Chapter Six: The Trial of the Leader
The moment that the Guild Seal had transported Connor and Roscoe to Bower Lake it had transported Seth and Ginjer into pitch darkness in another location.
"Connor?!" Seth yelled trying to find his flashlight, "hello?"
"Oi! Keep it down you scared little lass! Do you want me to hold your hand?" Ginjer taunted in the darkness before getting punched in the arm, "OW!"
"Oh sorry~ my hand slipped," Seth spoke finding his light and turning it on shining it down a sewer tunnel where the water had dried up, "An old sewer? How in the bloody hell did we get here?"
Rubbing her arm Ginjer looked around then squinted her eyes doing a double take, "Wait, I know this place."
"Oh really?" Seth spoke pulling out his phone to see if he could call Connor and saw he had no reception meaning they were deep underground, "dammit, no signal, these sewers must not have been used in centuries."
Leading the way Seth walked down the tunnel before gasping when he and Ginjer entered a large room with a platform in the middle splitting into four paths where water was coming down between the paths like several waterfalls and in the middle was a large cage-like mechanism where a Guild Seal like Connors floated.
"The trial," Ginjer spoke watching Seth approach one of the paths and looked around to three rooms where one gate suddenly opened leading into a room.
"You said this was a trial, this is my trial isn't it Ginjer?" Seth asked looking down at the gnome who nodded.
"With the help of the King, Ben, and Page built this tomb to put their future descendant to the ultimate test, to see if they were worthy to be the leader of change, That first room was designed by Ben, the middle over there was made by Page," Ginjer spoke pointing to the middle while Seth looked to the last ominous closed gate.
"And that last one, who made that room?" Seth asked looking to the Gnome who shrugged.
"I think it was both of them," Ginjer replied watching Seth sigh and approach the first gate.
"Alright Grandpa Ben let's see what you got," Seth spoke entering and gasped when the gate closed behind him locking Ginjer out.
"Oi! Be careful! Be on your guard!" Ginjer warned watching Seth draw his cutlass.
"Watch out for what?!" Seth asked seeing a row of torches light a path forward to a wall he would have to climb where he then spotted a switch high above.
Hearing gears turn Seth watched several rows of human-shaped machines rise and begin to shoot bolts one hitting Seth in his shoulder.
"GAHHH!" Seth cried out and groaned pulling the bolt and began to run down the path dodging and using his cutlass to block the bolts.
Sliding behind a pillar Seth peeked out to see the machines were all located on the bridge and the wall, he would need to take the artillery machines out if he wanted to move forward safely.
"You okay Troll breathe?!" Ginjer yelled trying to see through the bars.
"I'm fine!" Seth called pulling out his pistol and quickly peeking out he began shooting one of the artilleries watching it explode and fall over before taking cover again to check his ammo count, "Guess Ben wanted to see how I could handle being pinned."
Peeking out again Seth fired several more shots taking out three more artilleries before ducking back and getting ready to shoot some more, peeking out again Seth felt the floor tiles under his feet shift making him look down to see spikes begin to pop out from the entrance and towards him.
"SHIT!" Seth yelled jumping and propping himself between the wall and pillar off the floor so that he didn't get impaled.
Grunting Seth could feel his footing starting to slip, "Ginjer! I'm pinned!"
Looking around quickly Ginjer noticed a small tunnel that was her size and peeked through, did Ben also make this test for her too? Without a second thought, she ran down the small tunnel looking back to see spikes begin to chase after her.
"Hold on Seth!" Ginjer yelled sliding around a corner and spotting a switch that she quickly tackled to turn off then shielded herself expecting to be impaled but slowly lowered her arms to see the spikes stop and begin to retract.
Seeing the spikes in the room lower back into the floor, Seth was able to safely get down and let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you!"
"Don't mention it!" Ginjer's voice echoed before the two heard loud gears under the floor and felt the room shake, "Oh bloody hell what now?!"
Hearing a hissing Seth looked down to see pipes leaking gas into the room where he quickly pulled out a bandana and tied it around his nose and mouth.
Holding his breath Seth peeked out and watched the artilleries stop shooting and begin to reload their ammo, Seeing his chance Seth bolted quickly running up the wall, and pulled himself up hitting the switch before the artillery could shoot again.
Hearing gears again Seth watched the gate to the room open and watched the artilleries return to the floors where they came from, keeping his mask on till he left the room Seth looked ahead watching one layer of the cage rise into the ceiling and the second gate opened.
"You ok kid?" Ginjer asked seeing Seth panting and seeing his shoulder bleeding.
"I'll be alright," Seth replied wincing when he touched his shoulder and looked to the middle gate, "Ben was a soldier, so his test was to test my reaction to a fight, make me worried what Page test has in store."
"Don't let your guard down," Ginjer warned watching Seth approach the middle gate and step inside now ready when the gate slammed down behind him and torches began to light up a large circular room.
Seth quickly looked up to see more lights, showing he was at the bottom of a pit and could see a switch high above, his path now was straight up.
"Climbing? Ok that's not so bad," Seth spoke in relief but as if it was Page herself laughing at him for letting his guard down he heard gears under his feet and pipes came out blowing a burst of fire at him.
"WHOA!" Seth yelled dodge rolling watching the walls begin to shift around him creating small footholds and places to grab.
Quickly climbing Seth heard more gears shift and below could see the floor filling up with water that began to spark with electricity.
"OH, COME ON PAGE!" Seth yelled climbing quickly as he could with the room quickly filling below.
Climbing higher Seth lost his footing falling a bit but caught himself with a grunt. Looking back to see the water close he quickly climbed higher not wanting to end up in the waters below.
Seeing nowhere to grab he looked around spotting a hold he would have to jump for, Just when he was about to jump Seth recalled that in Ben's journal he talked about how Page explored all options, the clearest path was not always the most obvious.
Looking around Seth spotted a hook above with a rope being held up by a lock with a target painted on it, 'very cheeky Grandma Page!'
Pulling out his pistol Seth shot at the lock which seemed to have triggered something that Ginjer saw in the central chamber when another tunnel opened for her.
"Ginjer the room filling up!" Seth yelled as she ran down the tunnel and looked up to see she had to climb up, Spreading her arms and legs she began to quickly hoist herself up the path.
Reaching the top Ginjer grunted and hoisted herself up before running past a grate where she could see Seth on the wall and the water below getting closer, "Hold on kid!"
Running Ginjer found the switch across from a large jump, speeding up she jumped across and caught the edge nearly falling off where Seth could see she could fall into the water below.
"Ginjer!" Seth yelled watching the gnome growl using her hat to catch the handle and yanked dropping down the rope for Seth who then jumped and grabbed onto.
Panting Seth looked down to the rising water before quickly climbing up spotting the switch on the near wall at the top.
Climbing Seth swung trying to reach the switch feeling the tips of his fingers brush the handle, "Come on!"
"SETH!" Ginjer yelled losing her grip and hanging onto the edge with her sharp nails that began to lose its grip.
Thinking quickly Seth drew his cutlass and sliced down hitting the switch before jumping forward in time to catch Ginjer in his arms before the two fell into the waters below.
Seth was grateful that he had hit the switch in time since they were not being electrocuted to death swimming to the top Seth gasped and held Ginjer up.
"Are you ok?" Seth asked hearing her cough then climbed onto the back of his head and held on.
"I'm fine!" Ginjer panted hearing gears in the walls shift and heard the water draining quickly bringing them down where the gate opened up allowing Seth to step out and watch the second layer of the cage now sinking into the floor and the final gate to the last test opened.
Stepping out Seth panted needing a break to catch his breath, "Geeze! These two must be really trying to kill me!"
"Only a true Finn could pass these tests," Ginjer spoke sitting on Seth's shoulder and wringing out her soaked hat getting his attention.
"You truly liked him, didn't you Ginjer?" Seth asked seeing the gnome turn her head.
"I just miss another person to insult!" Ginjer lied getting a smirk from Seth.
"Uh huh sure," Seth chuckled taking a deep breath, and approached the final gate.
Entering Seth watched rows of torches light up the room revealing what looked like an art gallery on the left side Seth noticed things that he had seen in the past.
Poverty, Starvation, Crime, Corruption, it was Page's story, each picture he passed showed what she was fighting to stop.
On the right Seth saw a soldier story, a thief turned soldier, to training, moving up the ranks. Then he was a part of the revolution watching both sides' stories combine leading to a war where he looked to the middle with a crown being placed in a new ruler.
Hopping down Ginjer slowly approached a picture of Ben holding his dead brother in his arms, "I was there."
Hearing Ginjer he approached the painting she was looking at seeing the sadness captured in the picture, he couldn't imagine the pain of watching your brother die before you.
Such pain must have changed Ben, "that was when his brother became a Half-Breed, William wanted to help them stop Reaver's monsters, he led them to a trap to blow them up, but sunset rose and he began to change, Ben was left no choice but to shot and blow up the creatures."
"How does one recover from something like that?" Seth asked seeing the gnome shrug.
"He pretended he was fine but I could see it in his eyes, a part of him died with his brother, She saved him," Ginjer smiled looking at a picture of Bowerstone where Ben was holding Page's hands.
"He ran to her and she brought him a happiness he didn't think possible," Ginjer smiled touching her face when she thought she still had water on her but then realized she was crying.
Having this been the first time he had seen the gnome cry Seth pulled out a slightly damp handkerchief from his pocket and held it down to her, "Here, I think you didn't get all the water out of your hat."
"Thanks," Ginjer spoke taking the cloth grateful for Seth pretending he didn't see anything.
Looking around again Seth approached another picture with Ben and Page trying to protect the Queen from a hooded mask figure.
Something about the figure sent shivers down Seth's spine, he didn't recall anything about this fight in Ben's journal, whatever happened must have been not worthy for Ben to write down, or it was too traumatizing.
Hearing gears Seth watched a pedestal rise in front of the final painting at the end of the room, on it a plague where he brushed off the dust to see the words 'What is your reason to fight?'
Looking around at the room Seth figured this test had to be a verbal one, he needed to say the right thing to pass.
What was his reasoning for fighting? Recently he began to question that very question himself, Was he worthy to be considered a Leader? Was he worthy to be a hero?
Pulling out Ben's journal he closed his eyes before speaking, "I fight for Albion's people!"
Seeing nothing happened Seth looked back to Ginjer and then realized it wasn't just his trial, Since the start there were obstacles for her to overcome as well, "Ginjer, what's your reason to fight?"
"Huh?" Ginjer replied in confusion "I fight so I can insult and torment more bloody twats!"
Hearing a noise from the central chamber Seth exited out of the final room and watched the last gate open revealing the floating Guild Seal.
'Guess Ben and Page knew Ginjer would say that,' he thought chuckling at the thought before exiting out of the third room and into the central chamber.
Seth slowly approached, reaching out and taking the Seal from above the pedestal, watching it glow in his hands, "Does this mean I'm worthy?"
"I'd say so," Ginjer spoke approaching and crossing her arms looking at Seth and watching for a brief moment as the man before her turned into Ben who looked over and smiled at her.
"What's wrong Ginjer?" Seth asked seeing Ginjer shake her head from her thoughts.
"It's nothing, don't lose that seal you hear me? Ben and Page are trusting that the seal falls into worthy hands, are you worthy?" Ginjer asked.
"Yeah, I know I am! I won't let Page and Ben's hope for Albion die with them! I will help save Albion and her people!" Seth grinned noticing something odd with his seal.
Looking down at the gnome Seth knelt to her level and held out the seal to her where she raised a brow at him, "What are you doing?"
"This wasn't just my trial Ginjer," Seth smiled showing her that he had two seals, "Ben made this test for you too."
Looking at Seth she looked at the seal in Seth's hand before chuckling, "That cheeky bastard, should have known he would test to make sure I didn't let his heir die."
"It's more than that Ginjer," Seth spoke getting her attention, "You said it before, only a true Finn could pass these tests, You're a Finn too, I know we give each other grief but I would not be here today without you looking after me and Connor. Thank you Ginjer, let this partnership continue for many years to come."
Smiling her sharp tooth grin Ginjer took the extra seal and attached it to her vest, "You ain't getting rid of me that easily, you crotch spawn!"
"Love you too, ya beady eye twat!" Seth teased in her thick accent making both of them laugh.
Looking down Seth felt the seal shake in his hand and glowed transporting them out of the room.