Blue Rays of the sun fell and signaled the Dawn; the sky was covered in dark clouds. Cold winds blew from time to time, warning everyone of the chances of rain.
A giant wall could be seen guarded by Demon Soldiers, At its top multiple sky pointing spearheads could be seen on top of it, challenging anyone to cross that area.
If that was not enough the top was also wrapped in barbed wire, filled with sharp thorns, which could also be coated in lethal poison to add up to damage.
A boy could be seen clad in a hood, moving around. As if looking for something.
Before, it was a large field filled with thousands of participants; there was a small town that was filled with shops all selling various things.
As one went past the narrow crowded path, he would meet with the smell of cooked meat. There were various hotels and Ins there that provided affordable and delicious food.
He looked at it but sifted his vision; as he went past this street, he smelled the scent of metal in the air. He also heard a 'clang' sound continuously; looking around he discovered various smiths and weapon shops.
He moved his eyes through the displayed items, but nothing caught his eye, next he kept walking before looking at the area before him filled with people.
All look different and diverse, wearing clothes and armor of distinct design and colors. Some had come with guards following them, while some were with their parents.
As he moved around, he came across the giant gate; most people gathered here were children of his age or two or three years older than him.
The boy stood there looking at the kids his age; he saw them all excited and determined. Carrying quality weapons and clad in shiny armor.
His eyes also fall on some who had their bodies barely covered by old, dirty clothes filled with patches. They looked as if they had not washed for months and would tear apart from just a tiny brush scrub.
Most children with their chins up and heads held high, wearing clothes made up of silk and linen tried to maintain some distance from them.
This behavior made such children stand clenching their hands with their slouched back and shoulders down and giving up even before it started.
While some had given up to fate, he saw some that stood proud with their eyes facing heaven. He could see a fire in their eyes while they looked similar to others around them.
There was something about them that was different, Instead of bending their knees to fate and submitting to the order. They stood there with a dream, unwilling to be pathetic their whole life.
Believing today was cruel to them, but if they continued working hard, tomorrow would be much kinder to them.
He walked past them that stayed at the back as if an imaginary line separated them from the ones in front; as he went further he saw similar types with similar status standing in groups.
On his left was a group of Demons that stood at left maintaining some distance from others, They all looked different but had one similarity.
They all had snakes instead of hairs; He could see the snakes moving and hissing. he had heard about them, they were from the Coiledviper Family. One of the top families of the Rayless Dynasty.
He also saw ones carrying bows on their backs; they were dark-skinned and had silver hairs. Dark Elves, that's what they were called; they were from a noble family.
As he looked at these various types of opponents, his blood was boiling to compete with them. It was as if someone had heard his prayers. They were called to move forward and approach the giant gate.
A large wind passed as if a small storm had hit them, pushing everyone back. Some tried to enter forcefully but they were pushed back.
Unwilling to give a demon clad in cloth filled with dirt approached the gate again but, 'Swoosh' the wind sent him back many meters, tearing apart his clothes and making him throw up blood.
Many halted their steps, thinking again, among the surprised eyes of everyone the group of four with serpent-like hairs entered one by one.
The wind tried to push them back becoming stronger as they approached but they continued walking and easily crossed the gate; this lit up a fire in many and they approached the gate.
'Slam'
Many of them were thrown back with only a few succeeding, The dark-skinned group of Demons with pointy ears started approaching the gate and crossed it quickly.
This small display was enough for him to know the gap between the ones at the top and those who tried to survive every day; many passed the gate after it.
He saw some Demons of lower species passing the gate; they gave the many like them hope. The Demon soldier near the gate flipped the scoreboard, and the number 700 appeared on it.
The crowd and the number of participants was so high that many have passed even with such a trial. The Demon soldier also announced that only a thousand would be allowed.
Wasting no more time the boy clad in black hood started approaching the gate, the wind became brutal as he approached, but he paid no attention to it and kept walking.
As he crossed the gate, he realized it was not that tough; he saw the ones that had passed to be lined up one after another.
He could see endless walls covering them from both sides; in between there was a wide straight track. It was not hard to guess what the second trial would be.
He saw participants lined up one after another on the number they had entered the gate.
He was at the back, but he was not worried as he could see that the race was long, he would get many opportunities to overtake other participants.
The track that looked like road was wide but not enough to have thousands of people race simultaneously; they were lined up, with each line having twenty-five participants.
At the back, Amon looked at the scoreboard; inside it the score finally reached one thousand. A Demon soldier appeared before them clad in armor.
"The second trial is a race, the top five hundred will be able to move to third trial." he said this before starting his count.
"Three"
"Two"
"One, Start"
'Whoosh' all participants started running, the race started.