Author's Note:

Spirit Bound Cont. After first "real" chapter posted by imaVAMPIRE.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Vampire Academy characters. Richelle Mead does

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CHAPTER TWO

I WAS READY. Today would test all the skills I have come to hone over the past eight months or so. Even though I had missed two years of training, not only had I caught up with the rest of the senior class, but I had surpassed them. I was the best novice, but that didn't mean anything out in the arena. I was like any other novice here. All that stood before me and my promise mark were a couple of guardians and an obstacle course.

I took a quick scan of the entire arena. I was disgusted by what I saw. It looked like an eerie oversized playground—literally. I swallowed my pride and continued walking down the aisle towards the stage.

"Well if you are done gawking at the arena's layout, I say we get started." Kirova eyed me as I entered the arena. I didn't care, she wasn't the problem. The problem would be try to save that moroi dummy from turning into feathers.

I stood at start, the obstacle looked fairly simple, then again, I should never judge a book by it's cover. I took a deep breath and then the whistle blew an ear piercing sound.

My legs were already on the move. I knew this playground wasn't just a playground, it was coated with guardians. One could pop up at any given time as strogi. It was weird not feeling my head spin, alerting me of an attack, but no matter my senses were just as good.

I probably gained five yards before the first guardian came out to attack. It was Jane. Easy. She was the preschool teacher. I dodged her attack with time to spare. Twisting my body I took hold of my pretend stake and staked her neatly between the rib. One down too many to go. Not to lose any time I strode forward.

I had reached the first obstacle. Rings. They tested arm strength. I crossed it in five second flat. As soon as I landed, three guardians were already there waiting. I eyed the moroi dummy. There weren't any guardians close, I was fine. I could deal with these few right here and now.

One guardian tried to bluntly go after my throat, probably a supposed newborn. Relying on strength, not tactics was the newborn's game. I dodged using a back flip with at the same time flung guardian numero uno to the ground. That would hold him for two seconds, max. I didn't waste any time, I could see Stan just a step behind me. He used a move I knew all too well. I simply stepped back jumped high in the air and attempted to kick him. Little did I know this was all part of an elaborate plan. I had forgotten about the third guardian. I was immediately pulled back smacked on the ground.

I was held on the ground, arms on my back, imprisoned. This was not good, but I was not done yet. Grabbing hold of my stake, I rolled over. Then, I staked the guardian. Jumping up I saw Stan already trying to knock me down again, too bad I spun around too quick for him. He was staked and out. That left the other guardian, I think his name was Jake.

He wasn't in sight and there were no guardians near the moroi dummy. I quickly picked up my pace and went to the next obstacle. Balance. Simply a balance beam over a pool of mud. Of course this wasn't as easy as it sounded, the beam had to be less then half as thick as a normal balance beam. I mad it halfway across before I saw the mud spill. Someone must have falling in the mud pit. The beam from now on would be slippery, no way was I even going to step foot in that mud. Going with instinct, I jumped it. I knew I wasn't going to reach the end, and yet I jumped. When it came to land, my foot had slipped. Luckily, I had grabbed the bar with my hands before I fell. Swinging my self over I was not delighted to see that Jake was standing over the balance beam. I barley had my footing on the beam and Jake had kicked me right on the legs. That stung. I again lost my foot and grabbed the beam with me hand.

Jake began stomping on my hand, my fingers felt like they would have broke. My hand, was slipping and fast. I swung with as much momentum as I could and somehow became airborne and kicked Jake. Too bad he was too fast and grabbed me to fall with him into the pit of mud.

I wasn't going to allow that. My hand grabbed the beam once again even if it was screaming otherwise. Jake still hung to my side, fangs ready, only ten inches away from my throat. I kicked and tried to shrug him off, but he wouldn't have it. With his free arm he punched me in the side. That hurt. I shook harder, it didn't work.

I was probably about a yard away from getting out of this balance beam misery. I took a shot and swung sideways throwing myself and Jake to the ground. Once there I rolled Jake over, but he was strong so he rolled me over. Hovering over, and holding my hands down, he had a clean shot at my throat. Too bad I knew this too well and headbutted him. That gave him a shock, and me a head ache. No one wins with a headbutt, but it is worth it in the end. I then staked him.

I had reached the yellow mark. I had to switch weapons here. From here on was miscellaneous weapons. I put my stake in the bucket and continued to pick up a sword.

I felt a shadow behind me and twisted and swung. To my surprise no one was there. Nevertheless I continued moving. I got use to the the weight of the sword and was ready for anything to attack. Except for the fact my left hand was killing me, damn Jake. Another guardian was on my tail. I could hear them. I ran, making sharp turns the whole way. About fifteen yards away, I saw a guardian hiding ready to pounce. I took a full turn of my surroundings. There were four guardians, they pounced as soon as I stopped in my tracks.

They were not nearly as skilled as Dimitri which made them easy. Quickly 'chopping the head off' of two of the four, single-handedly I might add, I moved on. My moroi doll was no less than ten yards away and one guardian knew that going after the doll was a much smarter idea. I ran after him, but the other guardian already stopped me before I could move ahead. I was faster and dodged him easily. I simultaneously kicked his leg and he lost his footing. Once he was down I 'chopped' his head off immediately. The other guardian was less then three yards away from my moroi.

I ran faster and faster. I had caught up to the last guardian just before she was about to reach the doll. I kicked her side, throwing her at least two yards away. This was not a good situation. My moroi doll was backed up in a corner, I was forced to defend a corner. This was far from good. Not only that, but the final guardian was a guardian I knew well. It was my mother.

I had three seconds of surprise and I was not going to waste it. I grabbed a stake from the ground and proceeded to stake my mother. Though it wasn't that easy, she was able to dodge. Just as Dimitri had done, she had quickly shifted her body. Not only that but she kicked me off of her in a split of a second. She was fast—dangerously fast. She was shorter than me, which I felt out of my comfort zone seeing how I usually fight with people taller than me. Even so I had to defeat my mother. If she was fast, then I was fast. There was no way I was going to let my mother beat me. She was closing in, but I knew where she would be and when she'd be there. I caught her and threw her down, but before I could stake her her fist had already connected with my face. Ouch.

I didn't let the shock of the blow linger. I grabbed her arm just as she was pulling away and flipped her over on her back. I knew where the heart was but have I staked anyone in the back before though. I stabbed my mother and I hoped I hit the mark.

"Good job." My mother muttered. I smiled and quickly got off and grabbed my moroi doll.

I had entered the last and final stage. Stamina. No weapons were allowed. Two guardians would be chasing me and I had to carry a nice fifty pounded moroi dummy. Thankfully it wasn't a hundred and ten pounded dummy like a real moroi or I think I would have died. I had to run, carry fifty pounds, be chased, and go through rocky terrain.

The guardians weren't going to let up and they chased me with full force. I was ready. My legs were shiny and new and I was a machine. If only my hand wasn't smashed this would be so much easier. I carried the dummy in one hand and ran with my legs. The rocky terrain proved tough. I jumped, slid and ran when necessary. I was given a head start but the guardians were catching up.

My breathing was labored. I hadn't realized how hard I was working myself. With each step, my lungs wanted to burst into flames and in a few steps I thought they would have. My legs strained with each step. I wanted that promise mark—no, I needed my promise mark. I wasn't going to let this stand in my way. I had run three quarters of the arena without the guardians catching up, but they caught up now. My running started to take hard and sharp turns, zigzagging through the field. That wasn't enough. I was surrounded.

Only a half of a mile to go. I couldn't grab any makeshift item around me. No weapons allowed. Damn, I hated this stamina part. Not only did I have to run, carry, be chased, and go through rocky terrain, I now had to attack. The rest of the way I was punching and kicking and twisting myself to that finish line.

Two more steps and I would have completed the entire test. With one foot in front of the other I passed the finish line. The red ribbon was broken and I had earned my promise mark. As I past the finished line, my head began to spin. I fell with no strength to get back up. I grew unconscious, and I was out like a light.

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Author's note. Like it so far? I hope so

btw, yeah yeah I know rose was suppose to pass with like fly colors but hey, there is a reason to this.

All in due time

All in due time

Don't expect another chapter to come for another week and a half or so. I have midterms.