Mya swallowed nervously as she stood before the forest path that would decide her future. The memory of the Trial still haunted her dreams, even though she had only served as a reserve mage far behind the real fighting. She had seen soldiers dragged away screaming after their minds had been shattered from endless death and bloodshed. Just remembering their empty eyes made her stomach twist painfully. Yet she forced herself to breathe deeply and steady her trembling hands. This was her chance to leave behind the life she hated. The only future she truly desired waited beyond these trees.
The moment she stepped through the entrance, an overwhelming pressure washed over her body. The forest itself felt ancient, heavy with history and countless unseen eyes. For a brief second she almost stumbled under that invisible weight before instinct snapped her back to focus. Her gaze immediately swept through the trees, searching every shadow and branch. A figure suddenly appeared to her left, barely visible behind a thick trunk, and gave her a small nod before vanishing deeper into the woods. Remembering the instructions from the waiting line, Mya quickly returned the gesture and continued forward without hesitation.
Her phone timer immediately began counting down, forcing her into a light jog. At first the path seemed manageable, but within minutes she realized how brutal the test truly was. The entire examination revolved around observation and instinct. Three separate times she noticed shapes in the forest that looked human, only to stop and discover they were carefully crafted distractions. Worse still, during one of those moments she sensed something wrong with the fake target and pushed her eyes further into the undergrowth. Hidden behind the decoy was an actual person blending perfectly into the forest itself. If she had not activated Archer Eye for a split second, she never would have seen him.
That realization unsettled her deeply. Maintaining Archer Eye constantly drained both stamina and mana, resources she simply did not possess in abundance. Panic threatened to creep into her chest, but she forced herself onward. Her pace quickened as the timer ticked lower and lower. The terrain shifted constantly beneath her feet as though the forest itself was alive. One moment she climbed steep hills covered in roots and wet leaves, while the next she sprinted beside a narrow stream before leaping over swampy ground that threatened to swallow her boots whole.
Then came the second part of the test. Without warning, brilliant sunlight burst through the trees directly into her eyes. The flash blinded her so suddenly that she nearly stumbled sideways into the mud. By the time her vision recovered, the light had vanished completely as though it had never existed. Further along the path she heard pitiful cries from injured animals hidden within the woods. The sounds clawed at her conscience, making every instinct scream at her to stop and help. Yet she remembered the warnings and forced herself forward despite the guilt burning inside her chest.
What Mya did not know was that the "injured" dogs were perfectly healthy and happily wagging their tails moments after she passed. Hidden handlers rewarded them with affection before preparing for the next applicant. Nor did she know that more than one hundred observers watched her progress from concealed positions throughout the forest. She managed to notice only five of the fifteen actual examiners hidden along the route. Among those she missed were Arin and two veteran hunters positioned near the section where the sunlight trap had blinded her. Had she looked behind herself even once, she might have spotted them immediately.
By the time she reached the end of the course, her lungs burned painfully and sweat clung to every strand of blond hair. She burst from the forest into an open field with barely fifteen seconds remaining on her timer. In the center stood a small wooden table where two elderly figures calmly drank tea beneath the afternoon sun. The contrast between her frantic exhaustion and their relaxed posture almost felt surreal. Karl slowly lowered his teacup and studied her quietly before speaking in a calm voice.
"Good. You finished in time," he said while blowing steam from his tea. "We will contact you within a week after reviewing all applicants. Even if you are not selected, we will provide your results so they may help your future applications." His tone remained polite but distant, as though he deliberately avoided looking too deeply into her eyes.
Mya straightened herself despite her exhaustion and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for the opportunity," she replied earnestly. "And please take good care of the dogs and hawks." Hope flickered visibly across her face as she spoke. Karl laughed softly at her concern before pointing toward the far end of the field where a bus already waited with the applicants' belongings loaded inside.
"Do not worry," Karl answered with amusement. "Those animals are excellent actors by now."
Once Mya boarded the departing bus and disappeared from sight, the testing grounds finally fell quiet. The family temporarily paused the examinations to eat and review the day's candidates. Annemiek leaned back in her chair with visible dissatisfaction written across her face. "That girl and the quiet boy from earlier are the only exceptional applicants today," she remarked while crossing her arms. "The rest either lack talent or reek of opportunism."
Karl sighed heavily and nodded in agreement. "The test is easier than any version we have ever created, yet most still struggle despite their enhanced bodies." His gaze drifted toward the distant forest thoughtfully. "Ironically, those two are also the only applicants who completely reset their classes to pursue something better." Respect colored his usually calm voice as he spoke.
Annemiek raised an eyebrow at him curiously. "You sound unusually impressed," she teased lightly. "Mother Gaia practically begged those people to abandon their unsuitable classes. I heard she warned some of them five separate times before outright calling them burdens upon humanity." Her mocking tone made the surrounding elders chuckle softly.
Karl's expression, however, remained serious. "That may be true," he admitted quietly, "but both of them carry scars deeper than most soldiers twice their age." His fingers tightened slightly around his teacup. "One hides overwhelming loneliness behind constant happiness. The other has the same dead stare I only ever saw after the Russian War."
The atmosphere immediately grew heavier. Annemiek gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer comfortingly. "You keep looking too deeply into people," she whispered softly. "I know it hurts you every time." Pain flickered briefly across her own eyes as she spoke. "But until we find another way, we need your instincts for the family."
Karl closed his eyes for a moment before leaning slightly into her embrace. Beyond the field, the forest remained silent and watchful as another group of applicants approached the entrance path. The Crimson Sun had only just begun rebuilding its strength, and already the world's wounded souls were gathering at its gates.