The trials are a hidden rite at the Solsein Seminary, based on the second passage of the Legend of the Hero, in which the hero “receives a revelation and faces trials”. They are controlled by the Book of Toa of the Town of Origin.
Process
A student guided by a “revelation” is sent through a mirror into a dark world, a decayed reflection of the real one, while their body in the real world turns into a devil beast. There they hear the voice of a rune and must face themselves.
- First trial: overcome one’s own weakness. Students who are consumed become beasts in mind as well and are hunted by teachers and students. Those who fail but are turned back into humans, like Nathan Franc, lose their memories of the past few years and all magical aptitude. Those who pass return as “the Awakened”, with a rune but no memory of the trial.
- Second trial (the Mirror Labyrinth): affirm everything about oneself and move forward, by fighting the one person one would least want to fight. Passing it grants a second rune and lets the student keep the memories of the trials.
Alicia notes that the trials only awaken a power dormant in the soul, so the runes cannot be taken away by erasing memories. Known second-trial survivors are Ray Forrester and Alicia.