The One

FIVE

Agnus looked around confused, "is this the end?"

"You have indeed finished," said a voice behind them.

Both of them jumped around to see the Ash, standing next to the door opening they had just stepped through.
The young man that followed Morten on his journey through the trial.

"Oh, good!" Said Morten relieved.
"Who else finished?" He asked.

The man smiled and shook his head, "I am not allowed to reveal that."

Agnus frowned for a moment, "are we, did we make it in time?" He asked carefully.

"You are among the first ten, you may follow the servants to your own private quarters."
The man said, gesturing to the two young men who came walking down the hall.

~

Morten found himself standing just behind the doors of the room he had been shepherded into.
Big, double doors.
Of an immaculate wood.

This was nothing like the tree houses they had spent last night in.

This was all carved and constructed from a light, nearly white, stone. It looked eerily clean, polished and light after the rather dark jungle.
However, plants had been given room to flourish, they had made places for the jungle to grow among its residents.

It made the place feel even more unreal.

He blinked, trying to get his brain going, this felt like a bit of an anticlimax!

He had questions! Had there been other tricks? Had he done the obstacles right?
Had anyone figured out different ways of doing things?
Had there been others that finished before them?
Had Wolf managed to beat Roran?
Were there enough of each tribe?
And how were they going to solve that issue if they didn't?
Was that why they had been led to separate rooms instead of celebration at the finish?

His brain was wheeling, but then he heard the sound of ... splashing?

This prompted a walk from him to his own surprise.
Was there a bath? He could do with a bath! His body communicated.

Sure can! He thought.

He stepped around the corner, into an area that slapped him around the ears with heat that surprised him. Seeing as it was a sweltering hot mess everywhere in this humid region.

But there was something that surprised him even more.
There was a woman sitting in the big, bowl like contraption.
Apparently a bath by luxury council standards?

"Ah, you're finally here!" She said in a sultry voice that made him cringe.

Not because it was soooo sexy, but so acted.
She pushed herself out of the bath and Morten turned around so fast his arms and shoulders hurt.
He just wanted to get into the damn bath! Why was there a nude woman in it!?

"Sorry, what.. are you doing here ma'am?"
He spluttered, realizing half way it was a rather rude question.
But then again, she was nude in the room they had told him to rest in.

He could hear her stepping out the tub, water clattering on the stone floor and wet feet slapping on it.
"Well, the Lords thought the winners deserved a bit of... destressing."
She put a breathy emphasis on the last word.

Morten frowned to himself at this, really?
You plan to marry these men off to the head of your council and offer them girls during the selection process?
That sounded like either a test or a way for future blackmail to him.