After the encounter with Vasundhara's group, the time spent in the dungeon trials seemed like eternal time.
As they moved further into the jungle, the jungle came alive, as if the beasts themselves could sense the adjacent end of the trials. The team had already defeated five predator-class beasts, but it was not enough. They needed more to secure their place at the top rank, and time was running out.
"We need three more," Aamir said, his voice steady but firm. "Failure isn't an option."
Riya, Rajiv and Kiran nodded in agreement. Rahul, though usually hesitant, was now concentrating more on his work, his usual sarcasm had vanished. They were all united, driven by a single goal: to finish with strength and prove their worth.
They were closer now, the dense jungle and ominous atmosphere weighing on them, but they pressed on without hesitation. Despite the physical and mental fatigue, their bond had grown stronger over the course of the trials. The memory of their previous victories fueled their resolve.
Suddenly, the trees on their left side broke and Aamir immediately signaled his group to stop. Massive, predator-class beasts emerged from the trees, trapping the team in their path.
Emerging from the shadows, the first beast revealed itself—a massive, four-legged predator with a shell-like armor that glowed faintly, casting eerie patterns on the jungle floor. The second was a winged snake whose long, slimy body was moving in the air with deadly intentions. The third was a giant creature with heavy armor whose claws stood like razors.
"That's it," Aamir said mumbling. "The last choice."
Without wasting a single moment, the team immediately started the action. With a sharp flick of his wrist, Rajiv hurled his dagger at the snake, its blade gleaming as it found its mark between the beast's glowing scales on which Rahul created a layer using his fire element while Kiran's heavy sword pierced the kid's armor. Eager to prove his worth, Rahul focused his mana into a barrage of explosive mantas targeted at the beasts attacking them.
Aamir and Riya led the charge by moving forward together. Aamir's sword flashed, which easily cut down the beast's claws, while Riya's protective magic created a miraculous solution to stop the flaming breath of the winged snake. Their actions were intuitive, which was proof of their growing bond as a team.
After a tense battle that lasted for hours, they were victorious. There was silence in the jungle once again and the team stood above the angry beasts and started to calm down.
"It is true." Aamir said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I have shown you how."
Within minutes the team had assembled itself and was ready to go to trial. The time had come for the Dungeon Trials to begin and they knew the results would be announced soon.
A soft, resonating voice echoed through the jungle, piercing the silence with a sense of peace.
"The Dungeon Trials have been completed. Please proceed to the designated teleportation point for further instructions."
Aamir's team took a sigh of relief, but there was uncertainty too. This was the situation that was going to determine their future at Nalanda University.
In a few moments a man appeared before them--a tall, impressive man with sharp eyes and a strong presence. His vastness made him appear as a very important person in the university, and his mere presence immediately commanded respect.
"Get your stuff together," he said. "We'll use the Akshath Path to take you back to the main arena for the announcement. You are behind me."
Aamir and his team followed the spectators to an open place where a large, complex enclosure had been made on the ground. The spectators uttered a few words in their voices and a warm light engulfed the group. Aamir felt the presence of a stranger in the sky. They stood in front of a large portal which was glowing with energy.
The trainer told, "This will take you out of the trials ground." "When you come out, you will know about your performance results and ranking."
Taking a final look at each other, the team stepped inside the portal. The air outside was cold and chilly, which was completely different from the jungle they had just left behind.
The group was taken to an open ground where the rest of the teams were already gathered. Hundreds of students from different groups were standing silently waiting. Aamir's group also joined them, their eyes were searching for familiar faces in the crowd.
Vardhan, the examiner who had explained the rules of the dungeon trials, stood in front of a group of people, holding a scroll in his hand. When he began to speak, his deep voice resonated throughout the ground.
"Congratulations to all of you who took part in the Dungeon Trials. Forget about facing such challenges, even staying alive is not an easy task." His gaze fell on the eyes and for a few moments Aamir felt the burden of the competition.
"Out of 50 groups only 35 successfully completed the examination. The rest, in spite of being brave, were not able to face the challenges. Next time you will get another chance."
A wave of violence spread through the crowd, some people looked on with despairing eyes while others heaved a sigh of relief. Aamir felt proud of his team - he knew they could do this.
"Do you think Meera's group made it?" Riya asked, worry clouding her expression. Aamir said calmly, "Don't worry, Meera's group is capable." Riya nodded with a slight smile.
Vardhan further said, "Now I will announce the Top 10 group which is in the highest position."
"Please keep one section silent," said Vardhan raising his hand and looking at the list. "In 10th place is the team of Kahil, Kubair, Suhana, Sukhveer and Shivani with 280 points." Going from among the gathered students, the gunj was raised and the members of the group moved forward to receive their honour.
Vardhan further said, "9th place goes to Javed, Akhtar, Jafar, Love and Shivang. Congratulations." And also congratulate.
Names were being called out gradually and with each announcement, the teams that had worked so hard for their rankings were getting a sense of pride. But as the rankings reached close to the top, the energy in the air increased even more.
Vardhan announced, "The team coming third, with 400 points, is the pride of Vasundhara, a strong and proud group of girls. Congratulations to Meera, Pooja, Aarti, Sita and Lila!" The crowd cheered, especially the girls present in the crowd, who were watching the Vasundhara group with admiring eyes. Aamir and his team clapped and congratulated the girls.
The other team, Vardhan, said in a loud voice, "The group that has come with 450 numbers includes Aamir, Riya, Rajiv, Kiran and Rahul!" Aamir's group stood still for a moment, then they danced with joy. Riya laughed, and Rajiv raised his hand in the air. They had won - they were officially in the top two.
"And now," Vardhan's voice became even more serious, "the team coming first with 500 points is led by Rishabh, Rehan, Simran, Kunal and Mahi." The crowd went crazy with the cheers of the people. Aamir's eyes shrunk when he saw Rishabh, the golden haired boy who had once tried to intimidate him and Riya. Despite his earlier behavior, Aamir had to accept that the boy was strong.
Vardhan again raised his hand and signaled to keep quiet. "Now, for the next step of your journey. The Guild selection process will begin. You have two days to consider your options. Choose carefully. You can go to the Administration department to register your choice.
After a pause he said, "Each member of all the groups will get Reputation points. All the students will be given 3000 points. Top Ten will be given 2000 more points and the students of Shirsh teen group will get 5000 more points in addition to these marks and will also get the opportunity to receive special offers from the guild masters based on their abilities."
Aamir felt excited. This was the next step. The Guild was waiting and the opportunity was endless.
"Good luck to you all," Vardhan said, his voice resonating. "Now go and prepare for the next study of your journey at Nalanda University."
So many things going on in their mind. The whole group started walking from ground thinking about the possibilities, then once again a voice echoed "All the students who have come in the top three should come on the stage."