Now, with that aside, this is the next stage of your trial," Elton spoke.

Her voice was calm, measured, yet it carried across the entire throne room with absolute clarity. The moment the words left her lips, everyone's attention snapped toward her. Conversations died instantly. Movements stilled. Even breathing seemed to grow quieter.

No one wanted to miss a single word.

The buildup to this stage had already been grueling, mentally, physically, emotionally. From the very first moment they had entered the trials, they had been pushed, broken, forced to adapt again and again. Each stage had stripped something from them, whether it was strength, certainty, or innocence. And now, standing within this suffocating castle filled with unseen dangers, every single one of them knew the same truth.

This stage would be the hardest yet.

Elton's gaze swept across the hall, taking in the mixture of emotions on their faces, anticipation, fear, tension, exhaustion. Some tried to hide it. Others made no attempt at all. She smiled faintly, clearly satisfied.

"The next stage of your trial is simple," she said.

That single word, simple, made several people tense even further. Nothing about this place had been simple so far.

"Escape the castle."

The words echoed.

Not just through the throne room, but inside their minds.

For a heartbeat, then another, the entire hall fell into absolute silence. No gasps. No cries. No whispers. It was as if sound itself had been stripped away.

They stood frozen, stunned.

Every single person there understood exactly what those words meant.

They had seen the castle.

They had felt it.

They had encountered fragments of its danger, maids who could obliterate monsters with a single strike, halls that seemed to shift when no one was looking, beings whose mere presence made breathing feel heavy. And now, they were being told that they had to escape it.

Not survive inside it.

Not endure it.

Escape it.

Before that reality could fully settle in their minds, Elton spoke again.

"I believe some of you have already witnessed the threats that exist within this castle," she said calmly. "But I should warn you, what you have seen so far isn't even close to the real danger."

Her smile widened slightly.

Then, as if she hadn't just dropped a catastrophe on their heads, she turned and returned to her throne, sitting down with perfect composure.

Chaos followed.

Confusion rippled through the hall. People looked at one another, panic beginning to creep into their expressions. Some backed away instinctively. Others clenched their fists, trying to steady themselves. A few already began looking at the exit.

Then—

Creeeaaaak.

The sound was slow, deep, and unnatural.

Everyone turned.

The statues.

The massive warrior statues that stood beside each pillar, silent, unmoving guardians that had loomed over the throne room since the moment they arrived, were shifting.

Stone scraped against stone.

Red light ignited within their eyes.

And then they moved.

Without hesitation. Without restraint.

Weapons swung, spears thrust forward, blades cleaving through the air with murderous intent. The statues launched themselves at the crowd, each strike aimed to kill.

Panic erupted.

People screamed. Some ran. Others froze for half a second too long and paid for it immediately. Stone weapons pierced flesh, blood splattering across marble floors that had once been pristine. Bodies fell, lifeless, staining the throne room with terror.

Aren reacted instantly.

A statue lunged toward him, spear thrusting forward with overwhelming force. Aren twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. His hand shot out, grabbing the shaft of the spear, and with a grunt of effort, he ripped it free.

He didn't hesitate.

With all his strength, he flung it.

The spear tore through the air and slammed into a nearby pillar. Stone cracked violently, fractures spiderwebbing outward, and the statue itself shattered moments later, collapsing into rubble from its weapon getting snatched.

Aren didn't wait to see the aftermath.

He bolted.

Straight toward the doors.

If they wanted to survive, staying anywhere near Elton was the worst possible decision they could make.

"I knew it," Aren muttered under his breath as he ran. "I knew this castle was part of the trial."

From the very first day, he had felt it, that oppressive presence, the controlled paths, the hidden danger beneath everything. This place had never been a rest stop. It had always been the battlefield.

Aiden spotted Aren sprinting toward the exit and immediately followed. Leon was right behind him, swearing under his breath as he dodged a blade that narrowly missed his head.

Kira, pressed hard by a statue wielding a massive sword, glanced in Aren's direction. Without hesitation, she poured everything into a single spell. A massive ice lance formed and launched forward, slamming directly into the statue's chest and shattering it into fragments.

She didn't stop.

She ran.

If there was one thing they trusted right now, it was each other.

The throne room exploded into chaos as doors were thrown open and people flooded out in every direction. Those fast enough escaped. Those who weren't screamed as they were cut down, their blood painting the walls and floors.

Elton watched it all.

Her expression never changed.

Once the last of them had fled the room, another presence manifested.

The butler.

The same man who had guided Aren through the castle, who had spoken in riddles and quiet warnings, now stood within the ruined throne room. He looked tired, truly tired, as he faced Elton.

"The stage has begun," she said calmly. "You know what to do. All of you do."

"Yes, Lady Elton," the butler replied, bowing deeply.

But before he could turn away, she spoke again.

"That Awakened," she said. "Aren. The one who uses shadows. Shadow summons."

The butler froze.

"He is your special task," Elton continued. "Make sure you kill him."

For a moment, the butler didn't move.

Then, slowly, he lifted his head.

"My lady…" he began carefully. "Why such focus on him?"

Elton's gaze sharpened.

"Are you questioning me?"

The butler immediately bowed again. "Never, my lady. I merely wished to know if there was something… different about him."

"You do not need to know that," she replied coldly. "Ensure he does not make it out of the castle. That is your task, he also posseses a revive totem, so you'll have to kill him twice."

The butler remained bowed for a second longer than necessary. When he straightened, reluctance flickered across his face, just for an instant.

Then he vanished.

And somewhere deep within the castle, Aren ran, unaware that the game had just changed.

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