Trials of the Continent

Chapter 7: The First Betrayal

The sound of rushing water grew louder as Ameir and Finn approached the river cutting through the arena. It was a treacherous obstacle, its current powerful enough to sweep away anyone who underestimated it. Jagged rocks, some half-submerged and others protruding dangerously, jutted out from the water, creating an uneven, unstable path to the other side.
Finn crouched at the water's edge, his eyes fixed on the tumultuous flow before them. A mixture of awe and dread flickered in his expression. "How are we supposed to cross that?" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the river.
Ameir studied the water, mentally calculating the best route. The rocks were scattered haphazardly, some creating whirlpools as the water churned around them. Each step would demand precision—and a touch of luck. His heart raced, but his mind remained clear.
"We take it one step at a time," Ameir said, his voice steady. He glanced at Finn, who was still frozen in place. "I'll go first. Watch my movements and follow where I step."
Finn nodded, but his expression spoke volumes. The fear in his eyes was palpable.
Ameir took a deep breath and launched himself onto the first rock. It wobbled under his weight, sending a spray of water up around him. His legs tensed, ready for any shift in balance. He crouched low to stabilize himself, scanning the next few rocks. His path was clear—at least for now.
"Stay low when you land," Ameir called back to Finn, his voice cutting through the noise. "And don't rush."
Finn nodded again, though his knuckles were white as he clung to the edge of the stone. With shaky legs, he followed, stepping onto the first rock. His foot slipped slightly, but he caught himself just in time, gripping the stone with trembling hands. Ameir instinctively reached out, ready to pull him back if he lost his balance.
"You're doing fine," Ameir said, his voice calm, though he could feel the tension in his own limbs. "Just focus."
As they moved across, Ameir couldn't help but glance upstream. Isabel was already nearing the opposite bank, moving with deliberate, almost rhythmic precision. Her steps were sure, controlled—an uncanny ease that made Ameir pause. She was fast, but not reckless.
Further upstream, Noah and Viktor were in a silent standoff. Viktor had reached a narrower section of the river first and had positioned himself in a way that blocked Noah's path. His stance was a mix of smug arrogance and challenge, his expression twisted into a grin.
"Out of my way," Noah growled, his voice loud enough to cut through the noise of the rushing water.
"Make me," Viktor shot back, his tone laced with mockery, as he stepped deliberately, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Ameir's eyes narrowed as the tension between them thickened. It wasn't just about getting across anymore. The two of them were pushing each other, and the rest of the group could feel the ripple effects. Their antagonism was a dangerous game—one that could derail all of them if it escalated further.
"Do you think they'll actually fight?" Finn's voice broke through Ameir's thoughts, shaky and unsure.
"I hope not," Ameir replied, though he wasn't so sure. His gaze flicked between Noah and Viktor, his senses on edge. "But they're both stubborn enough."
Noah clenched his fists, his body coiling like a spring, ready to snap. But instead of attacking, he leapt to a different rock, his landing heavy and precise. The force sent a splashing wave toward Viktor, but the older competitor merely laughed it off, his eyes never leaving his rival.
Ameir exhaled slowly, focusing on his own movements as the river narrowed beneath them. The rocks ahead grew slick, their surfaces coated in algae and moss. His foot slid once, his leg plunging into the icy water. The shock of cold hit him like a jolt of electricity, his muscles locking up in surprise.
Ameir quickly regained his balance, pulling himself back onto a stone. His leg throbbed from the cold, but he pushed through the pain.
"Are you okay?" Finn asked, voice full of concern, his hands hovering uncertainly over the rock beside Ameir.
"I'm fine," Ameir replied, though the pain in his leg was sharp. "Just keep moving. We can't stop now."
When they finally reached the opposite shore, Ameir collapsed onto the wet grass, breathing heavily. Finn followed, a faint tremor in his limbs but with a relieved look on his face.
"We made it," Finn said, his voice full of awe, more to himself than to Ameir. His eyes shone with a mix of exhaustion and accomplishment.
Ameir nodded, though his thoughts were already racing ahead. He turned his gaze back toward the river, where Layana was still crossing. Her movements were eerily graceful, almost like the water had no power over her. She glided from one stone to the next, each step light and fluid, as if the river itself were nothing more than a shallow stream.
Ameir frowned. There was something unsettling about her. She wasn't like the others, not like him, not like any of them.
"What's her deal?" Finn asked, following Ameir's gaze with an uncertain look.
Ameir didn't know how to answer. "I don't know," he admitted. "But she's not like the rest of us."
Before Finn could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. Ameir's heart skipped a beat as the familiar rumble of the arena echoed through the air. The terrain was shifting once more—undulating and reshaping in ways that were unpredictable and violent. The change was sudden and unforgiving.
Ameir scrambled to his feet, his pulse racing as the ground bucked beneath him. Ahead, the path to the beacon had become a steep incline, littered with loose rocks and shifting soil. Isabel was already climbing, her movements careful and purposeful, but driven. Noah and Viktor were ahead as well, but the rivalry between them had only grown fiercer, each one trying to outpace the other.
Finn groaned beside Ameir, clearly feeling the weight of it all. "Great. Another death trap."
"We'll figure it out," Ameir said, though his voice lacked the assurance it once had. The exhaustion was setting in, and his body ached from every step. He forced himself to stand tall, despite the overwhelming urge to collapse.
As they began the climb, Ameir's mind turned inward. He watched each of the competitors—Noah's aggressive need to dominate, Viktor's mocking cruelty, Isabel's quiet competence, Layana's detached, almost calculating demeanor—and he wondered how their strategies would unfold in the trials ahead. They were all so different, driven by their own motivations, but the danger they faced was the same for each of them.
And then there was Finn. Ameir couldn't help but notice the fear written clearly on his face, but it was tempered by determination. He had that same unrefined desire to prove he belonged, the kind Ameir had once had—raw, untested, and so easily crushed by doubt.
What about me? Ameir thought as he grabbed onto a jutting rock, hauling himself upward with all the strength he could muster. What's pushing me forward?
The answer was complicated, tangled in memories of his family, the faces of those who had dismissed him, the doubts that clung to his mind like a weight he couldn't shake. But there was more—something deeper, something he hadn't fully realized. This was his moment to prove not just to others, but to himself that he could achieve something great.
But the competition was taking its toll. The dangers were unrelenting, and every decision seemed to carry the potential for betrayal. Only one of them could win, and the others would fall. The mental and emotional strain was wearing him down.
He glanced back at Finn, who was struggling behind. His arms were trembling, his breaths short and ragged as he reached for another hold. The kid was barely keeping up.
"Take it slow," Ameir said, his voice calm but firm. "You'll get there."
Finn nodded, though his face was pale, his determination beginning to fray around the edges.
As they climbed, the air grew thinner, the incline steeper. Ameir's muscles screamed in protest with each movement, but he ignored it, pushing forward. He had no choice.
When they finally reached the top, the beacon stood before them—a glowing, enigmatic artifact resting atop a pedestal, bathed in an otherworldly light. Noah and Viktor were already there, circling each other like wild animals, their rivalry boiling over into a dangerous dance of challenge and pride.
Ameir's breath caught in his throat. "This is it," Finn said, his voice full of awe, laced with fear.
Ameir nodded, though his heart was heavy with uncertainty. The trial was not over. And what awaited them next—he could only imagine.