The room was quiet again, but this time, the silence felt heavier. Emi sat on the cold floor, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breathing. The words "Trial of Bonds" appeared on her bracelet, glowing faintly.
Her fingers tightened around the orb. It still pulsed softly, but its light was dimmer than before, as though it was slowly fading.
"Trial of Bonds," she murmured. "What does that mean this time?"
The walls of the white room rippled, and Emi braced herself for another shift. The space darkened, the air turning colder. When the light returned, she found herself standing in a large, open field under a blood-red sky.
In front of her was a group of people—five strangers of varying ages and appearances. Each wore a bracelet identical to hers, the timers all synchronized: 01:00:00.
A tall man with a scar running down his cheek was the first to speak. "So, another trial, huh? Looks like we've got a team this time."
Emi scanned the group carefully. Besides the scarred man, there was a woman in her twenties with sharp eyes, a boy around her age nervously fiddling with his bracelet, a stocky older man, and a young girl who couldn't have been more than ten.
"Where are we?" the boy asked, his voice trembling. "What's going on?"
The scarred man snorted. "You're new, huh? Let me give you the short version: we're stuck in this hellhole, and we've got to survive whatever the Maze throws at us."
The boy's face paled. "Survive?"
"Exactly," the woman interjected, crossing her arms. "So, let's cut the chatter and figure out what this trial wants from us."
A booming voice echoed across the field, interrupting them.
"Welcome to the Trial of Bonds. Your survival depends not on individual strength, but on the strength of your connection with others. Work together, or perish alone. The task is simple: reach the gate before the timer reaches zero. However, only those with a bond may pass through the gate. Strengthen your bonds… or face the consequences."
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
"What does it mean by 'bonds'?" the older man asked.
Emi's mind raced. "It could mean trust, teamwork, or something deeper. Either way, we can't pass without forming them."
The scarred man shrugged. "Sounds easy enough. Stick together, move fast, and we're golden."
"Not so fast," the woman said. "This is the Maze. Nothing is ever as simple as it sounds."
Emi nodded in agreement. "She's right. We need to figure out what kind of obstacles it's going to throw at us."
A faint humming sound drew their attention. A glowing path appeared in the grass, stretching toward a massive gate in the distance.
"Guess that's the way," the boy said nervously.
"Let's move," the scarred man said.
As the group began walking, Emi couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. The field seemed too quiet, the red sky oppressive.
The young girl tugged on Emi's sleeve, her wide eyes filled with fear. "Will we make it?" she asked softly.
Emi knelt down to her level, forcing a reassuring smile. "We'll do our best. Stick close to me, okay?"
The girl nodded, her small hand gripping Emi's tightly.
They followed the glowing path for several minutes before reaching a fork. The path split into three, each route marked by a symbol: a sun, a moon, and a star.
"What now?" the scarred man asked, scowling.
Before Emi could answer, the voice returned.
"Choose a path. Only one will lead you closer to the gate. Along the way, you will face challenges that test your bonds. Beware—choosing poorly may cost you dearly."
The boy groaned. "Great. More guessing games."
The older man studied the symbols thoughtfully. "We need to pick carefully. Rushing in could be a mistake."
Emi's gaze lingered on the symbols. They had to mean something. "Does anyone feel drawn to one of these paths?"
The young girl pointed to the star symbol. "That one. It feels… safe."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "We're really going to trust a kid's instinct?"
"She might be right," Emi said firmly. "Sometimes intuition is all we have."
The scarred man sighed. "Fine. Star path it is."
The group stepped onto the star-marked path. The moment they did, the ground beneath them rumbled. Large, shadowy figures began to emerge from the grass, their glowing red eyes fixed on the group.
"What the hell are those?" the boy shouted, panic rising in his voice.
The creatures resembled wolves, but their bodies were twisted and unnatural, their mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"Stay together!" Emi commanded, gripping the iron rod she still carried.
The wolves circled the group, growling lowly. One of them lunged at the boy, who screamed and stumbled back. Emi reacted instinctively, stepping in front of him and swinging the rod with all her strength. The creature yelped and retreated, but more were closing in.
"We can't fight them all!" the woman shouted.
"Then we don't," Emi said, her mind racing. "We distract them and move forward. Stay close, don't get separated!"
The group formed a tight circle, moving as one toward the end of the path. Emi and the scarred man took the lead, fending off the wolves with quick, decisive strikes. The young girl clung to Emi's side, her small frame trembling with fear.
"Almost there!" the older man called out as the glowing path ahead began to widen.
As they reached the end of the path, the wolves suddenly stopped their pursuit, retreating back into the shadows. The group collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Everyone okay?" Emi asked, scanning the group.
The boy nodded shakily. "Thanks for saving me back there."
"You're welcome," Emi said, offering a small smile. "We're in this together."
The young girl hugged Emi tightly. "You're really brave."
Emi's bracelet flickered, and a faint message appeared: Bond strength increased.
So that's what it meant, she realized. The Maze was testing their ability to trust and protect one another.
"We'll have to keep working together if we want to survive this," Emi said.
The others nodded in agreement, their resolve hardening.
The glowing path continued ahead, leading them closer to the gate—and the unknown challenges still waiting for them.