Meeting Narisva Starisnova Once Again

Farrynelle gasped audibly, her hand clutching her chakrams.

"Narisva Starisnova?"

Even Xander looked visibly shaken. "What in the Isles is she doing here?"

Narisva smirked faintly, crossing her arms as she regarded the trio with a cocky expression.

"I thought I was good at hiding. But it seems 'Master' Vastarael's gotten better at ruining surprises."

'You... What are you doing here?" Vastarael finally asked, his hands still crackling faintly with leftover plasma energy. He couldn't reconcile the sight of Narisva—one of their most elusive and independent peers—standing here in the Isles.

"I could ask you the same," Narisva replied coolly, tilting her head.

Her starry eyes glinted as she looked him over, her gaze briefly flickering to the melted ice and the faint scorch marks from his plasma attack.

"You've been busy, haven't you?"

Farrynelle stepped forward, her expression wary. "This isn't a coincidence, is it? You didn't just happen to be here."

"Of course not," Narisva said with a small shrug. "I've been tracking you for a while now. And before you ask, no, it wasn't easy. Vastarael's presence made it easier to pinpoint your exact location."

Vastarael narrowed his eyes. "Tracking us? Why?"

Narisva's smirk faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Because the Isles are dangerous, and if anyone from the Seventh Enlightenment should be here, it's me. This is my kind of place."

Her words hung in the air for a moment before she added, "And I wanted to make sure you weren't getting yourselves killed before the real challenges began."

Farrynelle raised an eyebrow. "That's rich coming from you. Last I checked, you preferred working solo."

Narisva Starisnova was a name that often sparked groans, rolled eyes, or deep sighs among the Seventh Enlightenment Students.

It wasn't because she was incompetent.

Narisva was extraordinarily gifted, wielding her Celestial abilities with a grace and mastery that left most of her peers in awe.

But her sheer talent was often overshadowed by her attitude, which could only be described as... unbearably cocky.

Vastarael knew that if he was transmigrated into a novel thsr was maybe about Spheraphase, she would be the most overpowered character in the entire book.

She carried herself with a confidence so intense it bordered on arrogance. Narisva didn't just believe she was better than most of the students. She knew it and she wasn't shy about letting everyone else know too.

Whether it was her casual dismissals of others' efforts or her tendency to point out flaws in their strategies with cutting precision, she had a way of getting under everyone's skin.

What made it worse was her ability to back up her claims. She excelled in combat, strategy and intellect, often outperforming others by a very wide margin. Her successes only fueled her smug demeanor, and she reveled in reminding others of their shortcomings.

"She's insufferable," Xander Fedres had once muttered as Vastarael and Farrynelle talked about the other Seventh Enlightenment Students. "You'd think saving the world was a solo job the way she acts."

Farrynelle Skyrover wasn't much kinder in her assessment.

"Oh, Narisva? She's brilliant, no doubt. But someone needs to remind her that she's not the only brilliant one here. She's number one but... she sure likes to rub it in everyone's faces."

Her reputation wasn't helped by her preference for working alone. Narisva rarely teamed up with others, claiming that they'd only slow her down. She had once declared during a training session during the four week preparation for the Epoch Cycle;

"I don't need a team to win. A star shines brightest when it's alone in the sky."

This attitude had alienated many of the students, who found her difficult to work with and even harder to like. Some respected her for her skills, but respect didn't always translate to friendship.

Yet, despite her cockiness, there were extremely rare moments where Narisva showed a different side. She wasn't completely devoid of empathy or understanding.

Those who had the patience to look beyond her exterior knew she carried the weight of expectations that came with being a Starisnova.

Still, that didn't make her easier to deal with on a daily basis. For most of the Seventh Enlightenment Students, Narisva was like an untamed storm. Beautiful, powerful, but often more trouble than she was worth.

And her unexpected appearance in the Fallen Bridge only added another layer of intrigue and irritation to an already complicated situation.

"I've been stuck here for 26 days, by the way. This marks the 27th."

Vastarael crossed his arms, his golden eyes narrowing at Narisva.

"Trapped here for 26 days? That's... the same amount of time we've been on Erna Isles."

Narisva leaned against the frozen wall with her characteristic smug grin, brushing a strand of starry hair behind her ear.

"Sharp as ever, Prince Vastarael. Yes, 27 long, frustrating days stuck in this icy death trap."

Her tone was flippant, but there was an edge of bitterness in her voice.

"If you've been here for 27 days, why didn't you try to leave? You could've sent a message or something."

Narisva chuckled dryly, "You think I didn't try? This place is alive, Farrynelle. The Fallen Bridge isn't just some architectural marvel left behind by ancient hands. It's a sentient labyrinth, a test for anyone foolish enough to think they can just stroll through."

Xander frowned, his arms crossed. This was getting more interesting.

"A sentient bridge? What does that even mean?"

"It means," Narisva drawled, her voice dripping with condescension, "that this place has rules. Each of the three tunnels isn't just a path to the other side. They're tests. Fail one, and it spits you back to the beginning. If you die, then you will not die am easy death."

The group exchanged uneasy glances.

"And you know this… how?"

Narisva smirked and raised her hand, summoning a glowing, semi-transparent green hologram in the air. She tilted her head arrogantly, letting them soak in the glowing text displayed before them.

"Because, Prince Vastarael, it's my side quest."

-----

[Side Quest: Escape the Fallen Bridge!]

[Difficulty: Death-Threatening.]

[You have to pass through the Fallen Bridge to the other side for you to understand your main purpose in this Epoch Cycle. The Fallen Bridge consists of three tunnels, each representing a unique trial.]

[First Tunnel: Requires large groups to pass. Best suited for armies or significant numbers of individuals working together.]

[Second Tunnel: A trial of combat prowess. Only true fighters may succeed.]

[Third Tunnel: A test of strategy and intellect. Reserved for master tacticians.]

[Failure: Returning to the start of the bridge. Death is extremely brutal.]

_____

Narisva dismissed the hologram with a flick of her fingers, her smirk growing wider as she watched the others process the information.

"You've been stuck doing these tests for 27days? That's…"

"Exhausting? Infuriating? Mind-numbingly tedious?" Narisva interrupted Farrynelle, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, it is. Thanks for stating the obvious."

Xander glared at her. "So, you've been running around these tunnels all this time, and you couldn't make it through a single one?"

Narisva's grin faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. She gestured to the army standing behind them, who were sharing the information with the other soldiers.

"It's not as simple as you think, blond knight. The first tunnel? You need massive numbers to complete it. As in, an army."

"And the second?" Vastarael asked, his voice even.

Narisva turned her piercing gaze to him, her smirk turning playful.

"The second tunnel is for fighters. Real fighters. I gave it a shot a few times, but…" She trailed off, her expression hardening before turning to normal.

"The challenges in there are brutal. Think of waves of enemies designed to wear you down, no matter how strong or skilled you are."

"And the third?" Farrynelle asked.

"The third is a test of strategy," Narisva replied. "It's not only about fighting. It's about using your brain. Traps, puzzles, riddles. I tried it once and almost got my head crushed by an ice boulder the size of a building."

Vastarael frowned, his brows furrowing in thought. "So, the first tunnel is for armies, the second for warriors, and the third for tacticians…"

"Exactly," Narisva said, crossing her arms and leaning back smugly. "And don't even think about all of you going into one tunnel. The Fallen Bridge won't let you cheat. It's all or nothing."

Peccavi's voice chimed in from behind, startling them.

"Fascinating… So this bridge isn't just a passage. It's a living gatekeeper. So that's why I couldn't access it even though I was the previous Blizzard's Wrath."

"Exactly," Narisva said, nodding in mock appreciation. "Finally, someone with a brain. I don't know who you are but at least you understand this well."

Vastarael ignored her jab and turned to the group.

"If this bridge is as alive as she says, we'll need to approach it carefully and no rushing in. We'll scout the area and prepare for each tunnel accordingly."

Narisva laughed so hard that most of the soldiers stopped talking and faced her in shock.

"Believe me, you can't do that. You think I haven't tried? The second you entered the Fallen Bridge, you can't leave. Scouting this place out? You'll die. Literally."

"So what do you suggest?"

Narisva grinned the second she heard Farrynelle's question.

"The army you brought will go to the first tunnel. The second tunnel will be with you, Xander and this... priestess. And the third tunnel will be done by me and Vastarael."

""Excuse me?!"" Everyone exclaimed in unison.