"How are we supposed to find anything if we can't see?" Merrik's voice trembled in the thick darkness.

"Shut up, and don't be a coward, Merrik!" Eli's sneering tone cut through the silence, his usual arrogance clear.

Leo recognized the voice instantly, and before he could respond, an idea came to him. He reached into the small sack where Soot was snuggled, pulling the creature

gently into his hands. Soot wiggled and snorted, his soft fur warmed against Leo's palms, and then his tail lit up with a faint glow, casting a dim light around them. The

shadows danced on the maze's walls, revealing just enough to see a few feet ahead.

Gasps and murmurs of surprise came from the other novices. A few even clapped lightly in approval.

"At least the pig prince is good for something!" Eli's mocking voice rang out again, this time with a sharp edge of bitterness.

Leo ignored the insult, focusing instead on the maze ahead. "Which direction should we go?" he asked, looking at the four openings that branched off from where they stood.

"I don't think it matters at this point," said a boy standing next to Leo, his voice calm and composed.

"You're probably right," Leo replied, offering a quick smile. "I'm Leo, by the way."

"By the way, well done. I am Kael. And this is my friend Willow," Kael said, gesturing toward the small, fairy-like girl beside him.

"Oh, brother," Eli scoffed. "Anyone who wants to actually get out of here should follow me." After three failed attempts, Eli finally managed to conjure a small energy

ball in his palm. It hovered weakly above his hand, casting flickering shadows on his face.

"Wouldn't it be faster if we all stuck together?" Willowmina asked, her voice soft but firm.

"Anyone who wants to stick with the mud prince can go right ahead," Eli snapped, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm not wasting my time!" With that, he stormed off through

one of the passageways, several others following him.

Some of the other novices scattered into different passages, leaving only a few remaining.

Leo sighed, glancing at Soot's glowing tail. "Well, Soot, I guess it's just the two of us."

"Hey, what about us?" Kael's voice brought him back, and Leo turned to see him and Willow standing beside him, smiling.

Leo felt a warmth of gratitude but quickly responded, "I can't say that you've made the right choice, but thanks. I'll need all the help I can get."

"Let's get to it, then," Willow said, her eyes sparkling with determination.

"Which passage should we take?" Leo asked, raising Soot high to give them better visibility.

Kael shrugged. "I doubt it matters. But we need to move."

"You're probably right, Kael," Leo agreed. "Let's go this way." He pointed toward the nearest opening, and the trio stepped forward together.

As they moved into the passage, Soot's light began to dim, growing fainter with every step. Leo frowned. "Soot's light has been so dependable... I don't know what's happening."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"It's likely some enchantment Gwideon placed on the maze," Kael suggested.

They pressed on, navigating by feeling their way along the hedge walls. After what felt like an eternity of stumbling in near darkness, they noticed a soft glow ahead—

a light coming from one of the openings.

"That must be one of the challenges," Leo said, his voice tinged with nervous excitement.

"Why is it so quiet? Shouldn't we hear the others?" Willowmina asked, her brows furrowed.

Kael shivered. "I don't know, Willow. It's eerie."

They stepped into a clearing, and the moment they did, a dense fog wrapped around them. The fog gradually lifted, revealing a set of square platforms suspended in

the air, floating on swirling gusts of wind. At the topmost platform, a shimmering talisman floated above it, glowing softly.

Leo's breath caught. "I guess that's what we need to get to complete this challenge."

Willowmina nodded. "Should we each try a different platform and meet up at the top?"

"That sounds like a solid plan," Leo agreed, his heart pounding in his chest.

Willowmina took the lead, stepping onto the lowest platform with grace and balance. Kael followed, taking a running leap to land on a platform slightly higher. He

wobbled for a moment before regaining his footing.

"Come on, Leo!" Kael called back.

"I'm just... figuring out the best way to approach this," Leo muttered, his gaze locked on the platform ahead.

"Just jump! We don't have all day!" Willowmina urged, her tone light but urgent.

Leo hesitated for a split second, clutching Soot tightly. As he prepared to jump, he felt a strange sensation. His birthmark began to heat up, and suddenly, it felt as

though invisible hands were lifting him. He leaped forward, but instead of the usual weightlessness of jumping, it felt like he was walking on air. He landed squarely in

the middle of the platform, his feet barely touching the surface.

"How did you do that?" Kael and Willowmina gasped in unison.

Leo blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? I just took a running leap."

"No, it looked like you walked on invisible stairs to get up here," Kael said, his eyes wide.

Leo laughed nervously. "That's impossible. It was just a jump."

Willowmina scratched her head, but they didn't linger on the mystery. "Let's get on with it," she said, moving toward the next platform.

The trio began to hop from platform to platform, each jump requiring more effort as the wind picked up. The platforms swayed unpredictably, and the gusts of wind

made every movement feel unstable. Yet somehow, they managed to keep their balance and push forward, each step bringing them closer to the talisman.

As they reached the final platform directly beneath the talisman, they paused. It hovered just above them, within reach, its glow pulsating with energy. Leo reached

out, but as his fingers brushed against it, the talisman shot upward, floating higher into the air, just out of reach.

"That's not fair!" Kael grumbled.

Leo took a deep breath, his birthmark now burning hot on his wrist. He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the wind swirl around him. "We need to trust the air," he murmured.

"What?" Willowmina asked, confused.

"Trust the wind. Let it carry you," Leo repeated, his voice firm.

He stepped forward, feeling the breeze lift him once more. The air seemed to cradle him, and as he moved with the wind, the talisman lowered back down as if it were

responding to his command.

With a final leap, Leo grasped the talisman in his hand. The moment he touched it, the wind stilled, the platforms ceased their movement, floated down to the ground,

and a soft hum filled the air.

Leo, Kael, and Willowmina stood together, the talisman glowing in Leo's hand.

"You did it! Willowmina squeaked.

"No, we did it! I wouldn't have known where to start, "Leo said, smiling. "Should we find out what comes next?" Kael asked.

"Yes, Leo said, feeling the weight of the talisman in his hand and opening his palm for the others to see. The talisman felt heavy in his hand, but the orb was made

entirely of transparent feathers swirling around each other. Looking up, they saw that the talisman they had secured had been replaced by another just like it. The fog

began to reappear, and the platforms began to float and move once more.

As they started to move down the passageway, they heard faint voices from a distance—other groups struggling with their own challenges, their yells, grunts, and light

laughter echoing faintly through the maze.

"Whatever's next will likely be twice as hard," Kael muttered.

Leo nodded, "Let's be ready then."