight period! Like you said, she can spy. You don't need to beat the crap out of someone to prove your worth!"

SLAP.

Tyrcestus crashed against the dirt, gasping for air, blood dripping from his mouth.
"Silence, child. It is our test, therefore our rules."
Mandrate raised his blade to bisect the boy.
"Now. Those who watch. Fight, or this boy dies."

A lot of things happened in very quick succession. First, Tristan caught the troll's club again, and swung the wielder through the at Hexy.
Second, he charged forwards, slamming a fist into Vizzard's gut.
Finally, Tristan vanished from where he was standing, reappearing in front of Mandrate, his sword raised to parry Mandrate's.
'You fail to see the point of the trial, mortal. You are incapable of seeing beyond your narrow preconceptions.'

Mandrate's eyes narrowed, and he slapped Tristan's blade down with his hand.
"Tristan. This is not a gladiatorial arena or spectator event! If they come here, they must prove that they came here to be of use to the King."
His voice lowered.
"Has the thought not even entered your head that they could be spies for our enemies? If we let them go, they have seen the guard formation, the lay-out, the windows, the stone... things our enemies would salivate upon using against us. And if these people have potential, what better way to find it than by RIPPING it out of them?"
His voice lowered even more to a deadly hiss.
"Do you remember what happened the last time I followed your advice, Tristan? Do you remember what I lost? Now, either stand aside or return to dealing with those who actually want their lives. We are not advertising a cheap summer's vacation, we are offering positions as soldiers of war. Our enemies plot against us and every man, woman and child we see is a potential asset. Now, I want to forge these people into adults who will fight for their lives as opposed to standing on the side watching the battle like gawking children. If you will not let me do that, then I will explain to the king why we have no champions."
He pushed him aside, planted a foot on Tyrcestus's head, and ground him into the dirt, earning a snarl of pain from the trapped boy.
"I do not want to kill you, child. But if you will not fight me, then what hope do you have in this world, where the monsters will come for you in the night and drag you screaming away? What chance do you stand, against the lurking forces of Chaos that these men on the battlements help us defend against?!"
He pushed harder.
"If those women do not fight me to save you, and you are incapable of saving yourself, boy, then I am afraid that you have walked into your grave."
He looked up at Trinity and Celestine.
"You heard me, women. Either you will fight me, or you will watch."
Grunch, as Tyrcestus' head was pushed even further down into the soil.
"Him."
Scrurch.
"Die."

The heap of people (and one troll) sprang apart as soon as they all got disentangled, disoriented and unable to move for the moment.
"Ow..."
"Ow..."
"Ow..."

Vizard got back on his feet, shaking a little but determined.
"You... really wanna... push... this, huh?" he panted to the pair of them.
"Well fine! You're both a pair of SCAREDY-CATS!"

At first, nothing happened.
Then, poking through Mandrate's bald scalp and through Tristan's helmet, poked purple and black cat ears, respectively.
Vizard then promptly gave them the finger, then collapsed, leaving them, at least for now, with cat ears.

Mandrate paused. Then shrugged. THEN CRUSHED.
"G...gaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!" Tyrcestus grabbed the leg atop his head and yanked, to no effect.
"You've got more in you than that," Mandrate laughed, rewarding Tyrcestus's efforts with another kick.
"Come on. Let's see just what it takes for your women to start moving, and you'd best hope it's before your bones start breaking..."

Before the knight can take his first drink he hears the sound of gun shots coming from outside.
"Damn it. Why'd it have to be right now?" He thought putting his drink down on the table.
He gets up, pays for his drink and heads in the direction of the gun shots

Tristan stumbled forwards slightly, before regaining his footing. 'Your speed is only matched by your arrogance, boy.'
The cat ears that had appeared of his head turned to dust, and moved his gaze to Sean.
'You kill that boy, Mandrate, and you will be making a grave mistake.' he cautioned as he stepped towards Sean.

The knight heads out of the city and heads to where he heard the gun shots. After searching for a few minutes he notices people fighting, one of which has a pair of guns.
"Hey!" He shouted. "What's going on out here!?" The knight drew his sword just in case and walk toward the commotion

He see's the girl point a gun at him.
"Sigh... there's no way I can get you to stop peacefully is there?" Said the knight readying his shield, hopping it can stop a bullet just in case.
"Fire arms are illegal near cities and towns miss. I would ask that you would please put the gun away and be peaceful about this."

Mandrate gave a smile - and Trinity's teeth sank into his arm.
"Rrrgh.... much better!"
He took his foot off Tyrcestus's head and slammed it into her ribs, slackening her grip and allowing him to tear the panther off him, throwing it to the ground next to Tyrcestus.

For a second, Tyrcestus and Trinity's eyes met.
And Sean's advice finally came through to him, and Tyrcestus finally allowed himself to get pissed off.

"ASSHOLE!"
Tyrcestus was back on his feet, spitting blood and looking angry as all hell.
Mandrate turned his eyes to the boy, a smile playing around his lips.
"You're up. Good. Show me what your anger brings you, child."

Tyrcestus drew back his fist and with all the power he had, slammed it as hard as he could into Mandrake's face.

To absolutely no effect.

Mandrate blew a stray strand of hair out of his eyes, and looked down at Tyrcestus.
"That's it? The summons found you eligible, AND THAT'S IT!?"

WHAM!

Tyrcestus yelled out in pain as Mandrate took his head in one hand and slammed it into the ground so hard the stones flew into the air.
"You come here, wanting to fight for the king, and THIS is all you have to offer him?! THIS IS IT?!"

Tyrcestus gasped for air as Mandrate stepped very VERY hard on his ribs. There were three cracking noises, and the gasps became screams.

"PATHETIC!" Mandrate yelled in the boy's face, and looked at the panther who was still recovering from his kick.
"Let's hope you're better. Maybe if you impress me I'll let you eat his remains..."

Mandrate slammed his fist straight into Trinity's gut once again, but to his shock the enraged panther did not relinquish it's grip. He reached up and prised the panther's jaws off his neck - and an instant later, Trinity was crushed against a tree where she slumped to the ground, blood trickling from her mouth.

Mandrate rubbed his neck, and the wounds were impossibly already beginning to heal, were healing - less than scars - then no evidence she'd even attacked him at all.

"Now THAT is the spirit we want! Let's see some more of it!"

He drew his claymore and began to walk towards the downed cat. "I'm going to fight now, not playing around. You're going to have to step it up if you want to -"

"S-stop... this... please..."

Mandrate raised an eyebrow, a slight chuckle clearing his throat as Tyrcestus crawled up to Trinity's battered body and used a tree branch to prop himself up, between Mandrate and her.

"She's fought enough. She's... proved she can fight. She's.. done enough!" he coughed, blood spattering from his mouth, staining the dirt.

Mandrate ignored him and leveled his claymore at Trinity, moving closer and preparing to swing, ignoring the fact Tyrcestus was in the way.

"I'll slice right through you if you keep standing there!"

"I don't care! Leave her alone!"

Mandrate brought the blade over his shoulder, ready to cleave both him and Trinity in half.

"And why on earth should I listen to a child? You'll just be extra blood on my blade! Now MOVE!"

Every instinct in Tyrcestus told him to run, but his heart rooted him in place, facing down the giant with the blade. He bowed his head.
"So be it. You want her? Come through me."

Mandrate shrugged. Brought the blade up.
"Your funeral."
The blade came down.

And Tyrcestus gave himself over to one task - protecting Trinity no matter what.
"DAMN IT, LEAVE HER ALONE!!!"


FRRRRRRRKRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!!!!!!!!!!


The air turned red, searing fiery red.
It was like an explosion, suspended in time. Mandrate's blade had stopped, about a foot from the boy's head. A wild, pulsing, raging flaming shield, undulating and coiling, held it there, forcing it back - but then, suddenly, a pristine, perfectly spherical, completely calm shield of patterned flame erupted from Mandrate, crashing into Tyrcestus's shield.

For a second, all was quiet.

Then...

Everyone was forced to shield their eyes as an insane flux of magical energy ripped outwards from the pair, turning the air into a firestorm and charring the ground to ash.
When the dust had cleared...

"G-General Mandrate!!" the guards yelled in horror.
Mandrate had been hurled backwards, slamming straight into the castle wall so hard part of it crumbled from the impact, leaving him embedded in the wall. He wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, and pulled himself out of the wall, his expression murderous.

Tyrcestus on the other hand, was lying face down, blood pooling out around him, not breathing. Hexy gasped in horror. Clun dropped his club in amazement. Vizard and Gizzard just gawked.

Before anyone could say or do anything, Mandrate had stormed over there, and put his sword through Tyrcestus's coat, tearing it off and revealing his bare back. It was bruised, bloodied, and scratched - but the wing-like lines on his back were pulsing a ferocious scarlet.
Mandrate's eyes widened, then narrowed. He picked up the limp body effortlessly and turned to Tristan.
"This test is over. They are all admitted. Escort them inside."

He gave Mandrate a cold look from behind his mask, before looking back at the group. 'Follow me. The King would much desire to speak with you.'

Mandrate walked over to Trinity, Tyrcestus still slung on his back.
Before anyone could reach him, he leant down and placed one hand on her body.
An instant later, all her wounds and scratches vanished completely, leaving her healthy and merely asleep.

He turned to Clun.
"She will awake in just a few minutes. Carry her in with you. For your reassurance, this boy will not be harmed further."

He turned to Tristan.
"I am taking this boy to the infirmary. I will return to his majesty shortly. I just need to clear a few things up."
Then he turned and shouted at the guards.
"Fifteen of you are coming with me to the infirmary as guards. Should the boy awaken and attempt to leave, he WILL be kept in that room until I give direct orders otherwise. Is that understood?"
The guards nodded frantically. Anything that could throw General Mandrate, Supreme Warlord of the King's Forces, across a field and into a castle wall with enough force to dent the thing should be instantly marked a dangerous threat. They flanked out, and Mandrate, with Tyrcestus on his back, disappeared from view.

Clun picked up Trinity.
"Well, big guy. Take us to the king, I guess."

"Oh man boss, what do we do?! There's three of 'em now!"
One of the boys called out to the leader.
"Calm down! We're only after that snow bitch who broke my sister's heart!"

"Snow bitch?"
Kenta stood upright and phased away his club.
"You wish you had white hair like me, so don't be jealous."
Kenta winked at the leader.

"WHY YOU!"
The leader began his charge to Kenta.

"Officer! He's going to assault me! Help!"
Kenta pointed at the boy and cried in a fake desperate voice. Hah! What a dumbass.

"Huh?" The Knight looked up after hearing his plea for help. He readied his shield and ran up to the man who was attacking and bashed the side of his head with his shield.
"Now then, I would kindly ask for all of you to stop! If not I will use force and bring you all in!"