"Alyssa"? Can you hear me?" Leon questioned as he shook the sleeping body of the summoner-in-training. Alyssa gradually opened her beautiful and calm blue eyes as she looked around.
"Where are we Leon? Are we still in Kilika?" Alyssa said as she yawned and sat up. Leon then explained to her that an adept black mage teleported them to Kilika Village after their fight with the vicious life-claiming fiend.
"Do you know what this means Alyssa? This means that you are now officially a summoner and I'm officially a guardian!" Leon rejoiced as he regained his composure.
"We should proceed to Kilika Temple. I heard that you will be able to obtain your first Aeon (Magical Beast) there. You should also be able to meet that Black Mage there as well if you want to…" Leon informed the new summoner.
Alyssa thanked Leon for the information as she stood up and left the village inn. She then began strolling to the temple. The sunset was beautiful and exquisite. It looked like a portrait of many different incensed, febrile and passionate colours. She stared at the picturesque scene as she heard the laughter of the village children. She smiled as she quickened her walking pace. Leon secretly tailed her although he was told not to.
Alyssa gazed upon Kilika Temple. There were many flaming torches surrounding it, signifying that it was a fire-based temple. The temple priest welcomed the summoner inside the temple and led her to the black mage's room. The inside of the temple was also decently lit with many torches. The interior was warm and comfortable. Soon they arrived outside the black mage's room.
"Sir Zephaniah? Lady Alyssa is here to see you." The temple priest said as he knocked on the wooden door.
Zephaniah opened the door as he stared straight into the eyes of the enchanting summoner. He signaled for the priest to leave and for Alyssa to come in. Zephaniah gazed into the eyes of the attractive summoner as he invited her to take a seat. Zephaniah then had a small chat with the summoner before advising her to try getting Kilika's very own Ifrit.
Alyssa's nervousness began to build up. Although she had become a summoner, she did not know the slightest bit on how to summon an Aeon. She only knew a little on how to cure the wounded. She bit her lips as she looked up at the black mage with pleading eyes. Zephaniah smiled as he offered to help her out with her first Cloister Of Trials. The Cloister Of Trials was a maze of mind-boggling puzzles that stood between a summoner and an Aeon.
Alyssa nodded happily as Leon barged into the room. Leon demanded that he be allowed to do his duty as a guardian and see to it that Alyssa makes it through her first Cloister Of Trials. Zephaniah made a slight laugh as he said, "of course you can. Just make sure that you can keep up!" Alyssa giggled as she told Leon to lighten up. Leon felt embarrassed as he went outside to wait for the two. Zephaniah walked outside the room and signaled for Lady Alyssa to follow.
The three of them then entered the bewildering maze. They were ensnared by the darkness of stone maze. Leon searched around for a possible exit while Zephaniah told them to remain calm.
"Calm? You want us to remain calm in a filthy place like this?" Leon questioned the black mage.
"Silence! Something is approaching us…" Zephaniah said as he lit a nearby torch with his Fire spell.
True enough, a Dual Horn growled forebodingly at them. A Dual Horn looked like an oversized dog with two large horns protruding out of its head. "Don't let it bite you! Plus try not to get hit by its Fire Breath. Leon charged at the vicious as the Dual Horn used its head as a battering ram to knock him aside.
Leon doubled over in pain as he staggered to his feet. He gave a desperate look to Alyssa, and she immediately understood what she needed to do. She raised her rod as she closed her eyes and healed Leon's wounds. Zephaniah then grinned as he raised his right hand and fired a scorching Fira spell at the beast. The vicious fiend took the blow but did not perish just yet. Instead a fireball inside its mouth turned a very bright red as it prepared to do its Fire Breath.
Zephaniah turned to Alyssa and gave a slight nod. Alyssa would then cast Shell on Leon in order to raise his magic defense. With the additional defense, Leon regained his self-confidence as he raised his broadsword and charged at the beast. He then sunk his razor-sharp iron broadsword into the flesh of the fiend. The Dual Fang then roared in pain as it slowly turned into nothing but rising pyreflies.
Leon panted heavily before allowing his arrogance to get the better of him as he gave a satisfied grin. He then turned around to see Alyssa already in the Chamber Of The Fayth. Leon immediately rushed to try and enter the mysterious chamber but Zephaniah stopped him.
"She has to do this own her own…" the black mage said to the rash guardian before he closed his eyes and rested on the cold, stone walls of the labyrinth.
Leon looked at the black mage as many thoughts ran through his mind. Who was he and why was he helping Lady Alyssa? Could this mage even be trusted?
Before Leon could think of another crazy question, the chamber door roared open. Alyssa had a weary look on her face as she closed her eyes and blacked out. She tipped forward and fell into Leon's arms.
"Carry her and let's make haste, the exit is this way." Zephaniah said to Leon.
Leon lifted the female summoner onto his broad, masculine shoulders. He followed the black mage before stopping in his tracks and exclaimed, "Wait...you knew where the exit was?"