His heart had written its verdict long ago, and the ink of hatred could not be scrubbed clean. His eyes lingered on Wuxie with quiet hostility, like a storm hidden beneath calm seas. You shouldn't even be here. Somehow, you always slip through unscathed. But not forever. Not this time.
Selene's silver eyes flicked from the gate to the others, her poise unbroken, her beauty framed in an aura of stillness. She neither smiled nor frowned; her lips remained a serene line, but her very posture spoke volumes.
She understood what the others perhaps refused to admit aloud: this trial would not merely test their power. It would break them apart. Alliances, rivalries, respect—all would dissolve the moment they set foot inside. Only one relic awaited. Only one name would echo from the Vault as victor. Her calmness was not arrogance but acceptance; she had already made her peace with the truth.
