As they walked through the dim corridor, Kael suddenly staggered. A sharp pain tore through his chest, and before he could steady himself, he fell to his knees. A metallic taste flooded his mouth. He coughed up blood, splattering the white sand beneath him like ink on parchment.

  My body aches. My insides are burning. My bones felt as if they were made of lead. Hah...so this is the backlash for using my ability, he thought bitterly, his vision flickering at the edges.

  Astra, who had been walking slightly ahead, froze when she heard him collapse. She turned, her usual composed mask cracking for a moment.

  "Kael!" she exclaimed, rushing to his side when she saw the dark blood staining the ground. She knew exactly what this meant. The price of his ability was due.

  She knelt beside him and slid an arm under his to help him up. "How bad is it?" she asked, her voice low but laced with genuine worry.

  He coughed again and pressed his wrist against his mouth to stifle the sound.

  "I'll survive," he rasped, forcing a crooked smile despite the pain. "But I'd really like to skip to the 'survive' part now."

  She smirked briefly at his attempt at humor, but her expression soon returned to its usual calm. "Yeah, don't worry," she said softly. "You've done your part. Now, let me do mine."

  "I'm counting on you, then," he muttered weakly.

  With his arm draped over her shoulder, they moved on together through the winding corridors. Her steps were steady, but his were uneven. She supported him without a word. The farther they went, the lighter the air grew, until finally, a faint glow appeared at the end of the passage.

  "The exit... finally," Kael breathed out, relief mingling with exhaustion. "It's about time," Astra replied with quiet determination.

  They pressed forward slowly, step by step, the light ahead growing brighter. But halfway through the corridor, an unmistakable, mocking voice echoed from near the exit.

  Kael froze. Shit...I know that voice.

  Before he could warn Astra, four figures emerged from the side passageway. Their expressions were twisted with predatory delight. Liam stood at the front, his eyes gleaming with malice. He raised his sword, its tip glinting in the pale light, and pointed it directly at Kael.

  "Well, well," he drawled, smiling like a wolf that had cornered its prey.

  His smile widened, sharp and triumphant. "Finally, I found you... Spawn of Darkness,” he sneered. "I have to admit, your little strategy of circling back to the center almost fooled me. Clever. But you should know that traps are pretty easy with four people. I knew you’d eventually look for an exit on the eastern border.”

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  His grin stretched wider, almost feral. "So we waited. My boys and I camped at every exit. Each time someone took one, we simply moved on to the next. And now...” He gestured dramatically to the opening behind him. "This is the last one. All I had to do was wait. And voilà, here you are.”

  Kael frowned; pain still shimmered in his body. But his voice carried defiance. "This strategy is idiotic,” he said, forcing himself upright. "Why wouldn't you just take the exit yourself?" He turned his gaze to the three others bedding Liam. "And you? Every exit you take lowers your chance of passing. Why follow him on his personal revenge trip?"

  Liam laughed, a low, mocking sound. "Why? Because this exit belongs to me. I’ll get my revenge and pass the exam. Perfect, isn’t it?” He jabbed his thumb toward the lackeys behind him. "They don’t care. My family will take care of them no matter what, even if they’re expelled. It's better than dying on some meaningless journey as a Chronicler.”

  Astra, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. Her voice was cool and cut through the tension like a blade.

  “Then why are you even in this class if you don’t believe in the necessity of Chroniclers?” she shot back.

  For a heartbeat, Liam’s grin faltered. His gaze, which had been fixed on Kael, slowly shifted toward Astra. His eyes narrowed into slits.

  “Dear Astra,” he began in a sickly sweet tone that barely hid the venom underneath. "I’m very surprised to see you with him. What gives him that honor?” His voice dripped with jealousy.

  Kael leaned toward Astra, his voice weak but teasing. "Does every guy have a crush on you?"

  "Not everyone, it seems," she hissed back, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes before she turned to face Liam.

  "He helped me with a situation in this labyrinth," she said evenly, her tone cold and precise. "I’m simply returning the favor.”

  "Kind," Kael muttered under his breath, earning a swift, quiet, but sharp elbow to the side.

  Oblivious to their brief exchange, Liam frowned. "So I assume," he said slowly, "that you're going to help him now, even in this situation?"

  "Yes," Astra replied immediately, her expression calm and measured.

  "That's unfortunate," Liam drawled, turning to his lackeys. "I'd have loved to keep such a delightful sight around for next year, right, boys?" They burst into manic laughter, their voices echoing mockingly through the corridor.

  Kael watched Astra’s face closely. She appeared composed, but he could read the truth in her eyes. She could defeat any of them one by one, perhaps even two or three at once. But four? Not in her current state. She knew it, too.

  His gaze shifted to the right. He noticed the faint shimmer of glowing symbols on the gray wall of the adjacent corridor, almost hidden beneath the mist. Then, he looked toward the exit. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He didn’t like the idea forming in his head, but it was his only option.

  He leaned closer to Astra and whispered, "Listen, I have a plan. Charge at them as if you’re going to fight. At the last moment, jump over their heads and run straight for the exit. Take it.”

  “What? No!" she hissed, clearly flustered. "If I do that, they'll eliminate you! You’ll fail the exam!"

  He silently pointed to the corridor beside them. Her eyes followed his finger and widened as she understood his intention.

  "No," she whispered, shaking her head.

  He met her gaze with determination.

  “No! No!” she repeated, her voice trembling. "I promised you'd make it to the exit! Look at you!" She gestured to his pale, trembling body. You can’t even get past a single physical trap like this!"

  He gave a faint grin. "I'll manage. Go.”

  For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then their eyes met, and something passed between them. A silent promise.