The Trials of Keepers
Chapter I [Aiden]
It was such a beautiful day, and I had hoped that I could just enjoy sitting watching over Seryth, the small ground-type village located towards the north of Cyton. Near the south of Seryth the flowers had bloomed in all sorts of colours, the image like a spectrum shimmering in the wind. Then further west Lake Hamaru was still, reflecting Mount Folmer to its north. Kids played in the street and large groups of people gathered in the fields to enjoy the wonderful day. It's a shame the peace of the image didn't reflect Seryth's political state. Our small county, with two other villages and a major town besides Seryth, was locked in a Civil War with four other Counties. But in a day as warm and clear as that, you could forget any worries. Well, unless you're a Keeper. I had received a message only yesterday that I was to report to Master Hardin to find out which three graduates from Seryth High School I would be tutoring in preparation for the Trials. As I made my way to the council buildings, I could see kids laughing in the street, and relaxing without a care in the world. I envied them just then.
I reached the dull grey council buildings with ten minutes to spare, so I stood outside the buildings and enjoyed the sun on my skin. A cloud soon covered the sun that was reaching me, so I went inside. Master Hardin was already there.
"Ah, Aiden! I had hoped you would come early. I wanted to ask you something privately." He asked with a smile on his face. I knew that smile was only an act, however, and that he was actually locked in a constant struggle figuring how to best protect Seryth and Cyton against attack.
"What is it?" I asked, showing no enthusiasm to being there.
"Come now, no need to be so glum, Aiden. Be proud that you are elite enough to be a tutor! Anyway, I wondered how you'd feel tutoring Jack Junín?" He asked, still keeping that ridiculously false smile on his face. I was surprised that he wanted me to tutor the boy who would end the Civil War. It WAS a privilege, to be sure, but at that moment I just could not be bothered with it.
"Nah, it's too much work. Besides, don't you want to tutor him yourself? He is supposedly the ender of the Civil War." Master Hardin's smile faded slightly.
"That's a shame, Aiden. I cannot tutor anyone; I haven't enough time to tutor even one student, let alone a group. No, someone else will have to do the honours. I'll ask the next person who walks through the door." It didn't take much waiting for someone else to walk through the door. Jane Barnett, a woman who's pass rates were the lowest out of all the elite tutors. That's what decided it. I could not let someone incompetent tutor such a promising person like Jack.
"I'll do it." I said quietly, and Master Hardin's smile regained its full falseness. I left shortly afterwards, unable to withstand the whole procedure of everyone being given their groups individually. I already knew mine, so there was no reason to stay, other than courtesy.
Later that day, I was found by Kayla Sharpe, an elite Keeper who had been my friend ever since we both graduated into the same team for the trials.
"So you got Jack Junín eh? Can't say I envy you though, I'm happy to have three regular students." She said mockingly.
"It was either that, or have our future put into Jane Barnett's hands. What would you have done?" She looked blank at that, so we sat there in silence. Kayla's companionship was always nice, even if her words weren't from time to time. She always meant well though. We were looking over Lake Hamaru, created a perfect mirror image of Mount Folmer and the mountain range behind it. It was quite a site, and of all the places in Cyton, this was the most beautiful and serene.
At sunset, we finally parted. I headed straight home, already frustrated at how this term of tutoring was turning out.
