The room beyond the doorway was vastly different from the maze. Its walls were smooth and polished, gleaming faintly with a silvery light. The air was cooler here, calmer, and Alaric’s pounding heart began to settle as he stepped inside.

The key in his hand vanished in a soft burst of golden light as he crossed the threshold. He stared at his empty palm, blinking. It seemed the System had taken it—whatever it was for.

Ahead of him stretched a long corridor lined with columns. At the far end, a wide, circular chamber opened up. Alaric moved cautiously, his senses still on high alert.

The moment he stepped into the chamber, the sound of voices reached his ears.

The room was unlike anything he’d seen before: a grand, open space with a domed ceiling that shimmered like the night sky, speckled with stars. Several archways led out in different directions, but it was the people in the room that caught his attention.

There were at least a dozen of them, scattered in small groups. Some were sitting on the polished floor, catching their breath, while others leaned against the walls, watching the newcomers with wary eyes.

Travelers.

Alaric froze, suddenly feeling exposed. These people weren’t Guardians or monsters—they were like him. But that didn’t make them safe.

“Hey, new guy!”

The voice came from a young man leaning casually against one of the columns. He was tall and lean, with a shock of dark hair and a cocky grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. A dagger was strapped to his belt, and his fingers drummed against the hilt in an almost playful rhythm.

“You survive your first trial?” the man asked, his tone almost mocking.

Alaric hesitated, his eyes darting to the others in the room. Most of them didn’t seem interested in him, but a few were watching closely.

“Yeah,” Alaric said cautiously.

The man chuckled, pushing off the column and strolling toward him. “Well, congratulations. You’re not dead—yet. Name’s Kael. And you are?”

“Alaric.”

Kael nodded, looking him up and down. “You don’t look like much of a fighter. How’d you do it? Luck?”

Alaric bristled but kept his expression neutral. “Instinct.”

Kael smirked. “Fair enough. Just don’t expect that to carry you too far. The Tower’s got a way of weeding out the lucky ones.”

Before Alaric could respond, another voice cut in, sharp and commanding.

“That’s enough, Kael.”

A woman stepped forward, her presence instantly commanding attention. She was tall and athletic, with short-cropped silver hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to take in everything at once. A longsword hung at her side, its hilt worn but well-maintained.

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Kael raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, Selene. Just making the new guy feel welcome.”

Selene ignored him, her gaze fixed on Alaric. “You’ll want to keep your distance from him,” she said, her voice low and steady. “Kael’s not the type to have your back when it counts.”

Kael rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, retreating to his previous spot by the column.

Selene turned back to Alaric, her expression softening slightly. “You made it through your first trial. That’s no small feat. But the real challenge starts now.”

Selene gestured for Alaric to follow her to a quieter corner of the chamber. He hesitated but eventually complied, grateful to put some distance between himself and Kael’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Listen carefully,” Selene began. “This place isn’t just a series of random tests. The Tower has rules, and if you want to survive, you’ll need to learn them.”

Alaric nodded, his mind racing with questions. “What kind of rules?”

Selene’s eyes narrowed. “The most important one is this: trust no one. The System rewards strength, and sometimes that means stepping over others to get what you need.”

Alaric frowned. “But... we’re all in this together, aren’t we?”

Selene’s expression hardened. “No. We’re not. The Tower is a competition, Alaric. The System doesn’t care about fairness or teamwork. It cares about results. You can form alliances, sure, but don’t mistake them for friendships.”

Her words sent a chill through him. He glanced around the chamber, seeing the others in a new light. Were they allies? Rivals? Something in between?

Before he could dwell on it, a low chime echoed through the room. The stars on the domed ceiling shifted, forming a swirling pattern that drew everyone’s attention.

Selene’s jaw tightened. “The next trial is starting.”

A translucent screen appeared before each of them, displaying a simple message:

Trial Two: The Hunt

Objective: Collect three fragments hidden across the Tower. Beware of hostile forces—and other Travelers.

Time Remaining: 30:00

The message vanished, and the room erupted into motion. Travelers scrambled toward the archways, splitting off into groups or darting out alone.

Selene grabbed Alaric’s arm before he could move.

“Stick with me,” she said firmly. “You won’t survive this one on your own.”

Alaric hesitated, her earlier warning about trust ringing in his ears. But the memory of the Guardians was still fresh in his mind, and the thought of facing something like that alone made his stomach churn.

“Fine,” he said.

Selene nodded, releasing his arm. “Stay close. And keep your eyes open.”

They sprinted toward one of the archways, the corridor beyond bathed in faint, shifting light. Alaric’s pulse quickened as they entered the unknown.

The corridor twisted and turned, the walls shimmering like liquid metal. Strange sounds echoed in the distance—growls, footsteps, the clang of steel.

Selene moved with practiced ease, her sword drawn and ready. Alaric followed closely, his eyes darting to every shadow.

“Keep an eye out for glowing objects,” Selene said. “Those are the fragments. But don’t touch them until you’re sure it’s safe.”

“Safe how?” Alaric asked.

“You’ll know,” she replied cryptically.

They turned a corner and found themselves in a wide chamber. At its center stood a pedestal, much like the one in Alaric’s first trial. A glowing fragment hovered above it, pulsing softly.

Selene held up a hand, signaling Alaric to stop. She scanned the room carefully, her grip tightening on her sword.

“Trap?” Alaric whispered.

“Always assume so,” Selene muttered.

As if on cue, the walls began to shift, and three creatures emerged from the shadows. They were lean and fast, with elongated limbs and jagged teeth that glinted in the faint light.

Selene’s expression hardened. “Stay behind me. If one of them gets past, use anything you can to defend yourself.”

Alaric swallowed hard, his hands curling into fists. He wasn’t ready for this. But as the creatures closed in, he knew he didn’t have a choice.