The night was calm, a soft breeze weaving through the cracks of the inn's old wooden walls. Alden sat quietly at the small table in his room, the flickering candle casting long shadows. His mind was calm, but alert—only two exams remained, and he knew well the stakes that awaited.
After a simple dinner prepared by the innkeeper, Alden retired early. His body craved rest, but his thoughts were restless, weaving through possibilities and strategies. Tomorrow's trials were unlike any he had faced before.
When dawn broke, Alden rose with the first light, the sky still pale and cool. At breakfast, the innkeeper greeted him warmly, his eyes kind but filled with knowing curiosity.
"You look ready," the innkeeper said, passing a steaming bowl of porridge across the table. "The next trial will test more than just your skill with aether. It will test your mind."
Alden nodded, thankful for the brief moment of companionship. The warmth of the innkeeper's presence was a quiet reassurance.
Soon, the halls echoed with the sounds of students gathering. The examination chamber was once again a hive of whispered nerves and shifting feet. But the room itself had transformed.
Gone were the simple desks and chairs; in their place stood rows of strange pods—sleek, metallic capsules humming faintly with power. They resembled the awakening pods from the ceremony, but these seemed more advanced, lined with glowing runes and softly pulsating with aether.
The students took their places beside the pods, murmuring in nervous anticipation. Alden's heart quickened, but his face remained calm. He approached his assigned pod, feeling the cool metal under his fingers.
Minutes ticked down. Ten. Nine. Eight.
The guide entered—a tall man draped in a deep blue cloak embroidered with silver sigils. His voice was steady and clear as he addressed the room.
"I trust you remember the awakening pods," he began, "and the journey your consciousness took during your Awakening Ceremony. Today, however, you will enter a world unlike any other—a world constructed entirely of aether, designed to hone your skills in control, strategy, and combat."
He paced slowly before them. "In this world, you will face goblins—common creatures, yes—but also their leader, a fearsome hobgoblin. Your goal is to slay as many of these foes as possible. Points will be awarded for each kill and will be added to your total score, affecting your final ranking."
A murmur spread through the room.
"The pods will close in ten seconds," the guide said. "Prepare yourselves."
One by one, the lids of the pods hissed shut, sealing the students inside. Alden's pulse steadied as darkness enveloped him.
When his senses returned, Alden found himself standing in a vast forest bathed in an otherworldly twilight. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and the soft rustle of leaves whispered secrets overhead.
He reached out instinctively, and the wind brushed past his skin as if it were real. He bent down to grasp a nearby plant, bringing a leaf to his lips. The taste was bitter, almost metallic—the same as in the world he had known.
Yet, this world was no mere illusion.
Alden focused on drawing aether. It surged freely in the air, an abundant source of raw energy. He closed his eyes and reached deeper, searching for the strange internal force within him—the mysterious power bound to his amulet. But here, it eluded him completely, like a ghost slipping through his grasp.
He recalled the guide's words: this world was artificial, constructed solely from aether. No other forces could exist here.
He shook his head and turned his attention to the task.
Three hours.
That was all the time he had to hunt the goblins and defeat their leader.
Moving cautiously, Alden scanned the shadows between the trees. The goblins were said to be numerous, feral creatures driven by instinct, but the hobgoblin was a cunning predator who avoided the light of day.
He would have to use his wits to find its lair.
It did not take long.
Ahead, a pack of eight goblins lumbered through the brush, their snarling faces twisted with hunger and malice.
Alden's fingers flickered with fire. His control over aether had grown beyond any novice—his spells fast and precise.
He conjured a blazing orb and sent it hurtling toward the pack.
The fireball struck with lethal force, engulfing the creatures in flames before they could react.
Six goblins fell instantly, their cries cut short.
Two, however, survived, limping away in agony, clutching their wounds.
Alden did not follow immediately. He kept his distance, watching as the two remaining goblins struggled forward, supporting each other.
They stumbled for thirty minutes, moving steadily toward what appeared to be a hidden cluster of huts made from dried grass and branches.
At the entrance, both collapsed.
Other goblins emerged, dragging the wounded inside.
Alden's eyes narrowed.
That had to be the lair of the hobgoblin.
He studied the encampment, noting the fragile structures that could be set alight with but a single spark.
A direct assault was impossible.
There were too many foes, and his time was limited.
He needed a plan.
Circling the lair, Alden carefully inscribed intricate magic circles into the ground—sigils designed to ignite upon activation.
With a deep breath, he triggered the spell.
Small flames erupted, carefully targeted to leap across the dry huts.
Within moments, the lair was ablaze.
Panic erupted among the goblins.
Screams filled the air as some tried desperately to extinguish the spreading fire.
Others fled blindly into the forest.
Then, from the largest hut, the hobgoblin burst forth—a towering beast clad in crude armor, its eyes blazing with fury.
It shouted orders to run rather than fight the flames.
Alden watched from his hidden perch as the hobgoblin turned, panicked, and fled into the forest.
He moved swiftly to follow.
Climbing a nearby tree, Alden took careful aim.
He launched a fireball, striking the hobgoblin squarely in the chest.
The creature stumbled, weakened but not defeated.
Alden summoned every ounce of his power, forging an ice spear from the purest essence of his aether.
With a cry, he hurled the spear.
It struck the hobgoblin's heart.
The beast fell.
Exhausted, Alden rested briefly before the remaining time slipped away.
He hunted the scattered goblins, ensuring no foe escaped.
When the trial ended, Alden awoke, blinking against the harsh light of the pod chamber.
The display in front of him glowed brightly: 300 points for the hobgoblin, and 87 goblins slain at 10 points each—totaling 1,170 points.
Only two others had defeated the hobgoblin, but none had come close to his number of kills.
He was the highest scorer in his class.
Tomorrow awaited the final test—combat.
Alden's fingers clenched around the amulet, the unknown power inside whispering promises he was only beginning to understand.
The real battle was just beginning.