*Crack*

Ice flies.

Stone chips shatter.

No one dies.

Breathing easy as I mentally calculate the results, I watch the truth of fate play out below. The two alight on the rocky ledge I was standing on and it’s exactly as I foresaw. The hidden Icebomb sends rock exploding outward in a blurry spray of vaporizing water and ice. I’m not entirely sure what the damage is, but certainly, I doubt they will be walking anytime soon. The wind rushes in my face from the explosion below, as well as my descent as I let gravity take my back down. Glancing sideways, I see Number 3 has disappeared. In his place is the third candidate who came searching for us, who has been knocked unconscious at some point, a little blood dribbling from a bruise on his temple. Dropping down by the groaning forms of Mr. Axe and Mr. Chain, I quickly search their bodies for food. On the first one, the guy who chucked an axe at me in the first trial, I find a small pack filled with biscuits and some sort of weird cheese. It’s only half full, but hungry as I am, I waste no time taking a bite. Wow…I’m starving but even still, this is some truly awful cheese. Someone needs to do something about this…it’s a sin-

*Rummage*

Mr. Chain on the other hand has a lot of those dense biscuits, but he also has more of some sort of weird jerky which I can’t identify the origin of. The heck is this? Taking it anyways, because anything has to be better than the cheese, I also take his badge. Pinning it to my chest, my number officially goes from 76 all the way to 23. After destroying my old badge and Mr. Chain’s (Number 85) with a quick Burn, I turn my attention to their survival. Examining the state of their legs, I scratch my head. They won’t die…but I hope Elina’s better at healing fresh wounds than she is with old ones. Considering I’m going to be the next Secthead, it wouldn’t do to cripple my future underlings.

I become aware of movement nearby as several other candidates arrive. The future twists in unpredictable and unknowable ways due to so many factors and I realize it’s time to go. Strapping on their food-bags to my back, I head off, munching on the mystery jerky. This really isn’t that bad. But what the hell is it? Running behind a pillar, I take off in the direction with the least enemies. Now that I have food, all I have to do is hide until the end of this stage. How bad could it be?

#

*Toc*

A blade bounces off Mephis’s dagger and I grunt as the hard impact of one of the Rainstopper Candidates shakes my hand. Annoyed, I uncurl my fingers from the dagger handle, and whisper the words-

[Flaming Ember of My Desire, Burst Forth-Burn]

My spell causes flames to shoot out my fingers right at his eye. When he flinches, I smack my other fist into his temple, wincing as the crunching of his skull on my knuckles transmits some small pain up my arm. Romy’s training has hardened my body, true, but my lack of mastery with Qi is making it difficult to deal with these bastards at close range. Dancing away from his dropping body, I make my escape. Behind me, a dozen kids run on my coattails. Goddamnit, they’re like frickin wolves! I can’t shake them!

*Tap Tap Tap*

#

*Tap Tap Tap*

My feet smack against the cold rocky ground, boots clacking. I’ve given up on stealth. I think some of the candidates chasing me are taking turns. They swap out on rotations, a few always following me, wearing me down. Every time I try to chase one of them down, the ones who are resting catch up. My magic is strong, but if I use it too much I’ll run out of mana for Foresight. And that’s what’s allowing me to keep slipping their lines. The annoying thing is just that they’ve clearly ganged up on me. I’m certain that there are other candidates still left, hell I’ve seen one or two darting about, but even when I tried to run towards them and get them caught in the crossfire, these Rainstopper Candidates just kept chasing me. You guys do realize, I’m going to be your leader one day, right? You’ll regret this!

*BOOM*

The loud crack of an Icebomb exploding shakes the plateau and the pursuit stalls as the little gift I left behind blows some of them up. It’s impossible to tell how many I took out though, because Rainstopper Candidates rarely scream. Even when I break their legs, or burn their faces, they just grit their teeth and keep coming. It’s like fighting zombies! Looking back, I know they’re still coming. They’re hands scrabble over the rock pillars, and I catch flashes of their fluttering black robes. How long has it been? Honestly, I’ve lost count. The days keep passing, but I can’t stop running!

“Hah…Hah…” Sleep has eluded me, I think it’s been a long time. Weeks have gone by, that’s for sure. But is it close to the end? “Goddamit, leave me alone!” Flinging my hands back, I don’t even bother letting out a spell, just hope that the threat of my spellcasting gets them to back off.

I have to have broken the record for longest time without sleep by now…

*Thud Thud Thud*

Stealth isn’t an option anymore. My brain isn’t working right. I think Romy must have supercharged it with her training, because surely, I would have fallen asleep otherwise. As for the candidates chasing me, I guess their upbringings must have been just as bad because they’re keeping pace, never losing me long enough so I can take a nap. My dearest wish is to just…close…my…eyes…

“All Candidates! Those of you which have managed to last this long! The Second Trial will be ending at sunset!” Suddenly, a voice whispers as if in my ear. It’s so strange, so close, I feel like I must have hallucinated it. But when I glance up at the sky, I see a figure floating up there, his face gazing impassively down at all of us. It’s Jarshan. Which means this is real. It’s really the last day!

*Clack*

A throwing knife shoots by. After so long, I’ve had to gradually reduce the level of my Foresight to just a half second into the future. Enough to dodge such weapons if I’m paying attention. But my reflexes are slow. It brushes by my arm, slicing a thin line into my forearm. A flesh wound. It barely manages to wake me up from my stupor. The crushing headache that’s taken over my soul makes the future ripple like a pond of water that’s had stones thrown into it. Reluctantly, I’m forced to let it go. Dodging wildly, I look up through the shadowy rock pillars with my naked eyes, right here, right now, in the present. The sun…it’s…going down…

It’s funny, running when you’re waiting. You’d think waiting would mean standing still. But when you can’t stop, running can also feel like you’re standing still. Frozen in time. I imagine this is kind of what Lissandrei, the Ice Witch would have subjected Glacia and I to if Mark and Romy hadn’t arrived. Just frozen statues…burning endlessly…cold…yet hot. My eyes are fluttering, maybe I’m not even keeping them open. And then-

*Bump*

Someone thuds into me out of nowhere. I thrash wildly, immediately preparing to release all manner of spells, but when I open my eyes, a familiar face greets me, her chipped tooth smiling.

“Hey you.” She says and pats my back. “Sorry about that.”

I stumble, wondering why her face seems so hesitant. Meera?

A second later, the trial ends. Jarshan’s announcement touches all our ears despite him being in the sky.

“The Second Trial is now over. Stop fighting or you will be disqualified. If you need healing, shout out. Otherwise, proceed to the plateau.” The overseer tells us his instructions and then flickers out of sight again. Feeling woozy, I follow Meera out. Barely able to make it on my own two feet, I can’t feel anything except how heavy the world is. I just want it to be over so I can sleep. By some force of will, I make it to the plateau where the remaining candidates are waiting. Doesn’t…look…like…many people are left.

Out of the hundred kids which we started with, it seems only about thirty, maybe forty remain. They’re all in various states of disrepair, and I see Elina wearing her opossum mask going about with her strangely off stride, healing some which have awful injuries on their legs. They glare at me and I realize these must be the Rainstopper Candidates which were chasing me at some point. However, when they watch me, some of their harsh looks turn to smiles. They look away, chuckling amongst themselves. Glancing about, I’m surprised to see that Number 3, who I fought, is nowhere to be seen. He’s conspicuously missing. However, the kid with the twin short-swords that Meera warned me of, Janus is still there. A small cut runs down his left shin, and his eyes are sunken in. It seems even Number 1 did not survive unscathed. His eyes find me and stare into mine. Their blue depths are piercingly clear, and when they narrow, I know that he knows who I am. The competition.

“Well then. It seems that the trial is over. Those of you who have lost your badges, please step off. You will be…last…to choose.” Jarshan appears again, standing over us on that high peak above the plateau. Surveying us, I wait as ten-odd kids move off to where his finger is pointing. However, that doesn’t seem to satisfy Jarshan. His voice turns harsh, “Did you not hear me? Or perhaps you’re too tired to follow orders? If you don’t have a badge…step…OFF!”

I wait, my legs shaking, wondering who it is that’s taking so long. Tired as I am, I manage to muster the energy to look around. And that’s when it hits me. Everyone here. From Meera beside me, to the overseer above. Each and every one of their faces is looking at me. Their cruel smiles are too knowing. Something’s wrong. My chest drops, a heavy weight settling in my throat. Because I realize now that it’s too light. Something’s missing. My badge…damn…DAMN!