After the two challengers departed the main grounds of the Ore area of school, which is also called the Outer belt of the school, they began to guess about which environ they might get assigned. Cassie guessed that they would get lucky and get a forest trial, as that was one they were very familiar with due to where they grew up.
Gunnar on the other hand didn't believe that they would have such luck, but the worst that could happen is they get put in one of the desert biomes. While that might be difficult initially if they could find an oasis or a low place amongst the dune that they could maybe dig for water. Then they could set traps for food and scout around with a base to return to until they found better.
Of course they always, in any biome, would have to contend with the animals and crazy unstable environment of the Forge world, Kelton. It was ranked second in danger out of the three planets due to its unpredictable atmosphere that could bring down crazy weather at any time with very little notice along with bringing incredibly diverse evolutions to animal life all over the planet.
So there was no telling where that the two would end up or what they would have to face. The only plus was that they would not be placed in an environment that had monstrous beasts that they could not face, or some oncoming event that no way of escape. If there were some cataclysmic event oncoming they would at least have multiple ways to escape. there would always be some way out or some way to prevent the event within the kids means.
As the lift stopped in front of the set of three ships that would take students on their journeys to attempt the trial, Gunnar stepped off with a certain amount of apprehension and nerves. While he and Cassie had been trained by some of the best hunters, fighters and survivalists in the entire world of Kelton, the two were ultimately just children. There was a mountain of things that they didn't know, and what they didn't know could absolutely kill them.
He led the way over to one of the standing pilots, a tall, well muscled brunette, who didn't look too much older than the two Trial takers. The woman took the slip of paper, reading the note on it and nodded turning and walking toward one of the waiting ships. After they boarded the young pilot turned her head to speak to Gunnar and Cassie.
"The two of you will be dropped off to attempt the trial on the snowy, volcanic mountain of Snelle, you will be given a designated stash area in which you will have to build a cache and trap it as the site will be tested when I come back to get you in three weeks. You will also be given a small radio transmitter than can be used to send one message. If at any time you wish to give up you can send that message and someone will come and get you. It takes time to masker it there so if you call in the middle of a fight then you will have to survive til I get here, and the beacon works better the higher you are out to the treeline. But bear in mind that you will have to attempt the trial again at a later date after taking the course. This trial will be held again every six months until everyone passes, or is dead."
She turned more toward Cassie speaking in an emotionless informational way. "There are always chances of wandering pirates or bandits who will not be kind to kids your age so always keep that in the back of your mind, beasts, the weather and the land aren't the only enemies you will have here. I will do flyovers from a height at which I cannot be seen with the naked eye to see if you are still alive every few days. If you die then I will try to retrieve your bodies for proper burial if that is at all possible."
"Now," the pilot spoke, turning back to the display infant of her. "Go take a seat, as we will be flying for a good while."
Gunnar took Cassie's hand and led her towards the seats, arranged in four rows, one against each wall facing the middle and two in the middle facing the outer walls, these were adapted military transports after all. Made to transport midsized platoon elements of 25-35 people, the larger ones moved hundreds at a time off a troop transport ship and onto a planet below.
They took a seat and Gunnar leaned his back and closed his eyes attempting to calm his nerves and maybe take a short nap. It might be the last semi-unalert sleep he got for the next three weeks.
After about two and a half hours the ship arrived at its destination, and the pilot flashed the lights of the cabin waking Gunnar and bringing Cassie to alert. A second later they were on their feet and walking to the front to speak to the woman, who spun around and beckoned them over to the display to point out the place that would be designated as the stash, before lowering to a few feet off the ground and opening the side door on the ship a yelling good luck to the two Trial takers.
"See you in three weeks you guys, and I have a feeling I'll be seeing you both soon in the advanced courses with the rest of us!"
Gunnar waved and jumped the five feet to the ground sinking into the snow a bit before stabilizing and beginning to take stock of his surroundings before pulling Cassie from the snow and moving towards the relative shelter of the snowy woods at the edge of the clearing they had been dropped off in.