Aster moved slowly toward the Gate of Ascension as the long line of candidates advanced.
The Solvaris Knights stood at the entrance, carefully inspecting each person before allowing them to proceed. No weapons, no metal tools, nothing that could be considered dangerous was permitted to enter Solvaris Isle.
The island itself was built upon vast layers of quartz and ancient stone. Even from afar, it looked majestic—almost unreal.
Rumors claimed that each of the Eight Isles possessed its own unique nature, different from the others in ways few outsiders truly understood.
Around Aster, candidates whispered nervously among themselves. Many had waited years for this moment.
Time slowly passed.
Eventually, Aster reached the front.
He was next.
Out of more than thirty thousand candidates gathered for the examination, the Gate of Ascension would only allow six hundred to pass. For many, years of training and waiting would end today in failure.
Aster stepped forward.
The enormous gate loomed above him, its ancient runes glowing faintly.
He walked into the center of the light.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause.
The gate trembled.
For a single heartbeat, the ancient runes across its surface flared with blinding light.
The eye within the gate widened slightly—
As if it had seen something it should not have seen.
Then—
Deep within the gate's ancient perception, something stirred.
The eye within the gate looked beyond the present… beyond the surface of the soul standing before it.
For an instant—
It glimpsed something far away.
A distant future.
A possibility that should not exist.
And then—
The massive doors suddenly closed.
Aster instinctively leaped forward, barely slipping through before the gate sealed shut behind him.
A thunderous silence spread across the field.
Seventy-three thousand remaining candidates stood frozen in disbelief.
Their years of preparation…
Ended in an instant.
The Gate of Ascension had closed.
And once closed, it would not open again for another ten years.
The Solvaris Knights murmured among themselves in confusion.
"This has never happened before…"
"The gate should remain open until every candidate is examined."
Messengers were immediately sent to report the anomaly to the authorities of Aurelion Isle.
But beyond the gate…
Aster knew nothing about the chaos he had left behind.
He stood inside a vast circular arena.
Six hundred candidates surrounded him.
All of them had been chosen.
Aster felt his heart beating faster.
He didn't recognize anyone.
Quietly, he moved toward the edge of the ring and waited.
A low murmur spread through the arena.
Among the candidates, an arrogant boy stepped forward with a confident grin. His eyes were fixed on someone nearby.
A girl stood not far away.
Her lavender hair flowed gently over her shoulders, and her soft smile was like a flower blooming in spring. There was something graceful and calm about her presence.
The boy walked straight toward her.
His intentions were obvious.
Several candidates noticed but remained silent.
He stopped before her and reached out toward her shoulder.
Then—
His head separated from his body.
For a split second, no one understood what had happened.
Then blood burst into the air.
The boy's body collapsed to the ground as his severed head rolled across the stone floor.
Screams erupted.
Shock spread through the crowd.
A few steps away stood another boy.
His eyes were cold and emotionless.
Blood dripped from his hand.
Several candidates rushed toward him, shouting and trying to capture him.
Aster stood frozen, watching the chaos unfold.
Just as the candidates nearly reached the boy—
BOOM!
Something crashed down from above like a missile.
The impact shook the arena, throwing dust and smoke everywhere.
Everyone stepped back instinctively.
For a moment, nothing could be seen through the smoke.
Then slowly…
The smoke cleared.
A strange metallic sphere stood before them.
On its surface—
A door slowly opened.
From the opening stepped a knight.
He wore the uniform of the Knights of Aetherion, an order often whispered about as the false rulers of the world.
His presence alone carried a heavy aura.
His armor was forged from silver and black crystal, reflecting the faint light of the arena.
His eyes were cold—like a winter blizzard.
Without wasting a second, he rushed toward the lavender-haired girl.
He stopped before her and bowed his head slightly.
"Your Majesty… are you hurt?"
The girl smiled gently.
"No."
Then her expression hardened.
"Why are you here?" she demanded. "I know you came to take me back. If you try to take me away now… you're as good as dead."
The knight shook his head calmly.
"That is not the case, Your Majesty. I am here only to coordinate the next stage of the trials."
He then turned toward the boy who had killed the arrogant candidate.
The boy stood completely still, his cold eyes unchanged.
The knight walked past him.
Then he stopped beside Aster.
Aster still stood frozen.
The knight took a cloth and calmly wiped the blood from his hand.
"Don't get the wrong idea," he said quietly. "You're fine."
The words snapped Aster back to reality.
Slowly, Aster moved away and returned to the edge of the arena.
"I am Louis," the knight announced.
"A Knight of Aetherion. I will conduct the next stage of the trials."
For a moment, he glanced at the lavender-haired girl.
Her eyes were still fixed on him as a warning.
Louis sighed quietly.
"Don't worry," he murmured. "I won't tell them who you are."
Then his voice suddenly thundered across the arena.
"Shut up and line up, you brats!"
The arena instantly fell silent.
"What the hell are you all babbling about?" Louis continued coldly. "Cut it out… or I'll cut you out."
Louis crossed his arms.
"Listen carefully."
"The next stage of the trial will take place in the great maze on the other side of this arena."
He pointed toward a massive gate leading deeper into the structure.
"At the center of the maze, four people are trapped."
Murmurs spread through the candidates.
"In each round, two candidates will enter the maze together."
"You will find four people there."
"You may save only one."
The murmurs grew louder.
"If you rescue the correct person, you pass."
Louis paused.
"If you choose wrong…"
His eyes turned icy.
"You'll be thrown straight into the ocean."
The crowd erupted in panic.
Aster felt his heartbeat rise sharply.
"Quiet!"
Louis's voice silenced the arena instantly.
"If anyone opens their mouth again," he said coldly, "I'll throw them into the ocean before the trial even begins."
The silence returned.
"You may choose your partner," Louis continued. "Or you'll be assigned one randomly."
Then he smiled slightly.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Inside the maze… I have a little pet wandering around."
The candidates exchanged nervous looks.
"So try not to run into him."
"Otherwise, the only thing left of you will be bones."
Aster slowly calmed his breathing.
Looking around, he saw the same expression on almost every face.
Fear.
Almost everyone was afraid.
Except for five people.
Five candidates stood calm.
Louis opened the massive gate leading into the maze.
"It begins now," he announced.
"Form two lines and step forward."
The candidates quickly formed pairs.
Aster stepped into line with the others.
Aster lifted his head.
Someone stood directly across from him.
It was the same boy who had killed the arrogant candidate earlier.
For a moment, the noise of the arena faded.
Their eyes met.
Cold.
Silent.
Then the boy's lips curved into a faint smile.
The coldness in his eyes faded.
Louis' voice echoed across the arena.
"First pair… step forward."
Aster felt his chest tighten.
Only then did he realize the truth.
He was going into the maze with him.
Louis watched them quietly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Run as much as you like," he muttered under his breath.
"Just pray you don't meet my pet."
Far inside the maze…
Something stirred in the darkness.
And it had already sensed the arrival of its first prey..