Kaedros expected the creature to charge them. In their condition, he doubted they could do more than defend, and even that was optimistic. But instead, the monster only stumbled forward, its face already healed.
It didn’t co for them. It didn’t even look at them. With heavy, lumbering steps, it walked toward the lake and entered it. The murky green water cleared imdiately around its massive form.
"What just happened?" Taria muttered, rubbing her aching arms. "It ignored us. After trying to kill us just a minute ago!"
Kaedros could only shrug. He was just as baffled. He thought the fight would continue, but sohow... it was over. The creature had apparently had enough.
Chef toyed with the cork of her bottle as she approached, watching them with a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. "It has indeed had enough. And it’s decided you’ve earned your place to drink, for now."
"That’s your test?" Taria snapped, pointing to the lake. "It nearly killed us!"
Chef gave a slow nod. "And it would have. If it truly wanted to. You couldn’t evade or harm it. It rely tested you."
"You said, ’for now,’" Kaedros said, eyeing her closely. "What do you an by that?"
"I an exactly what I said. Be quick. The tests here aren’t one-ti events. Everything in this place must be earned, daily."
"Every day?" Rauk spoke up sharply. "You expect us to fight that monster every day? Are you trying to kill us? We’re not that powerful!"
Thalso tilted his head toward Rauk, his voice calm but clipped. "You aren’t powerful. That’s why we haven’t begun the real trials. The mont you step through the doors of the Candidate’s Trial, you would die."
Kaedros narrowed his eyes. "So, what’s your plan?"
"I’m going to train you until you’re strong enough to face those doors," Thalso replied. "There are five doors. You’ll challenge them eventually. But right now, strength is your only priority."
Kaedros paused, trying to understand the scope of what he was being told. From what he had gathered, candidates ca to Throne of Ruinlight Castle to challenge sothing...sothing ancient, sothing powerful. Most failed, even strong ones.
He needed to know. "Do you offer this kind of training to all the candidates?"
"No," Thalso said simply.
Kaedros’s eyes widened. This was a rare opportunity. Whatever lay behind those doors must be incredible, for them to allow training before the challenge. They weren’t just being allowed to survive, they were being prepared.
And it wasn’t like they could leave the castle. If they wanted to return ho, they had to play by the rules. Maybe, just maybe, they’d gain sothing from this.
But as the old saying went—nothing ca for free.
"What’s the catch?" Kaedros asked. "What do you want from us?"
Thalso didn’t even pretend. He shrugged. "We’ll tell you later."
Chef nodded silently beside him.
Kaedros frowned. "We’d prefer to know now, if you don’t mind."
"We do mind," Chef said flatly. "And you should understand your situation by now. Once you step into Throne of Ruinlight, the castle won’t let you go. You’re far too weak to challenge the trials. Better I kill you now than waste ti opening doors you’ll never pass."
Thalso’s tone remained light, disturbingly casual. "All I want is to train you. It’s not like you have any other choice... unless, of course, you want to die."
Kaedros glanced at Taria and Rauk. He saw them twitch slightly as Thalso finished his sentence. Despite everything, Kaedros lowered his head in a bow.
"Thank you for this opportunity," he said. "We’ll accept it."
Thalso waved the words away, but leaned forward slightly, and the eagerness in his voice beca harder to hide. "And the deal? You’ll train under us... and when the ti cos, you’ll do sothing for us in return."
Kaedros hesitated. The way they looked at him, they were hunters, and he was the prey walking into a trap. Even the forest had gone still.
That feeling of being watched returned. The castle was listening and observing. Kaedros could feel its presence on the back of his mind, sothing old watching him with curiosity.
He glanced sideways. Taria gave a small nod and forced a smile. Rauk simply shrugged. ’What more can they do to us?’ his body language said.
Indeed. They had no choice.
"We have a deal," Kaedros said.
The mont the words left his lips, the weight of unseen eyes lifted. And...did the castle just sigh in relief? The presence he was feeling vanished just like that.
He couldn’t be sure, but both Thalso and Chef relaxed. The small woman even smiled a genuine smile, warm and unnerving all at once as she watched them.
Kaedros felt like he had just signed away their souls.
"Good. You made the right choice," Chef said, raising her bottle and taking a long, satisfied sip.
"We’ll see," Kaedros muttered under his breath.
"Now," Thalso said briskly. "You’ll do everything I command. As your head instructor, your first order is to drink from the lake. Restore your mana. Do it quickly or you’ll fight again."
Kaedros, Taria, and Rauk didn’t argue. They moved as ordered.
☆☆▪︎☆☆
Later
Thalso watched them leave, no, watched him leave.
"Do you think we made the right choice?" he asked quietly.
Chef’s expression turned somber. Her midnight-black eyes shimred with sothing unreadable. "We don’t have a choice, do we? The others won’t answer our call. We have to pass on the mantle of power."
"And if we’re right... if our guess is true... then he’s the one Master told us about," Thalso murmured. "One of them at least. You can already sense it on him can’t you? Even the castle reacted to it."
Chef snorted. "Told you, Thalso, you pile of rusted tal. Master told only you. He didn’t tell us shit did he?"
Thalso grunted and signed wearily. "Either way... we have to bring them back. Before they cause more harm than they were ever ant to."
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