- Test of Strength

"I can understand why they chose everyone else, at least. But why are you here? In fact, who are you?" Amien Droi asked Marcus. "Did we even see anything from him at the test?"

"Now you mention it, we did not," Taeryn Kand said, in support of Amien.

"Why he is here is none of your concern," Marketh snapped, silencing the voices that questioned Marcus. "All you must know is that the King himself requested him to be here, and the King himself assigned him and I to be your commanders on these missions."

"Just because the King says something, doesn't mean we have to agree," Amien said, eyeing Marcus like a predator looking at prey. "Why should we trust you to come with us into battle? Why shouldn't we think you can't be trusted to fight in the coming battles that this group will face?"

"You shouldn't make assumptions about one's capabilities purely based on their appearance," Kiala Yon said to Amien. "If that had been done, then I would not be here either."