The forest was alive with energy, the air charged with excitement and tension. The teams were assembling, preparing for what would be the beginning of a brutal competition. This wasn't just a game; it was survival.

  We stood off to the side, watching as others circled like vultures, sizing up the opposition. I couldn't help but feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me. This wasn't just about the game—it was about proving ourselves, about surviving.

  "Alright," Emberes began, his voice steady but sharp, "Here's the deal. The game lasts 14 hours, but we won't make it that long if we don't score. Every hour, if we haven't scored, we're eliminated. Simple as that. Teams can only score when they're facing off against another team, and once one team scores, the smoke signal goes up, and everyone knows who's ahead. No scoring, no smoke, and we're out."

  I nodded, feeling the gravity of what he said. Time was our enemy just as much as the other teams.

  "Don't forget," Gashiaz added, her eyes scanning the field, "the game is in the forest. It's one square mile, and we'll be scattered at the start. We need to be quick on our feet and smart. The terrain will work for us if we use it to our advantage."

  "Let's not forget," Jarek said with a sly grin, "speed is just as important as strategy. We have a good mix of strengths, but we need to stay focused."

  "I just hope this works," Jade muttered, looking around nervously. "The last thing we need is a misstep in the first round."

  With the rules set and the tension rising, we made our way to the designated starting area, the cold air brushing past us as we entered the forest. The terrain was rough—dense trees, rocky paths, and the occasional clearing. The moment we were placed in our starting zone, everything went quiet. The countdown had begun.

  "Ready?" Emberes asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

  "Always," I replied, gripping the weapon at my side. The forest was alive with the sounds of animals, but I knew those weren't the real threats here.

  As the first hour ticked by, we moved cautiously through the woods. The power dampers scattered throughout the arena were already making an impact. No matter how strong we were, our abilities were dulled by the dampers. That meant our strength wasn't enough. It was going to come down to wit, speed, and teamwork.

  Two hours in, we found ourselves facing off against a second team—a group draped in yellow. From the way they moved, it was clear they were seasoned competitors. This wasn't just a game for them. This was everything.

  "We can't hesitate," Emberes whispered, his hand resting on his blade. "We need to score quickly and keep the pressure on them."

  I nodded. The moment they spotted us, the tension was palpable. There was no turning back.

  The first strike came from their side. A tall man, fast and aggressive, came charging toward us with a blunt weapon raised. He swung, but Gashiaz was already moving, her elemental magic crackling around her. The air shimmered as she summoned a gust of wind that knocked the attacker off balance. He hit the ground hard, but they didn't back off. More of them charged forward, and we had to split.

  "Watch the flanks!" Jade called out. "Stay together, but be aware of their movement!"

  The battle erupted around us, and I could feel the heat of the moment building. Lyra was moving swiftly, her magic weaving between attacks as she fired small bursts of flame at the enemies. Jarek darted around, his speed and agility putting him in positions to assist where needed. Aszhuak and I stood shoulder-to-shoulder, blocking and striking, making sure no one could get past us.

  In the chaos, I spotted the goal—a small opening in their defense where the ball, a hard, rubber-like object, had been dropped. It was now or never.

  I sprinted forward, diving to grab it. As I rose, I hurled the ball into the net with a powerful throw. The moment it passed through, a bright plume of smoke shot up into the sky—green, our color. We had scored.

  "They're out!" Gashiaz shouted, her voice ringing with excitement. "We did it."

  Emberes grinned, but there was no time to celebrate. The clock was ticking, and we couldn't afford to waste any more time. We had to move quickly.

  As we regrouped, I could see that the other teams were moving cautiously around the forest, avoiding direct confrontation unless absolutely necessary. The first hour had passed, and now it was down to us and the other survivors. We were one step closer to the endgame.

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  By the time the second hour ended, two teams had already been eliminated. The smoke signals had faded, signaling that they hadn't scored. Their time was up.

  The pressure was on. We had made it this far, but we couldn't stop now. Not with everything at stake.

  "We need to keep pushing forward," Emberes said. "Let's stay sharp and move fast. The next team could be just around the corner."

  We pressed on, moving swiftly through the forest, keeping an eye out for any signs of other teams. We couldn't afford to be caught off guard.

  As we navigated the dense trees and brush, we heard movement ahead—another team, also on the hunt. But this time, we were ready. With a clear goal in mind, we would do whatever it took to keep advancing.

  The hours dragged on as the forest grew eerily quiet. With every eliminated team, the tension deepened. The smoke signals reset after every hour, marking the dwindling number of competitors. We were one of the last four teams standing, but this didn't feel like a game anymore.

  We regrouped in a clearing, every breath coming heavy. The adrenaline had been pumping since the first elimination, but now exhaustion was starting to creep in. Emberes paced, his eyes scanning the treeline. "We're close. Stay sharp."

  The forest was quiet—too quiet. The kind of quiet that made the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. I wiped the sweat from my face and tightened my grip on my weapon. We were down to the final four teams, but this didn't feel like a competition anymore.

  Emberes stood a few feet away, pacing like a caged animal. "Stay sharp," he muttered, his eyes scanning the treeline.

  Jade was beside me, her hands glowing faintly with magic, ready to spring into action. She didn't say anything, but I could see the tension in her posture. We were all exhausted. Hours of constant fighting and running had worn us down, but there was no time to rest.

  Then, they appeared.

  A group stepped out from the shadows, moving with eerie precision. No team colors, no standard equipment—just sleek black armor that seemed to absorb the light around it.

  "That's not regulation gear," Aszhuak growled, stepping closer to Emberes.

  "Who are they?" Jade whispered, her voice low and tense.

  Before anyone could answer, they attacked.

  It happened so fast. Magic erupted around us, tearing through the trees and shattering the dampers that had kept everyone's power in check. The air crackled with unrestrained energy, and suddenly, the playing field wasn't level anymore.

  "Scatter!" Emberes shouted, but it was chaos.

  One of them—a massive figure with glowing red eyes—fired a blast that sent Aszhuak flying into a tree. Gashiaz tried to summon a shield, but the force of their attacks overwhelmed him. Lyra barely had time to react before she was struck down.

  "No!" I roared, charging toward her, but I wasn't fast enough.

  Everything blurred after that.

  Jade and I didn't have a choice—we tapped into our reserves, unleashing the power we'd fought so hard to control. My vision tinged with purple as the mana surged through me, and I felt my strength double, then triple.

  It wasn't the first time I'd done this. I knew what it felt like to let the mana take over, to feel it coursing through my body like wildfire. But this wasn't a fight we could win by brute force.

  And then, Hue happened.

  He was fighting beside me, bloodied but still standing, when he suddenly froze. His breathing quickened, his eyes wide with panic. I turned to him, just in time to see the first flicker of purple light in his eyes.

  At first, I thought I was seeing things. But then the glow intensified, brighter and more vivid than anything I'd ever seen. The mana poured out of him, wild and uncontrolled, like a dam had burst inside him.

  "Hue?" I barely managed to say, my voice caught between shock and disbelief.

  "I...I don't know what's happening," Hue stammered, his voice trembling. His hands shook as the energy enveloped him, wrapping him in a pulsing aura of raw power.

  I exchanged a glance with Jade, who looked just as stunned as I felt.

  "You're one of us," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

  "No..." Hue shook his head, his voice cracking. "I'm not. I didn't know—I didn't know!"

  His panic was real, but so was his power. He moved without thinking, his strikes wild but devastating. Each blow sent shockwaves through the battlefield, and the enemy team faltered under his onslaught.

  The three of us—Jade, Hue, and I—fought side by side, our combined power overwhelming. Jade unleashed waves of fire, her movements precise and calculated. I let the mana guide me, each strike sending shockwaves that toppled trees. And Hue...Hue was a force of nature, his attacks unrefined but unstoppable. We let out a powerful surge of mana together aiming it at the fake team. The world grew quiet, or team watching us in awe and fear.

  When the dust settled, seven of the infiltrators lay motionless, their bodies broken. Their leader was nowhere to be seen, the remnants of his power dissipating into the air. The forest was silent except for the sound of our ragged breathing.

  But the cost of victory was high. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, my vision swimming. Pain radiated through my body, every muscle screaming in protest. I turned my head to see Hue lying nearby, equally battered but still breathing.

  "What...what just happened to me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "You didn't know," Jade said softly, her voice full of something I couldn't quite place—sympathy? Fear?

  Hue shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't know. I didn't know I was...like you."

  "We... did it," I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible. Ignoring the fact that Hue may actually be Findel.

  But even as I said the words, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had just changed. Hue wasn't supposed to have this power. For years, everyone thought Jade and I were the last of the Liche clan, the final heirs to this cursed legacy.

  And now, Hue.

  The last thing I heard before darkness claimed me was the muffled sound of voices—urgent, hurried—and the soft thud of footsteps approaching. Medics. Relief washed over me, and I let myself go, trusting that they'd take it from here.