Chapter 101: The third trial

“Congratulations for reaching the end of the second trial.” The translucent man announced. “You’ll be immediately transported to the third trial.”

-“What?! we just arrived!” one of the two from the last team immediately protested.

-“Yeah! Isn’t there supposed to be some resting time?”

“Such were the rules and order placed for the trials since a long time ago.” The remnant will simply said.

In the meantime, Sia and I put our chairs back in our spatial storage.

The translucent man turned back to everyone. “Like I said, you will be immediately transported to the third trial, so, good luck.” He waved his hand, at which a bright light enveloped us, unlike the darkness from before.

When I opened my eyes, Sia and I were standing in a vast chamber, comparable to, or even bigger than the combat grounds back at the institute.

I looked around, confused.

“What type of trial could have only the two of us stuck in here?” Sia muttered. And I was guessing the other teams were in the same situation as we were.

“I don’t know, maybe a test of will or something?” I offered. But before I could speculate any more, the voice began talking again.

“The third trial is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the three teams are trapped in a room, but only one person out of each team is coming out. Would you betray your teammates, or will you let them betray you? It lasts only ten minutes.”

My visage grew grim, and so did Sia’s.

’This bastard.’ He was basically telling us to kill each other. ’No wonder he had said to pick our teammates carefully.’

It was partly because nothing was stopping them from betraying us at the end, and partly because their combat strength. ’But he never said that ’end’ would be the third trial, just like he never told us there would be beasts in the maze.’ I thought grimly.

And now what? after one person comes out of the room, they’ll fight in a ’free for all’ battle?

The biggest hurdle at the moment, was how we were going to solve this. I had a certain proposition, but I needed Sia to agree for it to work.

I turned to her. As if feeling my gaze, she turned to me, with her head inclined.

“What? made up your mind to kill me?” She said, trying to provoke a reaction from me.

I simply shook my head. “I’m not that suicidal.” I replied. Unless I broke through to the Eta+ rank, I simply had no chance of defeating Sia.

“Also, you’re not going to try to kill me, right?” I raised a brow.

“Of course not.” she tried dryly. ’This is going easier than I thought.’ Though I didn’t trust her, maybe I could try trusting her from now on.

“Do you trust me?” I asked.

“No.” she replied almost instantly. Ouch, guess I was asking for too much.

I threw her a look of disappointment.

“You know, the least you could do is sugarcoat it.”

“Why would I sugarcoat it?” She shrugged. “We both know we only trust each other enough not to try to kill the other.”

“Right.” I sighed. “Anyway, I’m going to need you to trust me, for both of us to get out of here.”

She tilted her head.

“Trust you how?”

“I would need you to give me that aether sto…”

“Absolutely not!” She interjected before I could finish. “Why the hell would I give it to you?”

“Calm down, you didn’t let me finish. What I was going to say, was that give me that aether stone, and then kill me. That way, you’ll be able to leave, and qualify for the second stage.”

“…” She looked at me speechless for a while, before her lips curled into a smile.

“My my, I always knew you were retarded, except I didn’t expect you to be this retarded. But pray tell, if your grand plan involves me killing you anyway, then why should I give the stone?” She questioned.

I took that as a cue to weave my lie. “You see, during our time in the Ashen Deadlands, after captain bald- whatever was killed, I happened to chance upon a magnificent castle before I met up with you guys again.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I entered the castle. It was where I found that blue egg I was holding throughout. But that wasn’t the only thing I found.” I paused for some suspense.

“Pray tell, what did you find?” Sia asked, almost amused.

“In that castle, I found a chalice containing a liquid that could resurrect someone half an hour after they died, but they would also need an enormous power source for the resurrection to work, hence the reason why I said to give me the aether stone, and then kill me. Then after you’re gone, I’ll certainly be resurrected.” I explained.

Everything I told her was one enormous lie. The moment she gave me the stone, I would switch with my reflection that was outside the Immemorial Deadlands, and then have her kill the reflection. She would find out I could swap places with my reflections, but me leaving was the only way to ensure everything would end well.

I didn’t particularly require the aether stone, but the reason why I wanted to take it with me, was that I didn’t trust that she wouldn’t scam me on the treasures of the tomb, which we promised to share fifty- fifty.

But at least, with the bargaining chip that was the aether stone, she wouldn’t try to rip me off too badly. Which was why I weaved this heck of a lie, but from the look she was giving me, I reckon it didn’t have the effect I wish it had.

Sia looked at me, her eyes narrowed.

“Damon Darkfell.” She called my full name. “By any chance, do I look like I was born yesterday?”

“Uhhh… no. Why’d you ask?” I feigned ignorance.

“Because, you seem to think so.” She replied. “If you want to trick me, at least come up with something better or something believable, only a kid, or an utter fool would fall for this.”

Since she wasn’t buying my lie, there was no need to continue the facade.

“Look,” I sighed. “The only way we’re both coming out of this alive, is the way I came up with. But I’ll need you to give me the aether stone, after which I’ll leave this place, and then you can move to the second phase.”

She frowned.

“How the hell are you going to cheat death then? I know for a fact that you aren’t too eager to die.” She said, but then paused. “Wait… don’t tell me you were a reflection all along.”

I smiled.

“Not at the moment.” As if a reflection could last this long with all the misuse of aether.

“What do you mean by not at the mom…” she suddenly trailed off. Seeing her speechless for the second time in this conversation, was quite satisfying, I had to admit.

“You can decide which your real body is?” she asked carefully, as if afraid of the answer.

“You’re not quite right, but you’re not entirely wrong either.” I said. “I can swap places with my reflections.” I finally dropped the bomb.

“…”

“Your ability is a cheat.” She muttered after a moment of silence. “So it’s the real reason you were giving off the ’I’ll be fine aura’. But that still doesn’t explain why you need the aether stone though.”

I smirked.

“Well that is because I don’t trust that you won’t scam me for the treasures you get here later on, so I’m taking the stone as a bargaining chip.” I didn’t know if I should slap myself or applaud myself for being so certain that Sia would emerge as the winner in the end.

“Tsk, you think too low of me.” she clicked her tongue. “Here.” she waved her hand between us, and there appeared an enormous boulder sized aether stone, that radiated pure unrefined aether.

“I’ll say this again, Anastasia Necron,” I shifted to look at her. “You are a very avaricious woman. You were planning to keep all this to yourself?” I asked, but her irritated face made me decide not to push my luck.

With a light touch, the aether stone vanished into my spacial storage, and it took quite a large deal of space might I add. Then with a slight shimmer of my figure, that I had come to realize was invisible to anyone but myself, I looked back at Sia.

“Your presence seems weaker.” She muttered in observation.

“Alright, kill me.” I spread my arms.

Sia didn’t reply, one moment she was standing away from me, and the next she was in front of me. I could tell from the slight upward curl of her mouth, she was more than satisfied to do me in, but sadly for her, the moment her sword pierced into my heart, I shattered with a soft crack.

*************

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