Panting, the man jolted up. The breath came hard to his lungs, starved for air he gasped. A cold sweat covered his skin like an icy due, the light fabric that covered him clinging.

Breathe…breathe, he had to remind himself as he labored over the normally voluntary action. His head hung, cradled by his clammy hands and he recalled the moments prior that had shaken him so.

It was a dream…it was only a dream, Caith.

It wasn’t the first time he had to remind himself this and it would be the last he considered, standing and staggering from the room in which he had slept. It was still dark within his residence and he navigated with a combination of touch and pure knowledge of his surroundings that he’d walked so, so many times over these last thirteen years. By the time he was fumbling with the door handle he’d regained most of himself, breath still shaken but not labored. He took one long deep breath of the morning air before splashing his face with water from a rain barrel.

Calm down. Focus…His heart was palpitating, but gradually slowing to the norm. Today was too important to let the dream hold him back. This was the day. This was the day it all changed; this was the day he proved himself. He wiped the droplets from his face, letting them each wash away the thoughts and insecurities that the dream had put in him. He let them go one by one, releasing them into the morning to fly away and be forgotten. This is too important of a day to succumb to it…

With the sun rising he’d forced the thoughts to the recessed of his mind, letting the light fortify the optimism and excitement that was growing in him by the minute. He’d dressed quickly, slipping in and out of the house as silently as possible to not wake his grandparents. An hour had passed by him swiftly and he was ready to depart, mounting Dahr. The Aerodactyl took flight, his scars gleaming in the light as the pair grew closer and closer to the courtyard in Castelia.

It was the day of the open trials to join the warrior guild. People had gathered from far and wide to test their might against either Boston or Estelle to gain a spot in the famed group. Caith was no different. After Dahr had touched down and let him off Caith strode into the courtyard with the beast in two.

“What…” The word escaped past his lips, inexplicably drawn out by the scene he saw before him. A man was directly fighting a Primape. Caith’s eyes widened for a moment before returning to their normal and calm expression. So we’re to fight one of the Guild Leader’s Pokemon ourselves. He watched as the battle progressed, seeming to sway towards one opponent and then the other until the man was determined to be the victor.

“Good fight…Aesha I believe,” Sir William Ritter congratulated before quickly moving on. “There are too many of you for us to take a long time with pleasantries, who is next to fight?”

“I am.” Caith took center stage in the court as all eyes followed him.

“I see you’re a sword fighter judging by those two you carry…I would recommend you fight Boston.” Ritter stated, motioning to the large Bisharp behind him. Caith eyed the creature, rather pleased with the match-up. Boston was large and Caith suspected rather slow but with power exactly the qualities he preferred in an opponent. If he could keep light on his feet the trial would be a breeze.

“If that is what you so recommend,” the words were calm, but Caith knew it was only a false calm. It was the calm one gets before they leap into the unknown, the calm that comes from putting your faith into something beyond you as you face your fears.

In that small moment before the battle begun as he drew his tulwar the image returned. The fear, the image from the dream returned.

You will not pass. The soft lips that he had known so well spoke to him. You will not prove yourself, you will never prove yourself as anything but worthless!

In a flash the vision was gone, he was snapped out of it as a shadow blocked the sun’s rays from his view. In a split second Boston was nearly on top of him. It was a dance between the two, speed and agility versus pure strength.

He’s so guarded…I need an opening to be able to pin him, the though resounded in his mind, echoing the clash of metal so near to him. THERE. Caith saw his opening as the Bisharp lunged, it’s momentum hurtling its blades straight for Caith’s throat.

“BOSTON, STOP!” Ritter yelled out, but one could not stop the motion already in play. The crowd shrieked and gasped, would the poor sucker be the first to die before even getting to the war?

To Caith the world around him was silent, he heard nothing of the crowd or Ritter, for he knew his life hung in his footing and own shift in center of gravity. As the blades drew near his neck all it took was a slight lean of the head and Caith’s own momentum moved him easily free of injury. It only took a split second after the narrow dodge for him to have rotated his wrist and sword to find the narrow connection at Boston’s neck.

Everyone stared in a shocked silence, trying to ascertain what had occurred before his or her very eyes.

“He predicted Boston’s movement and knew his own movement and momentum in the opposite direction would not allow the blade to connect…” Ritter mused under his breath as the calm returned to him, eyes on the two now unmoving figures.

“Put your sword away, you clearly have won this battle.” It had been one of the few battles that the potential warrior had taken nary a scratch from Boston, as well as one of the only ones that Boston’s opponent seemed to have complete control over what was happening. “I’m impressed to say the least. What is your name?”

“Caith Sakir.”

“Welcome to the warrior’s guild,” Ritter spoke as he extended a hearty hand.

“Thank you, Sir.” Caith met the handshake, bowing as well.

I have succeeded. I have managed to finally gain a way to prove myself. The words formed in his mind, but they were not for him. They were for the voice that plagued him in his sleep. I have not failed…Mother.

-------------------
SKREEE WORDS LATER

Caith's App: [link]

Cameos:
Sir William Ritter&Boston: [link]
Kazuki: [link]
Aesha: [link]
Matilda: [link]
Reynard: [link]
Kateryn: [link]