Aeon Legion: Labyrinth (46 page)

The week before focused on
individual training with the centurions. Terra herself spent a lot of
time with Nikias who helped her polish her hand to hand skills while
Isra helped train Terra with an aeon edge. Others like Hikari and
Roland received personal academic tutors to compensate for their lack
of a formal education. Now it neared the end of week eleven and
rumors amongst the tirones said that the Labyrinth was close.

When she arrived at the main
hall she paused at the fadedoor to the registrations office. She took
a deep breath before stepping inside to where she had first met Lycus
and the centurions.

The room was the same as when
she was first here. A spot light shown in the center of the room
while the instructors sat elevated above her in a semicircle. Isra,
Nikias, and Shani were present amongst many others. Lycus sat above
them in the center.

“Stand at attention in the
center of the room, Tiro Mason,” Lycus said.

Terra moved under the bright
light and then saluted.

“At ease,” Lycus said in a
dismissive tone. “You are first to be reviewed since we are
starting with the lowest score. Let's begin.”

Lycus touched his shieldwatch
which projected a holoface that displayed all Terra's qualifiers and
points. “First, let me say this is the furthest any tiro has
advanced with your... limited qualifications. With no military
training or combat experience we would have turned you away from this
program altogether if not for your special squire status. Despite
lacking any formal military training you have done well.”

Nikias pulled up a holoface.
“You passed all the basic qualifiers. You scored average on most of
them except climbing and endurance where you placed at the top of
your class. In shieldwatch skills you scored above average.”

“Your academic grades are...
also impressive,” Shani added, though she struggled to speak the
praise. “You scored high on history and temporal physics. Though
not the top of your class, you are one of the highest. You also
didn't cheat. You maintained the integrity and honor of this Academy
in spite of temptation otherwise.”

“However,” Nikias said.
“Your martial skills are sub par. While you made your basic
qualifiers, you won most your matches by letting your opponents
exhaust themselves by beating you up. Not the best tactic. Your aeon
edge skills are lacking too as your scores there are lagging behind
everyone else.”

“There is your greatest
weakness as well,” Isra said. “You possess no talent. While it is
true your progress so far has been impressive, most of that was sheer
stubborn resolve which will only carry you so far. Some may think it
unfair to compare you to those like Kairos, but the Legion is no
place for the average even if they are determined.”

Lycus's predatory grin
returned. “This leads us to an interesting quandary. It seems as
though you meet all of the basic qualifiers for entering the
Labyrinth. However, your point total stands at twenty three.” He
sat silent for a moment, staring at Terra as though waiting for
something.

“How many points do I need,
praetor?” Terra asked in almost a whisper.

Lycus continued to grin. “It
doesn't matter. You were not even close. Not even by half. Not even
if you hoarded every point you ever made.”

Terra's shoulders drooped, but
she maintained eye contact with Lycus. “So I don't have enough
points?”

Lycus leaned forward. “That
is correct. You don't have enough points. You never had a chance. Now
go home.”

Terra stood, unmoving on the
stone floor and fell silent for a long while. She didn't care about
points. In fact she thought the whole thing rather arbitrary and
stupid. “Praetor, the Labyrinth only requires that I have all the
qualifiers, correct?”

Lycus stared at Terra. “You
still wish to enter the Labyrinth? Why? It doesn't matter. You don't
have enough points. Even if you pass it will be senseless. You can't
become part of the Legion.”

Terra stood a little
straighter. “Praetor?”

Lycus raised an eyebrow.
“What?”

Terra's eyes narrowed. “I
will be honest. I don't give a damn about points.”

Nikias smiled.

Lycus leaned back. “You
realize this a futile gesture? The Labyrinth can be deadly. Are you
sure you want to go through with this even though there is no way you
will qualify for the Legion?”

Terra nodded. “I want to
take the test anyway. If I walk away now then I wouldn't be worthy of
the Legion. Either way, I will finish what I started.”

The centurions closed their
holofaces and stood to leave.

Lycus continued to stare.
After a moment he nodded. “Very well, Tiro Mason. You pass the
first trial of the Labyrinth.”

Terra's brow furrowed. “First
trial? Then the points were...”

“Pointless,” Nikias said
as he rolled his eyes.

“Not pointless,” Shani
said in an irritated tone. “They allow for positive and negative
reinforcement. We eliminate tirones who don't earn enough points, but
that's in the early weeks and really it's an excuse. Those we want to
keep on as tirones we make sure earn at least one point.”

“Why is it so unfair then?”
Terra asked.

Lycus leaned forward. “We
teach you to respect your superiors. Most armies require discipline,
but the Legion needs more than mindless soldiers. The points express
our authority. We can give them out or take them away as we wish.
Sometimes, though, the authorities are wrong and the rules and values
of authority need to be ignored to accomplish greater goals.”

“So sometimes you must stand
against the Legion's authority?” Terra asked.

Lycus's stare hardened.
“Sometimes. But you must be prepared to pay the price for that,
because if you are wrong it could mean your life. I did not lie when
I said the Labyrinth might kill you. This meeting wasn't just a test.
It was your last chance to walk away.”

∞

Terra stood in formation at
the main courtyard for the last time. She noted how few, around a
hundred tirones, remained. Almost all had replaced their old gear for
Legion equipment. A few still wore piercings and jewelry, but most
had discarded their old uniforms and weapons. Only those who had cast
off their pasts made it this far.

Lycus walked on stage. He did
not have his usual snarl as he counted the remainder without
expression. “Congratulations on making it this far. You have no
idea of the knowledge, skill, and courage it takes to stand at this
moment, this place in time. Now the Labyrinth lies ahead. In it you
will find more than just a beast, but many horrors, puzzles, trials,
and truths. It is the final test and it will require every bit of
training you have gone through these past months. You will face
twelve trials within. You must endure all of them. If you survive the
Labyrinth then I will be the final judge to decide if you become a
full legionnaire. The Labyrinth must be completed within one hundred
forty four hours. No more points. You may take anything you wish from
the armory. Lead weights will be removed from your equipment, but the
safety lock will remain on your aeon edge. You now have sixteen hours
to get ready before the Labyrinth opens. I suggest you prepare your
equipment and rest. Good luck.”

After visiting the armory one
last time, Terra returned to her room and tried to rest. She slept
little. It was hard to sleep considering what waited for her. The
walk to the meeting point was pleasant enough. The city grew warmer
as spring was just a few days away. Terra took one last look at the
sky before walking into the Academy for the final time.

The entrance to the Labyrinth
was below the city. She went to lowest parts of the Academy and found
several facilities she hadn't even known existed. Several shrines and
chapels dedicated to numerous religions dotted the lower sections
where tirones came to pray. She recognized a few, like a small prayer
chapel where a cross hung.

Terra stopped when she noticed
Zaid in one building. He chanted though she was too far away to hear.
Several times he prostrated himself on the ground while continuing
his song like chant. She continued to watch, both curious and
entranced by his melodious prayer. After a few moments he stood and
gathered his things near the fadedoor.

“That prayer,” Terra said
as Zaid stepped out the fadedoor, “what was that?”

Zaid faced Terra. “I was
observing Salat.”

“What time are you from? Why
are you here?”

Zaid kept his expression
neutral. He turned to go, leaving Terra's question unanswered.

Terra followed. “Everyone
around here tries so hard to keep their pasts hidden.”

Zaid spared Terra a glance
while they walked. “Then what is your past?”

Terra shrugged. “Boring
mostly. Everyone keeps calling me a softtimer.”

“Does that bother you?”

“I've been called far worse
things.”

Zaid grinned.

Terra looked at him. “What?”

“That is your strength. I
envy you.”

“Why is that?”

“Because nothing seems to
affect you. You are solid.”

“I don’t know. You seem
unfazed by everything.”

Zaid shook his head. “It was
not always so. During the first attempt at the training, I failed the
first day. My second attempt, I failed during the first part of the
survival test. One thing is for certain though,” he said as he
stopped to face Terra.

Terra looked at Zaid. “What's
that?”

Zaid smiled. “I consider you
a friend.”

Terra returned his smile.
“Nice try, Zaid, but I will still be blunt towards you.”

“I wouldn't expect you to
soften your words. In truth I rely on it.”

They made their way down to
the under part of the city where a crowd gathered. A large facility
hung from the bottom of the city. It gave a view of both the Edge
below and the underside of the city.

Terra surveyed the crowd and
recognized centurions, tirones, and optios, but many she did not.
They moved through the crowd.

Terra glanced at Tacitus
addressing his strike team. They all stood in perfect formation.

They passed by another strike
team doing stretches. Terra counted eight of them. “Wow. Two strike
teams working together.”

Zaid shook his head. “That
strike team is led by Javed. He has the largest team. They are not
the highest ranked in points, but he is good at team based tactics.”

Terra then looked to the other
side where three tirones sat around a holoface. She looked away when
they shot her a dark glare. All three of them had vicious scars and a
grim demeanor.

Zaid did not look at them.
“They are led by Nergüi. She is Mongolian,” he said in a low
tone. “Her strike team has only three members, but they have the
highest average of points in the entire Academy.”

Terra regarded several
soldiers in foreign uniforms as they walked towards them from the
other direction. As they passed, one turned to her and Zaid.

“Hey you bunch of Legion
wannabes!” he said, making a gesture that Terra didn't understand.
His dark blue, futuristic armor design reminded Terra of Vand's
armor.

Another soldier approached,
putting a hand on his shoulder. She wore a different uniform. It was
dark gray with orange trim and patches, like the Kalians they had
faced in the survival test. “Don't be stupid. Save it for the Trial
of War.”

“No!” the first soldier
yelled, shrugging off the Kalian's hand. “Every year you humiliate
us Helcians in the salient. Not this year! This year, we will wipe
you out!” he said before walking off while making another strange
gesture.

Zaid and Terra exchanged
confused looks. Then they both tensed upon seeing Lycus approach.

“Tiro Mason,” Lycus said
in an irritated tone.

Terra stiffened and saluted.

“Come with me,” Lycus
said.

Terra followed.

“I should dust you right
now,” he said, glaring over his shoulder at Terra.

Terra frowned. “For what?”

Lycus stopped and faced Terra.
“For breaking into the Archives and looking up my war record.”

Terra's brow lowered as she
wondered what kind of stupid test this was. “I didn't break into
the Archives. I could care less about your war record given that I'm
about to take the hardest test in my life.”

Lycus's eyes narrowed. “You
are either an expert liar, or another tiro stole your identity
because our system registers that you broke into the Archives to
access forbidden information.”

Terra raised an eyebrow. “Is
this another secret test?”

Lycus turned. “Just follow
me.”

He led her into a small indoor
area before facing a pair of fadedoors guarded by several
legionnaires. Each had the patch of the Third Cohort on their
uniform, the Guardians; a cohort dedicated to guarding important
facilities and acting as bodyguards. They saluted Lycus and the doors
faded.