The eerie silence that followed the monster's sudden death hung in the air, its mutilated remains a dark omen in the moonlit jungle. Zeke, Luca, and Eliza stood in a tense silence, their hearts pounding from the suddenness of the attack.
"Did… did anyone see anything?" Luca whispered, his voice barely audible as he scanned the surroundings. He gripped his daggers tightly, ready for another fight.
Eliza didn't look back at Luca. Her focus was too sharp. With a flick of her wrist, a soft glow emanated from her hands as she conjured a defensive shield, the air shimmering around them. "No. But we need to stay alert," she said, her voice calm but filled with determination.
Zeke nodded, trying to shake off the unsettled feeling creeping over him. The suddenness of the attack had shaken him, but it wasn't just the monster they had to fear. Something—or someone—else was watching them.
"We should keep moving," Zeke urged. "There's no time to waste."
The trio moved deeper into the jungle, each step heavy with the knowledge that the true threat here was not just the beasts they had been sent to defeat but something far more sinister lurking in the shadows.
As they ventured further, they heard screams echoing through the trees—horrified, guttural screams of pain and fear. Zeke's heart raced, and without thinking, he surged forward, motioning for Luca and Eliza to follow.
When they broke through the undergrowth into a clearing, they were met with a grisly scene.
A group of students had been overwhelmed by a horde of monsters—real monsters, not the simulated ones they had been prepared for. These creatures were far too strong, their claws tearing through flesh like paper. One student, barely out of their teens, was pinned to the ground, blood staining the dirt around them as a beast ripped into them.
"NO!" Luca shouted, charging forward, but Zeke grabbed his arm, his grip tight.
"Wait, we have to be careful!" Zeke snapped. His eyes darted to the surroundings, knowing they were being hunted. The beasts were not their only enemies.
But it was too late. One of the monsters spotted them, and before they could react, the creatures launched themselves at the group, snarling.
Eliza didn't hesitate. Her hands raised, and with a flick, a wall of flames erupted from her palms, creating a barrier between them and the monsters. The fire crackled, a brilliant display of her power, but the creatures pressed on, their dark eyes fixated on the students.
Zeke could see the panic in the faces of some of the other students as they tried to fight back, but they were outmatched. One of them screamed in pain as a creature's claw pierced their chest, their body crumpling to the ground with a sickening thud. Another student was grabbed by the throat and violently tossed aside, their limp form lying motionless on the jungle floor.
Zeke's stomach churned. He felt the rising tide of guilt, knowing that there was something—someone—watching all of this unfold, someone who could intervene. But that someone wasn't him, and his hesitation was costing lives.
Eliza's magic surged, fire and lightning dancing in the air as she continued to defend them, her face set in determination. She wasn't just using her magic to protect herself; she was shielding others. But the overwhelming number of monsters began to outnumber the students' strength, and Zeke could see more students succumbing to the violence.
"Eliza!" Zeke shouted, rushing toward her as one of the larger beasts lunged at her from behind, claws extended. His heart stopped. He couldn't let her die—not like this.
But before he could reach her, there was a flash of movement, something impossibly fast, and the large creature was suddenly ripped apart. Its body crumpled to the ground, shredded in a brutal, almost unrecognizable heap.
Eliza stumbled back, breathless, and glanced around in confusion.
"What… who—?"
Zeke stood frozen, his heart racing. The creature was dead, but no one had seen who had struck it down. The clearing fell eerily quiet.
"I didn't do that," Eliza murmured, looking back at Zeke. "Did you…?"
Zeke shook his head, still stunned. "No. There's someone else out here."
Luca eyed the trees warily, his expression darkening. "This isn't part of the exam. Something's going on."
But before anyone could respond, there was a horrific screech in the distance—a cry of agony from another group of students caught in a vicious fight. Zeke's blood ran cold.
"We need to go, now!" Zeke urged, turning on his heel.
But as they moved towards the other group, more screams echoed. The brutal reality of the exam hit them harder than ever. Students were dying—real students, who were meant to be training, not fighting for their lives.
When they reached the next clearing, the scene was worse than before.
The monsters had broken through, their claws and teeth making quick work of the students. One girl, bloodied and covered in wounds, tried to crawl away but was caught by a massive beast.
Zeke's chest tightened. He wanted to act, but his hesitation kept him frozen. He could use his power to stop time. He could save them all, but at what cost? Would it be worth it?
Suddenly, there was a flash in the shadows again—a blur of movement too fast for the eye to follow. Another student, moments away from being ripped apart by a monster, was suddenly thrown aside as though caught by an invisible hand.
But as the battle raged on, the bodies of the fallen students didn't stop piling up. The gruesome reality of the situation was undeniable, and Zeke felt his own power tugging at him, as if it wanted to come out. He clenched his fists, trying to fight the urge. But as another student was killed, another life lost before his eyes, his resolve faltered.
He took a deep breath, his eyes clenching shut. Time froze.
The clearing around him went still, the screams cut off, and Zeke moved through the frozen world with frantic urgency. He couldn't let anyone else die. But as he neared the students, he saw it—he saw how weak his hesitation had made him.
He saw the lifeless bodies, and the crushing weight of the failure settled in his chest.
He had waited too long.
When he finally let time resume, the world exploded into chaos again. He had done what he could, but the price was steep. More students were dead, and Zeke's hesitation had cost them their lives.