by Pedro Urvi
“It’s been an honor, Ma’am.”
Elina returned to her position, her eyes on the great medallion that made her a Ranger Specialist: a great honor.
The next to be called was Frida. She was also successful, which surprised nobody. She succeeded in becoming a Healer Guard. Sugesen followed, very pale and needing to gain a little healthy weight. Annika put the Forest Survivor medallion around his neck, and he went back to his place full of pride. Last came Gonars’ turn. He doubted whether he had made the grade, since he had had a very hard time the whole year with the training and had had to make a huge effort. In addition to this, Annika had been constantly correcting him. Even so, he succeeded. Annika put the Forest Trapper medallion around his neck, and he could not hold back a few tears of happiness.
“It is now registered in the Logbook of the Shelter. It’s been a very good year for the Specialty of Nature, and I congratulate all you for having succeeded, and my dear friend Annika for the great work she’s put into training you.”
The four stepped back, and Sigrid now called on the Specialty of Expertise. Lasgol instantly began to feel very nervous. It was the turn of Astrid and Viggo.
Astrid, Viggo, Jorgen and Aren stepped forward and went down on one knee, looking straight ahead as their Nature partners had done.
“Elder Specialist of Expertise,” Sigrid called out.
Engla moved to her side and glanced at the scroll that bore the results.
“After evaluating all my pupils’ credits, together with the Proficiency test, this is the final verdict.”
Astrid and Viggo tensed. Ingrid put her hand on Lasgol’s arm and encouraged him with her steely gaze.
“Astrid...” Engla called, making an apparently endless pause, “… has successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Assassin of Nature.”
Lasgol came close to leaping and shouting with joy. Luckily Ingrid restrained him.
“Stand up,” Sigrid said.
Astrid stood up slowly, her gaze distant, as if until then she had not realized the importance of the moment or the significance of what she had achieved. Engla put the medallion around her neck, smiled and nodded.
“Congratulations. You’ve done very well throughout the whole year. You’re brilliant. In your case, the skill and talent you possess are complemented by an intelligent mind, willpower and courage: a winning combination. You’ll be very good in your Specialty, but be very careful, and always watch your back.”
“Thank you, Ma’am, I will,” Astrid replied. She was staring at the medallion, her mouth half-open with the excitement she was feeling. She shook her head as if she could not believe she had succeeded, then went back to her place with her eyes moist.
Engla consulted her scroll.
“Viggo...” she announced, “… has successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Natural Assassin.”
Lasgol could not contain himself. He shouted out with happiness and raised his fist. Sigrid glared at him and shook her head.
“Sorry...” he mumbled, and went red.
“Stand up,” Sigrid said to Viggo, who had not reacted to that incredible announcement.
Viggo got up with a strange expression on his face, as though he did not believe it, as though he thought they must be playing some cruel prank on him. He hesitated. Then he straightened and stepped up to Engla.
“Congratulations. I must admit that I had my doubts about you. There were times when I was sure you weren’t going to make it. Not for lack of skill, but because of your character and personality. I’m glad you’ve proved me wrong. You’ve got an innate talent for this Specialty. I’m going to give you a warning, though: keep on the Path of the Specialist and don’t deviate from it, or else you’ll end badly. Very badly.”
Viggo was staring into her eyes. “Thank you, Ma’am. I’ll try and stick to the true path.”
Engla put the medallion around his neck, and Viggo was still. He seemed unable to believe this was happening to him. He held the medallion with both hands and looked at it as though in a trance, completely overwhelmed by the situation.
“I... I did it...” he stammered.
“Yes, and by your own merits,” Engla assured him.
Viggo looked around at Ingrid and Lasgol, who were making victory signs. All of a sudden, he seemed to take in the fact that he had succeeded. He raised his fist in the air.
“I did it!” he shouted at the top of his voice.
“Go back to your place, please,” Sigrid said. “The ceremony must continue.”
Viggo went back to his place with the broadest smile that had ever been seen on his face.
Ingrid and Lasgol were smiling broadly too. They were almost as happy as Viggo himself about his incredible success. Natural Assassin was considered the most difficult of all the Elite Specialties, together with Archer of the Wind.
Aren followed Viggo, but failed to get his Chameleon Stalker medallion. With great disappointment on his face, he withdrew. The last candidate of Expertise was Jorgen, who did not attain his dream of becoming a Forest Assassin. However, Engla asked Sigrid to allow them to return the next year. She accepted, and they were granted a second chance. From the look on both their faces, Lasgol was not sure they would come back. It would be a shame, because both of them were good. He could understand their doubts, because the Specialization of Expertise was brutally hard, and it took extraordinary spirit and skills to manage to graduate in one of its Elite specializations.
“Good work,” Sigrid said to Engla.
“A good year,” she replied, her eyes on Astrid and Viggo. “The King will be happy,” she added, and then stepped back.
Astrid and Viggo went back to their group, and Lasgol hugged them both.
Sigrid looked at those expectant pupils who still did not know their fate. “Now for the Specialization of Wildlife: please step forward, Elder and pupils.”
Lasgol was caught by surprise, and his heart skipped a beat.
“Take it easy, you’re going to make it,” Astrid whispered in his ear.
“Piece of cake, weirdo,” Viggo encouraged him with his usual sarcasm
Lasgol stepped forward, got down on one knee and looked straight ahead. He was so nervous that his leg was shaking. Luca, Erika and Axe got down on one knee beside him. Elder Specialist Gisli went up to Sigrid, holding the scroll which bore the results.
“After evaluating all my pupils’ qualities,” he said, “together with the Proficiency Test, this is the final verdict.”
Astrid, Ingrid and Viggo made encouraging gestures at him, but Lasgol was so nervous that his stomach was making him queasy, so queasy that he feared he was going to throw up.
“Luca...” Gisli said with the dreaded long pause, “… has successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Man Hunter.”
Luca stood up, looking very honored, and went up to him.
“Congratulations. You’ve done very well throughout the year. You deserve the title. You’ll be a very good Man Hunter. Remember always to act with intelligence and honor. Don’t ever trust your quarry, because it’ll turn on you and try to finish you. Man, or animal: always remember that.”
“I will, Master.”
Gisli put the medallion around Luca’s neck and he went back to his place, deeply proud.
Lasgol was very happy for him. He deserved it. He was good and honest.
“Erika...” Gisli said, and took his time over the pause. “You have successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Beast Master.”
Erika, smiling happily, went up to him.
“I’m impressed by that little head of yours. You’ve managed to learn everything I put in front of you without blinking, as much from tomes as in the field. You have a very good head and a good hand with animals. You’ll be an expert, and the King will be delighted to have you serving at the Court.”
“Thank you, Master. It’s been an honor.”
Erika went back to her place, very happy about her medallion. Lasgol was glad
for his partner, who deserved it for all she had studied.
“Axe,” Gisli said, and this time there was no pause, “has not successfully attained the Elite Specialty of Tireless Explorer.”
Axe moaned in frustration. He stood up and went over to Gisli.
“You were close. You almost had it, you can be assured of that, but you’re still not fully ready. You need to improve a little more. That’s why, with the Mother Specialist’s permission, you’ve been granted the opportunity to come back next year if you wish to try again.”
Axe took a deep breath and exhaled in a long sigh.
“I’ll come back, Master.”
“Very well then,” Sigrid said, “that’s decided.”
Lasgol felt bad for his teammate. He had tried giving it his all, as Lasgol was well aware, since he had been a witness to it himself.
“Lasgol...” Gisli called, and the pause seemed to go on forever.
Lasgol looked at the Elder and almost had a heart attack as he waited for the verdict.
“Lasgol has successfully attained the Elite Specialty of Beast Whisperer.”
A great gasp of relief came out of his mouth, and there was no way he could stop it. His heart was beating wildly, his stomach leapt up into his throat, and he did his best to regain some sort of calm. He stood up and went to the Elder.
“Very good work, congratulations. You have a special skill with animals. Very few have such a good hand with them. It’s something that’s inborn, it can’t be taught. Either you have it or you don’t. And you certainly have it, and it’s one of the most special I’ve ever seen. Better than mine.” That comment touched Lasgol’s heart deeply. “It’s been a pleasure to train you. You’ll be an exceptional Beast Whisperer.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“But there’s more...”
“Yes, Master?”
“Lasgol...” he went on, with the customary pause,”... has successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Forest Tracker.”
Sigrid gave the trace of a smile.
“Double Elite Specialization,” the Mother Specialist said. “A great achievement. We haven’t often had the fortune to have that happen.” She noted it in the Logbook, nodding, clearly delighted.
“It’s an honor, Mother Specialist,” Lasgol said. He gave a long sigh.
“Not many have your eye and your instinct for following a trail like a true Norghanian bloodhound. But apart from that, you’ve put in a great effort and improved very significantly since the beginning of the year. Your hard work has borne fruit. You’ve earned it all by your own hard work.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Gisli put the two medallions around his neck, and he felt so honored and happy that his eyes moistened and he felt a lump in his throat. He looked up at the sky and thought of his father Dakon and his mother Mayra, of how proud they would be of him, and his spirits felt renewed. He had made it: he was a Ranger Specialist, like his father before him. He looked at Astrid, who winked at him and smiled. He could not have been happier. He would remember that moment as one of the happiest in his life.
He went back to his place, and Sigrid called the School of Archery. Lasgol passed Ingrid and Molak as they went forward. He wished them luck, even though he knew that neither of them needed it. There were no better Archers in the whole of Norghana.
The first to be called was Molak. Ingrid gave him an encouraging glance and Isgord one of loathing, since he wanted to be the first to receive the glory, as usual. Bjorn, who had not done well in the test, looked resigned.
“Molak...” Ivar said with barely a pause, and as irascibly as ever, “has successfully attained the Elite Specialization of Forest Sniper.”
Molak smiled from ear to ear. Ingrid gave him a congratulatory slap on the back. Lasgol and the others were not surprised, and were delighted on his behalf. Molak went up to Ivar, who put the medallion around his neck.
“You’ll be a precise, lethal weapon. Nobody better than a Forest Sniper to put an end to an enemy of the King. You have a prodigious eye and arm. You’ll serve the realm well. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Hearing Ivar say positive things and with no ill-will in his voice was quite an event.
Molak withdrew amid smiles from his teammates.
The next to be called was Bjorn, and as he was already expecting, he had not made the grade. But he was granted the chance to come back the next year, as he showed promise. Bjorn thanked Ivar and Sigrid for the opportunity and said that he would be back and that he would succeed this time. His teammates applauded, but Sigrid ended this promptly.
And then came Ingrid’s turn. When she looked up, her eyes were determined. She would accept the verdict, whichever it was, and if she had to come back, then she would come back and triumph. Lasgol was sure she would pass. She was the best of them all, by far.
“Ingrid,” Ivar said, and without pausing he went on: “has successfully attained the Elite Specialty of Archer of the Wind.”
Lasgol applauded, unable to contain his joy. Viggo, beside him, gave a cry of triumph. Sigrid glared at them.
“You chose one of the most difficult Elite Specializations, and despite that, you’ve passed easily. It’s been a long time since I had such a gifted pupil. Not only physically, but also mentally. You’ve exceeded all my expectations. You have qualities within you which will take you a long way. Keep on the Path of the Specialist, and one day you might even be First Ranger of the Realm.”
Ingrid smiled from ear to ear. “There’s nothing I’d like more than that.”
“Come back and visit me when you get there.”
“I will, Master.”
Ingrid withdrew amid the admiration of her comrades.
Finally Isgord was called. He raised his gaze and his chin, as arrogant as ever, and puffed himself up like a peacock, sure that he was going to pass.
Lasgol hoped he would not, but unfortunately he knew that he was very good and that he would almost certainly do so.
“Isgord...” said Ivar – and this time he left a long pause – “… has successfully attained the Elite Specialty of Infallible Marksman.”
Isgord got up, with a smile of enormous satisfaction. He went up to Ivar as if he were better than all the rest of them. Ivar raised his hands to put the medallion around his neck.
“Stop,” Sigrid said.
Ivar did so. Isgord turned to her.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
Sigrid gave him a cold, lethal look. “You’ve succeeded in the Elite Specialization of Infallible Marksmanship, but I’m not going to grant it to you.”
Isgord was outraged. “What! Why?”
“Your skill and talent for achieving the Specialty have been made very obvious, and at the same time, so has your lack of morals and honesty.”
“What lack of morals and honesty?”
“I might not be able to prove that you tried to kill your teammate, but I can read in your eyes that it was no accident. It was intentional. And for that reason, you will not graduate as a Specialist. I forbid it with the authority granted me by my position as Mother Specialist and leader of the Shelter.”
“That’s not fair!” Isgord shouted furiously.
“I am the judge in the Shelter.”
“I’ve passed the training and the test!”
“But you’re not fit morally.”
“Yes I am!”
“Both of us know that you’re not.”
He pointed to his fellow-pupils. “I’m better than all of them!”
“You think yourself superior, but you’re not. In fact you’re very much inferior to them because you’re neither honest nor honorable, and they are.”
“This is an outrage!”
“It’s what you deserve, and if it were up to me alone I would expel you from the Rangers. Unfortunately it’s not within my power to do so. That is the prerogative of our leader Gondabar. I recommend that you accept this punishment and g
o on your way, because if not, I’ll feel obliged to inform our leader of your bad disposition and lack of respect toward me. That he won’t accept.”
Isgord was so red with fury that it seemed his head was going to explode, as when you step on a ripe tomato. He mumbled some curses and shook his clenched fists in a passion of rage. For a moment the four Elder Specialists tensed, fearing that he might attack the Mother Specialist, who did not even blink. She merely stared at him without moving.
“I’ll go,” Isgord said at last when he seemed to be able to control his rage. He gave Sigrid a glare of hatred, then turned to Lasgol. He jabbed his finger at him, and in his eyes there appeared a hatred that was both deadly and irrational.
“This is all your fault!”
“No, it’s all yours,” Sigrid said. “You now have two paths you can follow: the Path of the Ranger, serving the realm with honor and courage, or the path of hatred, which will lead you to death sooner rather than later. If I were you, I’d choose wisely.”
Isgord turned to Sigrid, gave her another glare of hatred and left.
“And now you can all go and celebrate your achievement. Tomorrow you leave the Shelter to begin your new lives as Ranger Specialists.”
The whole group burst into cheers of victory. They began to hug one another, laugh, jump and shout excitedly.
They had made it!
They were Ranger Specialists!
Chapter 51
The group spent the night celebrating. They made a bonfire in front of the Lair and together they sang, laughed and wept, enjoying a memorable moment that would forever be engraved in their memories. They were all there, even those who had not made it and would have to repeat the year next Spring. All except one: Isgord. There was no trace of him, as though the earth had swallowed him up. His belongings had gone from beside his bunk bed, so that he must have left as soon as Sigrid had pronounced his expulsion without waiting for the following day.
At dawn they began to prepare for their departure from the Shelter and the return journey. The four Elders assembled their own pupils and told them they had to collect their belongings and leave the Shelter spotless, as if they had never been there, before they left. They got down to work, since it would take them at least till noon to clean and tidy everything, especially the workshops and the Cave of Spring.
