Dual C-Rank exam combo

Zuo sat on the edge of a large cliff on one of the many massive Phoenix Mountains. This particular ledge was a 45 meter straight down drop to the ground below. It looked rather difficult to climb as well since it rose up very sharply. On this day, a day much like only one other Zuo had called a pair of mages to this spot. Today the two would be met with a mighty challenge to prove their worth(s) as mages. The old man let his feet hand off the edge of the cliff and he gazed downward, wondering when his students would arrive.

Lilyan had been called by Zuo to meet in one of the phoenix mountains, she had never been there before, or at least she didn't remember about it. She walked threw a path she thought it was a good idea to follow, she could see from there the meeting place, the only thing she didn't think about, was about the cliff she could easily see from where she was, it was huge, she didn't think of how to climb it.
After a peaceful large walk to the mountain, she was tired, but it wasn't the end of this. She looked up and saw a little dot in the highest point. "Hey! Zuo! Is it you?!" She screamed to the little dot she could see. She really suppose it was Zuo. "Zuo, must i climb this cliff?!"

The day was bright, the sun shined with big clouds floating in the sky and temperature was actually quite warm, it was nice to say the least. These large mountains spanned as far as the eye could see. The mountains themselves were barren with little vegetation on them, mostly just dust, rocks and dirt. Although a few small desert grey desert plants were spotted around here. This wasn't a place meant for human beings, not even some of the small critters that scurrying there way over the rock face.

Walking with boots on this time rather then the usual bare feet was Naraca. A 7 foot tall giant that could be described as a tower of muscle and raw power. He walked with a black tank top on, showing his dark skin with the many scars that decorated his body, as well as his face. His loose fitting blue shorts flapped around with the wind like his shoulder length black hair that was dancing everywhere but his face as his wore a red head band that kept his face free, save for a few loose strands. On his back was a massive great sword that looked like it belonged to a bigger statue rather then him.
He scratched some of the thick stubble on his face as he walked along the mountain side until he came across his destination.

In the distance he saw a man perched up on one of the mountains, and not too far ahead was a little girl that was just ahead of him. They both seemed to be going in the same direction. Was she from the Guild? He couldn't quite recognize her from here but he figured that if she was going to the man on the mountain, she must have been here for the same reason.
This exam brought concerns as it did worries. Not for the sake of him passing, but because he never liked the magic he possessed, and while he knew he had to get it stronger, he still didn't feel good about letting this festering of unnatural magical power become stronger.
Yet he had to, for the sake of his promise and his goal.

He eventually met along side the girl who he recognized only in passing as Liliyan. He had never spoken with her but he knew her name, and had seen her in the guild before. She yelled at the top of her lungs up to the man on the mountain who he figured had to be Zuo.

Naraca could get them up there if he needed to...

Yet with what he knew about Zuo, he figured he'd wait and before that.

"Hey there" He greeted Lilyan as he walked up to her before stopping and turning to look up.
Her question spoke for the both of them, he instead just lifted his arm up and waved to show he was here as well.

"I can get us up there if he asks" He explained to the girl as he continued to look up and wait for Zuo to say whatever he needed to say.

Zuo scratched his head. The man had completely forgotten that the two would have to climb the mountain. "Oh goodness no! This exam is not meant to be such a tedious task. Here I'll bring you up. Brace yourselves!" A crack in the ground started a foot infront of Lilyan then circled around both her and Naraca forming a circle. With little effort Zuo will the earth upward and up shot the two on a large pillar of earth. The pillar would rise them until they were level with the cliff Zuo was sitting on. "Now please step onto this cliff edge, this is where your real exam begins." After they complied to this Zuo would wave his hand and the pillar would sink back into the ground. At that point the old man would stand up and walk a small distance from the edge and looked back over his shoulder at Naraca and Lilyan. "Have you two ever heard of a trust fall?"

Lilyan saw Naraca. "Hey, your Naraca aren't you? I think we haven’t met yet.” She gave him her hand as she made a new friend. Suddenly, she heard Zuo saying something she didn’t really hear so clear, then the flour started cracking, in a second, they were in the top of the cliff, it was impressive.  She heard Zuo mention the exam, those words impressed her, but the next words stunned her. "Have you two ever heard of a trust fall?" Was she really going to jump from there? What did he meant about a trust fall? After a time thinking about it, she decided to answer. “Mmm… I think not, but im not sure.”

The giant gave Lilyan a nod of respect as he shook her her hand, doing his best to not wrap his hand completely around her's as his large bear paws could tend to do. Hand shakes were always slightly awkward, yet it was either that or a hug, and his height made that difficult for certain people as well.

The ground began to shake, breaking Naraca from his train of thought and causing his stance to widen and his eye's to scan the ground. Zuo did mention to them to brace themselves, however he wasn't sure what the expect. He had no idea what kinda of magic the man even used, it seemed to be earth magic, or some form of it. That sure brought back some memories.
He felt himself feel more aware of Lilyan, opening his arm span out slightly for balance as they rose up like an elevator for the top floor. He kept his hand within quick grabbing distance of Lilyan in case she fell. Yet the ride was rather smooth despite it's speed that forced his blood down his body.

Once they rose to the top he found himself at ease and was able to properly come face to face with there Guild Master. The man was old, yet compared to his age he looked like a baby, considering the more appropriate look for a man his age was dust.
He did as Zuo asked and walked forward, stepping off the platform and onto the cliff with him.

A trust fall? Have we ever heard of a trust fall? The question seemed more rhetorical then literal, obviously pertaining to what their exam was gonna be.
"Of course" Naraca responded simply.

Zuo laughed, it seemed they had taken his little piece of rhetoric a bit too literal. Calming down Zuo smiled "Now it is pretty simple how this exam will work." Zuo gestured at the cliffs edge "One of you will jump off this cliff. The other has to jump and save them. Then you will switch roles and do it again. If you both survive you both pass. It doesn't matter who goes first." Zuo sat down to watch then decided to add "Actually it does matter who goes first. If the person who jumps first dies, the other person will still be expected to jump." The now most certainly senile old man laughed and sat back to see what the mages would do.

The instructions were quite simple, even do, that didn’t fix the part of dying and all that stuff, she really was scared, but Nacara was now her friend, she was sure his friend wouldn’t let her dye. “Naraca, if you don’t mind, I want to go first.” She smiled at him waiting for response, she was going to be catch and then she was going to catch Naraca, she was very scared about falling, but she was more scared about not being able to catch her friend. Naraca was easily heavier than Lilyan, and he sure was stronger, it was going to be difficult to catch grave him.

Jump...Off the cliff? But how?

As Zuo explained it, Naraca turned his head to the long drop behind him. It was no doubt fatal, under no circumstances could a human being survive that drop without some kind of aid or assistance.
This would be simple enough, Lilyan could jump off, fall more then halfway down if he so chose to let her, then he could jump down, use his flying ability to zip right down to her and catch her like a feather only to fly back up. If only it were so easy...

Lilyan, a 16 year old little girl who weighed just over 100 pounds, stood just above 4 feet, and had small frame that Naraca could pick up with one hand, using only three fingers in the process.
To just simply catch her would make this the easiest exam of all time.

However...She had to catch him as well...

Naraca, a 25 year old giant of a man who weighed 350 pounds, standing at 7 feet, and with a frame of a bull. He out sized and out weighed Liliyan to such a large degree that if he were to even simply lean on her he'd likely crush her underneath his weight. Yet to catch him out the air? Take his full weight? Her shoulders would probably dislocate before being forced to let go of him.

The thought crossed his mind that he could just simply levitate himself ever so subtly that she'd be able to pull him up, however Zuo, although seemingly a little crazy, was no fool. He knew Naraca was too big, and would be able to tell she was getting outside help. Yet if he didn't help her in that way, how could she do it? Would they both fail if he helped her? If she used magic would that be against the rules of this exam?

His eye's shifted to Lilyan as she volunteered to go first. Sure, they could do they while thinking of what to do next.
"Sure, go ahead, no matter what I'll catch you" He told her in a softer tone then his regular voice allowed.
As Lilyan would get ready, he'd keep his body turned to her, yet his head would turn to it's side to address Zuo.

"Can we use magic?" He asked the old man simply.

Zuo laughed "If you couldn't use magic it wouldn't test your abilities as a mage would it? If you are catching you can use magic, but if you are falling you may not." The old man left it at that and continued to watch. He was surprised yet proud of Lilyan's willingness to go first.

Lilyan was very nervous, she was going to jump from the cliff and hope to be saved from an easy death, even do, she knew Naraca was more than able to catch her. She stood looking at Naraca and Zuo, she saw them very quickly and smiled. “Naraca… If you don’t catch me, I’ll kill you.” She said joking to his friend. Then she made herself back slowly to fall from the enormous cliff. She tried not to think in anything and wait for Naraca to catch her. She only looked at the sky and waited while she fell.

Magic was allowed, that was good to hear. Liliyan would be able to use whatever magic she needed to in order to prevent Naraca from falling. Yet as he expected, he wouldn't be able to levitate himself to ease the weight Lilyan would have to carry. He felt a mix of relief and worry to Zuo's answer, yet he understood that this was, after all, an exam to see if they were fit to pass to becoming C-ranked.

Lilyan stepped closer to edge. He reached his arms out a little to prepare himself as he followed her to the edge. He was confident in catching her, when it came down to it, the part of him catching her didn't feel like it was the actual 'test' of this exam.

"Heh, I gotcha" He replied with a small half smile.
With a moment of standing on the edge, Lilyan bravely leaned back, and let her life fall unto the hands of her new friend.

The moment she fell, she quickly was going to descend however Naraca quickly sprawled forward, his chest smacking on the edge of the cliff and his long arm reach out and quickly and taking a strong grip of her wrist.

No magic, no big dramatic fall, just a quick catch. He laid on his chest and his arm hung down with her in his grasp. The powerful muscles in his arm and back allowed him to easily pull her up to the ledge so she could grab onto the ledge before he'd get up on his feet and help her up to her feet.
Why no magic? Well Naraca was practical man, one that lived a long time without knowing the existence of magic, and even longer without using it. Magic required discipline, and only using it was it was absolutely necessary was a sign of a true wizard. Also he wasn't convinced the hard part of this exam was the fact they'd be catching each other.
He figured, the real test was how Lilyan could actually catch him, and how Naraca could trust in her, and let himself go. That had to be the test in this exam.

Upon pulling her up, he'd lightly guide her away just a step or two to make room before he'd walk over to the edge and look down for a moment before turning around to face her.

"Alright, you ready?"

Lilyan was quickly saved by Naraca in the same second she fell, it hadn't been very frightening actually, she knew it was very high but it was now her time to catch Naraca. As she lifted herself to stand up and not fall again, she thought about why didn't Naraca use his magic, it was maybe not useful, but that wasn't very probable.
Even do, she was now ready, but first, she quickly turned into a fairy. "Im ready, I hope i can catch you." She was actually very frightening, she didn't reveal it though. She thought she was not able to lift Naraca, she was not very strong, but she was going t try anyway.

Zuo was greatly amused by Naraca not using magic but at the same time figured it ruined the sport that he caught her so fast. The old man shook the thought away for fun wasn't the purpose he was here for. Many times Zuo would allow his thrill seeking take priority over the safety of others but that wasn't what today was all about. Today was about more then that. Now came the more interesting part, the small dainty girl catching the big gruff man. Funny how they were both the same level of mage. The task before Lilyan seemed improbable. Regardless catch or fail at least they would learn something from this.

So here came the real test. His feet on the very edge of the cliff Naraca did indeed find himself worried, however he did find himself with some faith in the girl. He didn't know Lilyan, however she seemed determined, and upon her transformation, he saw she might at least be able to slow his decent so he wouldn't die from the fall.
Zuo was indeed a little crazy, however he wasn't stupid, he wouldn't have had her try and catch him unless he believed she could do it. So he trusted in that, despite how difficult it was. Naraca was so used to being the one to carry others, it felt odd to have to trust someone else with his weight.

"Don't worry, you can do it, just don't be afraid" He told her hoping to reassure her and himself.
With that, he spread his arms out, his eye's fixed on Lilyan.
"Here we go"
He leaned back, letting gravity slowly take the reins as he would begin to fall backwards off the cliff before going straight down.
This was it, he'd put her faith in this little girl, letting her decide what would become of him now.

Lilyan saw Naraca as he prepared for the jump. "Don't worry, you can do it, just don't be afraid." Said Naraca to the afraid girl. "I hope so." She wasn't sure about this, but she thought Zuo wouldn't let Naraca fall, even do, she didn't want risk his friends life. But if Lilyan had one weakness, it was maybe the strength, she can only cary something her weight, and it wasn't easy for her either.
Slowly, as Naraca let himself go back, she got even more nervous. She flew as fast as she could to grave him like one meter after the top. She graved him from the arm and started pulling to decrease the momentum. As they were falling, she kept thinking she might not get to lower enough to stop him from falling, and so she thought, she only had to catch him, she didn't have to take him up, so she was going to do the best to make him land safe. She was already like half way there when she decided to hug Naraca and with her feet, kick the wall to impulse themselves to a side, this way, they were going to fall to a side and at least not straight down and crash against the flour.
She realized it was going to be easier to fly straight and not up, so she started flying straight instead of trying to elevate them. After some seconds, she did it, she lowered the momentum to fly carrying Naraca. She stared desending and both landed safely in the ground, then she looked up and shouted at Zuo "We are still alive so..." She was waiting for Zuo to answear whatever. "Naraca, are you alright?"

Zuo smiled watching Lilyan safely lower Naraca to the ground. Pleased by the bravery, trust and strength of the two he walked to the edge of the cliff and in a feat of incredible awesomeness began walking down the cliff face. He spoke to them, somehow projecting his voice without yelling. "Excellently done you two. Congratulations on being alive. I am proud of both of you. Now try and think about why I had you do that, I expect you to be ready to answer by the time I get down." It would take the old man almost half an hour to walk down the cliff side giving the two plenty of time to think and reflect. When he reached the bottom he would look between the two "Now then, keeping in mind that I founded Lamia Scale to raise a new generation of heroes and leaders. Why on earth would I ask you to do something so dangerous?" What they said next was far more important to them passing the exam then any amount of cliff jumping.

Gravity worked in the same way it always did, it paused as he leaned back before pulling him down until he was in a T shape as he began plummeting to the ground. The wind picked up quickly and his hair blew forward into his face, and his clothes flapping madly from the wind hitting his entire back.
Lilyan acted quickly, thankfully, as he must have fallen just a meter before she grabbed his arm and squeezed it with a death grip. He gripped her arm as well, and a large part of him wanted to just stop himself, or at least use his other arm to get a better grip on her, but this was a trust fall after all, he couldn't help her in this. Of course he could grip her hand if she grabbed his, or shift his weight to make himself less cumbersome for her, but in the grand scheme of things he had to be like dead weight...350 pounds of it.
At first it looked like she tried not only stopping his fall, but then lifting him up. Yet the task only succeeded in bringing them halfway down the cliff before she used both her arms to wrap around him and lock them in place.

She was only going to slow him down safely? He felt his confidence in her renewed as that was much smarter.
After she began flying straight forward rather then down, they eventually were able to land down safely on the ground, Naraca's feet hitting the ground with only a little force.
Once on the ground Naraca smiled once she looked up at him and asked if he was alright.

"I'm fine, that was amazing work, I knew you had in ya" He replied in kindness.

Zuo back up top congratulated them and then proceeded to walk down the cliff face using only his feet as a means to climb down.
Now came the question however, why did he tell them to begin a trust fall in the first place? Why go through the trial? Now that truly was the meaning of this exam, not the fall itself, but what it represented.

Naraca turned his head to Lilyan, as he thought to himself. He already came to the conclusion that the real test in the exam would be Lilyan trying to stop Naraca from falling, while he would have to learn to let go and let his fate be in her hands. That was what true soldiers did wasn't it? One could say it was the true meaning of strength, a man's strength is nothing without the man that's next to him. Trusting in each other, it went a long way in life. In a Wizards guild there had to be ultimate trust, for if a guild needed but one Wizard, then why would Guilds even exist? It's because they need others, they need teams, people who work together.

Looking back up at Zuo, he could see the man was taking his time coming down, he was giving his Guild members time no doubt, lots of it, to think why they had to do this.
Looking back on his life, Naraca felt he already knew the answer before they began this exam, it's was a meaning that he had learned long ago as a military man before he became a wizard. A solider in battle for years, it was how he got some of his scars, yet he didn't know Lilyan, would she understand this? He didn't know her life, where she came from, where she's been, what she's gone through, yet he couldn't answer this for her, nor could he help her. This was something she'd have to figure out on her own just like him.
One could say there were many ways to answer the question as to why they performed this exam. He hoped Lilyan would have an answer that meant the most to her, not just the answer Naraca would give.

"Answer with what you feel is right, not what you think is right" He told Lilyan simply, looking towards Zuo as he eventually would be just a few steps away from the ground.
Once Zuo came to the ground, he added in that he founded Lamia Scale to raise hero's and leaders.
Naraca's eye's narrowed in on odd sensation of both thoughtfulness and unease. The term hero only brought bad memories. He knew many hero's, many that should have been hero's, even some that would call him one. It brought pain such a path, pain and death, yet if the world didn't have hero's, it would only have madmen and cowards. Out of those three, the hero path always brought death. They were the most needed things in this world, and those most tortured.

Naraca stood as a lowly Wizard in Lamia, yet in life as a hardened solider, a man who lived and died, a body with scars on his whole body and a soul that was riddled with them. While new in magic, far from new on the battlefield. A man who would die as he lived, on the fields of battle.
He would never call himself a hero, such a title was deserved of those who didn't have so much death beyond them. Here he stood now though, still alive, still fighting, and with more then enough strength to never give it up.

Why perform such a dangerous act though? Well to him, the answer was obvious.

"Because that's what heroes do" He answered his Guildmaster with a genuine voice yet not one of pride, but understanding.
"They risk everything to help others, and when heroes stand together, they put their lives in each others hands, and then risk it all together." He explained in his regular, low and gruff voice.
He couldn't say if that was the answer Zuo was looking for or not, but to him, it wasn't about the right or wrong answer. It was about the answer that meant the most to you. To ask why they just risked there lives, is to ask what it is a hero does and why he does it. To him, every hero had there own reasons to be one, you could list a thousand reasons why someone chooses to risk there life for someone else, yet what mattered was what it meant to be a hero, and that's what it took. To risk it all and jump into the unknown, with what seemed an impossible task ahead of you, just like Lilyan being told to stop him from falling and it also meant to let yourself never fear placing your trust in others, to understand even a hero needs to caught as they can fall as well. Just like Naraca having let go, and put his life in Lilyan's hands.
In Lamia Scale, they were meant to be hero's, yet not lone hero's, but heroes that jumped off that cliff together, risking it all, and trusting in each other.

After Naraca answered Lilyan, she smiled at Naraca and letted herself fall to the ground, she landed sitting on the ground, she was very tired. After what Zuo said, she started thinking, she wasn't the best with this things, but she thought it had to do with the bonds in a group, the ones that let you trust in others and make new friends, it was maybe it, but she wasn't sure. She looked at the sky and kept thinking when Naraca told her to choose what she felt and not what she thought, he was completely right.
She kept thinking until Zuo got down and asked for an answer. She had thought about it for a while and after Naraca's answer, she was sure it was a good idea to use her answer, it wasn't bad after all. Doubting herself, she decided to answer just after Naraca. "I think it was to make a bond, the same ones we have to make to trust each others and support them too." She wasn't sure about saying something else, but she just didn't think about anything else.

Zuo smiled and nodded at each as they gave their answers. He walked past them adding "Between the two of you your answers are correct. You however neglected one side of the answer. That being while sometimes sacrifices have to be made, if we are strong and smart and do what must be done those who must fall must not always hit the ground. There are times when a hero must fight and times when he must make sacrifices and times when they must put their lives on the line. Forgive me if I sound naive here, but they don't always have to suffer, the path of a hero may be selfless but it doesn't not have to be one of suffering and loss." As he began walking back to Hargeon he tossed in "If you have the power it is possible to protect everyone and everything without sacrifice. It is difficult and sometimes impossible but you should not be without hope. Never walk alone, never fight without hope. That is all, you have passed your exam."