[One Hour Before Launch]

  “Listen up, recruits,” Waelid announced, pacing before us in the House Anu common room.

  The twelve of us stood together. You could taste the anticipation in the air. Our upperclassmen surrounded us, some perched on the stairs, others peeked through the doorways. A smaller third-year girl sat atop Ol’ Mumm, gently patting the giant bear-woman’s soft head.

  “The time has come! Your Practical, our trial, and the test against the other houses are just ahead. You are ready for this,” he said, pumping his fist in the air.

  “You’ve trained hard and pushed your limits. You’ve been broken down until only Truth was left—the Truth that you are the best of the best. The Truth that you will never give up in the face of adversity. You could have quit and retreated to a nice, quiet life across that land bridge, in that little town of Ash, but you didn’t!” Waelid continued, his maroon cape flipping in the air as he gave dramatic twists and turns. “This isn’t just a test—it’s your first real step into the vast unknown of the Pillar. As members of House Anu, we must find the Truth—the Truth of Baldred’s Pillar. Time after time, when something new has been discovered about the Pillar, we benefit as Cinders. When we get closer to the top when we take down monstrosities so that we may discover more of the Truth, do you know who makes those discoveries? We do. House Anu!”

  “House of Truth!” the surrounding upperclassmen erupted in unison.

  I glanced around at my fellow recruits. Mel stood with arms crossed; determination flowed around her. Silas sat beside me, adjusting his mechanical arm and ensuring his grapple attachment was secure. Zenobia closed her eyes briefly, centering herself. Her dueling rapier lay across her lap—I thought I saw her say a prayer.

  “The Pillar is our second home. We thrive in it. To others, it is a dangerous skyward abyss filled with creatures that will kill you in a second. But we adapt; we learn how it changes and adjust ourselves to go with the new wind. We may be fewer in number, but what we lack in quantity, we make up for in quality. Trust in your training and in each other. Trust in me, and trust in House Anu!”

  “House of Truth!”

  Fan stepped forward, her porcelain skin shimmered as she moved. “As co-captain, I’ll lead with Waelid. Give your all—not just for yourselves, but for House Anu. We will protect you along the way. Have faith in us as we have faith that we will find the Truth.”

  Lucius raised a hand. “What exactly should we expect up there? You haven’t told us anything, other than it’s a scavenger hunt of sorts. Oh, and that we could die.”

  “The rules will be given later. Unfortunately, I don’t know the exact details of the Practical. We will find out everything together. However, I can tell you how to survive. I have handled the first level of the Pillar six times already—this will be my seventh. The Cavernous Canopy, and every other level for all we know, changes every six months,” Waelid replied. “Geographical layouts shift, resources move, new challenges emerge, and every monster and creature killed is brought back to life. Dangers that died will return. It will be a new Level 1 even for those as experienced as I am. But do not worry. Your classes have prepared you. Hopsander taught you the fundamentals in combat; Stealth and Survival taught you how to use your instincts; Beast Mastery taught you how to handle creatures you might encounter. Artifact Engineering provided tools—like your grapple gauntlets—that will be invaluable. And Alchemy and Runic Applications taught you the most basic of potions to keep your endurance up.”

  “You have what you need; now you just need your own confidence. Your mind will determine if you survive. You must envision it—you have survived already; you are just experiencing the journey to that,” Fan added. “Believe in the Truth. Believe in House Anu!”

  “House of Truth!” we shouted all together.

  Ol’ Mumm roared and lumbered forward. She carried a basket overflowing with freshly baked muffins. “Thought you young’uns might need an energy boost,” she rumbled, her eyes crinkling with a warm smile. “I made them with some special herbs from Professor Rennal.”

  “How... special... are they?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

  Ol’ Mumm laughed and shook her head. “Not those kinds of herbs, young’un. Just some long-lasting beneficial herbs. Your skin will be harder to cut, you’ll be more agile, and you’ll run for longer after eating these. Will only last a day though, so time it carefully.”

  “Ol’ Mumm, you spoil us,” Rinka said bowing her head. She accepted the muffin basket and passed it around.

  “Just looking out for my favorite cubs,” she replied, patting Rinka’s head with her huge paw.

  “Hey, Gran! What about us?” a spiky-haired kid said behind us. He was a hedgehog beastman—a senior aptly named Quill.

  The large bear grumbled and said something about there being more in the kitchen for them.

  We each put a muffin into our backpack. Waelid had come around last night, passing out our gear for the Practical. We all wore thick, padded leather armor that covered our whole body except for our head. We were given a large backpack filled with a small sleeping roll, a few days’ worth of food and water, rope, glass jars for potions, tools, and other survival essentials we learned about in the week of classes.

  When we all slipped our packs on again, Waelid spoke up. “The upperclassmen are rooting for you.” He gestured around the room. Our common room and the doorways were packed with the rest of our house—there must have been over sixty other students there.

  “Do us proud,” one called out.

  “We’ll win, no problem,” Mel responded confidently.

  Waelid nodded and then gestured for us to follow him outside. We waved goodbye to everyone in House Anu and walked outside on the path towards the Academy.

  “When we arrive at the Mouth of the Pillar, we’ll receive the official rules. Be attentive. The other houses will be there, and while they may seem like rivals, remember that the real challenge lies within the Pillar itself. Do not let house politics get in your mind and distract you.”

  Silas leaned over to me. “I heard House Nin’s recruits are built like mountains.”

  I smirked. “All the more reason to show them what we’re made of.”

  “Size isn’t everything,” Waelid added, catching our exchange. “Strategy and heart often win the day. And with Fan’s and my expertise on Level 1, we will outsmart both houses.”

  He looked back, meeting our gazes. “This is our moment. Let’s seize it.”

  [10 Minutes Before Launch]

  We arrived at the Mouth of the Pillar. The immense chamber stretched before us, walls carved with ancient symbols that pulsed faintly. The ceiling vanished into darkness, and at the center, a colossal shaft ascended beyond sight—the interior of Baldred’s Pillar, as impressive as it was when we first saw it three days ago.

  —‘I can’t believe we are going to climb that,’ Fern said.

  —Thank God we got a little time to practice, I replied.

  Across the chamber, the other houses assembled. House Enlil stood in neat rows, their gold and black sashes catching the light. Chapter Master Jiho stood at their front, his long hair obscuring his eyes. Beside him was Marcus—the same Marcus who had clashed with Waelid before—smirking at us.

  “Look who decided to show up,” Mel muttered. “If I find him out there, I’m going to knock his teeth in.”

  “Ignore him,” Zenobia advised. “We have bigger things to focus on. Remember what our Chapter Master said.”

  To our left, House Nin stood like towering goliaths. Their recruits were beyond muscular, taller than all of us minus Tevin, and they all had heavy weapons hanging on their tight uniforms. Chapter Master Piqah bounced on her feet, bright pink hair in twin buns. Beside her stood Barrett, her towering co-captain.

  The atmosphere was thick with rivalry. Whispers and glances hinted at the competitive spirit.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an unfortunately familiar face. Professor Pestil walked up the stairs to the Mouth and glared at the three groups of recruits and their co-captains. He looked over, saw me, and walked up. “I’ll be watching you,” he whispered. “Don’t try anything... unusual.”

  A chill ran down my spine. Before I could respond, he moved away.

  “Everything alright?” Silas asked.

  “Yeah,” I lied. “Just nerves.”

  “What did he say?” Tevin leaned over, asking.

  “N-nothing. I’ll tell you about it later. Look, focus.”

  At the center, the Headmaster—tall and commanding with his long handlebar mustache and buzzed hair—raised his hands, and the murmurs subsided.

  “Welcome, recruits,” he announced. “Today, you stand on the threshold of greatness. Generation after generation, the Pillar has embraced recruits. Baldred’s Pillar—the tower of gods and ancient realm to beasts forgotten—molds Cinders. It provides the magical beasts that give power to our blood. After the Practical, whether it takes one day or a week, one house will win. One house will get their blood infusions six months before the others. The winners will acquire power they have been deprived of their whole life, and you will become that much closer to joining our ranks.” He paused and looked around the room before letting out a low sigh. “Some of you may not return; your courage will be remembered, and your name will be inscribed on the wall behind you.”

  A hush fell over us. His words settled, and we turned around to see a large wall, lit up by blue lights, etched with hundreds of names.

  “Death is a part of a Cinder’s life. If you perish here, you will not be alone in your afterlife.”

  Headmaster Thorn stepped back, twirled his mustache, and then held out his hand to a man who stood next to him.

  “I am Assistant Master Arlo,” the skinny man said, stepping forward. He unrolled a parchment. “I will outline the parameters of your Practical.”

  “Your objective is straightforward yet challenging,” he continued. “Scattered throughout Level One—the Cavernous Canopy—are six entities known as Scrollguards. These creatures each carry a scroll with invaluable information about the Pillar. As I am sure you have been made aware, every six months, these Scrollguards and other monsters return to life through some unknown force. This, however, has shown that the scrolls the Scrollguards had in the previous cycle are different now. Each cycle they change, and the information on the rebirthed scrolls is new.” He paused, looking around the room, watching for students to nod.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “To complete the trial, your house must retrieve at least two of these scrolls. All six Scrollguards must be neutralized by the end. You may choose to collaborate with other houses or compete against them.”

  “Sounds like a free-for-all,” Mel whispered, cracking her knuckles.

  “Shh,” I cautioned.

  “Points will be awarded based on defeating Scrollguards, subduing other creatures, gathering resources, and teamwork. These points affect your house’s standing. The winners will be given the chance to undergo Infusions.”

  He gestured to his side, and three assistant students came out with papers in their hands. “These are the newest maps of Level 1. They were taken yesterday with the help of some graduated Cinders. These maps will mark the general areas that the Scrollguards like to patrol. I suggest you let your Chapter Master decide.”

  Arlo waved a hand, and his assistants distributed maps to the Chapter Masters.

  “Additionally,” Arlo said, “killing another student is forbidden. However, you may subdue and incapacitate them.”

  Marcus smirked and called out, “What if we... relieve another house of their scrolls?”

  A tension rippled through the crowd. Waelid’s eyes narrowed.

  “Play nice, Marcus,” Jiho said.

  Arlo continued. “Apart from killing each other, everything is fair game. The teams who cannot bring back any scrolls will lose out on infusions and be on bathroom duties for six months. Second place, you get nothing.”

  “We should watch our backs,” Silas muttered.

  “Agreed,” I replied, tightening my grip around the bo staff I held.

  Arlo concluded, “House Anu will proceed first, followed by House Nin and House Enlil.”

  “Oh, that’s right, we get a head start. Why again?” I whispered.

  “Seems Waelid pulled some strings,” Zenobia replied.

  Waelid faced us, confident. “Gather up. We’ll review the map and finalize our strategy.”

  We formed a circle around him and Fan. The Headmaster’s voice echoed once more. “May fortune favor you all. Remember, greatness is earned through strength, loyalty, and truth.”

  Formalities concluded, the other houses began their preparations.

  Waelid spread the map across a stone surface. “The map already circled these four locations. The Pillar is big, guys—like really big. Five miles wide either way, and the first floor is a mile tall before hitting the floor of the second level. The locations for Scrollguards are likely near significant landmarks—water sources, elevated terrains, places of power. When we get there, everyone keep an eye out for those things.”

  Fan pointed along a line. “The main river cuts through here. Past trials suggest a Scrollguard favors the river. Ours was by a river, remember?” she asked Waelid, who nodded.

  “We’ll split into two teams when we climb to the first level to cover more ground,” Waelid said.

  “We will head here first; it’s the center part from the hole in the Pillar. From here we can split up,” he added.

  “Any questions?” Fan asked.

  No one said anything. Some shook their heads.

  “Good, get ready,” Fan said.

  Anticipation and nerves mixed inside me. My stomach grumbled, and I felt like I could throw up. I was picking at my thumb, but because of the leather gloves I couldn’t feel the sensation. The Practical and the unknown of Level 1 made me uneasy.

  “Prime your GGs,” Waelid announced.

  I twisted a knob below my thumb on the Grapple Gauntlet and heard a high-pitched whining sound as a small crystal in the gauntlet glowed. We had 300 meters of thin thread made of a special material that could hold a 500-pound person with ease.

  As we all tuned our gauntlets, a horn sounded—a deep note signaling the imminent start.

  “Positions,” Fan directed.

  We moved toward the base of the Pillar, the vast shaft looming above like a great maw. The air was charged.

  “On your call, House Anu,” Arlo called. A final horn sounded.

  “Ready up!” Waelid shouted at us and held out his arm. We held up our gauntlets and pointed them to the wall he indicated.

  “Launch!” Waelid commanded. I fired my gauntlet, and we flew up into the Cavernous Canopy.

  In unison, we launched our grapples, hooks soaring upward as we ascended into the unknown.

  As soon as Waelid commanded us to launch, the cavern exploded with the hiss and thwip of grappling hooks firing in all directions. Around me, my classmates sprang into action, their cables darting upward like metallic snakes. I followed suit, my own gauntlet jerking slightly as the hook shot skyward, the reinforced cable unspooling with a soft whir before embedding itself into the rocky wall far above with a bright spark.

  The hollow, cylindrical expanse inside Baldred’s Pillar stretched endlessly upward. From where we stood on the uneven cavern floor, it was a mile to the first official level of the pillar—the Cavernous Canopy. Above us, the narrow shaft seemed to go on forever, its upper reaches hidden in misty darkness. Layers of rock jutted out at irregular intervals, forming natural ledges that broke up the smooth cylindrical walls. The climb wasn’t just a straight shot; we’d have to zigzag, grappling from one side of the shaft to the other to gain altitude.

  I gripped my hand into a fist, feeling the cool metal of the gauntlet shift slightly against my knuckles. My thumb brushed the small button embedded along the side of my index finger—the retract mechanism. Taking a deep breath, I pressed it.

  CLICK.

  The gauntlet hummed, and the cable began to reel in. My boots left the ground as I shot upward, the force jolting through my arms. Wind whipped against my face, cold and sharp. My stomach lurched as the cavern floor shrank rapidly below, and the vastness of the hollow interior hit me again—walls curving outward, the opening stretching as wide as two football fields. Above, shadows darted as my classmates swung from wall to wall, each trying to outpace the others.

  I hurtled toward the rocky wall where my grappling hook had lodged. My free hand reached out instinctively to brace myself.

  THWOMP.

  The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, but I held firm, gripping the embedded hook for stability. Dust and small pebbles dislodged, cascading down into the abyss.

  “Keep moving!” Waelid’s voice thundered from above. He was already well ahead, swinging effortlessly from his gauntlet’s grapple like a crimson-cloaked spider. His maroon cape trailed behind him, flaring dramatically as he fired another cable upward.

  Beside me, Tevin whooped, his deep laughter echoing through the cavern. For a man his size, he moved with surprising agility, using his massive frame to swing further with each launch. “This is incredible!” he bellowed, his voice full of glee.

  “Focus, big guy!” Zenobia barked from a ledge above, firing her grappling hook with precision. Her golden hair gleamed in the pale crystal light filtering from somewhere above.

  Below, Silas’s mechanical arm whirred as he adjusted it, the grappling mechanism embedded in his customized gauntlet transforming into a small hand cannon. With a smirk, he launched himself upward, the blast propelling him higher than most of us could manage. “I could do this all day,” he called, catching my eye as he shot past.

  “Let’s hope you won’t have to,” I muttered under my breath, my gaze shifting upward. The ledge marking the first level was still agonizingly far away.

  The climb wasn’t straightforward. Jagged outcroppings and overhangs forced us to crisscross across the hollow chamber, each swing needing careful aim. One misstep, and you’d either slam into the rock face or plummet into the abyss below.

  “Watch the overhangs!” Fan’s voice rang out as she swung gracefully, her movements fluid and precise. Her pale skin seemed to glow under the faint light, making her look almost ethereal.

  I gritted my teeth and launched my next hook. The cable shot upward, embedding into a rocky outcrop near the opposite wall. With a press of the button, I soared through the air, the rush of adrenaline mixing with a gnawing fear in my gut. Heights had never been my thing, but here, there was no room for hesitation.

  As I swung closer to the wall, I caught a glimpse of Ruriel a few feet ahead. His movements were calculated, almost lazy, but undeniably efficient. His purple ponytail whipped behind him as he landed on a narrow ledge. He paused just long enough to reach out and steady Rinka, who was struggling to find her footing.

  “Thanks,” she panted, her gray hair damp with sweat.

  “You’re getting better,” I said as I swung up beside them, catching my breath. “No one would believe you were terrified of heights a month ago.”

  “I still am,” Rinka replied, her voice trembling slightly. She readied her gauntlet again, the determination in her eyes fierce. “I’m just pretending I’m not.” With a deep breath, she fired her hook and launched upward.

  I couldn’t let her outpace me. Steeling myself, I aimed higher and fired. My hook embedded into the next section of rock, and I surged upward again. The air grew thinner and cooler as we climbed, the faint taste of iron and dust lingering with each breath. Sweat dripped down my temples despite the chill.

  The final ledge loomed into view—a flat expanse jutting out from the wall, marking the end of our ascent. Waelid stood at the edge, waving us forward.

  “One more push!” he called, his voice carrying through the cavern.

  With a grunt of effort, I fired my hook one last time. The cable reeled me upward, and I landed on the ledge with a heavy thud. My legs felt like jelly, but relief flooded me as I scrambled away from the edge. Solid ground had never felt so good.

  Others climbed up around me, all looking relieved.

  Waelid clapped his hands. “Good work, House Anu. Take a breather, but stay sharp. We split into two teams here. Fan?”

  Fan stepped forward. “We’ll move faster in smaller groups.”

  She assigned groups briskly. I was paired with Rinka, Ruriel, Silas, Habr, and Amani.

  “Let’s move,” Fan said firmly.

  We stepped into the dense foliage of the Cavernous Canopy. Waelid’s group headed towards the mountains to the east that were drawn on the map. We headed to the river. Faint cries of unseen creatures echoed around us. The trial had finally begun.

  A loud horn echoed behind us. Fan looked back before continuing down the path. She adjusted the strap on her gauntlet and grunted. We had been walking at a decent but relaxed pace for about thirty minutes. “Alright, I think it’s about time we become more mobile. Remember, our grapples are our lifelines. Prime them again, get them warmed up.”

  We did so. I pressed the button, and my gauntlet whined to life. I tightened the straps on my grapple gauntlet, ensuring the mechanisms were functioning smoothly. Beside me, Silas flexed his mechanical arm, the attachments clicking into place.

  “It’s time,” Fan said abruptly, raising a hand. We came to a halt in a small clearing, the underbrush rustling softly beneath our feet. “That horn? That means the next house is climbing the chasm right now. We have about twenty minutes, maybe even less, before they get to the first level. Let’s speed some things up, shall we?” Fan said with her thick accent.

  She turned to face us, her black eyes looking like they were staring into each and every one of our souls. “Your grapple gauntlets are more than just climbing tools,” she began. “They’re your key to navigating this terrain efficiently.”

  Ruriel crossed his arms skeptically. “We know how to use them.”

  “Not like this,” Fan replied with a faint smile. She held up her gauntlet, pointing to a small dial on the side. “Professor Twinges had you install this during assembly—the speed compensator dial.”

  I glanced down at my own gauntlet, remembering being told to add it but not about its purpose. “What’s it do?” I asked.

  “When turned to the maximum setting, it reduces the length of your grapple but significantly increases the speed of its output and retraction,” Fan explained. “It allows for rapid movement through environments like this one.”

  She demonstrated by adjusting the dial to its highest setting. Aiming towards the trunks of the trees around us, she fired the grapple into the canopy. The hook shot out with a sharp hiss, and in an instant, Fan was airborne, swinging gracefully between the trees. She released and retracted the cable with fluid motions, moving effortlessly from branch to branch and trunk to trunk before landing lightly back beside us.

  “Impressive,” Amani said under her breath.

  Silas grinned, his mechanical arm whirring softly. “Looks like it’s time to test some upgrades.” He flexed his arm and twisted his own speed compensator dial.

  He launched himself upward, moving with surprising agility as he swung through the trees, his mechanical arm adjusting with each motion.

  “Alright, our turn,” I said, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I adjusted my dial, the gauntlet humming softly in response.

  One by one, we took to the trees. After a few minutes of crashing into branches and trunks, we grew accustomed to the increased speed. The forest became a blur of vibrant greens and browns as we soared between the branches.

  The wind rushed past my face, carrying the scents of wildflowers and damp leaves. My heart pounded—not from fear, but from exhilaration. Glancing to my side, I saw Silas swinging in tandem; he looked more natural with his mechanical arm than I felt with my regular arms. He had come to fully embrace the prosthetic.

  “Keep your momentum steady!” Fan called out from ahead. “Time your releases with the rhythm of the swing!”

  Habr maneuvered above, seamlessly switching attachments to clear small obstacles before re-engaging his grapple. Rinka moved with practiced grace, her movements almost dance-like as she navigated the canopy.

  “Stay focused,” Fan reminded us. “We’re making good time, but—“

  Another horn blared far behind us. The second house had reached the first floor, and the third house had begun their climb.

  “Shit, move!” Fan said as she shot forward through the trees. We all followed.

  We emerged from the dense canopy onto a massive branch that jutted out like a natural balcony. The branch was so wide it felt like standing on solid ground, its surface covered in a soft layer of moss and tiny flowering plants. Panting slightly from the climb, we took a moment to catch our breath.

  “Wow,” Silas murmured, voicing what we were all thinking.

  Before us stretched the vast expanse of the Cavernous Canopy. We saw everything from our position atop the high giant tree. The rainforest unfolded in waves of vibrant greens and deep shadows; the treetops formed a rolling sea of emerald that seemed to go on forever. The sounds of exotic birds and creatures echoed across the expanse. A majestic river carved its way through the middle of the landscape, its waters shimmering like a ribbon of silver under the filtered sunlight.

  On either side of the horizon, the pale, cloudy walls of the Pillar rose impossibly high, ascending until they met a ceiling of giant clouds and stone.

  The walls were a marvel—impossibly huge and holding up the weight of the enormous Pillar, yet semi-transparent, allowing beams of sunlight to penetrate and nourish the ecosystem within.

  “We’re a mile above the base ground floor,” Fan said softly, sitting on the edge. Her gaze was distant, as if she were seeing beyond what lay before us. “The walls you see not only contain us but also protect and sustain this environment.”

  I ran my hand along the bark of the branch, feeling the life pulsing beneath the surface. “It’s hard to believe all of this exists inside the Pillar,” I remarked.

  “Sometimes I forget how massive it truly is,” Rinka added, her eyes reflecting the shimmering river below.

  Silas adjusted his arm and stretched, peering into the distance. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing toward a faint plume of red smoke rising near where the river met the mountainous east side of the floor.

  Fan pulled out a cylindrical device from her pack. “That’s Waelid’s team,” she said. “They’ve made it to a Scrollguard.”

  She aimed the device toward the river and pulled a small lever. A bright red flare shot into the sky, ascending swiftly before fizzing out in a burst of crimson sparks.

  “That’ll let him know we saw his signal and are moving on to our target,” Fan said. She grinned and looked back at us. “I hope you all are ready for some action.” She aimed her gauntlet onto the tree, and with a *THUNK* she attached her grapple to the wood and slowly lowered herself down.

  We prepared to move, checking our equipment one last time, and descended after her. The ambient sounds of the rainforest filled the air—the distant calls of exotic birds, the rustling of unseen creatures, the gentle whisper of the wind through the leaves.

  We trudged through the rainforest floor for a good twenty minutes. The underbrush was thick here, with ferns brushing against our legs and the rich scent of humidity and earth filling the air.

  “Hold up,” Fan whispered, raising a hand. We halted instantly, the group forming a semicircle around her. She reached into a pouch at her side and pulled out a smooth, rune-inscribed stone that pulsed with a faint, rhythmic glow.

  “What’s that?” Habr asked, his eyes fixed on the stone.

  “A proximity tracker,” Fan explained. “It detects powerful energy signatures—like those emitted by Scrollguards.” She held it up for all to see. The stone emitted a slow, steady pulse.

  “Boom... boom... boom,” Silas murmured, matching the rhythm.

  “As we get closer to a significant source of energy, the pulses will quicken,” Fan continued. “Right now, it’s sensing something, but it’s still at a distance.”

  Silas adjusted his mechanical arm, the gears clicking softly. “So, what’s our strategy when we find it?”

  Fan glanced around the group, her gaze steady. “Ruriel, Erik, and I will take point as melee fighters. Rinka, provide ranged support. Habr, Amani, and Silas will handle support roles—distractions, flanking, and any necessary healing.”

  I tightened the grip on my weapon. “Understood.”

  “Remember,” Fan emphasized, “our goal is to retrieve the scroll, not stay engaged in unnecessary combat. Be efficient and stay alert. If things look like they are going south, help each other pull out. I will be giving orders throughout.”

  Suddenly, the stone’s pulsations began to quicken.

  BOOM-BOOM... BOOM-BOOM... BOOM-BOOM

  The light intensified with each beat.

  “Uh, Fan?” my voice wavered slightly. “I think it’s getting closer. Fast.”

  Fan’s eyes narrowed. She grabbed the stone as it pulsed even more rapidly. “Shit. Something’s here.”

  “A Scrollguard?” Ruriel asked, raising his twin tanto blades.

  “I’m not sure—it sounds heavier.” Fan pulled out her weapons—a small hammer and a small round buckler shield.

  The ground beneath us trembled, a subtle vibration escalating into a violent shaking. The distant sound of cracking wood grew louder. Trees ahead of us began to sway unnaturally before snapping like twigs.

  —‘It’s coming!’ Fern said.

  —We’ve got this. We will win, I said, gritting my teeth.

  I held my wooden staff, flipped it in my hands to a combat position, and tossed my pack aside. The other classmates did the same, readying their own weapons.

  “Positions!” Fan commanded.

  Before we could fully react, the foliage ahead exploded. A massive lizard-like creature burst through, its scales shimmering with an iridescent hue. Rows of razor-sharp teeth lined its gaping maw, and its eyes glowed with an eerie, unnatural light. Under its body, attached to its belly, was a large scroll the size of a human, wrapped up with golden rope.

  “Scrollguard!” Fan yelled. “Attack!” She reached out her hand, and her grappling hook shot out from her gauntlet and plunged into the flesh of the giant lizard.

  The Scrollguard roared, and Fan flew through the air. Her black eyes were wild with rage, and a large smile was painted across her face. She bellowed as she flew, hurtling at the monstrous lizard. Her hammer blazed down on the beast.

  “Die!” She raged.