Chapter 13
Darkness came and went in waves.
At first, Ren thought he was dead.
There was no pain, no hunger, no fear—just a heavy, drifting sensation, as if his body no longer belonged to him. Sound returned slowly, distorted and distant. A low, constant murmur pressed against his ears, rhythmic and soothing.
Water.
His consciousness snapped sharper.
Ren sucked in a breath and immediately choked, his lungs burning as cold air rushed in. He coughed violently, his small body jerking as he rolled onto his side. Water spilled from his mouth and nose, soaking the dirt beneath him.
He lay there gasping, fingers digging into damp earth, every muscle screaming in protest.
Alive.
That realization alone sent a weak wave of relief through him.
The river… I fell into the river.
Fragments of memory surfaced—
The bear's overwhelming pressure.
The slingshot snapping him through the air.
The violent impact.
Cold water dragging him under.
Ren tried to push himself up and immediately failed, his arms trembling uncontrollably. His body felt wrong—heavy, bruised, and hollow, as if someone had scooped the strength out of him and forgotten to put it back.
He lay still, breathing slowly, forcing his Control to steady his racing heart.
After several minutes, the pain dulled enough for him to open his eyes.
He wasn't in the open.
Above him was a ceiling of tangled roots and stone, woven together so naturally it almost looked intentional. Thick tree roots curved down like ribs, forming a dome around a small hollow space. Moss clung to the walls, faintly glowing with ambient mana. The air was cool, damp, and surprisingly still.
A natural shelter.
Ren turned his head slightly and froze.
Someone was there.
A girl sat near the entrance of the hollow, knees drawn to her chest. She couldn't have been much older than him—maybe seven or eight. Her clothes were torn and dirty, stained with sap and dried blood. Green vines rested loosely around her wrists and ankles, not restraining her, but responding to her presence like obedient pets.
Plant magic.
Ren didn't move.
Neither did she.
For several long seconds, the only sound between them was Ren's shallow breathing and the distant trickle of water somewhere outside the shelter.
"You're awake," the girl said finally.
Her voice wasn't hostile. It wasn't friendly either. Just cautious.
Ren swallowed. His throat was dry, raw. "Where… is this?"
She tilted her head, studying him. "Under the old roots. The river throws people here sometimes."
People.
That single word made Ren's chest tighten.
So I wasn't the only one swept away.
"How long?" Ren asked quietly.
The girl hesitated. "You didn't know?"
Ren frowned, then shook his head. "I… fell. That's all I remember."
Her eyes narrowed slightly—not suspicious, but thoughtful. "Then you've been unconscious for a while. Almost half a day."
Half a day…
Ren processed that silently. His mana felt sluggish, his limbs weak. That tracked.
He forced himself to sit up, gritting his teeth as pain flared across his ribs and back. His body protested fiercely, but he endured it, settling against one of the thick roots.
The girl didn't stop him. Instead, she shifted closer and held out something small and dark.
A fruit.
"It won't poison you," she said. "I checked."
Ren hesitated only a moment before taking it. He bit down and nearly sighed in relief as juice filled his mouth. Sweet. Mana-rich. His body eagerly absorbed it.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
She nodded once. "I'm Lira."
"Ren."
They ate in silence after that.
Only after his breathing steadied and the shaking in his hands subsided did Ren take the time to truly observe his surroundings. The shelter was deceptively large—big enough for two children to lie down comfortably. Narrow openings in the roots allowed light and air through, but not enough for larger beasts to enter easily.
Defensive by nature.
Smart.
"How did you get here?" Ren asked eventually.
Lira exhaled slowly. "I was chased. Something big. I used vines to block it, but the ground collapsed. The river carried me."
She glanced at him. "You?"
"A bear," Ren said truthfully. "Guardian-level, I think."
Her eyes widened. "You survived that?"
Ren didn't answer directly. "Barely."
Another silence fell, heavier this time.
Ren leaned his head back against the root and closed his eyes.
Only then did it hit him.
His body… this exhaustion… the hunger gnawing at his stomach…
I've been fighting for days.
He didn't know exactly how many. He hadn't been counting—not consciously. But the weight in his bones told the story clearly enough. Continuous combat. Minimal rest. Mana pushed to its limits.
This trial wasn't testing power.
It was testing who could last.
"You're strong," Lira said suddenly.
Ren opened one eye. "You think so?"
"You wouldn't be alive otherwise."
That was fair.
They rested like that for a long time. Ren focused on slow breathing, guiding mana gently through his body—not to heal aggressively, but to stabilize. Any reckless circulation now would do more harm than good.
When he finally checked his status using Appraisal, the results were grim.
Multiple bruises.
Minor fractures.
Mana reserves: critically low.
But he was alive.
And safe. For now.
Night fell outside without either of them noticing. The faint glow of moss brightened, casting soft green light over the shelter. Somewhere in the distance, monsters roared and fought.
Neither child moved.
"Tomorrow," Lira said quietly, "we should leave."
Ren turned his head toward her. "Tomorrow?"
She nodded. "This place won't stay hidden forever. And the weak ones will gather once they sense mana."
That made sense.
Ren thought of the bear. Of the eagle. Of the vine monster that nearly ended him.
Running isn't cowardice, he reminded himself. It's survival.
"Alright," he agreed.
They didn't shake hands. Didn't make promises.
They simply understood.
Ren lay back, exhaustion finally pulling him under. As sleep claimed him once more, a single thought echoed in his mind—not fear, not pain, but anticipation.
The trial wasn't over.
It had only begun sorting the survivors.