The tournament arena had shifted overnight. The maze glowed with eerie green runes, mist rolling along the floors.
Lyra's stomach churned. This was bigger than any training.
A voice boomed from the sky:
"Match One: F-rank trio vs. B-rank challengers."
Dorian, Selene, and two others from the B-rank class appeared, smirks on their faces. Lyra felt her chest tighten—Dorian had never forgiven her for surviving the forest.
The barrier dropped.
Selene summoned fire elementals, scorching the mist. Lyra dodged, weaving shadows into a protective dome. Mira countered with wind spells, scattering the flames.
Kael moved like a predator, precise and lethal. His shadow blades flashed as he disabled Dorian's traps with skill and finesse.
Lyra realized something: this wasn't just survival. This was teamwork.
Then the maze shifted—walls moving, floors opening into bottomless pits. Illusions formed beasts from every student's fear. Lyra's mark glowed. Her forbidden power surged, chains of shadow wrapping around illusions, dissolving them.
Kael's eyes flicked toward hers. "Focus," he whispered. "Don't lose control."
By the end, they emerged victorious. Spectators gasped. Dorian scowled, his pride crushed.