Lythana, a dark elf, was currently treading water, muscles burning, each breath a ragged gasp as she fought to stay afloat. Small weights were chained to her ankles, dragging her down, but she refused to let them pull her under. Around her, others struggled, their desperation palpable.
Their overseer, an old human cultivator with an aura of immense power, watched them with cold, calculating eyes. His presence was a constant reminder of the stakes.
Those who failed were jolted by an electric shock that radiated outward, you wanted to not be near those people. A brutal punishment before the array in the pool sent them to the infirmary.
This wasn't just about swimming. Every twenty minutes, they had the option to force someone underwater, if knocked out in this time there was no shock. If you knocked out 10 people you got to get out of the pool and rest.
She had already knocked out four—one human, one Ursox, and two Vorath. The Ursox, with their water-resistant fur and natural buoyancy, surprised her. The Vorath, though, with their dense bones and lack of body fat, struggled the most.
As Lythana treaded water, her mind drifted back to her past. She grew up in the shadows of a society obsessed with status and birthright. Her father was a noble who abandoned her mother when he learned she was pregnant. Her mother was a maid, her beauty both a blessing and a curse. To survive, she worked in a brothel, her striking looks attracting both patrons and danger.
Lythana inherited her beauty—long silver hair, piercing violet eyes, and skin like polished obsidian. But beauty in their world was dangerous. Before the system merge, she learned to conceal her appearance, hiding beneath ragged clothing and a hood that shadowed her face. On her twelfth birthday, everything changed. Hidden in the shadows, she watched as her mother was kidnapped from their home. Left alone, she was thrust into the streets, where survival was a daily struggle. She learned to steal, to fight, even to kill.
Now, at 14, she found herself in this grueling training, she remembered Gorath's speech and the human boy who had been covered in blood, what a strange way to show up. She thought to herself, perhaps some of the humans were savages.
Then she was sent to the pool.
It was a battlefield, and she was determined to emerge victorious. The five-minute timer started, the weights on her feet disappearing, signaling the next phase. She scanned the pool, eyes locking onto a tired human to her left. This was her chance. If she could knock out ten people, she'd earn a reprieve.
She lunged at her target, her mind sharp with purpose. Every stroke, every kick was a testament to the lessons she'd learned—of hiding in plain sight, of striking swiftly and without mercy. Her path had been one of hardship and loss, but she was determined to forge a future where she was no longer a victim of her circumstances. As she reached her target, she thought of her mother and the vengeance she craved.
I will endure, she thought. I will fight. And I will emerge victorious, no matter the cost.
The human struggled, his eyes wide with fear as Lythana's grip tightened around his throat. He tried to break free, but she was relentless. With a final, desperate push, she forced him underwater, watching as his thrashing weakened and then ceased. The array in the pool activated, and his unconscious body was transported to the infirmary.
Five down, five to go, she thought.
She looked around, assessing the remaining participants. Most were struggling, their energy waning. She had to be smart, strategic. Her eyes fell on a Vorath to her right. He was big, strong, but he was also visibly exhausted.
She swam towards him, her movements fluid and controlled. As she approached, the Vorath's eyes met hers. There was a moment of silent understanding before she attacked. He fought back, his strength formidable, but Lythana was faster, more agile, and less tired. She dodged his blows, striking with precision. Finally, she managed to lock her arm around his neck, squeezing until he went limp.
That made six as the 5 minute timer expired, she she continued to think of the past as she floated on her back, thankfully the weight didn't return to her feet as the timer expired.
The image of her mother being dragged away, her screams echoing in Lythana's ears, was seared into her memory. It was the driving force behind her every action, every decision.
Now that the path to power was available; she would make those responsible pay. And she would rise above the circumstances of her birth, carving out a place for herself in this harsh, unforgiving world.
She saw an ursox getting tired in the comer of her vision; her next target. Only the strongest would prevail. And Lythana was determined to be among them.
She would endure. She would fight. And she would emerge victorious, no matter the cost.