The neotides saw that the bubble had broken, and they stormed towards her. She ran to the trap and fell inside the pit that she had dug in the ground. All the neotides followed her inside. The pit was about ten feet big, so they were really up and close. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the pit was closed with a huge boulder from above, and she was left alone with the neotides.

Adrianna couldn't understand as to who would be so cowardly as to dare to close the pit from above. She looked around her. The neotides looked ghastly in the darkness with their eyes flashing a dull yellow color. It was very dark and Adrianna had to rely on her instincts.

​​

They started circling her and giving out low howls. In the next instant, they all pounced on her. Sensing their attack, Adrianna pointed her finger upwards. A white light was emitted at lightning speed and the rock that had been covering the pit got blasted into thousands of pieces with such a loud bang that all the neotides covered their ears. Taking the advantage, Adrianna leapt above them and high into the air. While airborne, she looked down at them. They were all trying to jump out of the pit. She smiled and covered the pit with a huge boulder that was lying nearby and sealed it with her magic. It become impenetrable; the first stage of the competition was over.

A portal was formed in front of her to return to the wizard kingdom.

Adrianna didn't enter the portal. Instead, she turned back and ran towards the opposite direction; it was time to hunt someone else. She knew that they must be close, watching her.

"Where are they?" she asked the beasts nearby.

One of them answered, "They are all behind you."

"I might need your help."

"Anytime."

It wasn't long before they came out of their hiding space.

"I was hoping that you'd be killed by the neotides, but you came out unscathed," said Lia as she stopped right in front of Adrianna on her broom.

"Sneaking your way into the competition arena that is organized by the ministry will attract penalties. Do you know that?" warned Adrianna. Adrianna saw that with her was a group of students from her class, headed by Zola.

Lia laughed like a madwoman. "With my skills, it is not difficult to enter this arena," she said.

"You mean with your sneaky skills? Who helped you to enter this place? Don't you know that you are being watched?" Adrianna sniggered.

Lia circled around Adrianna on her broom and then stopped in front of Adrianna again. "I am highly surprised at your claim for the throne even though you know absolutely nothing. There is something known as invisibility spell," Lia said sarcastically. No one up in the wizard kingdom can detect me."

Adrianna's lips curved into a smile and she asked the question that had been bugging her, "Why did you kill the healer?"

"Simple! To force you to use up your only way to call for any help in case of danger. Now that you have no way to call the wizards for help, you are by yourself. It is only the afternoon, meaning that we have the entire day to hunt you, torture you, and kill you!" replied Lia as she took her wand out.

"That is not going to happen," said Adrianna, narrowing her eyes as she started moving her hand to take out her own wand. But before she could reach inside her pocket, Zola, along with the other students, pointed their wands at her. Once again, Lia laughed and said, "Look at how many of us there are. You can't fight so many wizards and witches. After all, you are nothing but a werewolf!"

"Lia, I am warning you. Leave while you can, and don't jeopardize these students for your own selfish goals."

"The competition stated that a werewolf has to be trapped for the first stage to be complete, and who is a better werewolf than you," said Lia as she threw a lightning bolt at Adrianna that bound themselves around her like rope.

All the other students followed Lia's lead and used their wands to throw ropes around her, severely binding her. Adrianna knew that if she tried to force herself out of the ropes, they would only tighten more.

Lia, Zola, and other students laughed at Adianna as they started lifting her into the air.

Adrianna shouted, "Lia is misleading all of you! For the final stage, you had to trap a neotide, not a werewolf!"

"Shut up! You bitch!" yelled Lia.

The students looked at Adrianna. While some of them started doubting, some were determined to capture Adrianna.

"She is saying nonsense to save herself," screamed Zola. "Don't pay attention to her!"

One of the students agreed. "Yes, we already trapped her. Let us take her back to the wizard kingdom. We have finished the first stage of the competition so let us head back and show our trophy to the school."

All of them started laughing.

However, Lia had other intentions. She looked at the ground and whispered, "Orlcusss…"