Noctis B to A Exam

Dear Mr. X'ail,

First of all I want to say that we are impressed by how quickly you have developed into a mage of renown. Sabertooth is proud to have you.

Having reviewed your performance up until now and having discussed the matter with those who are familiar with you I have drawn the conclusion that one area that deserves our attention is your ability to work with others. In specific it appears that you have difficulty relying on others even when the occasion requires this. While it is important for mages of Sabertooth to be capable of handling issues by themselves there are times when teamwork is vital and trust is an important component of efficient cooperation.

In light of this we have prepared a trial which requires your trust for successful completion. If you follow the instructions attached to this missive you will find a hallway in the depths of Yggdrasil. Here you will be deprived of most of your senses for the duration of the exam. Rest assured that we have taken into account the enhanced sensitivity of your sensory abilities. Your hearing will be dampened but otherwise left intact, as you will be required to follow verbal instructions.

During this trial your task will be to reach the other side of the hallway. Aside from your limited ability to sense your surroundings this challenge will be complicated by the presence of several obstacles which, if not avoided, will return you to the beginning. While not harmful the sensation might be unpleasant, so as to further simulate the conditions under which trust is important.

I wish you good luck in your exam.

Yours sincerely,

Shirokawa Itori

Upon reaching the hallway you will find that there's no light inside, and that the ambient magic is agitated. The sound of rushing wind fills the hallway constantly. Measures to hinder your senses include a blindfold, soft boots (hinders tremorsense or similar abilities), a cap which blocks your magic sensory and covers your ears, and any other measures you believe necessary to prevent Noctis sensing his way through the exam.

The obstacles in the hallway include the following:

1. From the other end of the hallway blasts of magic which will push you back to the start if you are hit by them.
2. Holes in the ground which, if you fall into them, will teleport you back to the start.
3. Strong streams of air along the walls and ceiling which will drag you back to the start. These are constantly active.
4. A barrier filling the hallway which prevents teleportation, phasing or shifting. Basically techniques which would allow you to bypass the exam are blocked.

An enchantment at the entrance slows you down so you aren't harmed when you are pushed back. If you want to add any other obstacles yourself you're free to do so.

Throughout the exam you will be given clear, concise, verbal instructions for the manner in which you must move to avoid the obstacles. These instructions will be audible and understandable regardless of your position and anything which might hinder your hearing.

This exam is aimed towards teaching Noctis to trust his allies when he has no way to validate that trust beforehand. This also means that if Noctis is beginning to rely on the patterns of the obstacles said patterns will be mixed up.

This exam requires a minimum of 2,000 words.

Good luck.