The students stood in the courtyard, the chill of the morning air doing little to ease the tension in their hearts. Those who had survived the trial were a mix of exhaustion and disbelief, their minds still reeling from the harrowing experience. The once-familiar surroundings of E&R now seemed foreign, as if the campus itself had shifted, altered by the dark magic they had encountered.
Jorel, Jain, and Ryen stood together, their bodies worn but their spirits unbroken. The echoes of the trial still lingered in their minds—the twisted labyrinth, the harrowing faces on the trees, the visceral pain of confronting their deepest fears. They had faced down their own demons, both literal and metaphorical, and emerged victorious. But the victory was bittersweet, shadowed by the knowledge of those who hadn't made it through.
As they stood in the courtyard, the tall, gaunt instructor with hollow eyes from before stepped forward. His presence was imposing, and the students fell silent as he approached. He surveyed the group with a cold, calculating gaze, his expression unreadable.
"Congratulations," the instructor began, his voice sharp and grating, "to those of you who survived. You have faced one of the most dangerous and forbidden forms of magic—Existential Pain Magic."
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. The students exchanged uneasy glances, the memories of the trial still fresh in their minds.
"Existential Pain Magic," the instructor continued, "is unlike any other form of pain magic you have encountered. It warps reality, draws on the darkest corners of the mind, and manifests your deepest fears into something tangible. It is a magic that can break even the strongest of minds, and it takes an immeasurable toll on the user."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. The students stood in stunned silence, the full scope of what they had faced beginning to dawn on them.
"This form of magic," the instructor went on, "is forbidden within these walls for a reason. It is not a true form of pain magic, but a corruption, a perversion of what we practice here at E&R. The toll it takes on the user's sanity is too great, too dangerous to allow its use. That is why no one at this school is permitted to wield it—except for me, Goliath Grey."
The instructor's eyes darkened as he spoke, the shadows on his face seeming to deepen. "I am the sole practitioner of Existential Pain Magic at E&R, and I bear the scars of its use. I was once like you—a student eager to push the boundaries, to explore the limits of pain magic. But I learned the hard way that some boundaries are not meant to be crossed."
His voice dropped to a low, almost mournful tone. "Existential Pain Magic destroyed my mind, shattered my sanity. It left me broken, a shadow of my former self. The school took me in, reformed me, and now I serve as a warning to others. This trial was not just a test of your abilities, but a lesson—a lesson in the dangers of straying too far from the path."
The students listened in stunned silence, the gravity of the instructor's words pressing down on them. Jorel felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he realized just how close they had come to the edge of madness.
The instructor's gaze swept over the group, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "Those who failed the trial," he said, his voice emotionless, "have had their minds broken beyond repair. They are no longer fit to be students here at E&R. They will be taken away, trained as foot soldiers for the army, their potential wasted, their futures reduced to nothing more than cannon fodder."
A murmur of shock rippled through the group, the harsh reality of the school's methods hitting home. The stakes had always been high, but this was something else entirely. Failure here didn't just mean expulsion—it meant losing everything, even your mind.
"Remember this lesson," the instructor finished, his voice cold and final. "Existential Pain Magic is not to be trifled with. It is a corruption, a path that leads only to madness and destruction. Let this trial be a reminder of the dangers that await you in the world beyond these walls."
With that, the instructor turned and walked away, leaving the students to grapple with the weight of his words. The courtyard was silent, the tension thick in the air.
Jain was the first to speak, her voice trembling with emotion. "I… I can't believe what we just went through. That was more than just a trial. It was…"
"A nightmare," Ryen finished, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've never felt anything like that before. It was like the magic was trying to tear us apart from the inside."
Jorel remained silent, his mind racing. The trial had been brutal, but it had also shown him something important—that he could resist even the darkest magic, that his emotional numbness could be a shield against the horrors of existential pain. But at what cost?
"We made it through," Jain said, her voice gaining strength. "We faced down our worst fears and survived. But we can't let this break us. We have to stay strong, for each other."
Ryen nodded, though his expression was still haunted. "Yeah… yeah, you're right. We've been through hell, but we're still here. We can't let the things this trial showed us define us."
Jorel finally spoke, his voice steady but laced with determination. "We have to keep moving forward. The next trial will be just as tough, maybe even tougher. But we're stronger now. We've seen what this school is capable of, and we're still standing. We can't give up now."
The trio exchanged determined looks, their bond stronger than ever. They had faced the darkness together, and they had come out the other side. But they knew that the challenges ahead would be just as difficult, and they would need to rely on each other more than ever. More than anything they needed to get stronger. Their pathetic attempts at pain magic meant nothing in the face of a real user. It was a cold slap of reality- and a much needed one.
As they made their way back to Raven House, the weight of the trial still lingered in the air. The memory of the twisted labyrinth, the harrowing faces on the trees, and the visceral pain of confronting their deepest fears would stay with them forever.
The following day, the students were summoned to the main courtyard for an entry level student assembly. The atmosphere was somber, the events of the previous day still fresh in everyone's minds. The headmaster, a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression, stood before the gathered students.
"Yesterday's trial was a harsh reminder of the dangers you will face as pain magic users," the headmaster began, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "It tested your resolve, your strength, and your ability to withstand the darkest forms of magic. And while many of you succeeded, there are those who did not. Their fates should serve as a reminder of the consequences of failure."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students. "But let me be clear—this school is not just a place of trials and challenges. It is a community, a place where you must push each other to succeed. The rivalries you form here will be your greatest strength, and you must learn to out do your self at every turn- that is the truest way to grow."
The headmaster's voice softened slightly. "There is only one more trial remaining, and this one will have severe consequences. At our next meeting I expect to only see half of you. To finish the trials you will find the strength to overcome whatever comes your way, or die trying."
As the headmaster's words echoed through the courtyard, the students all felt the pressure of his words push down upon then. The events of the previous day had shaken them, but they were still so new to this world. And now, more than ever, they knew they had to train- harder than ever- to survive. This place wasn't designed to form bonds, it was designed to create the best.
The trio left the courtyard with a sense of anticipation, the shadow of the existential pain trial still looming over them. But their determination burned brighter than ever. They knew that they would need to be at their best to survive the next challenge, but they were going to be ready to face whatever came next.
They would beat the odds, they would beat the goal of this place. Together, they would rise to the occasion, no matter the cost.