"Get up! Everyone up! Light mages, release the Radiance spell!"
Murray's command cut through the night air like a blade, crisp and unyielding. The students, still groggy from a restless night, snapped awake. Connor Sanderson immediately hustled them into formation, barking orders with rare urgency that cut through the haze of fear. Behind him, the light mages hastened to summon their orbs, weaving threads of magic into brilliant globes of illumination.
"Don't release the Radiance!" Murray shouted again, desperation lacing his voice. But it was too late—a radiant sphere ignited midair, erupting with blinding intensity. The darkness of the Australian wilderness vanished in an instant, replaced by a stark, almost painful glare.
From the shadows beyond the glowing circle, a pair of green eyes emerged. Luminous, unnaturally so, they fixed upon the camp with predatory, unrelenting precision.
"What… what kind of monster is that?!"
A girl with a soft, sweet face pointed shakily toward the undergrowth, fingers trembling violently. Her wide eyes reflected the flickering light, revealing only fleeting movements—something enormous and lurking, subtly shifting, radiating menace.
Connor squinted in the direction she indicated, seeing only a bush swaying in the breeze. "Emily, calm down! You're scaring everyone half to death!"
But Emily's gaze didn't falter. Her trembling intensified, and her voice became a mere whisper: "Behind… you…"
That single, terrified phrase was enough. Connor twisted around—and froze.
The stench hit him first. Foul, metallic, with the scent of blood and wild fur. Then his eyes registered the rest: rippling muscles beneath mottled gray-black fur, limbs built for predation, jagged fangs dripping with saliva, claws capable of tearing through flesh and armor alike.
A demon. Fully grown, feral, and unyielding in its hunger.
"The Radiance… it drew it here!" Murray muttered, voice low and tense, scanning the creature as it slunk forward, claws scraping faintly against the soil.
Panic surged. Students staggered backward, knees weak, hands trembling. Some couldn't even summon magic in time, merely frozen by terror. Survival instincts eclipsed training—fight and strategy were distant thoughts now.
"Run! Everyone run!"
Screams erupted like thunder, echoing across the clearing as students scattered into the blackness. Darkness swallowed them almost immediately, only revealing glimpses of terror-stricken faces and the glitter of hurriedly conjured protective charms.
Murray forced his mind into clarity. He refused to give in to fear. The instructors surely knew of this creature—it had to be part of the trial. Mindless flight would only increase casualties. Someone had to delay the monster.
"Ice Vines!"
He traced precise patterns along the star-path with his fingers. Cold tendrils shot outward, curling around the demon's massive paws and freezing them in place. The creature let out a low, rumbling growl—a sound vibrating through the air like a war drum. Its clawed feet struggled, sending shards of ice flying.
"Roar!"
With a violent shake, the beast hurled rocks and debris toward Murray. Several struck him squarely in the chest, each blow carrying the weight of a small boulder. Pain exploded across his body, and he was hurled backward, landing with a bone-jarring thud. The ice encasing the demon's paws splintered and cracked as it violently freed itself, shaking the ground beneath it.
"Murray!"
Connor, ever loyal, didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward the source of danger, dodging debris and ignoring the gnawing fear in his gut.
"Cough… cough…"
Murray coughed violently, tasting blood in his mouth, yet his eyes never wavered from the demon. His heart hammered, yet determination overrode fear. He refused to accept death here, in what was supposed to be a training exercise.
Chaos struck again. Connor tripped over tangled roots, falling hard. The demon seized the opportunity, clamping its massive jaws onto his arm. Pain like molten fire coursed through him, nearly overwhelming him entirely.
"Ahhhhhh!"
The scream tore through the night, drawing Murray's gaze. Without hesitation, he ran, weaving through the underbrush with unparalleled speed and focus, ignoring the searing pain in his lungs.
What he saw next froze him in place. The beast, which had seemed unstoppable, now bore the mark of inevitable defeat. A figure in silver armor stood resolutely behind Connor, a long spear piercing the creature's heart. Moonlight glinted off the polished metal, bathing the scene in an ethereal, almost divine glow.
Even in muted light, the impression was unforgettable: authority and dominance radiating from every inch of the armored figure. Righteousness and power fused in a single, indomitable presence.
Next to Connor, still unconscious but alive, was Kain Clinton. The silver-armored general was no ordinary warrior—he was a summoned extension of Kain's formidable will. Up close, the aura of absolute control and supremacy pressed on the senses like tangible weight.
"I gave him a basic dressing. To properly heal that arm, you'll need a healing mage," Kain said, examining Connor's injuries. Two deep gashes nearly severed the arm. Ordinary medicines would accomplish nothing.
"Mission complete. Rewards being distributed," the system announced in Kain's mind, its ethereal tone confirming the grim outcome.
Kain glanced at the lifeless body of the dire wolf beast. The summon's death had exacted its toll on Blake—recklessness and arrogance had been his undoing.
Murray looked down at Connor, unconscious but alive. Gratitude flooded him. The young mage had risked everything for others, embodying the cruel reality of survival—sometimes, sacrifice was the only path.
"Are there any healing mages in Alice Springs? If not, you'll have to take him elsewhere. His condition won't wait," Kain instructed.
"There is. The head of the magical hospital is a healer," Murray replied immediately. Every second mattered; Connor's future as a mage rested on his ability to recover from this injury.
"Good. Get him onto the horse. He'll take you into the city," Kain ordered.
"You're not coming?"
Murray's eyes followed Gareth "The Spear of Dawn" Stormspear, the magnificent white steed, and its rider exuding godlike presence. He felt a strange awe—like a mortal entrusted to the care of a deity.
"I'll stay. There's still work to be done here," Kain said, calm and unwavering. The mission might be complete, but Alice Springs still demanded his presence.
"Understood."
Suppressing his inner panic, Murray seated Connor carefully behind him on Gareth.
As they departed, Kain released a colossal Radiance spell. The brilliance illuminated the entire training ground. Seventeen students scattered, blinded by the golden light, struggling to regain their footing.
Escape is instinctual, Kain thought. But to grow into a true mage, one must confront danger head-on rather than flee. The spell's golden illumination cleared the night's shadows, revealing every detail of the terrain in crisp relief.
"Senior Kain!"
Drawn by his commanding presence, the scattered students quickly regrouped under the radiant light, awe-struck by his composure and power.
Emily, too paralyzed by fear to move, remained frozen in place. Her wide-eyed terror revealed vulnerability amidst the chaos, almost endearing in its raw honesty.
Even in fear, survival—and courage—could find a way.