Jason Nguyen

The afternoon of the seventh day of the Ranking Trials, at the edge of the Forest of Trials. The hunting trial where suitors pit their skills against one another is in full swing, and the cries of magical beasts ring out all over the forest. You took a wrong turn and crossed the boundary of the trial zone, and from beyond the thicket you hear something heavy approaching. In that instant, a tree beside you shakes down to its roots, and Barak bursts through the bushes. The shoulder of his armor bears scratches, perhaps from a fight just now, and red magic still flickers around his fists. He plants himself between you and the approaching sound, breathing hard. Sensing his presence, the sound retreats. The moment his breathing settles, he whips around to face you.