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Then I hear Archmage Gidston taking the third group of adepts over to their starting locations. There will only be one more group after this.
Gravel crunches beneath another adept’s boots. My nerves are so taut that I spring to action, convinced the trial has begun. But the aether barrier still hums in front of me, barring my path. I place my hand flat against it. The magic vibrates beneath my touch. Its tingling is so intense it feels like tiny needles are pricking my palm. I jolt back.
Archmage Gidston announces the final group. Her voice fades as she leads them away.
Any moment now, the trial will begin.
My heart pounds with anticipation. Adrenaline spikes through my veins. The trial hasn’t even begun, and I already feel as though I will burst apart. The wait drags on, and I begin to wonder whether the trial will ever begin, or if we will be waiting forever and—
Thunder booms. It comes from everywhere, ringing out so loudly the cave walls tremble.
A crack follows. The aether barrier shatters. But it doesn’t fall like glass. It dissolves into glittering dust and scatters into the shadows.
The Trial of Mind has begun.
I plunge into the darkness. The aether barrier repairs behind me, preventing my retreat. My footsteps drum wildly against the stone path, but I only manage a few strides before I come to a halt, realizing that I can’t see anything.
“Iluminos.” My magic explodes into a brilliant orb. Its rays penetrate the shadows. The end of this path is just a few yards ahead. If I’d continued much longer, I would have collided with the wall. The tunnel forks into two paths. I glance down each, but both are shrouded with darkness. I can’t tell them apart. From where I stand, they look identical.
There is no way to know which path I should take.
With a deep breath, I turn right and pray I made the right decision.
My illumination orb hovers above as I run. It casts a shadow over me, and my silhouette sprints on the wall beside me. This path leads to several more turns, and I choose each at random.Soon I worry I’m heading in circles, blindly charging through this maze of tunnels.
My path splits into three. I halt.
If I am sprinting in circles, I’m wasting precious time. I have only one hour to complete this trial, and I don’t know what obstacles will hinder me.
I must think of a better way to navigate this maze. A way to recognize whether I’ve ventured down each path before.
Frowning, I scan over the bumpy ground, hoping to find something of use. If only I had string, or maybe seeds, to scatter across the stone. Then I could mark my path.
An idea strikes me.
“Gelu,” I mutter and press my palm to my boot. Ice swirls over the sole.
I return my foot to the ground. When I stride forth, frost glitters where my boot was. Hopefully, the icy footprints will last long enough for me to navigate the maze.
I continue through the tunnels, now choosing each with more confidence. But I soon run into my frozen footprints, and I curse under my breath. It seems I was definitely going in circles before I covered my boot with ice.
I trace back my tracks until I find the turning which set me into this loop, and I choose an alternative path.
My boots pound against the rocky floor. Too focused on running, I barely notice the flash of fair hair to my right.
I pause, glancing in that direction.
Myron stands there. His magenta eyes fix on me. Recalling Archmage Gidston’s words, I swallow.
He isn’t one of the best adepts in our year—far from it. But I don’t wish to waste time fighting him. Yet if he decides to strike me first, I will have no choice in the matter.
Aether blooms in my fingers. Just in case he makes his move.
Our gazes hold for a moment longer. I wonder whether he will propose another option: to ally together and use our wits to solve the obstacles scattered throughout these tunnels. I’ve hardly ever spoken to him during our five years at the Arcanium, and he’s one of the quieter adepts in our year, but such an alliance would be beneficial for us both.
Deciding he would have struck by now if he intended to fight, I let the aether in my hands fizzle out. I open my mouth to call over to him, but he turns and flees in the opposite direction. His cerulean robes disappear around the corner.
I roll back my shoulders. It isn’t as if I needed him. An alliance would have benefited him more than me.
