The guild's training hall echoed with the sound of boots and murmurs. More than thirty candidates had gathered, each one bearing the fresh scar of their Hunter's Mark—a symbol of their contract with a monster companion.
Ethan stood among them, Shadowfang's form lurking in the corner of his vision like a restless shadow. The wolf's golden eyes burned with anticipation, a reflection of Ethan's own nerves.
A woman stepped onto the platform at the center. Seris Kael—the Enforcer of Greystone Guild. Her black armor gleamed under the torchlight, and the pressure of her aura was so overwhelming that half the candidates instinctively straightened their backs.
> "Listen well," Seris's voice cut through the hall.
"The Initiation Trial is not a game. It is not about strength alone. It is about discipline, bond, and survival. Fail, and you die. Break the Laws of Oath, and you die. Prove unworthy…"
She paused, her gaze sweeping across them like a blade.
> "…and you'll wish you had died."
A wave of cold silence spread. Ethan's heartbeat thudded in his ears.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them rumbled. The training hall's floor split open, revealing a deep, spiraling staircase of obsidian stone. From within, came the faint roars of unseen beasts.
"The trial begins now." Seris raised her hand, and a seal of light expanded across the staircase, locking behind them.
"Step forward, candidates. Once you descend, there is no return until the trial is complete."
---
As they marched down, Ethan caught snippets of conversation.
> "I heard last year half of them never came back."
"Good. Less competition for us."
"Just stay close to me, we'll survive this."
The deeper they went, the thicker the air became, heavy with the scent of blood and iron. Torches lined the walls, but shadows danced unnaturally, as if alive. Shadowfang growled low, hackles raised.
Easy, Ethan whispered through their bond. But even he felt it—the oppressive weight of danger.
---
At the bottom of the staircase, a vast underground arena stretched before them. Stone walls were etched with runes, glowing faintly, sealing them inside.
Then the voice of Seris echoed again, though she was nowhere in sight.
> "The rules are simple. Survive three nights within the arena. Protect your bond. Hunt or be hunted. Those who endure will earn the title of Hunter. Those who fail will feed the arena."
A gate thundered open on the far side. From the darkness poured dozens of monsters—fangs glinting, claws tearing at the ground, eyes burning with primal hunger.
Candidates shouted, summoning their companions: wolves, lizards, armored bears, even serpents coiled with flame. The arena erupted in chaos.
Ethan drew a sharp breath. Shadowfang materialized fully beside him, a blur of black fur and golden fire.
> "Shadowfang…" Ethan muttered, tightening his fists. "This is it. Our hunt begins."
The wolf howled, its voice shaking the arena like a war cry, and together they charged into the storm.
---
Chapter End.
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