I don't think anyone was able to sleep. Between the constant shuffling, flickering of torchlight and distant howling of wolves echoing from outside; sleep felt more like pretending.
All night my thoughts wandered to the trial. To the fire. Dad. Jared.
Then to the painting.
The LunLufu Tribe female warrior. The way she bore her fangs with sorrow like she was forced to extreme measures. The others seemed to fear demi-humans like her. But I couldn't stop wondering; how could someone look so dangerous… and so human?
I didn't know if she was real. The mage seemed convinced.
Something tells me he was right.
Morning came slowly as sunlight peered through the window sill; blinding us as it rose.
We stayed quiet at first. Sitting. Moving. Avoiding eye contact. Noone was a morning person.
Until... Melissa woke up.
*Yawnnnnn*, "That was the best sleep I've had in a while," she muttered with an exaggerated stretch. Her arms reached high over her head, her eyes still blinking repeatedly.
Laef scoffed. "Sure. If you like listening to werewolves playing tag all night."
I chuckled to myself. At least we were getting alone. Then I noticed Isaac who... might be going insane.
He was hunched by the basin again, face half-damp, sputtering something under his breath. I caught a word or two: "names… shapes…"
The there's dagger girl who hasn't offered hers yet.
She laced her boots in the corner, a blade strapped to her thigh. But this time, when she stood, her gaze softened. Just a little.
"You talk in your sleep," she said emotionlessly to Laef.
"Do not," he shot back.
"Said something about strawberry soup."
I swear I saw a smile flicker on Melissa's lips.
We weren't friends. Not even allies.
But we were talking.
The atmosphere felt right to ask, the tension vanished,
"Hey... Where did you get a blade?" I asked softly, trying not to nag.
Everyone turned towards dagger girl.
"A blade?" asked Laef, his right eyebrow raised. "You sure you didn't imagine things like Isaac here?"
Isaac paused, his gaze returning to the washbasin. He didn't deny the claim.
Dagger girl sighed softly, "It's my starting weapon. The system gives you one."
Laef's other eyebrow raised. "Wait, we got starting weapons?"
Melissa blinked. "I thought the trial was the weapon. You know, find it or earn it or die trying?"
"No," dagger girl replied. "I checked my screen. Under inventory. Maybe some of us got gear. Some didn't."
"So the system's randomized?" Laef groaned. "Great. Just what I needed, a loot box lottery for my life."
I stayed quiet. I hadn't even checked beyond my class screen. I don't play games often, always outside working. Not to mention the fears of accepting my role.
The idea of holding a weapon...
"Hey, Vanguard," Laef interrupted, his eyes flicking toward me. "What about you? Got a shield? Billyclub? Big sword to swing around and die dramatically?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
The truth was, I hadn't looked. Still hadn't wanted to.
"I… don't know yet," I muttered.
Melissa leaned forward on her bed. "Might be worth checking. Y'know. Before the trial that's gonna try to kill us."
I nodded. "Yeah. Let's see."
But my lips didn't move.
And they noticed.
"Well..." Laef muttered, impatient.
"Sys... System open," I stammered, worried.
The quiet that followed was different this time. Heavier. Less playful.
"You okay?" asked Melissa, her jaw tightening.
The system screened appeared from nowhere like before. Teal. Huge.
"Now, say 'Open Inventory,'" muttered dagger girl, her gaze questioning Isaac who scurried over to the washbasin.
"Open Inventory," I said hesitantly.
The screen changed to tens of darkened boxes. In the top left corner box, sat an item.
I gulped. "Looks like your right, I have a weapon," my eyes met theirs as I clicked it.
Suddenly, a rope appeared in my hands, a description slowly fading above it. "Rope, entangles enemies."
"A rope..." laughed Laef, smacking his knees. Then emotionlessly he laid back,
"We're dead..."
Isaac stood suddenly, nearly knocking the basin over. Water sloshed to the side, catching the edge of his cloak. He stared into it like it had spoken.
"They're coming," he whispered.
"What?" Melissa asked, half-sarcastic.
"Someone's here."
We all turned.
"The emperor's not in the water, Isaac," Laef muttered. "Unless he's got gills."
But Isaac didn't laugh. He didn't blink.
He turned slowly to us.
"They're strong..."
Then came the knock.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then the silent tension returned.
No footsteps. No voice.
Just a chill that crawled up my spine.
How did he know? How strong?
The door creaked open on it's own.
No chant, no click. Not even a guard or mage.
Just a chilling breeze.
No-one moved. We stood frozen as a voice echoed down the hall,
"Follow me..."
Dagger girl was first to move. Not scared, not eager. Just ready. She slipped her knife from it's sheath and stepped towards the hall.
As she peered over the doorframe, her gaze met ours, nodding.
Melissa followed, arms crossed, but her eyes darted. She didn't like this either.
I swallowed and moved behind them.
Laef muttered something about haunted castles and empty suits of armor before following suit. Isaac lingered, touching the water one last time like it owed him an answer. Then with a under the breath curse; he, too, left.
As we entered the hall, the other doors were blown open. Familiar faces slowly stepped into the hall.
Linebackers. Scrubs Girl. Even Kenjis.
We all walked in silence, down the helical staircase, through the torch-lit corridor that stretched longer than I remembered. Or maybe it was just the mood.
Until we eventually we reached the throne room.
At least... I think.
It looked different. Empty.
The chairs were gone. The banners stripped. Only murals and paintings remained. Some were different than yesterday. Exchanged for myths and moments in history.
But, the final panel I recognized.
The LunLufu warrior.
A single red carpet stretched toward the thrones. No guards. No queen.
Just one man.
He stood with his back to us, staring at a war painting as morning light peered in a soft crimson and gold.
He wore no jewels. Just a pale black coat lined with silver, sharp at the edges, long enough to dust the floor. A gold crown sat on the larger throne, etched with large rubies and spiked with emeralds.
His voice boomed, echoing throughout the barren room; interrupting the silence.
"Attack me," he said simply. "Or die.
No greeting. No name. Just... a threat.
Murmurs erupted from nearby groups.
Laef blinked, stammering back. "What?"
The man turned, slowly.
No older than forty. Pale eyes. Pale skin. Jet-black hair.
He looked… ordinary.
But something felt wrong. Like he was hiding something.
Something... dangerous.
"You were summoned here to survive. So fight. Earn your place. Or I will find replacements."
Noone moved.
Then he raised his hand. Two murals behind him shimmered a dark blue.
One, a stained glass man holding a book stepped forward. An elderly mage, maybe in his sixties.
The other from a painting...
The LunLufu warrior.
They weren't made of flesh, nor illusions. They were living echoes. Myths come to life.
He pointed to the warrior, "She failed once," the emperor laughed. "In this very hall, against thirty knights. Today, she will test you."
He placed a hand on the old mage, "He was third king, the strongest mage of his Era. Now attack or die."
We barely had time to move.
The myths charged, separating the groups. I lost sight of the mage as the other two squads shouted to fight.
That left our squad to deal with the demi-human. She was fast. Her blades met marble, then stone as Laef rolled from her line of sight. Melissa shouted, shoving Isaac towards her as a meat shield.
The dagger girl covered him, striking low, swiping her blade up towards the myth's neck. But, it knew... her spear colliding with the blade.
I stood frozen.
I've seen terror, fire... even death.
But... not like this.
She wasn't a ghost. Or a painting anymore. She was living statue, a tribute from history.
"ELI!" screamed dagger girl, her back pinned to the wall.
I raised my hands. My rope. My worthless tool.
And stepped forward.
My role wasn't to run. Not anymore.
The myth's eyes locked onto mine.
That's when I saw it. Not wrath...
... but warning.
I tied the rope into a knot and launched it forward, just like in fire combative training. Aimed for her waist.
It wasn't a plan or a tactic. Just a thrown together instinct.
The rope whipped out, glowing faintly as it hit it's mark.
At that moment, her eyes turned red. A symbol appeared near my name, a blood red icon. The system's panel appeared before me,
" +10 EXP gained... Aggro taken."
Her attention shifted as I yanked the rope. For half a second, just half, her balance faltered. The demi-human's knee dipped, just enough.
Dagger girl lunged. Her blade pierced forward... fast with no hesitation.
Suddenly, the icon disappeared.
The myth reacted, faster. The rope's tension suddenly tightening.
Her elbow snapped back, cracking into dagger girl's jaw.
But, she wasn't done...
She screamed, a mix of howling and yelling.
Then... charged again with the intent to kill.