“Those stories kept me alive, drove me to do better.”
Then, after a breath, he added, almost reluctantly, “Your father understood something my people often ignore. That the lessons meant to protect the next generation are rarely the ones spoken aloud.”
Both of them remained silent after that. Something passed between them. A sort of understanding. Hopefully, this will help bring them together as partners so that they get through their first challenge which awaited them.
Chapter 10
Vaelor
Vaelor took in the scene before them. There was a large flat icy plane. Eight players were there. Some sitting, some standing.
“Is that the Slurchan and the Rasilian?” Mara asked.
“It appears so.”
The fact that they looked well rested was suspicious.
The GSG staff were running around prepping for the challenge. One of the little guys came up to them.
“Please put your packs over there.” He pointed to a large ice boulder. The other packs were tossed over there. “Then go stand or sit in a circle side by side.”
He and Mara followed the instructions. The camera drones were hovering close by but not taking images yet.
Mara sat on the ground while he stood next to her in his own circle. A short time later, the rest of the players arrived. None of them looked pleased except for the Bestial male. He wore a very satisfied expression on his face.
The GSG technician ushered the others into their circles. Then in the center of the silver platform, a three dimensional hologram of the Game Master appeared. The drones began whirring.
“Welcome back to the Galactic Survivor Games!”
The amplified voice rolled across the frozen expanse, sharp and energizing.“Players, I hope you enjoyed whatever rest you managed to get last night—because you’re going to need every ounce of strength you have today.”
A brief pause followed, just long enough to let the tension settle.
“Your first challenge is known as the Field of Magnetic Mirrors.”
Before them stretched a vast, flat plain of polished ice, its surface so perfectly reflective it looked unreal. The frozen field shimmered beneath the pale sun, multiplying the sky, the mountains, and the players themselves into endless fractured images. Depth vanished. Distance lied. Every step threatened to send them in the wrong direction.
“This field functions as a giant magnetic mirror,”the voice continued.“Your eyes will betray you. Reflections will distort the terrain, conceal hazards, and disguise the true path forward. Trust your instincts—but do not trust what you see.”
A low hum rippled beneath the ice, subtle but ominous.
“You will have thirty minutes to cross the mirror field before the ending call is sounded.”
Another pause.
“As with all timed challenges, your biosuits will be affected. From the moment you enter the field, thermal regulation will begin to fail. The longer you remain on the ice, the less protection your suit will provide. Cold exposure will increase steadily.”
The implications were clear.
“If conditions become unbearable, you may withdraw. Be advised—withdrawal from this challenge results in immediate removal from the Games and automatic disqualification of your partner.”
No sugarcoating. No mercy.
“Failure to complete the challenge within the allotted time will also result in disqualification.”
The silence stretched, thick and heavy.
“Players…”
