4/4
The next morning, the air crackled with tension as we stood in a wide, open clearing at the heart of the training grounds. Unlike the previous trials, there were no trees to hide behind, no shadows to blend into. This time, we would be exposed. Vulnerable.
At the center of the clearing, a pedestal made of smooth, white stone stood tall. Upon it, a flame burned–not an ordinary fire, but a deep, ethereal blue that shimmered like liquid starlight. It didn’t flicker, nor did it cast shadows.
This was no normal fire.
Eira paced before us, her sharp eyes sweeping over our group. “This the Eternal Flame,” she announced. “A manifestation of pure magic, and the heart of this trial.”
I could feel the power radiating from it. My wolf stirred uneasily, sensing its significance.
Eira’s gaze darkened. “Your task is simple–keep the flame alive.”
Isaiah frowned. “From what?”
Eira’s lips curled into a smirk. “From everything.”
At her words, the air shifted.
A powerful pulse of magic erupted from the pedestal, sending a gust of wind blasting through the clearing. The moment it settled, creatures began materializing from the earth–figures of glowing blue light, humanoid in shape but featureless, their movements eerily smooth. Magical constructs.
One, two, four… then ten.
They kept appearing, surrounding us in a tightening circle.
“Some will attack the flame,” Eira continued. “Others will attack you. If the fire dies, you fail. If you fall before it’s over, you fail.”
She took a step back, arms crossed. “Let’s see if you’ve learned anything.”
The moment the words left her lips, the constructs attacked.
Elijah reacted first, moving in a blur of speed. His shield in hand while his energy blade flared to life, slicing through the air in a wide arc. The first construct shattered under the force, but before its pieces even hit the ground, another one formed.
“They regenerate! You must be fucking th me!” Austin cursed, throwing up a wall of ice just as two constructs lunged for the flame. The frost slowed them, but cracks formed immediately.
“They’r not stopping,” Isaiah growled, his shadows curling around his arms. “If we don’t work together, we’re going to be overwhelmed.”
I knew he was right.
I took a deep breath, forcing my mind to focus. Think, Stormi.
If we wasted time taking down the constructs, we’d lose. If we only defended, we’d be forced back until the flame was exposed. We had to do both–attack and defend–but in a way that didn’t exhaust us.
clenched my fists. Then we do this my way.
1/4
“Alex, Austin–barriers around the flame. Don’t let anything touch
They didn’t hesitate. Alex threw up a wall of fire, his golden flamessing high to create a protective dome. At the same time, Austin reinforced it with layers of ice, forming an intricate barrier–re to burn, ice to reinforce.
“I need someone with me on the front linel” Elijah called, slashing through another construct. “I can’t keep them off alone.”
“I’ve got you,” Isaiah said, his shadows surging forward to ensnare the next wave of attackers. They twisted around the constructs, holding them back just long enough for Elijah to cut through them.
That left me.
The battlefield was chaotic–our defenses held, but just barely. Constructs kept appearing, adapting our tactics. They started moving smarter, dodging attacks, shifting their focus from us to the flame.
I gritted my teeth. No. I won’t let them take it.
Then I saw it-
A construct slipping through a gap in the barrier, reaching for the flame.
Too fast. Too close.
I moved without thinking, it has gotten so easy for me to shift that it happens in a second.
My wolf surged forward, and I tackled the construct just before its hand could touch the flame. We hit the ground hard, but I didn’t stop–I flipped to my feet, grabbing it by the throat with my jaw, and with a burst of raw energy, I crushed its form.
The moment it disintegrated, I turned back to the others.
“Elijah, Isaiah–switch roles!” I called telepathically. “Elijah, you’re faster–hold the line! Isaiah, use your shadows to reinforce the barriers. We can’t let them through again!”
They obeyed without question.
Elijah darted across the battlefield, his blade flashing like silver lightning as he cut down any construct that got too close. Isaiah’s
an extra layer of protection. shadows thickened, weaving between Alex and Austin’s fire–and–ice dome, forming
Still, the constructs kept coming.
Each wave was faster, stronger, smarter.
Then-
A massive construct formed. Twice the size of the others. More solid more dangerous it towered above everyone as my wolf did. And it didn’t go for the flame.
It went for me.
I barely had time to react before it slammed into me, sending me flying across the clearing.
Pain exploded in my ribs as I crashed into the ground. Hard.
For a moment, the world spun.
2/4
I forced myself up, gasping. My vision blurred, but I could still see it the construct marching toward me, its arm forming into a jagged spear of light.
It was going to kill me.
“Stormi!” Elijah shouted, already moving to intercept- but he was too slow.
I clenched my jaw as I growled, ignoring the pain. No. I won’t be a liability.
I reached for my power, for the bond with my wolf-
And the world sharpened.
The construct stabbed downward-
I dodged. Barely.
Then I twisted, biting its arm and yanking it forward. With a growl, sank my claws into its chest, channeling a burst of raw energy into its form.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then
BOOM.
The construct exploded into pure energy, the force knocking me backward. But I didn’t fall.
I caught myself, chest heaving as I panted.
The battlefield was eerily silent.
The constructs had stopped.
And the flame?
Still burning.
We had won.
Eira stepped forward, eyeing the battlefield with mild approval. “Not perfect,” she said, tilting her head, “but good enough.”
Austin groaned. “I think I just fought an army, and she says ‘good enough.“”
Isaiah smirked, “Lately we have been getting high praise coming from Eira. I’ll take it”
She ignored him, turning her gaze to me. “You adapted, Stormi. That’s what made the difference.”
I swallowed hard, my pulse still racing. “It wasn’t just me. We all did.”
Eira nodded. “And that’s the point.” She gestured toward the flame. This trial was never just about protecting fire. It was about
trust.
f frowned. “Trust?”
3/4
She crossed her arms. “You will face worse than this when you go after the Keystone. You will be attacked, you will be pushed to your limits–and if you don’t trust each other, you will fail.”
A heavy silence fell over us.
She was right.
The constructs, the barriers, the shifting roles–we hadn’t won because of individual strength. We had won because we had trusted each other.
Eira gave one final nod. “Rest up. Next time, you won’t just be fighting illusions.“she smirked. It felt more of a threat.
“Class dismissed!“, she turned and, disappearing into the shadows.I looked at my mates. I knew tomorrow’s lesson was going to be hard. But I was ready for it.
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