Ethan took a deep breath as he stood in his grandfather's ninjutsu dojo, preparing for his green to blue belt test. He was only eleven, but his grandfather, the grandmaster of the Shadow Serpent Clan, inducted his order's members when they were five; at the oldest. He still fondly remembered that day; seeing his grandfather's incredible martial arts skills and hearing all the good the Shadow Serpents did and he knew that was what he wanted. Several black gis, belts and years later he was here, ready to take his next step towards being a ninja of the Shadow Serpent clan. His black hair was spiked like always, his emerald green eyes filled with resolve. He wore his best black gi and, of course, his blue belt, as well as a katana sheathed on his back. "I'm ready sensei," he said at last, speaking out into the dimly lit room. The low light allowed only minimal vision because, after all, a ninja is at home in the shadows. He knew the room to be about the size of a small gymnasium anyways.
Without any warning, not that Ethan expected any, blows struck from multiple directions. Ethan struck back just as swiftly and silently. He was fighting Shadow Dummies, constructs of shadow magic that behaved basically as puppets to the summoner. It was his grandfather who was controlling them and using them as test targets. And Ethan did pretty well, using his katana skillfully, and his fists just as much. This was where he excelled; melee combat. The parts of the test he was more concerned with hadn't started yet. Finally the last of the Shadow Dummies fell and no more appeared. Ethan's grandfather appeared from the shadows; an athletic looking old man, caucasian like himself despite the art they practiced, with a white beard and moustache, twinkling blue eyes, and wearing a dark cloak. "You did well Ethan. Now return to the waiting area while I prepare the next section of the test."
Ethan bowed and left the testing room and returned to a small, well lit room with a few chairs and meditation mats, as well as an exit to the outside hallway and a pair to the changing rooms. The next two parts of the test were the Chi Direction and Stealth sections. He was pretty good at the latter, not so great at the former, which involved directing one's chi energy into the forms of a Chinese element. Usually he only managed to create a burst of water that was no different than squirting someone with a spray bottle, or a flame that was better off on a candle than in a fight or as a distraction.
A gong sounded the beginning of the next section of his test, and he left the waiting room to find...
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