Miles away from the hot desert canyon, inside their own virtual reality pod simulation, Class Audax faced a completely different nightmare.
Unlike Fortis's tight desert trench, Audax's area was a maze of black stone pillars — tall, jagged towers rising out of a mist-filled valley, connected only by crumbling natural bridges and hanging walkways.
At the center of the main platform, Julia stood with her feet planted wide, her small body shaking under the strain as her Spatial Pressure tracked every shake in the empty space around her. Sweat ran down her temple and stung her eye, but she didn't dare blink
"Upper left bridge!" Julia yelled, her hands pressed tight against her temples. Her voice cracked from the dry wind. "Three Ridge-Crawlers coming through the fog! Thomas, right above you!"
Thomas ward didn't look up to check. Trusting her call, he set his heels into the slick stone, pulled his broadsword back, and swung upward with everything he had.
Clang!
