The aftermath of the third phase hung heavy over the battlefield. Mud and debris littered the ground, the air thick with the metallic tang of tension. Survivors exchanged wary glances, their bodies bruised, their minds exhausted. The once-vibrant arena now seemed like a graveyard, each elemental phase a reminder of their mortality.
Leon wiped a streak of mud from his face, clutching the Elemental Tokens he'd gathered. His muscles ached, his breathing ragged, but his mind remained sharp. He couldn't let fatigue cloud his judgment. Each token was a step toward survival, and survival was the only path to victory.
A flicker of light caught his attention. To his left, the silver-haired woman stood tall, her cloak billowing slightly in the fading wind. Her pale eyes met his, and for a moment, neither of them moved. There was a silent challenge between them, unspoken yet undeniable.
"You're hoarding those tokens," she said, her voice carrying just enough volume to reach him. Her tone was measured, but there was a hard edge beneath it. "You think you can handle the next phases alone?"
Leon tightened his grip on the tokens but didn't respond immediately. He scanned the field, noting the others who had survived—about twenty competitors now, all visibly drained but clinging to their talents. They weren't just survivors anymore; they were potential enemies watching for weakness.
"I handle what I need to," Leon replied, his voice calm but firm. "What's your concern?"
The woman smiled faintly, but her eyes remained cold. "Survival isn't about hoarding power. It's about knowing when to share the burden. If you keep isolating yourself, you'll paint a target on your back. And in these trials, targets don't last long."
Leon stepped closer, narrowing the gap between them. "And what's your suggestion? That I hand over my tokens? Trust a group of strangers who'll turn on me the second it benefits them?" His voice was low, but the steel in his tone was unmistakable.
She shrugged. "Not all of us are enemies. Some of us see the bigger picture."
Leon studied her, searching for any sign of deception. Her calm demeanor was unsettling. She wasn't like the others—her movements, her words, everything was calculated. She wasn't just surviving; she was strategizing.
"Maybe," Leon conceded, "but trusting too soon gets you killed just as fast as fighting alone."
Before she could respond, a loud boom echoed across the field. All eyes turned toward the earth obelisk, which now pulsed with a deep, rhythmic vibration. The ground beneath them trembled, and cracks began to spread outward. The fourth phase was about to begin.
Leon glanced back at the woman. "If you want to work together, prove you can keep up."
Her smile widened slightly. "Likewise."
Without another word, they both turned toward the obelisk.
The ground erupted as massive stone golems emerged from the earth, their towering forms covered in jagged rock. Their eyes glowed with an eerie, molten hue, and their heavy footsteps shook the battlefield. The Trial of Earth had begun, and it was clear this phase would be unlike anything they had faced so far.
Leon braced himself, his mind racing through strategies. He couldn't rely on agility alone—the golems were slow but powerful, their strength capable of crushing anything in their path. He needed to outthink them.
"Stay mobile!" someone shouted from across the field. Leon recognized the voice—it was the armored man from earlier, rallying a few competitors into a defensive formation. Despite their earlier animosity, the man now led with authority, his massive shield absorbing blows from an advancing golem.
Leon, however, chose a different path. He darted between the golems, using the uneven terrain to his advantage. His Cosmic Resonance allowed him to manipulate small sections of the ground, creating sudden pitfalls and ridges to disrupt their movements. A golem stumbled into one of his traps, its massive frame crashing into the earth with a thunderous impact.
He didn't stop. Drawing his sword, Leon surged forward, aiming for the glowing core embedded in the golem's chest. With a precise strike, he drove his blade deep into the core, shattering it. The golem groaned, its body crumbling into dust.
Behind him, the silver-haired woman was also in motion, her movements fluid and deliberate. She wielded twin daggers, each infused with elemental energy, slicing through the rocky limbs of another golem. Her talent was evident—she didn't just fight; she danced through the battlefield, her strikes calculated and efficient.
Leon couldn't deny her skill. For now, she wasn't a liability.
As the battle raged on, Leon noticed something strange. The golems were converging around certain competitors, their attacks more focused and coordinated than before. It was as if the obelisk itself was guiding them, targeting specific individuals who had accumulated more tokens.
The realization hit him hard. The obelisk wasn't just an obstacle—it was testing their strength, their unity, and their greed. If they hoarded too much power, they became the primary target.
Leon cursed under his breath. He had to act fast. "The obelisk is focusing on token holders!" he shouted, hoping others would hear. "Spread out! Share the burden or we're all dead!"
The silver-haired woman shot him a glance, understanding flashing in her eyes. Without hesitation, she tossed one of her tokens to a nearby competitor, lightening her burden. Leon followed suit, throwing a token toward the armored man.
Reluctantly, others began to do the same. The golems faltered, their focus dispersing as the tokens were redistributed. The tide of battle shifted.
Together, they pressed their advantage. Blades, elemental bursts, and raw strength combined as the remaining golems fell one by one. The battlefield grew quiet once more, the ground littered with the remnants of their enemies.
Leon stood panting, his sword still gripped tightly in his hand. He glanced around, noting the survivors. Their ranks had thinned, but those who remained were stronger, more aware of what it took to endure.
The silver-haired woman approached him, a token still clutched in her hand. "You're learning," she said with a smirk.
Leon gave a faint nod. "I'll learn what I need to survive."
Her eyes gleamed with a mix of respect and caution. "Good. You'll need that mindset in the next phase."
As the Trial of Earth concluded, Leon realized something crucial: these trials weren't just tests of power. They were designed to break their minds, to force them into impossible choices. Trust was a dangerous game, but sometimes, it was the only path forward.
And in the Origin Games, there was no turning back.