---
The dense forest that once throbbed with the tension of battle now seemed unnervingly calm. Aren Valen crouched near the roots of a gnarled oak, Sharu perched lazily on his shoulder. The silver beast's fur shimmered with faint, otherworldly light as he casually swatted at a drifting leaf. Around them, the whispers of the forest returned—birds chirped, branches creaked, and distant beasts rustled in the underbrush.
"We made it past the first challenge," Aren murmured, running a hand through his sweat-matted hair. His cloak was torn at the hem, his arms dotted with scratches. "Barely."
Sharu snorted, tail flicking dismissively. Of course we did. I'm with you, aren't I?
The mental message buzzed with smugness. Aren gave a weak smile. "Right…"
Their team regrouped near a mossy outcrop, where Aric, Liora, Dorian, and Lyra were already catching their breath. The ground was littered with broken twigs and tracks of beasts—both corrupted and tame.
"That was more intense than I expected," Dorian muttered, brushing dirt off his tunic. His Shockwave Lion stood beside him, chest heaving with each breath, small static pulses dancing across its fur.
"No casualties though," Liora added, voice cool but taut. Her Ice Wolf lay at her side, licking a wound on its paw.
Aric raised a hand. "Let's not jinx it. That was just the first round. I doubt they'll give us time to rest."
Just then, a soft hum pulsed through the air—a signal flare, crimson and crackling, shot into the sky above the canopy. All eyes turned upward.
"A signal?" Lyra asked, her Shadow Falcon circling above.
A scroll descended with it, floating down like a feather. Aren stepped forward and caught it.
He unfurled it slowly.
---
To all active teams:
The first challenge is complete. Those still standing are deemed worthy of advancing. But this forest holds deeper secrets. Before the second trial begins, you are instructed to make your way to the central camp marked on the enclosed map. From there, further instructions will be given.
Survive. Learn. Grow.
—Academy Administration
---
Liora raised an eyebrow. "Well, that sounds ominous."
"Central camp, huh?" Aric squinted at the map embedded with runes that glowed faintly in Aren's hand. "Looks like we're heading deeper in."
They packed quickly. But the deeper they went, the more the forest began to change.
The trees grew taller, their trunks twisted unnaturally, some bent toward each other like whispering conspirators. The air turned thick with a low mist that hugged the ground. Strange symbols began to appear etched into bark and stone—some glowing faintly, some pulsing like quiet heartbeats.
"Are those… beast runes?" Dorian asked, examining a sigil carved into a tree.
Sharu's tail bristled. They are old. Much older than your academy's history.
"You can read them?" Aren asked mentally.
Some. Enough to know they speak of sealing and suppression.
A chill ran down Aren's spine. He glanced toward his teammates. "Let's not linger."
They arrived at the central camp by dusk—a clearing surrounded by rune-marked stones. A few other teams had already arrived, their expressions wary and exhausted.
The instructor assigned to the trial, a sharp-eyed man named Master Rynn, stood atop a wooden platform. "Well done. Half of you didn't make it."
Murmurs broke out. Some students looked around for missing faces. Aren noticed several groups short a member—or more.
Rynn continued, "This trial is meant to test your bond, your instincts, and your will. But it is only the beginning. Tonight, you rest. Tomorrow, the next challenge begins."
He gestured behind him where a dark archway of trees loomed. "Beyond that lies the inner wilds. You'll be hunted."
No one spoke.
"Your only goal: survive and protect your team for three days."