“A sink drop,” Vaelor hissed. “Move!”
He grabbed Mara’s arm, pulling her back just as the ground gave way. Gora stumbled, her injured leg buckling, but Mara held fast, anchoring her with surprising strength.
The slab of ice slid into the abyss with a thunderous crack, disappearing into darkness.
Mara’s breath came fast. “That… was too close.”
Vaelor nodded.
Gora exhaled shakily. “I would have fallen.”
“You didn’t,” Mara said. “That’s what matters.”
Vaelor guided them with careful steps. The air grew colder, sharper, as if the Veil itself resisted their progress. But then—faintly—a shimmer of pale light appeared ahead.
“The threshold,” Vaelor murmured. Relief flickered through him, though he kept it hidden. “Once we cross it, the challenge ends.”
Mara tightened her grip on Gora. “Then let’s finish this.”
Together, they pushed forward, leaving the dangers of the Black Ice Plain behind as they crossed into the dim glow marking the end of the Obsidian Veil.
Vaelor allowed himself one slow breath. They survived. But someone out there had tried to make sure they didn’t.
And he intended to find out who.
The moment their boots crossed the shimmering boundary, the oppressive darkness of the Obsidian Veil peeled away like a lifted curtain. Light—bright, artificial, but blessedly steady—washed over them. Mara sagged with relief, still supporting Gora’s weight. Vaelor kept a steadying hand on both of them until they were fully clear of the Obsidian Veil.
A booming voice echoed across the challenge grounds, amplified by unseen speakers.
“Vaelor of Crytharia and Mara of Earth—challenge complete.”
Mara straightened, breath misting in the cold air. Gora leaned heavily on her, but her pride kept her chin high.
The Game Master continued, tone shifting into something more formal.
“They have brought with them the Bestial competitor, Gora, who was unable to continue on her own.”
Gora grunted. “I could have—”
“No,” Mara said softly. “You couldn’t.”
Vaelor hid a smirk.
The Game Master’s voice sharpened.
“However, Gora and her partner, Felon, are hereby disqualified.”
Gora stiffened. “What?”
“All pairs must finish the challenges together. Felon arrived without you. You arrived without him. Disqualification is mandatory.”
Mara’s jaw tightened. “He left her behind.”
Vaelor nodded once. “And he will answer for that.”
Gora said nothing, but the fury in her eyes was unmistakable.
Around them, the other players were gathered in loose clusters. Every one of them looked battered—scraped, frostbitten, shaken. Some were still catching their breath. A few sat hunched over, clutching bruised limbs.
