Now, with that aside, this is the next stage of your trial," Elton spoke.
Her voice was calm, measured, yet it carried across the entire throne room with absolute clarity. The moment the words left her lips, everyone's attention snapped toward her. Conversations died instantly. Movements stilled. Even breathing seemed to grow quieter.
No one wanted to miss a single word.
The buildup to this stage had already been grueling, mentally, physically, emotionally. From the very first moment they had entered the trials, they had been pushed, broken, forced to adapt again and again. Each stage had stripped something from them, whether it was strength, certainty, or innocence. And now, standing within this suffocating castle filled with unseen dangers, every single one of them knew the same truth.
This stage would be the hardest yet.
