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ELRETH

As they entered the royal meadow Elreth returned to her human form and ran for the cave, Gar and Tarkyn both following.

Her chest ached for Aaryn and the shadow that had passed behind his eyes when he\'d offered to go to the Tree City for them. He hated it when he perceived that his inability to shift was a disadvantage. She was so grateful he\'d made the offer anyway. She made a mental note to thank him later when they were alone. To recognize the role he played, and how important it was to her.

Walking into the royal cave with her brother and her captain behind her, Elreth was aware that it was the first time she felt truly like a Queen. She knew her goal, knew that she was seeking the best for her people, and she was certain the Creator had placed her there for exactly this reason.

She just wished she knew how to find the answers.

She hated that the path to victory still seemed shrouded in fog. But every step they took would bring her closer to that moment when it would all make sense. She was sure of it.

She walked inside and went straight to the dining table, taking the seat at its head while the two males behind her each took a chair on either side.

"Okay, Gar," she said without preamble. "What\'s the big secret?"

Gar shook his head. "It isn\'t that what we\'re doing is so secretive, it\'s that we can\'t afford for trainees to become aware of it, otherwise it won\'t work."

"So, tell me," she said and sat back in her chair. "Because nothing I saw today gave me any great revelation about what\'s so special."

Gar gave her a flat look, but rested his elbows on the table and started.

"We told you that we have to make sure that Protectors have the character for the job, remember?"

Elreth nodded.

"Well, we\'ve done this a little backwards, but imagine that the training you watched this morning is happening for any and every disformed that asks. And through that process, we can identify the ones that are leaders, free thinkers. We can pick up the ones that are arrogant, and those that are weak. And we get to watch how they interact when they\'re under pressure and… all the normal things that come out when you\'re training. You know what I mean."

Elreth did know—and Tarkyn even more so, she imagined. Since his entire life had been physical discipline and training.

Elreth had trained a great deal, especially with her father and Aaryn. And she knew how challenging it was. That it brought out both the best and the worst in people. She\'d heard her father joke that he rarely trusted anyone he hadn\'t sweated with first. Because putting an Anima under fierce physical pressure tended to bring out their true colors.

"I understand," she said, motioning for Gar to continue.

"Great, so the leaders of the training—who are all already Protectors, though they don\'t realize that—they\'re keeping an eye out for anyone they think has potential. And when we think we\'ve found someone we start testing them."

"Physically?" Tarkyn asked.

"Yes, initially. But that\'s really just the earliest step. Because a true Protector doesn\'t have to be the best physical fighter, or tracker. They don\'t need to be the strongest physically, they have to have the strongest spine. So we\'re looking for Anima that show nobility, humility, strength of will, willingness to push themselves without being pushed by others… that kind of thing. And when we\'re testing them, we start with a few extra difficult sessions in the training. Really wear them out—no matter what level of skill they\'re at.

"Then we isolate them. We don\'t offer any feedback from their coaches or trainers. We don\'t encourage them. We don\'t harass them either. We just… leave them to motivate on their own. If they continue to show up—and not all do—then we move them on to the next stage."

Gar\'s lips twisted and he held Elreth\'s eyes. "Not everything we do is… nice. But it\'s all necessary to ensure that they have the fortitude to match the voices."

"Okay," Elreth said hesitantly. "Like what?"

"We usually start with some kind of temptation for them. Have someone present them with something they want—but in a way they shouldn\'t have it. It\'s different for every Anima. We have to figure out what drives them, what they want, what they like, what they dislike. Then we present them with a way to achieve something they want by cheating. Or a relationship to gain, but through deceit. Or perhaps resources, ways to increase in wealth but by stealing—look, it sounds stupid when I say it, we are a lot more subtle than this sounds. The point is to lean into their deepest desires or greatest fears, and present them with something… lacking in character that would offer them what they want.

"They don\'t even know it\'s coming from us, usually. And if they act on it, that\'s the end of their training."

Elreth\'s mouth dropped open. "They don\'t even get a warning?"

"They didn\'t know they were being evaluated," Gar says, shrugging. "That\'s what I mean. We can\'t let them know this happens because if we did they\'d be guarded against it and we\'d have false responses. Later in the process, when they\'re aware of what we\'re doing, we coach and encourage them. But these initial tests—and there are multiple per Anima—they have to be holding to their own moral fiber. Showing that they are willing to walk through fire to win. That they won\'t try to take the short cut when it counts."

Tarkyn sat back in his chair, a small smile on his face. "It\'s brilliant."

Gar shrugged. "I didn\'t come up with it, I just kept moving ahead with something they\'d already been doing for years."

Elreth chewed on that for a moment. "So, if they pass these moral tests… what exactly happens then?"

Gar smiled.. "Then we invite them and really put them through hell."