Haley woke up with Melin her arms, she had barely slept last night, two years had passed by, she had received news of what happened to her dad. It did not bother her. Haley walked to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Haley started brushing her short purple hair. She had cut off her long hair, and kept it short after that.

Today she is going to have the trial. Tomorrow a new arrival will be coming. Someone who died two years ago but due to the brutal way he died, his soul and body needed to be repaired in a repair chamber. Haley had helped build up the village, they were all waiting for the monster to come back. Melin walked into the bathroom, “Hey darling, do you want me to brush your tail?”

Haley handed her the brush. Melin spoke up while she started brushing her tail, “Are you ready for the trial today?”

“Yes, I am ready. I have been training almost non-stop.” After Haley was done grooming and freshening up, she put on jeans with a slim fitted shirt. She has changed in the past two years. Being away from her family, from her mom and dad, she missed them, but on the other side, she felt free.

Haley walked to the kitchen, where Abby and Bella were eating sandwiches. Haley smiled at them, “Good day, ladies.”

Bella smiled and waved, “Good morning Haley, looking sharp as always.”

Abby nodded, “We still need a rematch, you busted me up yesterday.”

Haley giggled, “Well, you busted me up the other day. I am sorry, Abby, I have the trial today.”

She nodded, “I know, we are cheering for you. I have to admit, things have been quite calm. Despite hearing the news a while ago.”

Bella nodded, “Yeah, I never expected that news either. Hades spoke to you directly, but you never told us more details.”

Haley shook her head, “I am going to discuss that with him once we have finished our task.”

They both nodded, Haley grabbed a sandwich and walked outside after petting Square. Haley soon reached the temple, once she walks inside, the trial will start. Hecate told her, if she dies during the trial, then her soul will get destroyed by the ethereal vortex, the way things are going, I will be dead in a few years anyway.

Melin walked over, “Hey, I followed you,” she handed Haley a coffee.

“Thanks my love. Only two people completed this trial, many have died.” Haley drank her coffee, then she looked at Melin, “Time to make that three people who have completed this trial.” She passionately kissed Melin.

“What was that for?”

Haley smiled, “For good luck.”

Melin blushed, “Oh yeah, good luck, my love.”

Haley walked into the temple and found herself in a hallway. The walls are made from some kind of metal and the ceiling is very low. The door closed behind Haley, and she decided it was best to just walk to the other side. At the end stood an armored door and a digital panel where she could put her hand on. Haley shrugged and did so. A screen appeared on the panel, do you accept the terms of this trial?

She selected the yes option that she has read all the terms of service agreements, even if she did not do so. Then the trial started. Lights turned on in the hallway, slowly and one set after the other. Haley turned around to see lasers that started forming. Haley wrapped her tail around her left leg, to make sure those lasers wouldn’t cut her tail off.

She neatly folded her wings behind her back. One laser swept over the ground towards her. Haley jumped over the laser and smiled, “easy-peasy.”

The laser reappeared at the other end, one laser swept over the floor. Haley got ready to jump as this laser moved twice as fast. She jumped over it and once again the laser came back double as fast. Haley needed to jump immediately after she landed to dodge it. The laser came back, this time, it waited. More lasers appeared, filling up the entire hallway, except for a small space near the ceiling. Haley looked around her as the lasers came closer.

She looked at the ceiling and jumped up to grab the lamp. She pulled herself towards the ceiling. The laser singed a little of her fur, but all in all, she managed to avoid the lasers. Haley let go and landed on the ground with a loud thud. The lasers came back again, making sure to fill the upper part of the room with lasers, there is only a small hole in the middle. Haley knew what she had to do.

Haley ran towards the lasers and jumped through it, dodging the lasers. She rolled over the ground and looked back. The lasers stopped, then it made a whole grid with only a few tiny x shaped sized holes. Haley gritted her teeth, “That is just playing unfair.”

She started running towards the laser, she slid over the ground, turning into a water blob to fit through the tiny x shaped hole. As she turned back, she looked at the lasers, they vanished and a green light turned on in the hallway. Haley panted, “That was a close one. How is anyone even supposed to dodge that if you cannot turn into a water blob?”

Haley walked into the next room, she looked at an insane parkour with lasers, death traps, holes, monsters, and even energy beams flying around, this trial does not offer breaks. Haley looked at the stone floor, and the stone walls, it is a simple path, just straight ahead with a corner ahead. In front of her sat a massive pit, there was no way she could leap over it with the low ceiling.

Right behind that is some kind of goblin. Blades that kept swinging left and right through crevices in the wall, energy spikes that could fall from the ceiling and in the corner is some kind of energy beam that seemed to turn on and off at random intervals. Haley sighed, “It is time to Crash Bandicoot this parkour.”

Haley infused herself with energy and let water slide over her boots, she doesn’t get wet from water anymore. She spawned water and ran towards the hole, she started running over the wall, using her wings and her tail for balance. The goblin prepared to stab Haley, who jumped to the other side with a corkscrew flip and landed on the wall while continuing to run and stabbing the goblin in the back, before kicking him in the pit. Haley smiled, “There, that trash is sorted, into the garbage.” She sighed, “I need to work on my lines.”

Haley started to run forward and slid over the floor to get past a swinging blade. An energy spike started falling from the ceiling, she rolled aside, spikes under her appeared. Haley launched herself up while seeing more energy spikes fall down, she maneuvered perfectly besides them while landing on her hands. While walking on her hands, Haley kept on dodging the other energy spikes.

The floor started heating underneath her, she switched to one hand while continuing the parkour, switching from hands to prevent her hand from burning. She jumped over the swinging axe while making a front flip, some kind of mechanical creature stood ready to receive her. While landing with a roll, Haley used her wings to push the mechanical creature towards the energy beam, and it got launched away. Haley chuckled, “Hasta la vista, motherfucker!”

Haley walked over to the energy beam and looked around the corner, a hole of easily ten feet stood in her way. Darts are hidden in the wall, she looked at the energy beam going on and off, it led all the way to the end of this room. There are more monsters and traps, but she has a plan. Haley wall kicked against the wall as the energy beam stopped. She made ice appear under her feet and cooled it down, she landed on the energy beam and started running over the energy beam, her manipulated water energy allowing her to ignore the energy beam under her.

As the darts shot at her, she jumped over them. A giant log with spikes suddenly launched towards Haley, she slid on her knees while bending backwards, and she saw it fly over her. Haley’s short hair almost got a bit shorter. As she jumped up, the energy beam almost stopped, she made a considerable leap and grabbed one of the swinging axe traps with a void tendril, she used the force to launch herself to the other side. She landed with a roll, she continued to run at top speed.

She suddenly saw a slide downwards, she had no choice, instead of sitting down or sliding, she kept on running downwards. The ramp turned into a rail, Haley did a front flip and landed on the rail and used energy to slide down. She grinded the rail and saw it came to an end with a leap towards the exit door, a regular person could never make that leap. Haley lowered her body and focused, the rail ended, she jumped up and spread her wings wide, she fluttered them in synch and flew over towards the other side.

She landed with a roll, a goblin stood in front of her, ready to strike, Haley turned around and sliced the goblin with her tail, making it stagger. She kicked it into the abyss. Haley looked up, “Are you guys enjoying the show? I bet somebody is watching.”

Haley walked into the next room, it was pitch dark, and she heard walls going up and down. Some kind of maze. She knows how to deal with this. Haley closed her eyes, she started following a route, counting her footsteps and using her compass to know what way she was going. Haley stopped for a moment, in the distance, she heard breathing, scratching, clawing, some kind of monster was lurking in the maze.

Instead of looking for the exit, Haley started to hunt the monster, turning the hunter into the hunted. As Haley followed the monster’s tracks, she heard it come closer. When she stood still for a moment, she heard saliva droop to the ground. Haley smiled, “Alright, come on sucker, time to kick your ass.” Suddenly, whatever is lurking in the maze started to run.

It clawed at Haley as it got her in its vision. Haley jumped back and drew her sword, she started to trade blows with the claws while keeping her eyes closed. Whatever this monster is, it has extremely durable skin and can block any of Haley’s attack with ease. Haley could feel the breeze of a giant mouth in front of her as she kept on trading blows with the creature. Haley sent energy into the creature, tracing its weakpoint.

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When she found it, the weak point moved, some kind of core. Haley got an idea, she erected a void barrier while chasing the shadow core towards its throat. Haley could feel the monster opening its giant jaw, Haley sheathed her weapon and the giant mouth wrapped around her. Teeth cracked on the barrier, Haley launched herself forward and grabbed the shadow core. Shattering it in the palm of her hands with silver energy.

The monster turned into dust and Haley fell to the ground. She slowly got up while coughing. The maze got lit up and Haley opened up her eyes, “What the fuck was that kind of thing?” She looked around and started walking to find the exit easily, while thinking to herself, that was an odd creature for a trial.

Haley walked into the next room, a sphinx sat there. “You fought well, Haley Rockwell, but is your mind as sharp, as your combat skills are?”

Haley smiled, “Riddles, I love ’em.”

The sphinx spoke up, “You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring, I am quick when I am thin, I am slow when I am fat. The wind is my enemy, what am I?”

Haley seemed to be thinking for a moment, “That is an easy one. A candle.”

The sphinx nodded, “You are correct. Here is your next riddle, I have cities but no houses, I have mountains but no trees, I have water but no fish, what am I?”

Haley smiled, “Are you trying to insult my intelligence? You are talking about a map.”

The sphinx smiled, “Insult you I did, let me give you a question that is impossible to answer. How would you appear before me, if I asked you, to come here neither naked, nor clothed, neither in night nor day, you cannot even walk or run, neither can you stand. But, you must hold a fish that goes with your clothes, which you cannot wear, how would you solve this riddle, Haley?”

Haley started pacing back and forth, boggled by this question. How is that even possible? Perhaps floating? No, a normal human cannot float. Haley kept on pacing and minutes passed by. The sphinx spoke up, “Five minutes have passed, you need to answer within one minute.”

Haley looked up, “I’ve got the answer!”

The sphinx looked at her with a baffled look on his face, “That is impossible! I sincerely made something up, not a single person can answer.”

Haley giggled, “I did it.”

The sphinx laughed, “Try me, this is impossible.”

Haley nodded, “Alright, I would appear at twilight, which is neither day nor night. Since I cannot stand on the ground, I will come on a goat while standing on it with one foot. Since I cannot wear clothes, I will wear fish stockings, I will not be clothed, neither will I be naked. In my right hand, I will hold a tuna, while I will flip the bird with my left hand for making up such a ridiculous question.”

The sphinx kept staring at Haley, “Oh my fucking god.”

Haley frowned her eyebrow, “Oh crap, I made the sphinx curse.”

The sphinx moved aside, “You may pass, Haley Rockwell, your intelligence astonishes me.”

Haley moved on to the next room, she saw a chasm in front of her, and ropes she could hang on. There are spider cobs hanging everywhere. Haley stretched a little, did a few yoga poses, and then she cracked her knuckles. She ran forward and jumped towards the first rope. It started getting pulled up, she looked up at a giant spider. Haley used water to slip off the rope and launch herself to the next rope, which is also a spider.

Out of the darkness, more spiders came. Haley jumped towards the darkness and landed on top of the spider, she used them as stepping stools. The one that did try to attack her, she kicked it into one of its eyes. She jumped towards the ledge and grabbed it, she pulled herself up. In front of her a giant spider stood, Haley stretched her hand, “Talk to my hand motherfucker!”

She blasted a huge red energy beam, and it got vaporized. Haley walked into the next room, satisfied with the result. Before her, stood a portal, the exit portal. Instead of walking through it, Haley picked up a rock and threw it at the portal, she sensed that something was off. The stone got vaporized. Haley turned around and walked out of the room, instead of ending in the spider infested chasm, she ended up behind the portal. In front of her stood a door, she walked through to find herself in some kind of arena.

Everyone sat in the tribune, and on a special stage, Hades, Persephone and Melin. A massive screen showed Haley walking into the arena. Hades got up and spoke so loud, it boomed over the arena. “That was a great show, it has been a long time since anyone even reached the arena! Did you all like her performance?”

The crowd went wild, except for Bella. She walked over to Hades, Haley used her senses to listen. “What is your problem, Hades? Putting people through such insane dangers? You even had one of the things in there.”

Hades sighed, “This is the trial that you need to go through to become one of the leaders of the Inner Circle. Haley volunteered, and if I did not think she would be able to succeed, I would have declined her.”

Melin seemed to agree with her dad. Haley let out a big grin, having the king of the underworld on her side is awesome, Haley drew her red blade, and a void blade, expecting something to be in this arena.

As Haley walked forward, she saw Abby, Molly, and Lisa sitting in the first row. A shield appeared over the arena and Haley looked at a gigantic gate. Hades cleared his throat, “This is it people, can Haley defeat the alpha hell worm!?”

People gasped, Haley heard one of the people speak up, “Only two beings have been able to kill that thing, the others got torn into shreds.” At hearing that, Haley started powering up, the arena started to shake. She infused herself with void energy, and purple flames appeared around her. Next up, she infused herself with red energy, letting the rage flow but keeping it in check with her wolf nature.

The ground started to crack around her. Hades looked around, “Well, she seems ready to go! Open the gate.”

Abby looked at Haley, “This does not bode well, Haley, be careful.”

Haley smiled, “I will show you what I am capable off.”

The gate started to open and Haley looked at something shooting through the sand at top speed, coming for her. Haley easily rolled aside as the giant worm came for her. Then it turned and leaped out of the sand, a gigantic mouth came towards Haley, the worm has at least a thousand teeth, it is brown colored with a tinge of red. Haley ran towards the worm while screaming, she slid under the mouth and kicked the giant worm on his left side.

It flew up and hit the shield of the arena. People gasped, Haley ran aside as the worm crashed down and immediately vanished into the earth. It tried to take out Haley again, this time aiming lower to not get kicked once more. Haley slammed her weapons together and formed a katana. Melin gasped, “What, since when can she do that?”

Haley focused on the worm, she leaped into the air, landing right above the worm’s mouth, and she ran over it while stabbing her katana down. Green blood oozed out of the insanely long wound. The worm tried to shake off Haley, but it did not work, Haley cut off one of the insane big spikes and grabbed it as she jumped off the worm as it disappeared into the ground.

It went completely silent underground, Haley got bashed out of nowhere, hitting the wall with tremendous force. The crowd went silent. Haley got up and grabbed her weapon, her left arm hanging limp. Haley smiled, “Is that how you want to play it?”

After a deep breath, Haley screamed and silver energy surged through her. She ran over to the spike she had dropped, the worm came out of the ground and tried to chomp down on Haley, it now had made huge sand spikes above its mouth, adapting to the attack Haley had used. Haley kept running forward, right before it chomped on her, she teleported behind and grabbed the spike with a roll. The worm seemed to be confused.

Haley called out, “Hey asshole, I am over here.” Haley threw the spike into the air after slamming down her katana for the moment, the spike spun as Haley jumped back. The worm turned around and came towards Haley, who grabbed her katana and threw it towards the giant worm, it pierced its skin, slowing it down a bit. Haley then stretched her right hand and fired a huge red beam, hitting the spike that fell down, it got pushed forward at insane speed at the giant worm that just got handed a huge energy beam.

It got pinned to the wall as it tried to struggle free, Haley ran over to the worm and jumped to her sword and grabbed it, she stabbed the worm repeatedly and blood started pouring out in insane amounts over Haley. She just fuelled her rage and kept stabbing as she felt life force coming from the worm. After the stab that eliminated the life force, she stopped and despawned her katana. Haley let out a deep sigh, “Phew, that was a close one.” The crowd went wild.

The shield went down and Melin jumped into the arena and ran towards Haley. Haley hugged her as Melin basically jumped into her arms. Melin had a smile on her face, “You fucking did it, you maniac!”

“Well, I would hug you with my left arm, but I think that worm might have crushed all my feeling in that arm.” Melin kissed Haley and the crowd when wild again.

Haley chuckled, “what happened to doing things privately, being the princess and all?”

Melin shook her head, “I don’t give a fuck anymore, I don’t even give a fuck that you are covered in worm blood, your muscles are still very visible in your left arm. Do you know what you just did?”

“Well?”

“You fucking killed a beast that only Apollo and Hecate managed to kill.”

Haley shrugged, “Neat.”

Melin laughed, “The way you did that trial, it was amazing! Seeing you in your element, you were practically enjoying it.”

Haley nodded, “I did, it was fun.”

Melin shook her head, “The last few guys panted in fear most of the trial. Almost no one gets past the maze.”

Haley smiled, “That thing ate me, what was it even?”

Melin looked confused, “You just named it, that was a thing.”

Haley scratched the back of her head, “Oh, what a stupid name. Am I in the inner circle now?”

Melin nodded, “We should get you cleaned up before meeting with everyone. We are going to tell you everything, show you the possible futures, and more. There is something else, though. About the news we gave you about your dad.”

Haley nodded, “I already know.”

Melin sighed, “I am sorry, we should have told you sooner.”

Haley shook her head, “Don’t be sorry, you are doing the best you can as the princess, and my lover. We are to get married, I did win your hand, right? I asked Hades for that, if I win the trial, I can marry you?”

Hades walked over, “Yes, you can marry my daughter. We are going to have a wedding in the underworld!”