The Leap of Faith

Roy and Kevin stood at the edge of the waterfall, the roaring cascade plunging into a misty abyss below. The sect's gates still loomed in the distance, but they had one last day to reach them. Kevin, ever pragmatic, gestured toward a rocky slope nearby. "We should find a way to climb down. The mist could obscure dangerous currents or rocks at the bottom."

Roy, however, had other plans. His grin widened, and he turned toward the edge of the waterfall. "Climb down? That's so boring," he said, his tone laced with mischief. Kevin frowned, sensing Roy's intentions. "What are you—"

Before Kevin could finish, Roy stepped onto the slick rock and leapt into the air. Mid-fall, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, exuding unshakable confidence as he descended. His body cut through the mist, falling straight down in a standing position, his red eyes glowing faintly with excitement. The sound of the waterfall was deafening, the rush of water blending with the eerie quiet of the abyss. To an observer, it might have seemed reckless or suicidal, but Roy's posture was calm, exuding unshakable confidence.

Kevin stood at the edge, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "That idiot," he muttered. Shaking his head, he stepped forward. Unlike Roy's dramatic launch, Kevin dove forward in a controlled arc, cutting cleanly through the mist as the waterfall roared around him. The wind howled around him, and for a moment, he felt weightless, the roar of the waterfall swallowing everything else.

The descent was brief but exhilarating. As the mist parted, both landed near the base of the waterfall. Roy hit the water first, crashing into the pool in a standing position with a loud splash that sent ripples across the surface. He emerged seconds later, shaking water from his hair, his grin wide. "Now that's what I call a shortcut."

Kevin followed right after, but his landing wasn't as graceful as he expected. As he hit the water, the current pushed him forward, sending him hurtling directly toward Roy. "Watch out!" Kevin shouted, his arms flailing as he struggled to steady himself. Roy turned just in time to see Kevin barreling toward him and tried to move aside, but Kevin's momentum was too strong. Kevin ended up crashing into Roy, sending both of them sprawling into the water with a loud splash.

Roy surfaced first, coughing and spluttering, his hair plastered to his face. "Kevin! You almost drowned me!" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Kevin emerged seconds later, brushing water off his blindfold. "Serves you right for jumping first," he retorted, though a faint smirk betrayed his own amusement. "You're unbelievable."

Roy shook his head, his grin returning. "Unbelievably awesome, you mean. Next time, try not to use me as a landing pad."

Kevin, now steady on his feet, let out an exasperated sigh. "Maybe that's karma for your recklessness," he muttered, brushing droplets off his blindfold. His face was calm but carried a hint of amusement.

Roy shrugged, wringing water from his hair. "Maybe. Besides, wasn't it fun?"

Kevin sighed, though a faint smile crept onto his face. "You're insufferable," he said, though there was no malice in his tone. "But I suppose it's... efficient."

Roy laughed, clapping Kevin on the shoulder. "Admit it. You liked it."

"Not as much as you," Kevin replied, though his smirk betrayed him. He turned toward the river, the current gentle yet purposeful as it flowed toward the forest that lay between them and the sect's gates.

This had become a pattern between them: Roy would do something reckless, and Kevin would follow it up with a sharp rebuke, though not without an underlying hint of having fun himself.

Roy shrugged, wringing water from his hair. "Maybe, but not today. Besides, wasn't it fun?"

Kevin sighed, though a faint smile crept onto his face. "You're insufferable," he said, though there was no malice in his tone. "But I suppose it's... efficient."

Roy laughed, clapping Kevin on the shoulder. "Admit it. You liked it."

"Not as much as you," Kevin replied, though his smirk betrayed him. He turned toward the river, the current gentle yet purposeful as it flowed toward the forest that lay between them and the sect's gates.

"This river should lead us closer," Kevin said, his tone returning to its usual calm. "We should follow it."

"Agreed," Roy replied, his energy undiminished. The two began walking along the riverbank, the sound of the waterfall fading behind them. However, as they followed the river, they realized its direction diverged from the path toward the sect's gates. Roy glanced toward the distant gates in the sky visible through gaps in the forest canopy and nudged Kevin. "This river's taking us the wrong way. We need to head toward the gates."

Kevin paused, tilting his head. "Yes, let's not waste any more time" he said.

They turned away from the river, moving steadily toward the gates. The forest grew denser with every step, the air heavy with the mingled scents of damp earth and moss. The foliage above thickened, casting long shadows over the undergrowth. As they trudged on, the sound of voices reached their ears, growing louder with each passing moment.

Ahead, they stumbled upon a fierce skirmish between two children who appeared to be around Roy and Kevin's age, both wielding real weapons crafted with care and precision. One, a boy with scruffy brown hair and a wiry frame, wielded twin curved daggers that gleamed faintly in the light. He wore a tattered green tunic and moved with the agility of a predator, his strikes sharp and unrelenting. His opponent, a taller girl with striking auburn hair tied in a braid, wielded a slender but deadly glaive. Her movements were precise, her sharp blue eyes gleaming with focus as she countered the boy's wild, aggressive attacks with practiced ease.

The boy darted forward, his daggers spinning in tight arcs, aiming for the girl's midsection. The girl twisted her body just enough to avoid the strike, using the shaft of her glaive to deflect his follow-up attack. Sparks flew as metal met metal, the sound of their weapons clashing echoing through the forest. With a burst of energy, the boy leapt backward, his daggers poised for another attack.

"You're faster than I thought," he admitted, his grin widening. "But let's see how long you can keep up."

The girl didn't respond, her expression steady and calm. She tightened her grip on the glaive, her stance shifting slightly as she prepared for his next move. The boy charged again, this time feinting to the right before spinning to the left. The girl anticipated the maneuver, bringing her glaive down in a sharp arc that forced him to leap away to avoid being struck. The tip of her weapon carved a shallow trench in the ground, a testament to the force behind her swing.

Their movements became a blur of strikes and counters, each showcasing their skill and training. The boy's attacks were wild yet calculated, his agility allowing him to exploit any opening he could find. The girl's defense was unyielding, her precision and discipline keeping his relentless offense at bay. Both combatants seemed evenly matched, their determination evident in every move.

Roy leaned casually against a tree, watching for a moment before calling out, "Friendly sparring or is this a full-on fight?" The combatants paused, both breathing heavily. The boy wiped sweat from his brow and grinned. "Sparring. Mostly."

The girl straightened, her expression calm but wary as she glanced at the newcomers. "And who are you?" she asked, her tone clipped but not unfriendly.

"We're travelers heading to the gates, same as you, I suppose" Roy said, stepping forward. "I'm Roy, and this is Kevin."

Kevin gave a small nod, his blindfold hiding his expression. "We heard the commotion," he added.

"I'm Arlen," the boy said, sliding his daggers back into their sheaths. "And this is Selene. We're heading for the entrance test as well." His eyes flicked briefly toward Kevin's blindfold, curiosity flashing across his face. Selene, too, glanced at it, her expression unreadable but clearly intrigued, though she said nothing.

Selene nodded but didn't relax her grip on the glaive. "And you just happened to be passing by?"

"Pretty much, I dont think there is any other way to reach the door" Roy said with a shrug. "Nice form, by the way."

Selene's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded in acknowledgment. "Thanks. You two don't look like average cultivators." She noted their composure despite their apparent lower cultivation level compared to her and Arlen.

Roy smiled and did not say anything.

Arlen chuckled, glancing between them. "Well, the more, the merrier. I've heard this journey gets tougher the closer we get."

As the group began moving together, more figures appeared along the path—other children around their age, their faces a mix of determination and exhaustion. Among them, Roy noticed a stocky boy with a shaved head and a confident stride, introducing himself as Eryk, who carried a broad axe on his back. Beside him was a quiet girl with silver hair and piercing green eyes named Lyra, wielding a pair of throwing knives strapped across her belt. Lyra's gaze lingered on Kevin for a moment, her expression unreadable but clearly intrigued. Though she said nothing, the sharpness in her eyes softened slightly as she observed him, an unspoken curiosity evident in her demeanor.

Their growing group pushed forward, bound by their shared destination. The gates loomed ever closer, their towering presence visible through the dense forest canopy. The journey ahead promised new challenges, but together, they continued onward with unwavering determination.

As they marched, snippets of conversation revealed glimpses into the lives of their new companions. Arlen spoke enthusiastically about his training under a wandering master, punctuating his words with animated gestures. Selene, in contrast, offered measured responses, her tone hinting at an upbringing steeped in discipline. Eryk's booming laugh filled the air as he recounted stories of clearing entire forests to train his strength, while Lyra spoke little, her sharp gaze constantly scanning their surroundings.

Roy and Kevin exchanged subtle glances as they listened, each quietly evaluating the strengths and quirks of their companions. The forest grew quieter as the group approached a clearing. Finally, the gates stood clearly in their sight, towering over the surrounding forest. Their sheer size was overwhelming, each door standing hundreds of feet tall, engraved with intricate carvings of mythical creatures and celestial patterns. The gates shimmered faintly, a barrier of energy pulsating just beyond their reach. Around them, the clearing buzzed with activity as over a thousand cultivators of various ages and backgrounds gathered, their faces a mix of determination and apprehension. The group exchanged quiet glances, walking towds the line that was forming in front of the gate.