Ethan glanced over his shoulder. Julian and Micah were still somewhere around the three-hundredth step, far from the summit. It would be a while before they caught up. With time to kill, he drifted toward the center of the massive platform.
There, ten glowing orbs floated in a loose circle, each one giving off a soft, eerie light. Ethan wasn't sure what they were for. Curiosity got the better of him—he reached out, brushing one with his fingertips. The outer layer resisted, like pushing into a taut membrane, but his hand slipped through. Around the orbs, the stone floor bore ugly reminders of violence: smears of dried blood… and human teeth. Judging by the scene, there had been a brutal fight here not long ago.
Maybe these spheres had once held treasures for those who could claim them. Trials like this usually rewarded the victors. That was his best guess—though he couldn't be sure.
