The clash of swords echoed faintly in the distance as the rest of the courtyard settled into the rhythm of its usual training. I, however, found myself preoccupied with the memory of the watcher. Their silent presence, the way they seemed to disappear at will, was unlike anything—or anyone—I had encountered before.
But I didn't have the luxury of dwelling on it for long. The second session of the day began promptly, and this time, it wasn't just physical.
"All right, students," a voice boomed from the podium at the edge of the courtyard. Master Aurelius, a stout man with a grizzled beard and piercing blue eyes, stood before us. "Today's lesson is one of wit and awareness. Strength alone won't keep you alive in the labyrinth. You'll need sharp instincts and a quicker mind."
The labyrinth.
The word sent a ripple of unease through the gathered students.
"Today, we'll introduce you to its challenges," Aurelius continued, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Don't worry; you won't be going in blind. But you'll face your first trial tomorrow, and you'd best be ready."
A murmur spread through the crowd. Some students looked eager, while others exchanged nervous glances. My own heart thudded in my chest, the weight of his words settling heavily in my gut.
The labyrinth was infamous even among the Academy's students. A sprawling network of corridors and chambers, it was said to be both a training ground and a test of character. More than a few students had entered its depths, never to return.
Lyric leaned closer, her voice a hushed whisper. "They won't send us too deep on the first trial, right? It's just an initiation thing."
I nodded absently, though her words did little to soothe my nerves.
"We'll start with basic drills," Aurelius announced, gesturing toward a row of wooden chests lined up along the edge of the courtyard. Each was marked with strange symbols, their meanings unknown to me. "Inside each chest is an artifact. Your task is to retrieve it without triggering the traps. Simple enough, if you're careful."
Simple? Hardly.
The students were split into groups, each assigned a chest. Lyric and I were paired with Corwin, much to my dismay. He greeted us with his usual smirk, clearly unbothered by the task ahead.
"This should be entertaining," he drawled, eyeing the chest with an air of disdain.
I ignored him, focusing instead on the strange markings that adorned the wooden surface. They glowed faintly in the sunlight, their intricate patterns almost hypnotic.
"Don't touch it directly," Lyric warned, her tone serious for once. "The traps are usually activated by careless handling."
"How do you know so much about this?" I asked, glancing at her.
"I read," she replied with a shrug.
Corwin snorted. "Reading won't help you when you're neck-deep in the labyrinth."
"Neither will arrogance," Lyric shot back, her words sharp enough to make him bristle.
Before their bickering could escalate, I stepped forward, studying the chest carefully. The symbols seemed to shift and shimmer, their patterns almost alive.
"Do you see that?" I asked, pointing to the faint glow.
Lyric nodded. "It's a ward. You'll need to disrupt it before you can open the chest safely."
"And how do we do that?"
She reached into the satchel slung over her shoulder, pulling out a small vial of silvery liquid. "This should do the trick. A few drops on the markings should neutralize them."
Corwin rolled his eyes. "Let's get this over with."
He made a grab for the vial, but Lyric pulled it back with surprising speed. "Not so fast, hero. You'll end up setting off the trap and getting us all blasted into next week."
I stifled a laugh as Corwin scowled, his ego clearly bruised.
With careful precision, Lyric uncorked the vial and let a single drop fall onto the glowing markings. The liquid spread like mercury, flowing along the patterns until the glow faded entirely.
"It's safe now," she said, stepping back to let me open the chest.
My fingers trembled slightly as I lifted the lid. Inside was a small, ornate key, its surface engraved with the same symbols that had adorned the chest.
"What's it for?" I asked, holding it up to the light.
Lyric shrugged. "Who knows? The instructors love their riddles."
Aurelius's voice rang out before we could speculate further. "Well done, group three! You've completed the exercise."
I handed the key to one of the assistants and stepped back, my heart still racing from the tension.
As the session ended and the students dispersed, I found myself glancing toward the edge of the courtyard. The watcher was nowhere to be seen, but the feeling of being observed hadn't left me.
Tomorrow, we would face the labyrinth. And if the watcher had been any indication, I wasn't sure if the greater threat lay within its depths—or outside it.