Tendrils whipped from the ground, cutting through the attackers before they could react.

One by one, they fell, until the last one, a smallish girl, still shaking from the shock, crushed her crystal and smiled through her fear."I'll… see you when this ends…"

Aramith tilted his head."You won't."

Her smile faltered, and he stepped forward

This was heartless Aramith.

"What are you—"

"The crystals are fake. You'll die."

Fear spiked. "But—"

Mozrael's chest tightened. "Aramith— stop! They thought—"

Aramith snapped his fingers, and darkness consumed the girl before the words could leave her mouth.

"They were already dead," he said flatly, wiping his hand as though brushing off dirt. "Either we attack anyone we meet, or face trouble. Don't you remember that?"

Before she could argue, another group appeared from the treeline — this time attacking without hesitation.

"Demon!" one of them shouted. "He's using forbidden magic!"

His attribute manifested in ways they couldn't understand. Why won't they call him a demon?

Aramith also didn't deny it. He only said, softly, "Now that you've seen it, you have to go."

And once again, souls were separated from their bodies.

When the place became quiet again, Aramith turned to leave, but Mozrael couldn't.

She couldn't hold it in any longer."Aramith," she said, voice trembling, "what are you doing to yourself?"

He looked at her with the same hollow calm that had replaced everything else inside him."I'm surviving," he said simply.

"No," she stepped closer. "You're breaking. Every time you kill, you lose something, and I don't even know if you feel it anymore."

Aramith didn't answer. He looked toward the sky — at the orb still watching them — and said,

"Choose then."

Mozrael was startled. "Choose what?"

"Is it better that I'm able to control my power as I am now, or is it's better that I remain weak and unable to do anything?"

"You can't—

"This is called living, Mozrael."

"That's not living!" she shouted. "That's just… becoming something."

But Aramith didn't care. "Something? It's called strength, and you have no right to judge me when you also have blood on your hands."

It was true that she'd claimed lives before, but this was different.

A heavy silence hung between them. And in that silence, the distant sound of Lynnor's commentary rippled through the forest, echoing off the trees.

The next opponents they encountered were a pack of wolves.

They numbered well over thirty, growling and prowling around, waiting for a chance to attack.

Aramith was ready to attack when the lead wolf suddenly whimpered and bowed its head.

It wagged its tail a little, and the others followed suit, bowing low.

Aramith recognized them at first as the wolves from when he was in his wolf form, but he wasn't sure they'd recognize him.

But they were more than when he'd last seen them.

This number was way above his expectations.

He raised his hand, darkness settled over them, and he absorbed them.

I have to confirm with her, he thought.

"Mozrael," he called.

Mozrael was still amazed at how easily he was able to control and absorb the wolves.

"I need you to watch over me so I can confirm something."

The intensity in his eyes told Mozrael how serious he was, but she didn't fully understand till he sat down cross-legged.

He wasn't asking her.

He was telling her what to do, she suddenly realized.

"If anyone sneaks in, you need to kill them," he said, then closed his eyes.

A dome of darkness appeared around them, and his breathing slowed.

When he opened his eyes, he was looking straight into the eyes of none other than Mai.

She looked down into his eyes like a mother would her child.

How ironic that the creation would have such an expression when looking at its creator.

Aramith sat up, realizing then that he lay on her lap.

When he sat up, he first noticed a major difference in the realm.

It was the same shattered realm, but now...the flames were colorful.

She immediately understood his confusion.

"After you left, I noticed I had more control over this place than I thought. I thought this color looked nice," she stated.

Aramith looked at the spilling colors of flames—Blue, purple, pink, and white.

They looked mesmerizing.

He stood up, and a howl made him turn around.

The wolves appeared behind him, all bowing in submission.

But he noticed their number had tripled, and now they were over a hundred wolves.

A few of them were twice their original size as well.

"How long have they been here?" He asked.

"Time started moving faster here ever since you left. They've been here for two days," she said.

This new development wasn't part of his expectations.

"DO they have any special abilities?" He asked.

She observed them for a while, then shook her head. "I don't sense any. But maybe they will develop special skills later."

Aramith nodded.

She understood what he wanted, so she added. "For now, all you can master is how to summon them, disperse them, and give them commands."

Aramith didn't respond. He just went to stand before them. He had to gain control over this before he stepped out.

Mozrael observed Aramith's still form.

He breathed heavily and slowly, just like Lynnor had taught them before.

She couldn't figure out when he'd learned to enter his realm.

The only difference was that his body was still warm, and the second was the fact that he was still holding up the dome.

It was getting to an hour now, and the place had been so quiet till a familiar voice called her.

"Mozrael? Aramith? I know you're here."

Mozrael felt her heart skip a beat, then she clenched her fist.

"Elira..."

Without wasting a second, she stepped out of the dome.

"What do you want?" She asked.

Elira smiled, but this smile was different from her usual friendly smile. "I know you know what I did, so don't hide your hate."

"What did you hope to gain from that?" Mozrael asked.

"A lot of things," she stated. "But first," she took off her earrings and then, a necklace Mozrael didn't even know was there.

There and then, Mozrael watched in horror as Elira's form changed.

The innocent little girl with bright eyes transformed.

She grew taller and older in a matter of seconds, turning into a mature woman right before her eyes.

"Surprised?" She asked. "Well, you're about to be more surprised."

She took the rings and necklace and put them together in her palm. They shone and turned into a small bell.

"I don't want to kill you, so just tell Aramith to come out."

Mozrael didn't understand what was going on, but a strange fear settled heavily on her chest.

"So you won't bring him out?"

"..."

"Very well."

Elira rang the bell. It reverberated in its high note through mozrael's ears, but nothing happened.

The place was eerily calm for a moment, then—

CRACK!

The ground beneath her split open, and a gaping hole rose to swallow her whole.

"Something's not right," Mai said to Aramith.

Aramith felt it too. Something was going terribly wrong in the real world.

"I have to go," he said and opened his eyes.

The first thing he noticed was that Mozrael wasn't in the dome.

Then he heard a ground-splitting crack.

He quickly dispersed the dome and saw a gaping hole rising to swallow Mozrael.

"Go!" He shouted.

A wolf emerged, shooting straight for Mozrael. It grabbed her and threw her toward him, right before the hole swallowed it.

He caught Mozrael, who was trembling violently.

Her marks suddenly glowed and danced around her erratically.

"Ah, so there you are!"

Aramith didn't recognize this woman, but she looked familiar.

He immediately understood she was the one attacking them. She had a dangerous air about her.

But there was no grown person as part of the exam.

Was this one of Lynnor's tricks?

"Mozrael, can you stand?" He asked, but the girl was unable to stop the trembling.

She shook her head, gripping his hand. "...ra," she forced to say.

"What?" Aramith asked.

"Elira," she repeated, pointing at the woman.

Aramith frowned.

The woman smiled. "Well, you don't believe her? I really am Elira, and I know you hate me."

Something is very wrong here.

"The princess asked me to come get you for her, so all you have to do is come with me, or I have to force you myself. She didn't say anything about Mozrael, so I'll either kill her and take you or leave her alone and take you."She pointed a finger at Aramith.

"But of course, my actions all depend on what you decide to do now."

Princess? What is she talking about?

"I went through a lot of trouble to get here, so do well to act wisely before I make you regret it."

Mozrael was now able to stand, but the fear made her heart hammer violently against her chest.

There was something about that hole from earlier. She just knew she was going to die there and then.

"So what will it be?" Elira asked.

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