The air was thick with tension as the five of them materialized in the middle of the dense forest, transported by a soft flash of blue light. Leaves rustled in the breeze overhead, filtered sunlight cutting through the trees in shafts of gold. Birdcalls echoed faintly in the distance, broken only by the soft clinks of metal as each participant's bracelet synced with the new environment.
Xarl stumbled slightly as he landed, catching his balance just in time. The others had already begun scanning the area.
A glowing panel appeared in front of each participant:
Trial One: Forest Survival
Objective: Defeat 50 beasts. Collect 50 herbs (per person).
Rule: No member must fall unconscious or die. If one does, the team is disqualified.
Timer: 4 hours remaining.
The moment it disappeared, a low growl rumbled from somewhere behind the trees.
"Well, this is off to a cheerful start," muttered the vampire boy—vally—with a sarcastic tilt to his voice.
The beastkin boy's tail twitched. "I smell something… foul. Wolves? No—shadowhounds."
Xarl felt the pressure of eyes on him and turned slightly. The girl with red braids—his unwanted teammate and self-proclaimed rival—was staring at him again with those silver, gleaming eyes. Her expression unreadable, her aura tightly contained.
She finally spoke, voice low but clear. "You better not slow us down, human."
Xarl's lips twitched into a polite smile. "I'll try not to get eaten first."
"Don't joke. You don't belong here."
The elf girl—graceful, sharp-eyed, and silent until now—stepped between them. "Arguing won't help. We have four hours, not a second more. If you want to pass, we need strategy."
Ryne crossed his arms. "Agreed. No offense, human, but we need to know what you're capable of."
"I may not have aura," Xarl said carefully, "but I can fight. And I'm good with traps, herbs, and basic healing."
"A liability that can patch wounds," muttered the dragon girl under her breath.
He ignored her. The buzzing from earlier still echoed faintly in his ears, like a memory he couldn't shake. His system hadn't buzzed again since it glitched violently at the exam grounds—but something about that girl made it react. And now she was here, in his team. Breathing the same air. Watching.
He didn't trust her. Not one bit.
Still, survival came first.
"Here's the plan," said the naeva, already sketching in the dirt with a dagger. "We split into pairs to hunt—Xarl and I will gather herbs while you three handle the beasts. That way, we don't waste time. We reconvene here in three hours to switch roles."
"And if we run into trouble?" asked vally.
"We fight," said the beastkin, cracking his knuckles. "Simple."
The plan was made. Reluctantly, the dragon girl didn't argue.
As Xarl followed the elf deeper into the woods, his mind raced. Her name was still unknown to him—she hadn't shared it—but her presence alone had disturbed his system. And yet, she had done nothing overtly threatening… just radiated confidence and a strange, contained fury.
"She hates me," he muttered.
The elf beside him looked over. "She hates weakness. Not you, specifically. Though… she did glare at you more than usual."
"You noticed?"
"I notice everything," she replied coolly.
The forest thickened. Soon they were crouching beside a moss-covered log, scanning for the herbs they needed. The elf picked one up, sniffed it, and handed it to Xarl.
"Amberroot. Healing. Keep it."
"Thanks." He pocketed it carefully.
As they worked, Xarl's system finally stirred again.
New Side Quest: Learn the names and roles of your teammates. Trust-building increases synergy.
Reward: 500 XP, Unlock Potential Skill Bond (Level 1)
He blinked. Skill Bond? That's new…
Before he could ask the elf her name, a loud crack echoed from nearby—then a roar.
"Trouble!" Vally's voice rang through the trees.
Without hesitation, the elf sprang to her feet and ran toward the sound. Xarl followed, heart pounding.
They arrived at a small clearing where the others were already locked in battle. Two large shadowhounds—hulking, smoke-like beasts with glowing eyes—had ambushed them. The dragon girl was slashing one down with terrifying precision, her movements so fast they blurred.
Vally threw a dagger laced with poison into the other's eye, while the beastkin pinned it with his claws.
For a second, Xarl could only watch. She was ruthless—every movement deliberate, fluid, merciless. The creature let out a final shriek before collapsing in a heap of shadowy fur.
As silence fell, she turned toward him, blood splattered lightly across her cheek, and said with eerie calm, "Still think you can keep up, human?"
Xarl clenched his jaw. "I'm not here to compete with you."
"No, you're here to survive. Barely."
Before either of them could continue, another system alert flickered.
Warning: Emotional Instability Detected. User's mental state is wavering.
Suggested Action: Meditate, Reflect, or Recenter. Suppressed emotions may lead to vulnerability during combat.
He exhaled sharply. Not now. Not here.
But it was true. She was getting under his skin.
"Let's finish gathering," he said to the group. "We don't have time to waste."
The elf nodded. The others didn't object, though Vally gave him a side glance—curious, skeptical, and maybe… sympathetic?
They split again.
As the hours passed, the forest began to feel less like a trial and more like a proving ground of wills. Each team member was strong in their own way. Even without aura, Xarl kept up—tracking herbs, setting traps that caught smaller beasts, tending to minor wounds.
The dragon girl, however, continued to walk a thin line between savior and threat. Sometimes helpful, sometimes cold, her eyes would flick to Xarl like she was measuring him against something he couldn't see.
When they regrouped at the three-hour mark, their progress was good—32 beasts slain, 27 herbs collected per person.
Xarl finally turned to the elf and asked quietly, "You never told me your name."
She blinked, then gave a faint smile. "Naeva. And yours is Xarl… right?"
He nodded. His system chimed again.
Side Quest Completed. Skill Bond (Level 1) Unlocked.
Effect: Passive boost to coordination with teammates. Current Bonded: Naeva.
Bonus: Mental map of nearby allies enabled.
He inhaled deeply. "Let's finish this."
But as they turned to begin the second half of the trial, a distant roar shook the trees—and this one was no shadowhound.
The dragon girl stepped forward, her pupils slitting briefly. "That… wasn't part of the test."
Xarl's stomach dropped. His system began buzzing again—just like before—louder this time, flashing warnings he couldn't yet read.
Something was coming.
Something not meant to be here.