“I didn’t realize how high the coliseum walls were until now,” Eiji said, looking at the imposing barricade surrounding the contestants. The height allowed those in the seating to get a better view of the competitors, but also protected them from harm.

“Come on,” Rai said from within the stands, wishing for the team’s success.

“We’re back,” Hanabi said, returning with Yuta from a restroom break. “Did I miss anything?”

“Only the start of the competition,” Rai said in snide tone.

“Darn...” Hanabi said, clearly not that interested.

“How’s my brother doing?!” Yuta said, leaning forward with Plu to watch.

“So far so good,” Rai said, focusing on the match.

“Remind me again how this works?” Hanabi asked.

“The goal is to make it to the center block before the timer runs out,” Rai said. “However, they’re a bunch of nasty roots implanted around the arena making it way more difficult, even dangerous, to press on.”

“I see,” Hanabi said.

“That’s not all,” Rai continued. “In this competition, the closer you get to the center, the more points you get, but getting to the center isn’t really necessary. You just have to make it within one of the three rings, with the block in the center being worth the most. See,” Rai said, gazing at some contestants.

Hanabi noticed they weren’t moving, in fact rather chatting it up like old pals.

“Some are here for the temporary glory of being in front of such a grand audience,” Mr. Briggs added. “They have no need to move past the first ring, it would only endanger them further.”

Viewing some bros opening a beer within the first ring of the maze, Knox said, “They did well enough.”

“Those who aim to be an Elite should begin to separate themselves soon enough,” Reezo said.

Eiji, Lily, and Aegis stepped cautiously into the maze, the moist dirt left an earthy scent in their noses.

"We're still in the first ring," Lily said, sighing as she gazed at a progress map.

"Why don' we just scale the top of it?" Eiji suggested.

"We're prohibited from scaling the maze simply by running across the top of it, remember?" Lily said.

"Oh yeah," Eiji said.

With each step, the roots shifted and groaned, as if alive. Above them, the canopy of roots stretched out like a vast, twisted web, casting shadows over them. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, illuminating patches of moss that clung to the roots. As they ventured deeper into the maze, the air cooled, drastically dropping as they pushed forward.

A chill wind flowed through the tangled branches, sending shivers down Lily and Eiji’s spines and raising goosebumps on their skin.

As time went on, the soft crunch of frozen leaves and twigs underfoot, prompted Lily to ask, “Why’d it get so cold all of a sudden?”

“Tell me about it,” Eiji said, an icicle hanging from his nose.

In the stands, Rai muttered, “Ice root?”

“Hm, not likely. That root is listed under the four-star category, because it’s never been found. This must be something else,” Mr. Briggs said.

Eiji, seeing the opportunity to warm up next to Lily, picked up the pace to be beside her. “Hey, I was thinking, if you're cold..." A squish emitted from below and Eiji noticed his foot had sunk into the mushy floor. Trying to yank his foot out, he slipped further in. "Um... guys..."

“Hey?!” Lily looked down, realizing she was also stuck, sinking as well.

“It would seem they’ve come across a rather large mudwhirl,” Temin said smiling.

Eiji tried to grip the walls, but they were slick as ice, offering nothing for his hands hold onto. Glancing into the floor and walls of the maze, he noticed small bugs crawling through them. “Chilled torqs,” Eiji said.

“What’re those?” Lily responded, tensing up.

“Small beetles that emit a freezing substance from their tiny bodies as they travel,” Eiji said.

“I guess that’s where the ice came from,” Rai said from the stands.

As the beetles scurried by Lily and the group, the air around was filled with an increasing numbing cold.

EIji glanced around, desperately looking for a way out.

Lily fared no better, her cat ears twitching nervously as she struggled to get free.

"They'll be consumed if they don't get out soon," Alan said worried.

“This year’s exam seems slightly more, deadly, wouldn’t you say, Alderai,” Gael said with a light chuckle.

Alderai gaze remained on the team, waiting to see what they'd do next.

“Mudwhirls are vines whose roots have practically become mud itself; simply stepping on them can cause it to lose shape,” Aegis said. Now examining the bugs, “With the chilled torq’s, the ground was able to hold shape long enough for the trap to successfully ensnare us.”

At this point they were knee-deep, steadily sinking further into the pit.

In the stands, Rai and the others watched with growing concern. The maze was proving to be more dangerous than anyone had anticipated, and time was running out for Eiji, Lily, and Aegis.

“Too bad we don't have any dramatic orchestra,” Eiji said. "It would really set the mood for this sinking situation."

“What’re you talking about?” Lily said.

“You know, the film with the two lovers, and the large boat that sunk?" Eiji said.

“I have no idea what you're talking about...” Lily said.

Sighing, “Where hath thou been these past seven years,” Eiji said, placing his arm across his forehead dramatically, but in doing so he slipped another foot deep, yelping as he did.

“Eiji stay still,” Lily said.

“She’s right, I wouldn't move anymore,” Aegis.

“Oh great, two versus one,” Eiji said, turning and crossing his arms, causing him to slip down to his chest. “Okay. No more moving.”

Calmy taking a breath, Aegis body became completely still to the point you couldn't even see him breathing. The several chilled torqs tunneling through the mud, caused the ice around Aegis legs to freeze, creating temporary footing. Launching out of the mudwhirl, he brought both allies with him, landing ahead on a hard surface.

“Yes!” Rai said, pumping his fists.

“He had one chance to utilize the perfect amount of flux necessary to launch off that delicate footing he was given, otherwise he would have just smashed the roots and bugs all together, sinking them further,” Reezo said.

“All while calculating the other’s weight, suction of the mud, and more. Quite the interesting prospect,” Eloise said. “But he’s hiding something.”

Tanabe overhearing this hadn’t realized anything in particular that the man was hiding. What would he have to hide? He’s already handicapped himself enough with the bandana across his face.

Eiji, Lily, and Aegis ventured further into the maze of roots, now entering the second ring.

"Can't have myself being shown up," he muttered to himself. "I'll take the lead this time," he said, scanning for any signs of danger.

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Lily followed close behind.

Aegis instincts warning him, pulled them aside as a barrage of thorns erupted from the ground, narrowly missing them.

Seeing a large thorn inches away from him, Eiji said, “Man am I glad to have you here with us.”

"Careful," Aegis said.

"Hm, carful's my middle name," Eiji said confidently. Taking a step forward a plate sunk under his foot and from the wall of vines beside him, a giant boxing glove popped out, smacking Eiji into a secret door that shut behind him.

“Eiji!” Lily banged on the sealed door.

“Contestant warning, only given paths are permitted,” a voice resonated from the speakers.

“Uh,” Lily said, frustrated.

“He’ll be okay. We need to get a move on,” Aegis said. “I’m guessing a few other teams may be nearing the third ring from their end already, but we’re still in the beginning of the second.”

“…You’re right. Aegis, I’ll catch up. Why don’t you go on without me? I know you’ll be able to make it to the end before the timer is up,” Lily suggested.

“Very well,” Aegis nodded, dashing off.

The momentum from the boxing glove had Eiji rolling backward quite some distance until he finally came to a stop. Looking around there were many contestants who were beat up and discouraged. “Wait a sec, this is the beginning!?” Eiji’s heart sank. Here we go again... Slouching, he slowly walked back in.

Meanwhile, Lily progressed on her own through the maze, until she eventually came across a very vibrant area of the second ring. The walls were made of clay and were decorated in an assortment of colors, similar to a fun house.

“Sucker,” someone said, shoving her to the floor as he ran by.

“Hey,” Lily said, as the man rushed by.

“It’s a competition, get over it,” he shouted.

“It's an examination!” Lily argued, but before the man could get much further, the pink square tile he was on, flipped to its left, flinging him into a maple wall where he was stuck like a bug on a fly trap. Swiftly jumping past the hidden mechanism, Lily turned around, sticking her tongue out.

“You’re not going to leave me here, are you?” he said.

“Sorry, it’s a competition,” she mocked, running off. Nearing another corner, her sense of smell kicked in just before a smoker plant in the corner coughed up an ash cloud. Jumping out of the way, the cloud was sparked by little candles along the walls, causing an explosion. She managed to avoid the blast, she was still sent flying back. Rolling across the floor a hole opened, revealing a spiked trap. Dragging her hands along the ground, she fell in, but her hands barely grasped the edge, keeping herself from landing in the pitfall. Kicking off the wall within the hole, she launched herself out, huffing heavily on her knees. But then the floor began to crack beneath her. Sensing this, she quickly rose and ran down the narrow alleyway, avoiding the crumbling floor behind her. In front of her, a clear opening was closing. Desperately lunging, she slipped between the gap of the walls, landing on the other end where the dark eerie vines once again ensared the walls.

Murmurs spread throughout the audience—this level of difficulty wasn’t something normally shown so early.

Hanabi, gripping Rai’s arm, asked, “Are the rounds normally this dangerous?”

“No. They were never like this,” he said. "At least not in the first stage..."

The armrest of Tanabe’s seat, which was made of stone, cracked under the pressure of his squeeze. This wasn’t anything like our exam. We're supposed to be scouting for potential candidates to join the Elites, but it’s not a death sentence! Tanabe gazed at the Emperor and his grandpa who seemed to share the same concern on their faces.

“There’s been a mistake in the design of the first rounds mechanics…” Emperor Adonis said to himself.

“Sabotage?” General Kur asked.

“Unlikely,” Emperor Adonis said.

“I’ll have someone look into it,” General Kur said, addressing others, not of the elite, nearby.

Coughing in between breaths, her legs and arms were shaking uncontrollably. Hearing the fluttering of a bird nearby, Lily freaked out, scurrying backwards into the wall. Burying her head into her legs, she curled up into a ball. Tears fell from her eyes as panic built, numbing her senses as her vision became hazy.

“Is she crying?” someone in the stands stated.

“Poor girl..."

“You're a nefarian, what're you crying for?!" a man blurted amongst his friends, who nodded in agreement.

A few Nefarian nearby had issues with that, and a quick brawl broke out between the two.

“Attention. Arena mortifications were incidentally set to those of the apprentice rank. The arena will be temporarily shut down until all contestants who no longer wish to proceed have exited the arena. If any member of the team exits, know the entire team will be disqualified. For those that are unable to move, or locate a way out, assistance will arrive shortly from above. Thank you.”

“Are you kidding me?” a contestant stated.

“And risk dying, what a joke!” his team member said.

One by one the contestants dropped out while others decided to stay put, refusing to move further.

Those with children left the coliseum, however just about everyone else stayed. Many were accustomed to certain events like this not being for the faint of heart.

“Just move on to the next round!” Rai said.

Hanabi stood up, taking Yuta with her, “We can’t have Yuta here if it’s going to continue; and frankly, I don’t feel comfortable watching my friends risk their lives.”

“But I want to see Aegis win,” Yuta said.

“Once the first round is over, we can come back for the next, deal?” Hanabi said.

“Okay…” Yuta responded, unenthusiastically.

“I’ll be here,” Rai said, bidding farewell.

Mr. Briggs was focused on the arena.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, after hearing the announcement, Lily said, “What did I get myself into?” Her chest constricted, suffocating under the fear of death. If I quit, Aegis and Eiji will get disqualified. "I could just wait here…"

“One minute to exit the arena,” a voice boomed from the speaker. One by one, teams were declared disqualified.

Taking a deep breath, after a moment, Lily clenched her fist fiercely. “No! I am a Nefarian of Kalumi, I will not back down!” Standing up with puffy eyes, she glanced down the path she was meant to take. "Though that's easier said than done. I still have no idea how far I actually am."

“Competitors, you may continue,” the announcer spoke.

Elsewhere, three competitors dressed in black with disguises hiding their faces, discussed with one another.

"Looks like our competitions been nearly cut in half," the one spoke.

“Come on, we’re nearing the center,” the leader said.

Eiji crept cautiously through the dark alleyway which eventually became pitch black, obscuring his view. With each step, his heart pounded in his chest, his imagination running wild with thoughts. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

In the distance, a soft glow caught his eye, drawing his attention to a cluster of roots sprouting from the wall.

Curious, Eiji reached out, his fingers reaching between the wall of roots, gracing the gem. Instantly, the space around him lit up and the sudden brightness revealed many small creatures lurking above on vines, gazing directly at him. "Sorry," he said, quickly removing his finger from the stone, causing the light to extinguish. “Stop touching shiny things,” he muttered to himself. Growls resonated all around, causing him to gulp nervously.

As Lily turned the corner, she said, "What would Eiji say in this moment?" Envisioning Eiji beside her, his voice echoed in her mind, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough gets'-

“Going!” a voice resonated nearby.

“Huh,” Lily said, confused. That sounded an awfully lot like Eiji. Turning she saw him wrap the corner, running frantically towards her.

“Get going!” Eiji screamed, as many small creatures swung around the corner right behind him, their teeth clanking at the air. One clipped the edge of Eiji's butt, causing him to yelp.

Eyes widening, she quickly turned and ran with Eiji beside her.

Above their heads were vines with sacks that formed bulbs which each held a tiny swirling red flame. Scurrying along the vines, they ripped them off, tossing them at the floor like bombs, exploding all around.

“They’re like miniature flame wizards,” Eiji said, cracking the joke as they ran.

Lily, although running for her life, couldn’t help but smile.

Eventually they lost the creatures.

Catching his breath, Eiji said, “Looks like... I finally caught up.”

“No kidding, you seriously closed the distance,” Lily said.

“Thank you,” Eiji stated proudly. “Nothing like a swirling pack of murderous gremlins as a source of motivation-”

Hugging Eiji, Lily said, “Thanks.”

“Ah, sure,” Eiji said blushing.

“One minute remains,” the announcer's said.

“A minute, come on!” Lily said, gripping Eiji’s wrist and running off.

With every ounce of energy they could muster, they charged forward, their feet pounding against the cold, hard ground as they raced toward the center. The cheers of the crowd faded into the background as they focused on the route ahead. As they pushed through the maze, they jumped and ducked under numerous traps.

Lily stole a glance at Eiji. She didn't know how far they had come, but she was going to give her all from this point on!

“They're passing through the maze no problem now,” Reezo said.

“If they had started with that pace, they may have reached the center after all,” Eloise stated.

Legs burning with exertion, the ringer sounded, stopping Lily and Eiji in their tracks.

“Already?” Lily said, huffing. “How far did we get?”

“Not sure, guess we’ll find out later,” Eiji responded. exhausted.

With a weary smile, Lily turned to Eiji. “I'm proud of us,” she said.

Eiji nodded. “Me too,” he replied, his exhaustion evident in his voice.

As the crowds’ cheers reverberated through the coliseum, the emperor stood to announce the only three to have made it to the center. “Only one team has managed to navigate the treacherous maze and reach its elusive center. Congratulations, Prism Brothers.”

The brothers waived at everyone, reveling in their triumph.

“I told you this competition was going to be a piece of cake.”

“We prism brothers can take on just about anyone when we're together,” another said.

But amidst the cheers, while one of the three prism brothers wrapped the corner of the block, he noticed Aegis, alone at the heart of the maze with a red cloth obscuring his eyes.

“W-Who’re you?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aegis said, walking off.

“Hey!” they shouted.

Placing a hand on his teammates shoulder, “Don't bother, brother.”

The spectators whispered among themselves, puzzled by Aegis's sudden appearance.

"When did he get there?" one of onlookers in the stadium said.

"Not sure," another responded.

“It would seem, Aegis from... Plu’s Legon, has also made it to the center,” Emperor Adonis said.

“You hear that?!” Eiji said, jumping in the air.

“Plu's legion?” Lily said.

Meanwhile, Plu wore an outfit resembling the emperor’s, presumably taking his place as Emperor of Plu’s legion. “Plu,” it said, approving of the team's name.

“Did you see that?” Knox said to Reezo sitting next to him.

“No…” Reezo stated.

Eliose smirked as if she knew something others didn’t.

“When did he get there?” Tanabe didn’t even notice him appear. Glancing at Gael, he also had a look of frustration. Don’t tell me even the number two elite missed it?

“There will be an hour interval before the start of the next round. In it, one of the Elites will be chosen and tasked with providing a challenge the competitors must overcome to make it to the final round.”

Inside the competitor’s waiting area, Lily and Eiji ran up to Aegis who had just entered.

“You did it!” Lily said, clapping her hands together.

“Based on the ring system, it looks like we’re in second place,” Eiji said, examining the results on a board strung along a wall.

Nearby, Lily noticed another competitor ran up to their team, seemingly upset. Their group was made of all Nefarians. She couldn’t help but overhear what they were talking about.

“I just heard which elite they're selecting to compose the challenge next round,” he said.

“Who is it?”

“The fourth-ranked elite,” he responded.

Immediately dropping their weapons, they slumped over, heading for the exit.

“Alderai…” Lily said.