Now they stood facing each other.
Darek and the massive, fully grown Silvaran bear.
The arena suddenly felt smaller, even though several meters still separated them. The sheer size of the bear alone changed the perception of the space. Its presence was heavy, almost oppressive, while Darek seemed nearly slender in comparison.
Darek briefly let his gaze slide to the side, searching for his group.
Iris hovered calmly, observing. Pow Pow had regained his composure, though he still looked amused. Seraphis stood a little apart, silent and attentive.
For a moment, Darek considered borrowing another ability.
Iris's Vision might have granted him additional clarity, but this trial was not about dodging or predicting the future. And with Pow Pow, he was not even sure which emotion he should deliberately choose right now. Arrogance had been enough during the duel against the third leader, but this situation was different.
Besides, he had only recently borrowed Pow Pow's ability. He did not want to grab power recklessly just because he could. Every use had its price, even if that price was not always immediately visible.
And if he was being honest, he did not entirely trust the little bear in this moment anyway.
That one probably had nothing but nonsense on his mind.
Darek exhaled slowly.
For this trial, he only needed his pillow.
Darek's thoughts briefly drifted to Iris and Seraphis, who stood at the edge of the arena, watching the events unfold with focused attention. Neither of them showed even the slightest trace of worry. They knew his resilience too well to become nervous now.
Only Pow Pow stood out.
Pure anticipation shone in his eyes. He bounced lightly on his feet, his body tense, as if he could barely wait to see Darek finally take a real hit.
"Darek, I think it's starting," Iris said calmly.
Darek turned his head back toward the Silvaran bear.
There was no more time.
A massive paw shot toward him.
POOOOW.
The impact was brutal.
Darek was hurled across the arena with full force, as if struck by an invisible battering ram. His body slammed into the cave's rock wall, the collision sending dust and small fragments of stone raining down. The rock splintered under the force, and for a moment Darek remained wedged inside the newly formed crater.
His vision flickered.
He felt as if he might lose consciousness. Every breath burned. It felt as though several ribs had broken, as if his spine had twisted under the sheer force of the impact.
Then he slid out of the hole in the wall and crashed hard onto the sand of the arena, which billowed beneath him.
Motionless.
The third leader stepped forward and called out with a sharp voice.
"Your arrogance will be your downfall one day. When you stand in an arena, show your opponent respect and do not turn your gaze away."
The words echoed through the cave.
The audience fell silent.
No cheers. Not even a murmur.
Only tense anticipation.
Even before the dust had fully settled, Darek's pillow began to do its work.
The dull pain in his chest faded. The stabbing ache in his ribs became a distant echo. The inner damage closed as if his body were thinking in reverse.
Darek pushed himself up and forced himself back onto his feet.
A murmur ran through the arena, quickly turning into applause.
Scattered clapping spread until it rolled through the stands like a wave. Through their bond, Pow Pow's enthusiastic clapping was impossible for Darek to miss.
Darek straightened completely and looked toward the edge of the arena where the third leader stood. His gaze said more than words.
"There are people who can endure that? People who can't even regenerate?"
The third leader crossed his arms and returned the look.
"I don't know whether you are overestimating yourself or underestimating us. Of course there are those who can endure it. Some of them even withstand his blows with full vine reinforcement."
His gaze briefly shifted to the bear.
"That wasn't even a casual slap."
Darek felt his stomach tighten.
He's right.
He isn't even using his vines.
The bear isn't even the dangerous part yet.
He took a deep breath.
Alright. One out of three. I can endure that.
The Silvaran bear continued to look at him completely unimpressed. There was neither anger nor effort in its eyes. For the bear, this had been nothing special.
Just a first test.
And two still remained.
Darek gave the bear a short nod.
The next strike came immediately, and this time there was no trace of restraint in it.
The massive paw shot toward him, faster than before, heavier, more determined.
Wushhh.
Darek tensed his body. He braced himself against the force, trying to take the blow head-on, his feet firmly planted in the ground.
It made no difference.
The impact hit him like a rolling boulder. Every muscle in his body strained, but the difference in mass and strength was simply too great. His resistance vanished as if he were leaning against a storm.
He was thrown out of the arena.
BOOM.
Once again he crashed into the same spot of the cave wall. This time the entire hollow chamber trembled. Dust trickled from the ceiling, torches flickered violently, and a deep rumble ran through the stone.
The impact was harsher.
Heavier.
Darek felt his body give way under the force. His breath left him for a moment, as if someone had crushed the air out of his lungs. Pain surged through him from the inside, dull and overwhelming.
He slid from the newly formed crater and slammed hard onto the ground.
Motionless.
But before the audience could fully panic again, his pillow began to work.
From within, red dust wrapped around his wounds. It crawled through his broken bones, filled cracks, sealed splinters, stabilized tissue. The healing was not gentle.
It was intense, demanding, as if his body were being assembled again piece by piece.
Slowly, Darek's chest began to move evenly once more.
Then he opened his eyes.
With a quiet gasp, he pushed himself up.
He forced himself back to his feet.
"AHHH, FAK, I HATE THIS!"
Darek shook his head, trying to get rid of the pounding pain that stretched up into his neck.
Alright. Third time's the charm. Then it's over. This really feels like absolute shit.
He stepped forward toward the bear once more.
By now, the audience was completely beside itself. Excitement, disbelief, and tension filled the air all at once. Even the third leader stood with his arms crossed, watching the scene with an expression that made it clear he was reconsidering his earlier judgment.
The bear, however, remained unimpressed.
Slowly it straightened a little higher, its massive body tensing. This time there was no restraint in its movement.
This was the final strike.
It would not hold back.
The paw shot forward.
Wuush.
BOOM.
The impact was devastating.
Darek was hurled across the arena again, but this time it was not only his back that struck the wall. The back of his head slammed hard against the rock, and for a moment his vision flashed white. It felt as if his skull might crack apart.
"AHH… damn it!" he forced out as pain tore through him.
His pillow reacted instantly. Red dust spread from within, stabilizing bones, sealing cracks, catching the blood before it could spill further. This time the regeneration was noticeably slower, more exhausting, more demanding.
Darek curled slightly, breathing heavily, then forced himself onto his feet once more.
The arena fell silent.
The third leader stepped forward. There was no mockery left in his gaze now.
Only respect.
"Well done, Darek," he said firmly. "I believe you are the first guest in as long as I can remember to earn the title of an adult Silvaran."
He nodded to him with pride.
Finally, Darek thought, relieved that it was over.
The pain was still there, dull and echoing in his bones, but he had endured it without incident. And it had been worth it. The path to the Tree Palace was now open. Now he could find out whether the Oracle would receive him.
Slowly he walked back to the center of the arena while his pillow sealed the last fractures within his body. The red dust withdrew, and his breathing gradually steadied.
He stopped in front of the Silvaran bear.
This time it was not a contest of strength.
Only a moment of acknowledgment.
Darek lowered his head respectfully.
The gaze of the Silvaran bear had changed now. No longer indifferent, no longer distant. In its eyes lay quiet agreement. There was no visible joy, no open gesture, but the respect was unmistakable.
The third leader stepped slightly aside.
"Say your farewells," he said.
The audience began to clap again, but the sound was not loud or wild. It carried the weight of recognition. Many spectators stood, others nodded silently.
Darek bowed once more, deeply.
The bear returned to all fours and lowered its head slightly.
The arena grew quiet.
The spectators watched the moment with attention and respect, as if they knew they were witnessing something rare.
And just as Darek was still bowing, his voice suddenly cut through the reverent silence of the arena.
"HAHA! You Silvaran bears are nothing but inflated, weak stuffed-toy wankers! I expected more than a little pat like that. Where's your owner, huh? The Order of Subjugators? You should call yourselves the Order of Whores instead!"
The words echoed through the cave.
For a moment, every heart in the room seemed to stop.
The torches continued to crackle, but otherwise there was complete silence.
No clapping.
No murmuring.
Only those words lingering in the air.
Disbelief spread across the faces of the spectators as they realized what Darek had just shouted out loud.
Darek himself froze.
Slowly he straightened, sweat running down his face, shame written across his expression. His gaze shifted mechanically to the side.
Toward Pow Pow.
The little bear stood there with one hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he desperately tried not to burst out laughing.
Pure delight shone in his eyes.
And Darek immediately knew what had happened.