The week before the competition was the most grueling yet. Cerys, as if sensing the deadline, pushed me harder than ever. Each lesson left me drained, my mana reserves stretched thin and my muscles aching from the effort. But the strain felt purposeful now—every spell, every sparring match, every lecture brought me closer to readiness.
Cerys had moved beyond basic exercises, introducing more advanced techniques that required not just skill but creativity.
"This isn't just about what you know," she said during one of our lessons. "It's about how you use it. Magic is a tool, a weapon, a shield—but most of all, it's a language. And every problem has its own dialect."
Her words were cryptic, but the meaning became clear when she unveiled her latest challenge: a shifting maze created with layered illusions.
The maze was a living thing, its walls twisting and changing as I moved through it. Runes glowed faintly along the edges, their patterns shifting like currents in a river.
"Your task is simple," Cerys said, her voice echoing from somewhere unseen. "Find your way to the center and retrieve the orb. Use your spells wisely, or you'll be wandering for hours."
I stood at the entrance, the pendant at my chest pulsing faintly. Lyra watched from the sidelines, her arms crossed and her expression skeptical.
"This should be interesting," she muttered.
I took a deep breath, summoning a small orb of light in my palm. The glow illuminated the path ahead, casting long shadows that danced along the walls.
"Here we go," I murmured, stepping into the maze.
The first twist came quickly. As I rounded a corner, the walls shimmered, dissolving into a new path that hadn't been there before.
Illusions.
I stopped, narrowing my eyes as I studied the glowing runes. Their patterns pulsed faintly, the light shifting in time with the hum of mana in the air.
"Feel the flow," I whispered, closing my eyes and reaching out with my senses.
The runes pulsed again, their rhythm steady but distinct. I focused on the pattern, following it like a thread through the maze. The light orb in my hand flickered as I moved, its glow bending and twisting with the illusions around me.
The first dead end appeared a few minutes later. I stood before a wall that shimmered faintly, its surface rippling like water.
"Let's see if this works," I muttered, summoning a small gust of wind with Aer Tempesta. The burst of air struck the wall, tearing through the illusion and revealing a hidden passage behind it.
"Not bad," Lyra's voice echoed faintly, though she was nowhere in sight.
The next challenge came in the form of traps. A pressure plate hidden beneath the floor triggered a series of glowing glyphs that sprang to life, their energy forming a net of crackling light.
I reacted instinctively, summoning Vitae Aegis to shield myself. The translucent barrier absorbed the first wave of energy, but the strain was immediate. The glyphs pulsed again, their light growing brighter as they prepared for another strike.
"Think, Aric," I muttered, sweat beading on my forehead.
The pendant pulsed faintly, a reminder of the mana flowing through and around me. I glanced at the glyphs, their patterns shifting in a familiar rhythm.
Disruption.
I focused, drawing mana into my palm and shaping it into a small sphere of shadow. The spell, Umbra Lance, wasn't just a weapon—it was a tool. I hurled the shadow spear at the center of the glyphs, its energy unraveling the spellwork in a cascade of fading light.
The path cleared, and I exhaled sharply, the tension in my chest easing.
By the time I reached the center of the maze, my mana reserves were nearly depleted, and my legs felt like lead. But there it was—a glowing orb resting on a pedestal, its light steady and warm.
I stepped forward cautiously, scanning the area for hidden traps. The air was still, the faint hum of magic a constant backdrop.
"No tricks?" I said aloud, my voice echoing in the quiet.
Cerys' voice answered, cool and detached. "The orb itself isn't the challenge. The maze was."
I picked up the orb, its warmth spreading through my hand like sunlight.
"Congratulations," she said, her tone neutral. "You've passed the first stage of preparation. But don't get comfortable—the real competition will be far less forgiving."
Lyra met me at the edge of the maze, her expression unreadable. "You looked like you were going to pass out in there."
"I probably was," I admitted, handing her the orb.
She turned it over in her hands, studying the faint runes etched into its surface. "You're learning, though. Faster than I expected."
"Not fast enough," I said, the weight of exhaustion settling over me.
She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing. "Cerys is pushing you hard, but don't forget to rest. Burnout won't win you any competitions."
"I'll rest when I'm ready," I said, though the thought of collapsing onto my cot was tempting.
Lyra sighed, shaking her head. "Stubborn as ever."
The next morning, Cerys reviewed my performance in the maze, pointing out every flaw and hesitation.
"You've improved," she said, "but you're still relying too much on instinct. Strategy will win this competition, not brute force."
"I'm working on it," I said, suppressing the urge to snap.
"Good," she said, handing me another stack of notes. "Because you'll need to be better if you want to survive the second stage."
Her words stayed with me as I returned to my quarters, the weight of the competition pressing heavier than ever.
The maze had been a test, but it was just the beginning. The real challenge was yet to come.