Free Gods From the Machine by Andrew Ly Page A

Would they still see him the same way after Peter was gone? The thought of his mentor one day dying made Nick’s disappointment topple into sadness.
    After the light we ight training with Matt, Nick took a quick shower and returned back to the dormitory to study for his exam. He knew everything by heart, all the codes, history, techniques—he had them down pat. The only thing left was to regurgitate it onto paper and hope for the best. As he read over various texts, he was startled by a knock on his door. Who could be visiting? He opened it to find Gabriel, dressed in full armor, like he was about to be deployed into battle.
    “ How are you holding up, kiddo? Nervous?” Gabriel said.
    “ I really don’t know what to expect. Being a knight has always been my dream, but being considered for the Brave Unit was an even bigger surprise.”
    “ Why do you say that? Don’t tell me you forgot how the units function?” Gabriel said.
    “ Of course not, every knight-to-be knows about the units.”
    “ Then what seems to be the problem?” Gabriel said.
    “ I’ve only ever gotten training in hand-to-hand combat,” Nick said. “No other weapons.”
    “ As Agrian, your fists are your primary weapons.”
    Nick ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess I feel unprepared you know? I mean one minute I was picking up packages and now I’m going to be a knight! Everything is happening so fast.”
    “ After sparring with Lucius earlier I remembered something Peter told me when I was your age before I took the test. Maybe I could give you some last minute coaching before the big show. You interested?” Gabriel said.
    Nick nodded ; any information from an archangel would be beneficial, especially if it came from the Supreme Commander’s right hand man and the general of the Brave Unit. Gabriel took a seat on the single chair in his room, while Nick sat on the corner of his bed. With all the scratches and markings on his armor, one had to wonder how many intense fights he had been through in his life.
    “ You’re a smart guy so the written test will be a breeze for you, but what I want to talk to you about is the fight itself,” Gabriel said. “Everyone going into the trials thinks it’s going to be exactly what they expect, but it’s not. It will surprise you and it will make you question yourself and your abilities, but don’t let it. The only thing you can do is carry on and fight smart. If you stick to this, you’ll pass with success.”
    “ Will I know who my opponent will be?” Nick asked.
    “ No, it’s all selected randomly right at the beginning of the match. They don’t want anyone to have an unfair advantage. I can tell you that all fighting will be hand-to-hand, which will work to your advantage,” Gabriel said.
    “ So what do I do?” Nick asked.
    “ Like I said, use your head to your advantage and not just your body. Forget the fact that you have more experience in this particular set of skills than the others and instead humble yourself. Overconfidence is the most common pitfall for first timers attempting the trials. Don’t let it work against you,” Gabriel said.
    Gabriel ’s advice was comforting, but it still remained that his repertoire of fighting abilities were vastly limited to most others. Nick had only mastered hand-to-hand techniques, but in only staged scenarios. In this instance, he had to envision the trials to be a fight for survival. The losers of the trials were forced to embarrassingly spend another two years retaking courses before they were given another shot. Nick did not want to be twenty and still competing for this this rite of passage. Losing was not an option.
    “ Now I’ll leave you back to your studies,” Gabriel said. “See you on the field in a few hours.”
    After the pep talk Nick waited anxiously until he was summoned for the written exam. It took place in the middle of the Grand Hall. About fifty other students would be there, all with the same purpose. Once