Kai felt the sharp whistle in the air—death speeding toward him. The projectile was fast, precise, aimed directly for his spine. His body reacted before his mind could process the danger.
He twisted sharply, muscles screaming in protest, barely avoiding the weapon. It grazed past his shoulder, ripping through his sleeve, slicing into his skin just enough for pain to flare.
Not deep enough to kill.
But deep enough to remind him—he was still prey.
The warrior didn't slow.
Kai stumbled forward, heart hammering, Rico panting beside him.
The exit was close—just a few more steps. But the assassin was faster, closing in with each second, his blade gleaming in the dim light of the maze.
Kai gritted his teeth.
He had no choice.
If they ran, they wouldn't make it. If they fought, they would die.
They needed something else.
Then—an idea.
Kai grabbed Rico by the wrist, pulling him hard toward the collapsing pathway on the right.
"What are you doing?!" Rico gasped, struggling to keep pace.
Kai didn't answer.
The assassin followed.
And then—the ground beneath them groaned.
Kai had seen the patterns in the maze, the way the traps triggered under pressure, how the stone shifted just slightly before giving way.
He had calculated the moment.
The very instant the warrior lunged forward, Kai threw himself and Rico to the side.
A heartbeat later—the floor collapsed.
The warrior barely had time to react. His momentum carried him straight into the death trap, his eyes widening as realization struck.
Then—he fell.
Downward.
Straight into the abyss below.
Kai and Rico hit the ground hard, breath knocked from their lungs.
Silence.
The only sound was the distant echo of the warrior's body disappearing into darkness.
Gone.
Kai exhaled sharply, his pulse slowing, the raw burn of exhaustion settling into his muscles.
They were alive.
The exit loomed ahead, bathed in eerie golden light.
Rico sat up, shaking his head, staring at Kai in disbelief. "You—"
Kai didn't let him finish.
"Move," he muttered, dragging himself to his feet.
They had survived the maze.
But the test wasn't over yet.
Not even close.
Kai staggered forward, the weight of exhaustion pressing into his limbs like iron shackles. His breath was shallow, each inhale scraping against his throat, but he refused to falter.
The exit loomed ahead—massive and imposing, bathed in a golden light that spilled into the remnants of the maze. Beyond it lay the unknown, the next phase, the next challenge that awaited those who survived.
Rico walked beside him, shoulders tense, his breaths uneven. Kai could sense the disbelief radiating off him—he had nearly died, and Kai had saved him, despite everything.
"You didn't have to do that," Rico murmured.
Kai didn't respond.
Words felt pointless now. What mattered was survival.
As they stepped past the threshold, the transition was immediate. The maze's oppressive shadows gave way to an open stone courtyard, lined with towering torches that flickered beneath the overcast sky.
Other survivors were already there, scattered across the space, their faces etched with raw emotion—some relieved, others shaken. The nobles who had spent the entire trip mocking Kai looked less arrogant now, their silk-trimmed outfits stained with blood, their expressions filled with barely concealed fear.
Not everyone had made it.
Kai scanned the remaining applicants. The ones who had faltered, the ones whose screams had echoed through the maze—gone. The test had claimed them, mercilessly sorting the weak from the strong.
The official stood at the center of the courtyard, his stance rigid, expression unreadable. As the last few survivors stumbled in, he raised his hand, silencing the murmurs in an instant.
"Congratulations," he said, though there was no warmth in his tone. "You have endured the first trial."
Kai straightened, ignoring the soreness in his body.
"But do not assume survival means victory," the official continued, his sharp gaze sweeping over them. "You have passed the endurance test, but awakening is not guaranteed. Many of you will still fail before the end."
The weight of those words settled over the group, dragging whatever relief they had felt into uncertainty.
"Now," the official said, his voice echoing through the courtyard, "we begin the attunement phase."
A ripple of tension passed through the survivors. This was the true test—the moment that would determine if they were meant to wield power or remain ordinary.
Princess Aurora stepped forward, her silver robes shifting in the wind, her expression unreadable yet commanding.
"You will each be tested," she declared. "The elements choose their vessels. Some of you will awaken. Others will not."
Kai exhaled slowly.
This was it.
The moment of truth.
Would he awaken?
Or would fate cast him aside like the others who had failed?