The figure in the sky was Instructor Alaric. His presence engulfed everyone around while pressuring everyone below.
He wasn't intentionally suppressing them; this was simply the result of his not restraining his aura. At his level, even a careless release of power was enough to suffocate those beneath him. And in a trial like this—where death lurked at every corner—he had to remain fully aware, fully focused, ready to intervene at any moment. As failure would result in the death of a trainee
The trainees below felt it immediately. Their breaths grew heavier, spines stiffened, and pupils contracted.
Instructor Alaric's aura felt like that of a wild beast, ready to rip them to shreds at any moment.
Even those who had been resting snapped their eyes open, instinctively straightening as they faced the figure above.
Silence fell across the clearing.
After a few seconds, Instructor Alaric spoke.
"Those who stand here…" his voice carried effortlessly, deep and commanding, "…have passed the first stage of the trial."
His gaze swept across them.
Not all had made it; that much was obvious.
Some lowered their heads slightly; others clenched their fists.
But no one spoke.
Alaric's eyes paused briefly on Valdis.
"Among you," he continued, "one arrived first, and he completed the trial excellently."
Murmurs began to stir as most of the trainees looked at Silas, assuming that he was the person the instructor was referring to. Silas, on the other hand, glanced at Valdis.
Cassian's lips curled faintly as he awaited the drama that would soon unfold.
Cassian knew that most of these trainees worshiped Silas, as he was clearly the strongest in their batch. Even his background was impressive, as he was the son of the commander of the Ebonhart knights, which meant he had access to vast resources.
The twins narrowed their eyes. Although they didn't care about the way people ranked them, they always looked up to Silas, seeing him as someone they needed to surpass
Only the silver-haired girl remained calm, as she already knew who the instructor was referring to.
Alaric stayed silent for a while before his voice cut through the noise
"Valdis, step forward."
The name echoed. But the response wasn't jubilant as expected, as none of them had heard that name before.
Valdis, who had been standing beside Silas, took a few steps forward, putting him in front of the crowd.
"Turn towards them, I want them to have a good look at you."
Obeying the instructor's commands, Valdis turned towards the remaining trainees. As soon as he turned, he immediately felt several pairs of eyes on his body; each one seemed to be analyzing him.
After a while, the instructor continued speaking,
"The reason I called him out today is so that you guys can have a good look at him because this young man is a true talent, unlike most of you, whose talents are built on pills and precious resources. For most of you, the only thing worth mentioning about you is your surname. Without your family's backing and protection, you are nothing."
Hearing the instructor's words, most of them bowed their heads in shame. Everyone began to see Valdis in a new light because it was quite rare for an instructor to praise someone's talent the way he had just done.
After a short pause, the instructor continued.
"I didn't call him out here for no reason. I called him, so you called him out to tell you the outstanding feat he just accomplished."
"The young man before you not only finished the first part of the trial the fastest," Alaric said calmly, "and did so while killing an Apex beast, the Titan bear."
Silence.
The silence felt heavy.
After a moment, a ripple of shock spread through the group.
"He killed a Titan Bear…?"
"Alone?"
"What a monster…?"
Even those who had remained composed until now showed signs of disbelief.
The twins' expressions hardened, their eyes locking onto Valdis with newfound intensity.
Cassian's smile widened slightly, though his gaze sharpened.
Silas exhaled slowly, as if confirming what he had already suspected. As he arrived, he happened to come across the corpse of the bear, and looking at the markings on its body were minimal except for the deep gash across its throat. His first thought had been that the instructor intervened and killed the bear, but thinking further, the instructor did not need to, and even if the instructor had intended to kill it, the killing blow wouldn't be as jagged as he found it, as though the person had struggled to kill it.
The silver-haired girl opened her eyes briefly, glancing at Valdis. Her eyes were filled with shock for a brief moment before she closed them again.
Looking at Valdis, he said, " You can return back to your position."
Seeing that the news had stirred them, Alaric allowed their reactions to settle before continuing.
"The second stage begins now."
At his words, the air seemed to shift.
"I gave you all backpacks at the beginning of this trial," Alaric said. "And this is where they will play a crucial role in your training."
After saying this, he paused, as his eyes scanned the expressions of everyone present, before he continued.
"Once you set foot on that mountain, the arrays on it will immediately connect to the massive array around the mountain, drastically increasing the weight your body will bear."
Valdis's gaze shifted backwards towards the backpack he wore on his back.
It had weight....
But its weight didn't bother him in the slightest.
"Please do not underestimate the additional weight, as some of you might fail the moment you set foot on that mountain," He said
He paused once more, and after a brief moment, he continued
You will carry them as you ascend the mountain, and at specific points on the mountain, the weight will double," Alaric continued.
A few trainees frowned.
"The only way to escape it is to either reach the top or call for help, but do know that once I help you, it means that you have failed the second part of this trial."
"That's it?" one muttered under his breath.
Too simple.
Too straightforward.
Alaric's eyes flickered with faint amusement as it seemed some of these trainees didn't take his words to heart, and that would probably cost them a lot.
"Finally, there are traps all over the mountain, so tread carefully, as being unable to extricate yourself from them will also lead to your disqualification."
"After saying this, Alaric asked, " If you have questions, I'll hear them now."
"Can someone forfeit participating in the next trial?" someone asked
Hearing this, Alaric's gaze turned cold as his eyes bored holes into the person who asked the question.
"You can." His words made many trainees heave a sigh of relief, but his next words poured a bucket of cold water on their expectations
"Forfeiting the second trial means forfeiting the training entirely, as neither I nor any other instructor will be willing to teach a coward."
Hearing this, a few swallowed unconsciously because they knew his words weren't a threat but the cold truth.
The instructors in charge of the Initiate trial were extremely strict and were known to expel trainees for the slightest issues.
"Your task is simple," he continued. "Ascend the mountain."
His eyes swept across them once more before he said, "and reach the peak. To be able to call yourself a member of the Ebonhart House, you should be able to do this much."
The trainees looked up the mountain and sighed. They knew that this part of the trial would be the most difficult.
"The trial begins now."
The invisible barrier that separated them from the mountain shimmered for a while before vanishing.
For a split second, no one moved as none of them wanted to be the first to experience the terrors the trial had in store for them.
Valdis, seeing this, sighed.
He turned his head towards Silas, but he was completely focused on the mountain that he didn't notice Valdis' gaze.
Seeing this, Valdis sighed as his eyes became resolute, and immediately he took a single step forward.
As soon as he began walking towards the place, the barrier was, he immediately became the center of attention, but even at that, no one dared step forward.
He continued moving without hesitation; his steps didn't falter in the least.
Once he crossed an invisible threshold, stepping into the mountain's domain, the exact moment his foot touched the slope—
The world changed.
Thud.
The backpack on his shoulders grew heavier.
Not slightly, not gradually, but instantly.
His muscles tightened, his bones creaked, and his body dipped a fraction due to the sudden change in weight.
The ground beneath him seemed to press back.
But he didn't stop.
Seeing him take the first step, the others followed
One by one, they stepped into the trial.
And as they did—
The true weight of the mountain revealed itself.