The battle was over, but Xarl's mind was anything but calm.
They had won the second examination—barely. Kaelith and Vally had delivered the finishing blow to that grotesque phantom beast after Xarl made a wild gamble. He had offered his blood to Vally, who'd grown monstrous in power for a few chaotic seconds. The aftermath left Xarl lightheaded, his wrist still bruised where Vally bit him. Everyone had cheered. Naeva had even hugged him. But all Xarl could think about was the vision.
Kaelith.
Or rather, Kaelith's past—the icy cell, the blood on his hands, and the sorrow in his inhuman eyes.
And the bracelet. That damned, glowing band. It had triggered the vision, hadn't it?
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling of their shared dorm room, the wristband warm on his skin. A system item… but with memories inside it?
Should he tell Kaelith? He wasn't sure.
Would it help… or hurt?
He closed his eyes. The cold was waiting for him again.
The dream came without warning.
He stood in snow. Endless. Silent. The world was tinted blue, a frozen dome overhead. A single boy stood ahead of him, white hair like moonlight and scales glinting beneath torn robes.
Kaelith, but younger.
His breath misted in the air.
"Why did you see this?" the dream-Kaelith asked, not looking at him.
"I didn't choose to," Xarl said, voice echoing oddly. "It came to me."
Kaelith finally turned. His eyes were colder than ice, but a flicker of pain swam beneath.
"Then maybe it's not me you should fear," he whispered. "It's yourself."
The snow fell faster. The boy faded into the blizzard.
Xarl reached out. "Wait—!"
He woke to chaos.
A loud crash, followed by footsteps and laughter.
Xarl bolted upright—and immediately kicked the first thing moving.
"Oof!"
"Oops," Xarl muttered.
Vally landed with a dramatic sprawl, clutching his stomach. "Okay… not the welcome I imagined."
"You scared the hell out of me," Xarl said.
Vally gave a cheeky grin. "You have a kink for kicking people in their sleep? That's adorable."
Xarl flushed. "I do not—!"
"Mm-hmm." Vally crawled closer. "Is it just me, or are you looking even cuter when flustered?"
"You wanna get kicked again?" Xarl warned, sitting back against the wall, scowling.
Kor—already awake—let out an annoyed grunt and smacked Vally over the head. "Stop being loud. Some of us are trying to meditate."
Vally rubbed his skull dramatically. "Aw, jealous? You want Xarl to kick you too?"
Smack. Harder this time.
"Ow."
Xarl couldn't help but laugh—just a little. The usual chaos was oddly comforting.
Breakfast was in the outer canteen, a tense but warm meal. Scrambled beast-egg, tea made from leaves Xarl couldn't pronounce, and something Kaelith called "fire fruit" that was too spicy for human mouths.
Kaelith, surprisingly, was already eating when Xarl sat down.
"You've been frowning since dawn," Kaelith said, not looking up.
Xarl blinked. "Have I?"
"Mmh." The dragon boy flicked his silver eyes toward him. "Worried about the third exam?"
"…Yeah. Something like that."
Kaelith didn't press. He never did. But his gaze lingered longer than usual.
Xarl focused on his tea, hands trembling slightly.
When they arrived at the arena, the sky above was stormy, despite no clouds visible. The floating platforms rumbled as all examinees gathered, forming groups of four or five. Xarl stood beside Vally, Naeva, Kaelith, and Kor. Only ten teams remained.
The examiner floated above them—an eerie, silver-eyed woman with no legs and a voice like chimes.
"Welcome to the third examination," she announced. "The final trial for this cycle."
No one cheered. The tension was too thick.
"This test will take place in the Labyrinth of Echoes—a shifting construct built from your fears, instincts, and memories."
Xarl's skin prickled.
The examiner continued: "Rules are simple. Survive. Find the exit. But this time, there's a twist."
A pause.
"If even one of your team fails… the entire team fails."
Murmurs exploded. Xarl's heart sank.
"If a teammate gives up, is captured, or perishes… you all lose."
Kor tensed beside him. Vally stopped smiling. Even Kaelith clenched his jaw.
"This will test not just strength, but trust."
Then the floor cracked beneath them, and the fall began.
The Labyrinth was cold, wet, and massive. The air was laced with whispers. The stone walls changed behind them. The moment they landed, creatures began to stir in the dark.
"Stay close," Kor said. "We'll move together."
But after only a few turns, a trap triggered—slippery mist blasted from vents. Naeva lost her footing, and Kaelith leapt after her instinctively.
"Kaelith!"
But they were gone, swallowed by the shifting floor.
"Damn it!" Kor cursed. "Split trap."
Xarl took a deep breath. "We'll find them. Let's keep moving."
The three pressed onward—Kor leading, Xarl mid, Vally behind.
It didn't take long before Vally started talking again.
"Hey Xarl," he said, brushing past him a little too close. "Still thinking about that bite?"
Xarl flinched. "You're never gonna drop that, are you?"
Kor sighed loudly. "Vally—"
"I mean," Vally drawled, "he gave me blood willingly. That's like… vampire marriage."
"You're impossible."
"I'm romantic."
"You're annoying," Kor growled.
Vally grinned. "Jealous again?"
Kor turned. "Try that again, and I'll bury you in this labyrinth."
Vally opened his mouth, then shut it. Finally.
Xarl tried to focus. But something felt… off. The walls were pressing in. His bracelet glowed faintly.
Then came the fog.
Thick. Scented with something sweet and sickly. A trap.
"Don't breathe it in—!" Xarl shouted, but it was too late. It swirled faster than he could react.
Kor vanished first.
Then Vally.
Then—
Silence.
Kor hit the ground with a grunt, blade drawn. Traps sprung from the floor—arrow bursts, rotating blades. Child's play.
He moved through them with clean efficiency, searching for others, cleaving beasts in two.
Then he saw it: the largest creature yet. A shadow-chimera with six arms, twice his size.
Kor didn't hesitate.
He roared and charged.
Xarl stumbled alone, wind swirling around him, trying to trace movement.
Then—he sensed Kor's chakra flare. A battle.
He followed.
The ground trembled.
He emerged into a shattered arena inside the labyrinth.
Kor fought alone, claws glowing, surrounded by rubble.
Xarl joined without a word—wind chakra slicing a monster's limb as it charged Kor's back.
Kor grunted. "Took you long enough."
"Nice to see you too."
They fought side by side, but the beast was regenerating.
Kor lunged—but the chimera caught his arm, twisting—
Snap.
Kor's clawed gauntlet shattered across the stone.
"Kor!"
Kor didn't cry out, but Xarl saw the blood.
He dodged back and found the broken gauntlet. As he grabbed it, his wristband flared.
Then it happened.
Energy surged from the band, wrapping around the broken claw.
[System Fusion Detected: Beastkin Core + Wind Artifact][Forged Weapon: Tempest Fang]
A long, curved wind-blade with claw edges materialized, humming with wind.
Xarl tossed it to Kor.
Kor caught it—and smiled.
Together, they fought back.
Just as the beast began to weaken—
Naeva burst through the fog, followed by Kaelith.
They joined in a final strike.
And the creature fell.
They waited.
And waited.
But no system chime. No gate. No success message.
Just silence.
Then—
Xarl's system buzzed
[Bonus Quest Complete: "Befriend Kor"][Reward: Hidden Intel - The True Enemy Is Not Defeated]
[Hint: The Queen Has Many Faces.]
Xarl's heart dropped.
"…The queen is a shapeshifter," he said aloud.
Everyone turned.
"What?" Naeva asked.
"I—I just remembered. My siblings warned me about her." He lied smoothly.
Kaelith blinked. "That wasn't in the trial notes."
"She hides. Watches. Takes forms."
Just then—
Footsteps.
Vally returned.
"I found a dead-end. Miss me?"
He was grinning.
But something was wrong.
His clothes were clean. Too clean.
His smirk—just a little too wide.
Xarl stared.
Kor asked a few casual questions—"What did we eat this morning?" "What insult did you call me last?"
Vally answered. Correctly. Mostly.
But one slip.
He said Kaelith had been with him earlier.
They all knew that was a lie.
Xarl stepped forward.
"You're not him."
The grin faded.
"…Tch. You're not as dumb as the others."
And the air warped.
Vally's body twisted, bones cracking, his shape expanding—
[True Form Detected: Queen of Masks]
A hulking, inky figure loomed before them—eyes like candle flames, mouths across her arms.
"You'll make a lovely host, boy."
Xarl raised his blade.
And the queen lunged.