Soldiers continued leading the candidates through the mountains and forests.
Thousands of soldiers and candidates following the same road, destination and scope.
It was past morning, but the sun was barely visible now, signs of rain and storm were visible on the sky.
Zeven walked together with Matthew and the others.
Emotions and new toughts gathering with every step inside their minds.
No one really talked and the closer they got the quiter everyone became.
Dak looked around.
"Man... this place is so huge."
Kael looked at him as if mocking him.
"You just realized that?"
The others laughed a bit of him.
"No, but i din't think there would be this many people."
Matthew looked around him.
"Neither did i."
Zeven remained silent.
His eyes looking ahead of him, towards the destination, towards a new "home".
The mountains felt so off for him.
The air was colder, heavier.
The nexis much denser.
As they walked, the road became more steeper.
Everywhere they looked around them, there were mountains, forests.
Some so big that their tips were hided by clouds.
After few hours, the soldiers finnaly stopped.
"STOP!"
A soldier comanded and everyone stopped.
Zeven looked ahead.
Anticipations forming in his heart.
But he looked ahead and couldn't really see because of the people in front oh him, even though he now could see further ahead than a normal human.
But as he followed the other candidates, they all suddenly stopped.
Dak as usually, he couldn't stay in his place in he went ahead through people.
"Dak, where are you going dude?"
Yelled Kael but Ozias stopped him fast and told the guys.
"Let's follow that idiot."
He said with a tired expression.
"Let's go."
Said Matthew and they all followed him.
After searching a bit around, they spotted him a bit ahead, right at the front.
"Dude, why you left us?"
Kael put a hand on his shoulder and asked him.
Dak who was shocked and couldn't really stop looking ahead, he turned around and told them with with a stunned expression.
"Guys, look!"
He told them while pointing ahead in front of them.
Zeven's eyes widened.
In the distance, there was a black huge platform, it streched over more than a mile.
And even more candidates there on it.
There were people everywhere.
Hundreds, maybe even tens of thousands.
Candidates were standing there, across the entire platform.
Some were talking with their friends, some were showing off their weapons, were eating while sitting down on the ground, others were even flexing their powers, while most of them were starring deeply at the enormous bridge in front of them.
Zeven slowly opened his mouth.
"Holy shit..."
Ozias looked deep ahead and around.
"How many people are here?"
Matthew looked at the huge crowd.
"Probably tens of thousands."
"Tens of thousands?"
Asked Kael.
"Yeah"
Said Matthew.
"And are we all competing?"
"What do you think,guys?"
Asked Ozias.
"Yeah"
Answered Kael, as if he was happy that we are going to fight so many people.
"Let's hope not."
Said Dak, looking as if he was going to cry.
"I suddenly don't feel that confident anymore."
Dak sighed.
Zeven laughed quietly.
"You were confident a while ago."
Zeven told Dak.
"A while ago weren't tens of thousands people around me!"
Ozias looked towards the front of the platform.
"Guys."
They all turned to face him.
"Look"
He told them pointing his finger far ahead.
They all froze.
Especially Zeven, looking at the bridge far ahead, the bridge was enormous, black stone stretched across the abyss, disappearing into the mountains on the other side, there were no visible supports beneath it, no pillars, nothing, it simply stood there above the endless abyss.
Cracks covering parts of the ancient bridge, but what shocked him even more, was the huge abyss under it.
No one could move, in particular Zeven.
But then, he saw again the huge waterfall he had seen a while ago.
'So beautiful...'
'That waterfall is out of this world.'
"Zeven?"
Matthew's voice brought him back.
"You okay, brother?"
"Yeah."
"I just can't believe how beautiful this place is, that huge waterfall, so beautiful..."
"Yes, its extraordinary how beautiful this world is, especially that waterfall and the way its water drops down the bridge, it's really beatiful brother."
"That place is the first place i'm gonna visit after this!"
Told him Zeven.
"Din't you already say this?"
"Hahaha, you really like that waterfall, i can see your eyes sparkling man."
Said Matthew really happy to see Zeven smiling and enjoing.
Matthew wanted to continue say something but before he could do it, a loud voice came from the platform.
"CANDIDATES!"
Everyone turned.
A young man was standing on a raised stone above every candidate.
He was wearing a black uniform with a silver insignia on it, the uniform of Eclipsera Conclave.
Several other people were standing behind him on chairs, they had various age, they looked like professors and warriors.
The man looked across the enormous crowd.
"My name is Aiden Cross!"
"I'm an elite warrior of the Eclipsera Conclave!"
The crowd slowly becane quieter.
Aiden looked at the bridge.
"Everyone of you cane here for the same reason!"
"To enter Eclipsera!"
Some people raised their heads.
Others clenched their fists while others their weapons.
"You came from different cities, different clans and different homes!"
"Some of you are already talented Nexaris!"
"Some of you may have powerful bloodlines!"
Some candidates smiled proudly.
Aiden continued.
"But none of that guarantees you anything!"
Their smiles faded.
"Everyone one of you stands here today because you believe that you are worthy and powerful!"
He turned behind, towards the bridge.
"Today, you will have the chance to prove it!"
He faced the candidates and he continued.
"In Eclipsera there is one rule above everything!"
He looked at the candidates again,deeply and stated.
"Strenght above everything!"
Then he continued.
"The first trial of Eclipsera is very simple!"
"You must cross the death bridge!"
The candidates were whispering among them.
"That sounds simple!"
Kael said looking at him.
"We haven't heard the rest"
Told him Matthew.
"SILENCE!"
Aiden shut down the candidates from speaking.
Everyone stopped.
Then he continued.
"You will not be given a second chance!"
"If you fall behind, you will be eliminated!"
"If you cannot continue you will be eliminated!"
"And if you fail to reach the other side, you will be eliminated!"
"Of course..."
He stopped, his eyes looked deep at the candidates.
"If you are lucky to survive."
Then he continued
Some knew, but other who did not knew, were surpised and started to whisper among them.
"Ah, i can already see the chaos we will go trough..."
Dak said to the guys, almost crying.
The guys were deep in their thoughts.
"Alright, that's it?"
Asked Matthew after some moments.
Zeven shook his head.
"No."
"What?"
Zeven kept looking at the bridge.
"Something is wrong."
Dak and Kael frowned.
Before anyone could answer, a deep sound came from beneath them.
"BOOOOM!"
The ground stopped shaking.
Then from beneath the black stone platform, a strange dound echoed trough the area.
"Clack"
Several large stone structures emerged from the ground.
Everyone stepped back.
"What the hell are those?" Dak asked.
The stones structures opened.
Inside them were hundreds of boxes.
Aiden looked at the candidates.
"Before the trial begins, every candidate will receive their equipment!"
The boxes suddenly opened at the same time.
Inside each one was the same set of equipment.
A black sleeveless training shirt with a silver insignia of the Eclipsera Conclave on it, dark trousers made for movement, heavy boots with strong grip, black gloves and a simple belt.
The equipment wasn't decorated or luxurious, it was made for one thing, survival.
The candidates went to take their equipment.
"Put them on."
Aiden continued.
"You have fifteen minutes."
The candidates immediately began changing.
Some looked at the equipment carefully.
Others quickly put everything on.
A few candidates complained about the boots.
Dak picked up one of them and looked at it.
"Are these made of stone or what?"
Kael looked at him.
"You're complaining about boots?"
"No, they are just heavier than normal boots so i'm just curious"
Told him Dak, hearing this, Kael gave him a bored look and said.
"Anyway man, its better than nothing."
Matthew laughed quietly
Zeven picked up his equipment and looked at it for a moment.
The black fabric felt stronger than normal clothes.
The boots were heavy, but comfortable.
He tightened the gloves around his hands and looked toward bridge.
Thousands of candidates were doing the same around them.
Some were checking their weapons.
Some were adjusting their equipment.
Others were already using small amounts of Nexis to test their new gear.
Zeven noticed something.
The clothes were not ordinary.
The material was made to withstand Nexis.
Not completely.
But enough to protect the body from small impacts, heat and energy.
Ozias noticed it too.
"Interesting."
"What?" Dak asked.
"The equipment."
Ozias pulled on one of his gloves.
"It's designed for Nexaris."
Matthew looked at him.
"Of course it is."
"No.Look closer."
Ozias pointed at the silver insignia.
"There are Nexis channels inside it."
Zeven looked down at his own clothes.
Thin silver lines could barely be seen across the fabric.
"They're everywhere."
Kael touched his sleeve.
"So the equipment can conduct Nexis?"
"Probably."
Ozias looked toward the soldiers.
Aiden's voice suddenly echoed across the platform.
"Do not underestimate the equipment."
Everyone turned toward him.
"It will not save you."
He paused.
"But it may give you enough time to save yourselves."
The platform became quiet.
Aiden looked toward the bridge.
"The time is almost up."
"After that, some of you can die in peace..."
He said looking at the candidates, smiling.
"What the fuck?"
Said Dak
"Is this guy crazy?"
He continued, he just heard the most stupid words in a month.
"Hahah, maybe."
Told him Kael.
"Anyway, let's just get ready brothers."
Ozias reminded them.