The Final Trial

The train blares out a loud, almost deafening horn. Tom flinches at the noise, his mind clouded with confusion.

"How could this have happened?" he mutters to himself. But then, realization dawns—Fred is with him.

"Wait, what?" Tom blurts out. "I met you on the train. If we haven't even boarded yet, how are you here? And how do you know my name?"

Fred tilts his head, looking at Tom with an expression of mild concern. "What are you talking about? We're on the train right now. We just met."

Tom's breath quickens as he frantically looks around. The familiar compartment surrounds him, just as it was before. Before he can process anything further, the world around him shifts.

Suddenly, he is in a void of endless whiteness. Yet, oddly enough, he is still seated in the train compartment, with Fred sitting across from him. Tom turns toward the window, expecting to see the passing scenery, but instead, there is only an empty, endless white expanse.

"Fred," Tom says cautiously. "Look outside. Do you see that? Everything is white. There's nothing there."

Fred furrows his brow. "What do you mean? Are you high, dude? Can't you see the beautiful scenery?"

Tom stares at Fred in disbelief. Something is very wrong. He rises from his seat, steps toward the compartment door, and slides it open—only to find himself in a bustling train station.

Confused, he turns back. Fred remains seated in the compartment, but now, through the window, Tom sees only the empty whiteness. Meanwhile, outside the compartment, the train station is alive with movement, people rushing past.

"Fred, get out of there!" Tom calls.

The boy inside the compartment looks at him and smirks. "Fred? My name's not Fred."

Tom blinks. In that split second, the boy's appearance shifts—he now looks exactly like Tom.

"I am Tom," the boy says with an eerie grin. "Tom Hastel."

"What?" Tom gasps. "What is even happening?"

Panic sets in. He turns away and dashes through the train station, searching desperately for an escape from this nightmare. As he rushes past people, he catches glimpses of their faces—his own face reflected back at him from each of them.

He collides with a woman, and she turns to face him. His own reflection stares back at him.

"Oh, are you okay, dear?" she asks, her voice identical to his own. "Walk carefully."

Tom staggers backward, his heart pounding. Everyone looks like him. It's the same as last time.

"Didn't she say I passed my trials?" he mutters under his breath. "What is this now?"

Then, as he takes another step, everything resets.

He is back in the train, in the same compartment, with Fred sitting across from him once again.

"Fred!" Tom exclaims. "The hell is happening?"

Fred raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Nothing's happening. Are you high, dude?"

Tom exhales sharply. He looks out the window—once again, the white void stretches endlessly. Taking a deep breath, he steps outside the compartment and is met with the same bustling train station.

"It's the same thing over and over again," he whispers.

Then, another step, and he's back.

"Fred, listen to me." Tom grips Fred's shoulders. "Something is wrong. We need to get out of here."

"What are you talking about?" Fred frowns. "Nothing is wrong. Are you sure you're okay?"

Tom sighs, frustration bubbling inside him. He needs to change something. He makes a snap decision.

"Fred, I'm sorry for this, but I have to try something."

"Try wh—?"

Tom cuts him off with a punch to the jaw.

Fred recoils, clutching his face. "Ow! What the hell was that for? That hurt, man! I'm not staying here with someone who just throws punches for no reason!"

Fred storms out of the compartment, disappearing down the corridor. Tom turns to look out the window. The void remains unchanged.

Taking a deep breath, he steps outside once more, bracing for the inevitable reset. But this time, something is different.

Fred is gone.

Tom is alone.

A cold hand touches his shoulder, and he startles, spinning around to see the woman from before.

"Well done." She claps her hands together. "It looks like you managed to convince your friend to leave the compartment."

She frowns. "Even if it was… a different method than anticipated." Then she smirks. "Nonetheless, you passed."

With a snap of her fingers, the white void vanishes, plunging Tom into a sea of darkness.

"First white, now dark?" he mutters, taking tentative steps forward.

Faint cheering echoes around him. As he continues moving, the voices grow louder and louder. The darkness dissipates, and suddenly—

He stands in a grand hall filled with thousands of students, all cheering wildly.

"And now, we have Tom Hastel!" a voice announces over the noise. "He has passed all three of his trials. Congratulations!"

"Sorry, what's happening?" Tom asks.

"Oh, those were all trials. Now go and take a seat anywhere you'd like," the man says, and Tom obeys.

He sits on a long bench surrounded by other students.

A boy his age eagerly shakes his hand. "You must've passed too! It was thrilling!"

"Right..." Tom manages to say.

Out of nowhere, a girl appears on the stage in a blink. The man announces again, "And now we have Alissa Gray! She has passed all three trials. Congratulations!"

The man gestures for her to sit, and she obeys. Slowly, one by one, more students keep appearing out of thin air, each being congratulated.

Tom looks around but doesn't see Fred.

"And now we have Dorin Fleur!" the man announces.

"Dorin Fleur?" Tom mutters. "That was my name in that classroom..."

"She has passed all three trials. Congratulations!" the man continues and gestures for the girl to take a seat.

She does.

More students keep being congratulated, and after a while, the man finally addresses the room. "I am sure everyone is delighted to have passed the trials. It wasn't easy, but they were meant to test your resolve. Now, we shall hear a short speech from the Headmaster."

Tom freezes. "What about Fred?" he mutters. "Did he not pass?"

The Headmaster, a tall man with a strict, no-nonsense demeanor, steps up to the podium to begin his speech. But Tom abruptly stands and looks around frantically.

"What are you looking for, boy?" the Headmaster asks.

"Fred," Tom replies. "There was supposed to be a boy named Fred. Did he not pass?"

"Fred? What is his last name?" the Headmaster asks.

"Fred Litsren. He took the exam with me!" Tom insists.

The Headmaster steps down from the podium and speaks with a few professors, who appear concerned. The students murmur among themselves.

"Silence!" a woman commands. "If what you say is true, we will send out a search team immediately."

A few teachers rush off, and worried whispers ripple through the hall.

"Alright, I assure you, everything will be fine," the Headmaster says, his voice booming. "Now, we shall continue." He looks directly at Tom. "Your friend will be here soon; you don't need to worry."

Clearing his throat, he continues. "I am Howard Befilius Owen, the Headmaster of this academy. I want all new students to be aware that this school holds many 'mystery places', and I strongly advise you to avoid them. But I shouldn't trouble you with such matters now." He claps his hands together. "Congratulations to all of you for passing the trials! These trials were a psychological test, using magic to manipulate your minds. The trials were designed and directed by Professor Lenora Falhather."

A tall woman, clad in black, bows lightly.

"That's the same woman," Tom mutters. She was the one he saw in the white void.

"There were three trials conducted," the Headmaster continues. "The first trial tested a bit of historical knowledge. The second was more complicated—it examined whether you could determine if someone was lying. I am sure you saw yourself in that one." He chuckles. "And the final trial was the hardest: convincing someone to leave a place that was soon to be consumed. In short, rescuing them. Some of you may have met people in the train during your trial—those were all illusions. Others may have seen their own family members. Interesting, isn't it?"

He pauses before concluding, "All of these trials were designed to test your resolve and how you handle difficult situations. Well, now, without further ad—"

A sudden flash interrupts him as a boy appears in front of the stage, just like the other students who passed the trial.

"And who might you be?" the Headmaster asks.

"Freddie!" Tom exclaims, standing up.

But Fred is still dazed from his trial. "What in the world just happened?" he says.

Professor Lenora steps forward.

"You're the same woman!" Fred exclaims, looking bewildered.

"Yes, I am the same person. But it seems you took too long. Now, go and take a seat," she instructs.

"This is absurd," Fred grumbles, but seeing no other option, he finds a seat. Spotting Tom, he immediately joins him.

"The hell just happened?" Fred asks. "Did you experience what I experienced?"

"Yes. Apparently, all of that was a trial," Tom replies.

"Now, everyone, I am sure you will have time for discussions later," the Headmaster interrupts. "For now, enjoy the feast. Surely, you are all starving."

A woman claps her hands, and an abundance of food is presented by the academy's servants.

"Irony, isn't it?" Fred says, grabbing a massive drumstick. "They should've given us a little warning, eh?"

"I admit, the trial was a surprise," Tom replies, picking at his food. "I thought we'd just sit at desks and take a written exam, but this was… very different."

"Yeah," Fred says, his mouth full. "Hella different."

The dining hall buzzes with excited chatter as students eat and talk about their experiences. One by one, they begin to rise from their seats, and Tom and Fred follow suit.

"Where to now?" Tom asks.

"No idea," Fred shrugs.

Before they can figure it out, the headmaster speaks again. "I hope you all enjoyed your feast. You will now be guided to your dormitories by the head boy and head girl."

"Alright, boys, line up with me!" the head boy calls out. "Girls, follow the head girl."

The students form two neat lines—older and younger alike—before the head boy continues. "We're about to travel through the Endless Staircase. Some of you might have heard of it, but for those who haven't, listen carefully. It's a mystery place—an illusion designed to play tricks on your mind. Don't get distracted, and whatever you do, don't wander off."

A murmur ripples through the crowd as the head boy leads them toward the massive doors of the hall. The moment they approach, the space around them distorts, twisting unnaturally.

"So this is what a mystery place feels like?" Tom mutters under his breath.

As the doors swing open, they reveal an enormous, spiraling staircase stretching infinitely both upward and downward. The sheer scale of it is dizzying.

"Stay close," the head boy warns, stepping onto the staircase. The students follow, careful to keep in line.

Tom glances around, noticing portals flickering open and closed along the staircase. Shadows of people roam the vast space—some simply walking, others nodding in acknowledgment.

"Don't let them fool you," the head boy says without turning around. "They aren't real—just illusions. If you get drawn in, you might lose your way."

They continue climbing until the head boy stops before a glowing portal. Without hesitation, he touches it, and in an instant, they find themselves in another grand staircase—this one with a visible bottom.

Tom turns to look behind him, but the portal they came through is gone, replaced by a seamless continuation of the staircase. A hushed wave of shock spreads among the students.

"Don't be alarmed," the head boy reassures them. "We're on the academy grounds now."

They proceed upward until they reach a massive door on their left. The staircase continues beyond it, but the head boy stops in front of the door and places a hand against it.

"Release the seal," he commands.

Instead of swinging open, the door shimmers and dissolves into thin air, revealing a vast common area.

"This will be your main gathering space," the head boy explains. "A place to talk, study, and relax. Now, to your right, you'll see another door. Step through it one at a time, and you'll be transported to your dorm rooms. You might even meet some of your new roommates."

One by one, students step forward and vanish into the door.

When Tom's turn comes, he hesitates for a brief second before stepping through. In the blink of an eye, he's inside a dorm room. Four beds line the walls, and his belongings are already there, neatly placed beside one of the beds.

A moment later, Fred appears beside him.

"Sick!" Fred exclaims, looking around in amazement.

Tom scans the room before settling onto the bed closest to his things. Exhaustion washes over him, and before he knows it, he's drifted off to sleep, worn out from the day's events.