The three of them remained there for a long while.
A few minutes turned into half an hour.
Half an hour stretched into an hour.
Finally, Aren stood up and looked at the two of them.
"Thank you," he said.
Kira looked up at him, surprised. Thanking them, for what?
"What for?" Aiden asked, pushing himself up as well.
"I don’t think I would’ve survived the Trial without you," Aren said honestly. "Your help, both of you, you helped me through it."
He had never really had people willing to risk their lives for him. Not truly. So the two standing before him now were different. Special. Time and time again, they had fought beside him. With him.
Kira rose to her feet as well. "Then we should be the ones thanking you," she said. "No matter how you look at it, your influence was what carried us through."
Aren smiled faintly. "We all helped each other. That’s the truth."
"So... where do we go now?" Aiden asked.
Before Aren could answer, footsteps echoed from somewhere downhill.
All three of them turned sharply.
Figures were approaching, around ten of them, each clad in clean, slim-fitting black armor. They wore no helmets, their faces visible, various weapons hanging at their sides.
At the front walked a striking woman. A sword rested on her back. She had long, rich purple hair, deep black eyes, and pale skin. She looked to be in her prime.
The moment Aren saw them, he knew.
These weren’t Trial constructs.
They were Awakened.
There was a faint resonance in the air, a subtle interaction of soul energy that made it unmistakable.
"What do we do?" Aiden asked quietly.
"We watch," Aren replied. "If they try anything strange, we run."
When the group came within a few meters, they stopped. The woman stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over Aren, Kira, and Aiden with disbelief.
"You’re the first to leave the Trial," she said, her voice smooth and composed. "That’s unbelievable. We only received reports a few days ago that the final phase had begun. To think someone has already cleared it..."
She smiled slightly. "Congratulations. You’re the first group across all God’s Trials to step out. The first to secure a victory for humanity."
Aren didn’t respond to the praise immediately. Instead, he spoke plainly.
"Um... we don’t really know what’s going on."
The woman blinked, then gave a small nod. "Ah, my apologies. That was rude of me. You were pulled into the Trials the moment you entered."
She placed a hand over her chest. "We are the Black Knights, from Raven City, one of the major cities within God’s Domain. We’re Awakened as well. Veterans from previous Trials."
[Author’s Note: God’s Domain is the location for God’s Trials, and it will be used more in the future when talking about the place.]
She continued, "We were informed that the first phase of this Trial was nearing its end. Our task was to retrieve the first group to successfully clear it."
"We’re here to escort you back to Raven City," she said. "There are rewards waiting. And people."
Aren glanced at Kira and Aiden. Both of them nodded.
"I guess that’s fine," Aren replied.
The woman noticed the exchange, the way the two deferred subtly to Aren. She made a quiet mental note.
Where they were headed next, that dynamic would matter.
Very much.
Awakened were valuable. And factions, alliances, and power struggles were inevitable.
"Good," she said. "Then please come with us. We’ve set up a campsite nearby. You can eat and rest for the night before we continue to Raven City."
Aiden hesitated. "What about others? If more people come out, won’t you need to retrieve them too?"
She shook her head. "There are other teams for that. Our assignment is specific, to bring back the first."
"I see," Aren said.
They were just about to move when—
Two figures emerged from near the statue.
Aren froze.
Elena.
And Sophia.
Both of them staggered forward, covered in blood, barely conscious.
The Black Knight leader’s expression changed instantly. "Help them."
Two of her men rushed forward, lifting the girls carefully into their arms.
Aren, Kira, and Aiden watched in stunned silence.
They survived.
They were among the first out as well.
Aren pushed the thought aside for now.
The three of them stepped down from the base of the statue and followed the woman, leaving the first Trial behind at last.
The campsite wasn’t far from the statue. It sat just down the hill, near the edge of the forest, and it was far more organized than Aren had expected.
High-quality tents were set up neatly, utensils arranged for different purposes, and even training dummies had been placed around to keep the knights occupied. A large fire burned at the center of the camp, used for cooking and warmth.
The men carrying Sophia and Elena hurried them into one of the tents, clearly a medical one.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Black Knights turned to Aren, Aiden, and Kira.
"Follow me," she said.
The four of them walked together toward a larger tent set slightly apart from the others. Once inside, Aren realized just how serious this camp was.
The interior was packed with supplies, bookshelves lined with documents, rolled maps spread across tables, various tools neatly organized. There was a proper bed, a couch, and several other furnishings that made the space feel more like a command room than a tent.
Aren couldn’t help but wonder how they had transported all of this.
’Was it all stored in inventories?
Did God’s Domain even allow something like that’
The woman walked over and sat on one of the couches.
"Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing to the one opposite her. "Tents will be prepared for you shortly, along with baths and food. I’m sure the Trials were exhausting."
She didn’t wait for an answer. She already knew.
Aren glanced around the tent one last time before looking back at her.
"You brought a lot with you," he said.
She nodded. "We’ve been here for several days preparing. Things in the Trials are unpredictable, just like you clearing it far earlier than expected. We were ready to stay for several more days if needed."
"I see," Aren replied simply. For a dangerous place like the Domain, they seemed pretty okay and organized. A huge contrast to the Trials.
End of the first arc.
[Author’s Note: Thank you for getting this far. The first Trial has ended, and so has the first arc. Hopefully one of many. See you in the next.]