Lyra


Kevin's steps were steady, though his expression betrayed the frustration brewing within. Six days. Six days of relentless searching through dense forests, over treacherous ridges, and across the misty valleys, yet no sign of Roy. His heightened senses stretched out, picking up faint traces of life all around him—the rustle of leaves, the skittering of small creatures, even the labored breaths of other aspirants locked in battles against formidable beasts. But Roy was nowhere to be found.

His fingers lightly brushed the bark of a nearby tree as he paused, tilting his head slightly. A distant clash of metal and guttural roars reached his ears. Another fight. Another aspirant battling for survival. Kevin's instinct was to move toward the sound, to ensure the battle didn't involve Roy, but he had learned early in this trial that intervening was seldom wise. These were challenges each had to face alone, and he had his own mission.

As he pressed forward, his senses painted vivid impressions of the struggles around him. To his left, the sharp crack of a blade meeting claws echoed, followed by a triumphant cheer—someone had bested their foe. Further ahead, the ground shuddered faintly beneath his feet, likely from a large beast throwing its weight around in combat. Kevin shook his head, refocusing. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted.

It wasn't until the faint clash of steel rang out from his right that something gave him pause. This fight was different. The sound of swift movements, metallic clashes, and a piercing roar told him that the battle was not just intense but desperate. Against his better judgment, Kevin veered toward the sound, his grip tightening on his sword.

As he approached, the scene unfolded through his other senses. The rhythmic clash of weapons and sharp whistling sounds of projectiles cutting through the air painted a vivid picture. A figure moved gracefully in the thick of battle—Lyra. Her silver hair, which Kevin could sense flowing like a whisper in the wind, was matched by her agile movements. She wielded her throwing knives with deadly precision, each one singing through the air before striking with pinpoint accuracy.

Her opponent was a monstrous beast towering over her, a Gold Level 3 creature known as the Obsidian Fang Predator. Its sleek, obsidian-black fur shimmered faintly, absorbing what little light filtered through the canopy. Its eyes glowed an eerie green, and every movement exuded raw power. The predator's claws carved deep grooves into the earth as it lunged, its long tail whipping through the air with devastating force. Even without sight, Kevin could feel the oppressive aura radiating from the creature, a mix of malevolence and sheer might.

Lyra dodged the predator's swipe, her movements a blur of calculated precision. A knife appeared in her hand as if by magic, and with a flick of her wrist, it embedded itself into the predator's exposed flank. The beast roared in anger, rearing up on its hind legs as it tried to dislodge the blade. But Lyra didn't stop. She darted forward, her movements impossibly fast, planting two more knives into its vulnerable joints.

"Come on," she murmured under her breath, her tone calm despite the chaos around her. "Show me what you've got."

The predator snarled, its massive jaws snapping shut just inches from where she had been moments before. Lyra rolled to the side, grabbing another set of knives from her belt. She leapt onto a nearby boulder, using the elevation to hurl the blades at the predator's eyes. One knife glanced off its brow, but the other struck true, sinking into the soft tissue near its right eye. The predator's roar of pain shook the trees, sending birds scattering into the sky.

Kevin's fingers tightened around his sword as he observed. Lyra's strategy was brilliant—she used her agility and the environment to her advantage, keeping the predator off-balance. But even with her skill, the beast's sheer durability was proving to be an insurmountable obstacle. The knives, though effective, were not enough to bring it down.

The predator retaliated with a sweep of its massive tail, the force of the blow snapping the boulder in half as Lyra narrowly avoided the strike. She landed gracefully, but Kevin could hear the faint hitch in her breathing. She was tiring.

The predator roared again, its maw opening wide as it unleashed a torrent of dark energy. The blast scorched the earth in a wide arc, obliterating everything in its path. Lyra dove behind a fallen log, the makeshift cover shielding her from the brunt of the attack, but not before the shockwave sent her sprawling. She rolled to her feet, coughing as she steadied herself.

"Still not done?" she muttered, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. Her green eyes burned with determination as she reached for her final set of knives. This time, she didn't throw them. Instead, she held them in a reverse grip, shifting her stance.

The predator lunged again, its claws raking through the air. Lyra met its charge head-on, ducking beneath its swipe and slashing at its exposed underbelly. The blades found purchase, slicing through the softer hide and drawing a bellowing roar from the beast. But as Lyra prepared for another strike, the predator's tail lashed out, catching her mid-motion. The impact sent her flying into a tree with a sickening crack.

Kevin's heart pounded as he heard her hit the ground. She groaned, forcing herself up despite the obvious pain. Blood dripped from a gash on her forehead, but her grip on the knives didn't falter.

The predator circled her, its green eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence. It was wounded, but far from defeated. Lyra's breathing grew heavier, each movement slower than the last. Still, she stood her ground, her posture defiant.

Kevin hesitated. His instinct screamed at him to intervene, but something held him back. This was Lyra's fight, and stepping in might do more harm than good. He clenched his fists, his every sense attuned to the battle before him, silently willing her to hold her own.

With a fierce cry, Lyra charged the predator again, her knives flashing as she aimed for its throat. The beast met her with a roar, its claws sweeping down. The clash of steel and hide reverberated through the forest as the fight raged on, but Lyra was visibly tiring. Her movements slowed, and Kevin could sense the danger mounting. Her knives scored another hit, slicing into the predator's side, but the beast retaliated with a ferocity that Lyra could no longer match.

Kevin clenched his fists as he realized she couldn't finish the beast. When the predator lunged again, Lyra stumbled, barely dodging in time. He stepped forward, gripping his sword tightly. "Enough," he muttered, charging into the fray.

The predator turned its glowing green eyes on Kevin, snarling as he approached. It lunged at him, claws swiping through the air, but Kevin sidestepped the attack with ease. He brought his sword down in a powerful arc, the blade biting deep into the predator's flank. The beast howled in pain, turning to strike again, but Kevin was already moving. With calculated precision, he rolled beneath its sweeping tail and drove his sword into its underbelly, aiming for its vital organs.

The predator reared back, its roars echoing through the forest as its strength ebbed. Kevin withdrew his blade and, in one final, swift motion, leapt onto its back. His sword flashed as he delivered the finishing blow to the base of its neck. The massive creature collapsed with a thunderous crash, its life force fading into silence.

Lyra, still catching her breath, stared in shock. She wiped the blood from her brow as she steadied herself. "Kevin..." she muttered, recognition dawning as she recalled his performance in the first test. "Of course."

Kevin turned to her, his voice calm. "Are you alright?"

Lyra hesitated before nodding. "I'll manage."

Kevin studied her for a moment, then said, "I'll wait here for an hour. Use the time to heal." His tone left no room for argument. Though reluctant, Lyra sat in a lotus position and began channeling her energy to recover.

An hour later, Kevin stood, brushing dirt from his tunic. "I'm leaving now. I can't waste more time."

Lyra opened her eyes, her expression determined. "Let me come with you."

Kevin frowned, shaking his head. "No."

Before he could say more, Lyra interjected, "I won't be a burden. I promise."

He hesitated, considering her words. After a moment, he sighed. "Fine. But if you slow me down, I'll leave you behind."

Lyra smirked faintly, standing as she adjusted her weapons. "Fair enough."

Together, they continued their search for Roy, but the forest offered no answers. As the final day of the trial dawned, the weight of failure loomed over them. Kevin led the way, his heightened senses mapping the terrain while Lyra followed close behind. Yet, no matter how far they ventured, Roy's presence eluded them.

Kevin couldn't help but notice how closely Lyra watched him. Each step he took, every subtle motion, her attention lingered. It wasn't malicious, but it unsettled him nonetheless. Finally, unable to ignore it, he turned to her.

"Why do you keep staring?" he asked, his tone blunt but not unkind.

Lyra hesitated, her lips parting as if searching for the right words. "It's just... My sister," she began, her voice quieter now. "She was blinded during an attack on my family. After that, she gave up on cultivation entirely, lost all hope."

Kevin's expression softened, though his features remained composed. "I see."

Lyra continued, her gaze falling to the ground. "Watching you... how you move, how you fight... it's like seeing what she could have been, what she might have achieved if she'd kept going." She paused, as if expecting Kevin to say something, but he only nodded, his silence giving nothing away.

A faint sadness flickered in Lyra's eyes, but she quickly masked it. She shook her head, brushing off the moment. "Thank you, by the way. For saving me back there," she said after a few moments of silence. "If you want the token, you can keep it."

Kevin shook his head. "I don't need it."

Lyra tilted her head slightly, curiosity sparking in her mind. She wanted to ask how many points he'd accumulated, but the question felt intrusive, so she kept it to herself. Instead, she pocketed the token, updating her total points by 500. They moved on without another word, each lost in their own thoughts, the final hours of the trial ticking away.