As the last of the 25 participants finished their meal, the magical screens scattered throughout Ateria and across the kingdom of Aetherlight flickered to life. Althea's face appeared, her serene yet commanding voice filling the air.
"Good morning, participants. Today marks the beginning of the second phase of the final trial. In four hours, you will commence the challenge known as Stronghold Defense. Just east of Ateria, you will find a stronghold we constructed a few days ago. Your task is to defend it for 30 minutes against one of the kingdom's generals. And that general will be none other than the Merciless Dread Knight, Lamorak," Althea announced, her smile carrying both reassurance and an ominous weight.
At the mention of Lamorak's name, tension rippled through the group. Mitchel shot up from her seat, her eyes wide in shock.
"F-Father!?" she stammered, her voice shaking.
She had known her father was involved in the trials as an administrator, but she hadn't expected to face him in direct combat. Unlike the previous phases, where participants could choose to avoid the generals, this time, there was no escape from the encounter.
Mixarnt, lounging lazily with Razen's arm linked around his, tilted his head curiously. "What? Is he that good?" he asked, his tone casual, almost amused.
Razen sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Mixarnt... sigh... sometimes I wonder how you get through life."
She then explained, "Lamorak is the most brutal general of this era. He's powerful, merciless, and completely relentless on the battlefield. That's why everyone's so tense. My old man told me that in terms of a balance build, he is the best."
Mixarnt blinked, absorbing the information before flashing his usual carefree grin. "So, we just have to beat him, right?" He turned to Rise, who was sitting nearby.
Rise, ever the optimist, grinned and high-fived Mixarnt. "Exactly! We'll eat him for breakfast!" he declared, his enthusiasm unwavering.
Liva, sitting across from them, pressed her fingers to her temple. "I can't believe you two," she muttered, half amused, half exasperated.
Rise, at 12 years old, was barely a year older than Mixarnt, but their reckless sense of humor made them seem like twins.
Erenesto, the ever-practical one, stood up and addressed the group. "Regardless, we need to prepare. Mixarnt, we'll head to the stronghold first to scout the area and set up traps. The rest of you, finish up and join us as soon as you can," he instructed, his voice firm and decisive.
Mitchel exhaled deeply, still grappling with the weight of the situation. "Sigh… Fine. Let's finish here and meet them at the fortress," she said, resigned to the inevitable.
She knew her father's reputation better than anyone. Facing him would not be easy.
As the group prepared to move, Mixarnt stretched and stood, his usual lazy grin in place. "Alright, let's go check out this stronghold. Sounds fun," he said, as if he were heading on a casual stroll rather than preparing for battle.
Razen, still holding onto his arm, rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "You're impossible," she muttered, though there was fondness in her voice.
The group split up, with Erenesto's team heading out first to lay the groundwork while the others wrapped up their meal. Not long after, Mixarnt, Razen, Rise, and the rest followed, their resolve unwavering despite the formidable opponent ahead.
As they neared the stronghold, the magnitude of their challenge became apparent. The fortress stood tall, its imposing walls fortified with multiple entry points and towers. Defending it against Lamorak would be no small feat.
Erenesto's team was already hard at work, moving swiftly to set traps and reinforce key positions.
As Mixarnt's group made their way to the stronghold, the atmosphere was a mix of tension and camaraderie. Mitchel and Liva led the way, their expressions serious as they discussed strategies for the upcoming battle. Behind them, Tessa, Ewan, Lina, and Mara followed, their focus on the task at hand. A meter behind them, Razen, Mixarnt, and Rise walked together, their conversation light despite the gravity of the situation.
Rise was chatting casually with Mixarnt, the two brainstorming ways to take on General Lamorak. "So, what's the plan? We just hit him really hard, right?" Rise asked, his tone playful.
Mixarnt grinned. "Yeah, pretty much. But we'll need to be smart about it," he said, his tone light but his eyes serious.
Meanwhile, Razen, walking beside Mixarnt, was growing increasingly annoyed. She had been stealing glances at him, her cheeks flushed, but he seemed completely oblivious to her presence. Frustrated, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She wrapped her arms around Mixarnt's arm, pulling him closer. Both Mixarnt and Rise noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor.
Rise, ever the perceptive one, quickly caught on. "O-oh right! I forgot that I wanted to ask Ewan about something. I'll leave you two alone for now, hehe," he said, giving Mixarnt a knowing look before jogging ahead to catch up with Ewan.
Mixarnt, now alone with Razen, glanced at her with a grin. "There's a nearby tree over there, Raz. Wanna rest for a little?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes warm.
Razen nodded bashfully, her face still flushed. The two walked over to the tree and sat down on a log, Razen resting her head on Mixarnt's shoulder. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the tension between them palpable.
Finally, Razen broke the silence, her voice soft but determined. "Y-you said yesterday that you like me, right??? ... S-so, what part of me did you like!? I'm tomboyish, no guy likes me. I also hate wearing girly dresses or acting girly—it annoys me to no end! What's more, people often call me handsome rather than beautiful! And now you're telling me you like me!?" she said, her face red but her eyes locked on Mixarnt's, demanding an answer.
Mixarnt blinked, caught off guard by her sudden intensity. But then his grin returned, and he shrugged casually. "Huh? Because you're cute. Even your personality is. Though it would be great if you had a larger chest, haha," he said, his tone teasing.
Razen's face turned even redder at his words, but instead of getting angry, she stood up abruptly. "W-wait here," she said, her voice trembling slightly. She walked behind a tree, her heart racing as she made a decision. She quickly removed her clothes and the bandage she used to bind her chest, something she had always done out of insecurity. Unbeknownst to Mixarnt, Razen actually had a large chest, which she had hidden for years.
After a moment, she stepped out from behind the tree, her chest now clearly visible through her stretched clothes. She looked away, her face burning with embarrassment. "O-okay, how about now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mixarnt's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight of Razen. Her chest was indeed larger than he had imagined, and the way her clothes stretched to their limit only emphasized her figure. But what really caught him off guard was the way she looked at him—bashful, vulnerable, and utterly adorable. For once, Mixarnt found himself blushing, his usual confidence faltering.
"R-Razen..." he started, his voice softer than usual. "You're... really beautiful, you know that? I mean, I already thought you were cute, but... wow."
Razen's eyes widened, and for a moment, she was speechless. Then, her face turned even redder, and she quickly sat back down beside him, hiding her face in her hands. "S-shut up..." she muttered, though her tone lacked any real anger.
Mixarnt chuckled, his usual grin returning. "Hey, I'm just being honest. You're amazing, Razen. And I like you for who you are—tomboyish or not, big chest or not. You're just... you."
Razen peeked at him from behind her hands, her heart swelling with warmth. For the first time in her life, she felt truly seen and appreciated for who she was. And as she sat there beside Mixarnt, her head resting on his shoulder once more, she couldn't help but smile.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group continued toward the stronghold, unaware of the intimate moment between Mixarnt and Razen. Rise, walking ahead with Ewan, couldn't help but grin to himself. "Those two are gonna be just fine," he said, his tone light.
Ewan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.
Rise just laughed. "Don't worry about it. Let's just focus on the stronghold. We've got a Dread Knight to take down."