The morning of the final trial arrived with an oppressive silence that seemed to press against the block's ancient stones.
Ren stood in the main arena alongside the hundred other prospectives who had survived the previous challenges, each face reflecting a mixture of determination and barely controlled anxiety.
Today was the day the trial would come to an end and they would gain entry into the prestigious Imperial Academy. One of them would also have the honour of joining the imperial class of this academy. The trial loomed before them like the entrance to another world.
Unlike the previous trials that had allowed team work, the remainder of this trial would be a sole run for the first spot. There was nothing like teamwork.
It was all or nothing.
The familiar purple smoke began swirling near the arena centre as the witch materialized with her characteristic theatrical flair. But today, her expression carried a gravity that hadn't been present during the earlier trials.
