We moved forward into the maze, which had the same tracks as before. "We've wondered for so long, but we still haven't met any other participants," Suzzain remarked. "Maybe different participants have been given different mazes and tasks," I suggested.
Suddenly, a panicked voice tore through the stillness of the forest.
"Help! Help!"
We froze for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances, before rushing toward the sound. My heart pounded as we emerged into a clearing, where Bog was sprawled on the ground, a grotesque monster looming over him. The creature was all sinewy limbs and razor-sharp claws, its maw dripping with venom.
"Help me!" Bog cried, his voice breaking as he looked at us with wide, desperate eyes.
Kryndor didn't hesitate. Without a word, he raised his hand, the air around him rippling with dark energy. "Red Light!" he called, and a crimson beam shot from his palm, striking the monster dead center. The beast let out a guttural roar before collapsing in a heap, its body dissolving into ash.
Kryndor lowered his hand, his expression calm as always, and walked toward Bog. "You should be more careful next time," he said, extending a hand to help him up.
For a moment, everything seemed normal. But then, Bog's face twisted into a smirk—a look so cold and calculating it sent a chill down my spine.
"Gotcha," Bog muttered.
Before Kryndor could react, Bog's body glowed faintly, and an invisible wave seemed to pulse from him.
"Deceive!"
Kryndor's confident demeanor shattered. He staggered back, his eyes wide with shock as the spell hit him. I saw his hand tremble, then fall limp to his side. His breathing grew ragged, and his usual commanding presence was gone, replaced by something unsettling: vulnerability.
"Kryndor!" I shouted, but he didn't respond. He just stood there, frozen, his expression a mixture of disbelief and deep pain.
"What did you do to him?!" Suzzain growled, stepping forward, her fists clenched.
Bog straightened, his smirk widening. "It's a skill of mine—'Deceive'. A little trick to leave someone trapped in their own mind, reliving their worst memories. Fun, isn't it?"
My stomach turned. I couldn't imagine what Kryndor was seeing, but the torment on his face made it clear it wasn't good.
"Stop it!" I shouted, panic surging through me. "Let him go!"
Bog simply chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. "Why would I? You're all so predictable, rushing to save me without even thinking. Now you're down one powerful ally, and I've got the upper hand."
Just then, four more people appeared. They did not look friendly; their expressions were determined and hostile. Bog laughed menacingly. "This is what happens when you don't listen to me."
It became clear that the maze contained other different teams of four members each, separated into different sections. We were fated to face each other, but our situation was unfavourable: they were five while we were only three, and one of us had already been caught off guard. A sense of tension enveloped me; I struggled to think of a plan to escape this predicament.
"I am Jacobe, and these three are Idriana, Ardrale, and Lux. We are pleased to eliminate you all here," one of them declared, a sinister smile creeping across his face. "Why the introduction? Let's just finish them off," Lux sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "Yes, we don't have time for pleasantries," Ardrale chimed in, his voice cold and calculating. Bog rubbed his hands together, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "We should just eliminate them. The atmosphere thickened with tension as their intentions became clear. It was no longer just a confrontation; it was a calculated execution of their plans.
"Shut up! You need a beating again!" Suzzain moved toward Jacob, but I quickly stopped her. In fear, Bog stumbled backward. "K-Kill them!" We took a defensive stance, inching back as the four surrounded us. Kryndor remained immobile, caught in the grip of Bog's earlier deception. "Lightning Shock!" Jacob shouted, unleashing a spell that struck like thunder. Suzzain reacted swiftly, blocking it with 'Urthing,' a spell that absorbed the lightning into the ground.
Suddenly, Lux leaped over me, wielding nunchaku embedded with magma. I pulled out my stick to block his attack, but the heat seared my skin. A flurry of attacks followed; I deflected blows but felt the burning pain intensify. Despite continuously using 'Swift Heal,' the damage from Lux's fire attacks was relentless.
As Suzzain pressed her advantage against Jacob, her agile strikes forced him to retreat. Unbeknownst to her, Ardrale had joined the fray, his presence a looming threat. I hadn't asked about her profession, so I was unaware of her full capabilities, but now she faced two opponents.
"This is so unaware cutie, 2 on 1, so let me tell you that my profession is that of Guard and you kicks and punches will have no effect on me" Ardrale announces. He then shifted into a defensive stance. His body enveloped in a shimmering Impervious Veil, a skill that cloaked him in a transparent barrier, enhancing his resilience. The aura around him pulsed with energy, bolstering not only his defenses but also of Jacob, who was preparing for a counterattack.
"Let's see how she handles this!" Jacob shouted, summoning his powers. The ground trembled beneath him as he conjured two massive Earth Golems, their stony forms rising from the earth like ancient sentinels. They roared to life, eyes glowing with an ominous light as they turned to face Suzzain. "These Golems are able to kill Red Orcs," Jacobe cackled. With a swift motion, Ardrale drew his rod and coated it in crackling lightning. "Stay focused!" he called out to Jacob as he dashed toward Suzzain, the energy coursing through his weapon illuminating the darkened warehouse.
Suzzain shifted her stance into a cat-like position, ready to adapt to the escalating conflict. She felt the weight of their combined power but refused to show fear. "I won't back down," she muttered under her breath. The first golem charged forward, its massive fists raised high. Suzzain dodged to the side just in time, feeling the rush of air as its fist smashed into the ground where she had stood moments before. Dust and debris exploded around her.
"Now!" Jacob commanded, and both golems lunged at her simultaneously. Suzzain ducked low, narrowly avoiding another blow from the second golem while keeping an eye on Ardrale. She could see him approaching with lightning crackling around his rod—a deadly combination of speed and power. "Earth Spike!" she shouted, thrusting her hands toward the ground. Sharp spikes erupted from beneath the first golem's feet, piercing its stone skin. It staggered but didn't fall.
Adrial swung his lightning-infused rod toward her, aiming for a direct hit. Suzzain blocked it with her kick, as arcs of electricity crackled dangerously close to her. "Is that all you've got?" she taunted, regaining her footing and preparing for another attack.
Jacobe grinned, sensing an opening. "Let's see how you handle this!" He commanded the golems to attack again while he prepared another spell. Ardrale and the two golem then attacked at the same time. Suzzain used a skill for the first time Jackknife Kick which destroyed the golems and sent Adrial flying crashing with trees one by one getting injured. Lux got distracted, giving me the perfect opportunity. I swung my rod overhead, channeling all my strength into a powerful downward swing. The weapon sliced through the air and struck Lux on the head, causing blood to spurt from the wound as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Suzzain dashed toward Jacobe, her movements fluid and precise. With a swift motion, she executed another Jackknife Kick but Ardrale blocked it with his shield. Jacobe stepped backward and growled "Let's see what you are going to do now."
He then raised both his hands, bending his fingers making a triangle near his chest. "The Wrath" he shouted. The ground started trembling and a Giant Golem bursted out of the ground. It was about 100 metres tall. "Gggrrrhhh" it growled menacingly. "Ha-ha-ha, die you bastards, this what you get" Jacobe laughed.
"Th-this is freaking big, how are we gonna destroy this" Suzzain said looking towards me. "I think defeating the user can stop it" I replied. Suzzain then dashed towards Jacobe, her claws becoming bigger. "Absolute Defence" Ardrale called out another skill which surrounded him and Jacobe with a spherical barrier. Suzzain punched a lot but the defence was impenetrable.
The golem growled again. It then attacked trying to slam his hand over us. "Suzzain run" I shouted but it was too late, golem's hand was about to crush us.
" Skill Manipulation self destruct" a voice echoed. It was Kryndor back to his senses, our hero was back. He used a skill for the first time, his eyes were glowing golden and staring towards the golem.
"How he is free from your skill, you said the skill is invincible" Jacobe rebuked Bog.
"I- I don't know how he broke free, but the golem will kill him" Bog replied.
In a few seconds the golem punched its own head and destroyed itself. Its body fell, quacking the whole area and debris flying everywhere. "Wow what a timing you have got" Suzzain commended.
"No no this cannot happen noooo" Jacobe snapped. "I cannot maintain this barrier" Ardrale cried, his barrier started breaking. Suzzain saw the opening, she jumped high and used a skill "Half Moon Kick" which sent Ardrale and Jacobe flying.
Meanwhile, Idriana had already fled in fear, leaving Bog alone to face the chaos. Desperate to protect himself, Bog held a knife. "Move a step and I'll cut you all down!" he shouted, panic evident in his voice. I took a step forward, unwavering. Bog's eyes widened with fear as Kryndor stood behind him like a death angel, his presence ominous and foreboding.
Bob's face paled in fear; he was about to feel the cold grip of death. Kryndor, with an eerie calmness, began to channel his energy. "1000 Years in Pain," he declared, invoking his skill. I had been deliberately waiting for this moment, knowing the power that Kryndor wielded. As the skill took effect, Bog's expression turned blank, his eyes rolling back in terror. He screamed, a sound filled with agony as if he were being dragged into the netherworld and tortured by demons. The air around us thickened with his cries, echoing through the chaos of our battle.
"Stop! Please!" Bog begged, but no one listened.
The ground beneath him seemed to tremble with the weight of his torment as Kryndor unleashed the full force of his ability. Bog writhed on the ground, his body contorting as if invisible chains were binding him in excruciating pain. "Give me death, death" Bog pleaded. Suzzain and I exchanged glances, realising that we had to intervene before it was too late. "Kryndor! Enough!" I shouted, stepping forward.
But Kryndor remained focused, locked in on Bog's suffering. "He brought this upon himself," he said coldly. "Maybe so," I replied, my voice steady despite the chaos. "But we can't let this go on. It's not who we are!". For a moment, it seemed as if Kryndor was lost in his own dark thoughts. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the clearing. "That skill wasn't that painful; he was just exaggerating. He's unconscious for now. We should get going towards the next stage."
We were the winners so a portal materialized in our front for the next stage. We said our goodbye as we could be teleported to different places. Suzzain entered first "bye guys may we meet again". Kryndor looked towards me "you are the first friend I have made, we are parting ways and I want you to clear the exam." Then he entered the portal.
I was just about to step into the next stage when a crack in the maze wall caught my eye. "What's this?" I murmured, my curiosity piqued. "Maybe it's better to take a moment to gather my thoughts before diving deeper." With that, I dashed toward the fissure, feeling an irresistible pull. As I slipped inside, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. "Wow," I whispered, gazing at the tunnel that lay before me. It was filled with a thick, mysterious aura, and the air crackled with energy. Dynamic weather patterns swirled around me, creating a surreal spectacle. "This place feels alive," I thought, gripping my stick tightly as I moved cautiously forward.
The Book Of All Learning
Tells
Deceive: a skill of Bog which activates when the user has deceived the target two times. It makes the target immobile due to immeasurable emotional pain.
Lightning Shock, Urthing, Earth Spike: spells.
The Wrath: a skill which summoned a 100 meters tall golem. Used by Jacobe.
Manipulation: a skill which can make the target do whatever the user wants. It works against those with weak IQ. Used by Kryndor.
Absolute Defence: a skill which makes an impenetrable barrier. Used by Ardrale.
Jackknife Kick: a martial art kick strong enough to break golems. Used by Suzzain.
1000 Years in Pain: a lethal skill of Kryndor, which was very painful making Bog beg for death.