The forest was pitch black, the kind of dark that swallows you whole, with only the rustle of leaves and distant hoots to remind me I wasn't completely alone.
I raised my hand, focusing my mana, my mind tracing the familiar pattern of a flame orb, but with a twist.
"Okay," I muttered to myself, "if I use the same turgid level as a flame orb but shift the circulation just a bit…" A soft glow flickered to life, a light orb hovering above my palm, its golden warmth cutting through the darkness like a tiny sun.
I stared at it, my heart sinking as old memories clawed their way up. All those nights struggling to form my first circle, sweat and frustration while my classmates surged ahead, their fire and wind orbs sparking effortlessly.
"My attribute was never Fire," I realized, a bitter pang hitting me. All that effort, all those hours drilling Fire formations, wasted on a lie the Starshard had shattered with its golden truth.
I shook my head, shoving the regret down. No time for that now.
The light orb lit my path, casting eerie shadows as the trees loomed like silent giants. I hacked a log from a low branch with my steel sword and sank onto it, the rough bark grounding me.
My wristband glowed faintly, and I tapped it, checking the time. 9 PM already? The forest had a way of eating time, making an hour feel like a lifetime.
A notification pinged, and I tapped the screen, curious. An animated video flared to life, a crisp voice-over breaking the silence.
In the animation, a figure battled a snarling monster, subduing it with a flash of magic before snatching a glowing artifact from its lair. The voice-over explained, "Artifacts are scattered across the forest, hidden in monster lairs. The stronger the monsters guarding them, the higher the artifact's value." The figure trekked through the woods, collecting more artifacts, then strode into a store. The shopkeeper tapped a card to the figure's wristband, and points racked up on the screen. "Artifacts are quest rewards," the voice continued. "At the quest's end, you can exchange them for points at a store or keep them for use."
The scene shifted to another figure trying to use an artifact mid-quest, only for it to fizzle out. "Until the quest ends, artifacts cannot be used or sold," the voice said.
"This quest concludes at 9 PM tomorrow. while aspirants can form parties right now, features like drone service and point transfer won't activate until 9 PM tomorrow,"
The animation took a darker turn, showing a figure cornered by a massive beast, claws slashing. Just as the blow landed, the figure vanished in a flash of light.
"Those deemed in mortal danger will be forcibly teleported out via your wristband," the voice warned. "Lose your wristband, and the Academy is not responsible for your life or your results."
The screen flickered back to normal, displayng my ponts: zero and leaving me alone with the forest's whispers.
I leaned back, my light orb bobbing above me, and let the voice-over sink in.
"So, the Academy's pushing parties from the get-go," I thought. Not just for taking down monsters to grab artifacts, but to protect them. We can't cash in until 9 PM tomorrow, which means anyone, Red or Blue, could try to steal what I find.
A chill ran through me, not from the night air but from the realization: this wasn't just about survival. It was about guarding what's mine in a forest full of hungry eyes.
I sat on my makeshift log seat, weighing my options. Rest until dawn, when the forest might feel less like a trap? Or start now, before the competition gets a head start? The thought of 40,000 other aspirants,some already prowling, lit a fire in my gut.
No way I was sitting still. I dimmed my light orb to a soft flicker, just enough to trace the path ahead without screaming "here I am" to everyone in the woods.
A rustle snapped me alert, the sound sharp in the quiet wilderness. I killed the orb completely, plunging myself into near-blackness.
My eyes, slowly adjusting to the dark, caught a glimpse of movement. White fur swaying in the night breeze. A Skolvarg, one of those massive wolf-beasts, its canines glinting as it tore into the limp, bloody corpse of some smaller monster.
My breath caught. It hoisted the wet clump of its prey in its jaws and trotted off, its steps deliberate, almost proud.
I pressed myself against the tree, willing my presence to vanish, my heart hammering. Skolvargs hunt in packs, I remembered. Sure enough, as my eyes strained, I spotted more, three, no, four more Skolvargs.
Their white pelts ghosting through the trees, all heading the same way. A thought sparked, risky but tempting.
If I follow them, won't I find their lair?
Judging by a Skolvarg's strength, any artifact stashed in their den would be at least medium-value. Decent points for the taking.
I climbed the nearest tree, my sword clanking softly against my hip as I moved, keeping my eyes on the pack. The lead Skolvarg, still carrying its gory prize, led the way, and I trailed them from above, leaping branch to branch, my movements careful to avoid snapping twigs.
The forest seemed to hold its breath, the only sounds the faint crunch of leaves under their paws and my own stifled breathing.
There it was. A cave, half-hidden among tangled roots and scattered rubble.
The pack slipped inside, but the lead Skolvarg paused, its head swiveling, yellow eyes scanning the darkness.
I froze, my chest tight, barely daring to blink. It snorted, satisfied, and vanished into the cave.
I steadied my breath, my fingers gripping the bark. Okay, I can do this. My heart pounded, but the thought of those points and staying ahead of the competition pushed me forward.
I dropped silently to the ground, my boots barely whispering against the earth, and crept toward the cave's mouth.
The darkness inside yawned like a trap, but I stepped forward, my sword ready, every nerve screaming that this was either my first big win or a really stupid mistake.
The cave stretched deep, its shadows twisting around me as my eyes adjusted to the dark, picking out the white-furred Skolvargs from the jagged rocks.
I crept forward, heart pounding, until the tunnel opened into a massive chamber. At least twenty Skolvargs sprawled across it—some gnawing on bones, others curled up asleep, their breaths heavy in the damp air. At the far end, glowing faintly on a stone pedestal, was the artifact. How the hell did the Academy even get that in here? I wondered, my mind racing. This was no small feat, planting treasures in a den like this.
I ducked behind a rocky outcrop, smearing dirt over my skin to mask my scent, the gritty dampness clinging to my hands. A few Skolvargs near me twitched, their noses sniffing the air, sensing something off.
My pulse spiked, but before they could zero in, a pack of twelve broke off, forming a tight group and stalking out of the cave, their claws scraping the stone.
I held my breath, counting. Eight left. Okay, Caelumis, I told myself, take out two before they notice, and it's just six more. Six sharp-toothed, quick-as-hell Skolvargs. No big deal. I gripped my steel sword, psyching myself up.
The pack was gone, their steps fading. I leaped from my cover, my blade flashing before I even hit the ground. The nearest Skolvarg, the one sniffing too close, didn't stand a chance—my sword severed its head in one clean strike, blood spraying the cave floor.
The second turned, eyes wide, but I was already there, slicing through its neck. Gore splattered, but I'd seen worse; it didn't faze me. The remaining six snapped alert, their growls echoing as they fanned out, cutting off my escape and boxing me in.
I charged the one on my flank, my boots pounding the stone. The center Skolvarg rushed to back it up, while the others circled behind, sealing the exit.
The flank wolf leaped onto a rock, then launched at me, claws gleaming. I dropped my sword, caught its furry bulk mid-air, and hurled it toward the ones behind me. It crashed into one, both tumbling in a snarling heap. I snatched my sword and charged the center wolf, the scarred leader of the pack I'd followed.
Its teeth clamped onto my blade, stopping it cold. I let go, pivoting fast, and slammed my boot into its jaw from below. The sword's sharp edge, still in its mouth, dug into its upper jaw. It howled, a piercing sound that made my stomach drop. Not good.
I kicked the leader back and spun to meet a charging Skolvarg from the left. I grabbed its canines, twisting its head and flinging it into the one blocking the exit. The scarred leader, blood streaming from its mouth, charged again, claws slashing.
I summoned a light orb, its sudden glow blinding the pack. They flinched, heads turning away. I channeled mana into my body, boosting my strength and speed, and lunged for my sword, still lodged in the leader's jaw. I yanked it free, the sickening squelch of flesh tearing under my pull. Blood poured from its mouth, but it didn't stop.
One Skolvarg bolted out of the cave, probably to fetch the pack. Great, more on the way. I sprinted for the artifact, snatching it from the pedestal and shoving it into my pocket.
Pain exploded across my back as a Skolvarg's claws raked me, fire searing through my skin. "Ugh!" I grunted, stumbling but staying upright.
The four remaining wolves circled, not attacking now, just stalling, waiting for their pack. They're buying time. I gripped my sword, eyes locked on the center wolf, and charged.
Two from the right and two from the left leaped at me. I jumped, mid-air planting my foot on a rock to propel myself like an arrow. Holding my sword vertically, I drove it into the leaping wolf's stomach, slicing horizontally as I landed, its guts spilling in a bloody cascade. I was soaked, the metallic stench overwhelming, but the remaining four froze, stepping back.
The scarred leader snapped out of it, its howl rallying the others. "Tch," I muttered, bracing for a desperate one-versus-four, the artifact heavy in my pocket.
The leader's gaze snapped to the cave's entrance, its ears twitching. Damn, the pack's back already? My heart sank, picturing a flood of white-furred Skolvargs pouring in. I tightened my grip, at this rate I might have to—
A lone figure stepped into the cave's mouth, silhouetted against the faint moonlight.
huh?
Her blonde hair danced in the night breeze, catching the glow like a halo of steel. The paladin from the cart!
Her polished armor gleamed faintly, her long sword already drawn, its blade a sliver of menace in the dim light.
Her crimson eyes swept the chamber, locking onto the Skolvargs with a cold, unyielding focus that sent a shiver down my spine.
The scarred leader hesitated, its yellow eyes darting between me, and her, a new threat. It chose her, muscles coiling as it leaped, zigzagging across the cave's rocks to get behind her.
"Watch out!" I shouted, my voice hoarse as it lunged, claws slashing for her back.
In a heartbeat, she spun, her body a blur of grace and precision. Her sword arced through the air, a perfect crescent of silver, and the leader's head hit the ground with a dull thud, severed clean... too clean.
The three remaining Skolvargs froze, their formation crumbling in fear. Two charged me, snarling, while the last rushed her.
I drove my sword into one's neck, blood spraying as I kicked the other back. It lunged again, I retrieved my sword and I sliced its throat clean.
I glanced at the paladin. she'd already dispatched her foe, its body crumpling at her feet. She stood calm, wiping her thin blade with a cloth, ignoring the blood streaking her face and armor, her movements methodical, almost bored.
I sheathed my sword, catching my breath.
Her crimson eyes flicked to me, sharp and unreadable. Without a word, she raised her blade, its tip pointed at me. Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion, cutting through the cave's tense air. "Leave the artifact here and walk away unscathed. Or I'll take it by force."