After a long journey, our group of friends finally caught sight of Arath, the capital of Iria. Aira felt her legs ache from the long trip, but the view ahead made her forget the exhaustion. Arath, the capital of Iria, rose from the ndscape like a dream—its white stone buildings gleaming under the sun, blue rooftops blending seamlessly with the sky above.

  "Hehe, I told you we were close," Rael said with a small grin, pleased to be right for once.

  "Time to pay up, Kai," Aira replied with a sly smile, holding out her hand. "I told you he'd brag about being right, even though he had no idea where we were going."

  "HEY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" Rael quickly retorted, annoyed but still pyful, while Kai handed over two chocote bars to Aira, tears streaming down his face.

  The joke was cut short by Liora, who raised an eyebrow and said, "Let's not forget that we're here for the mission of our lives, not to py around," Liora said, straightening her already-perfect posture.

  Instantly, the group's mood shifted. She was right. Fate had brought them together in a cruel game.

  "The city is probably more crowded than usual because of the recruitment!" Liora added, her expression serious.

  "Are we really good enough to join the elite team of soul materializers?" Kai asked, looking downcast and insecure—something extremely rare for him.

  "We've trained our whole lives for this moment. Stop doubting yourself; it doesn’t suit you," Rael replied, giving Kai a pat on the back to snap him out of it.

  As they reached the bridge leading to Arath, they encountered soldiers checking the identities of those entering the capital. When their turn came, a guard asked firmly, "Name and reason for entering the city?"

  Each member of the group stated their name and expined that they were there to take the test for the army, specifically for the soul materializers.

  The guard scoffed, hand resting on his weapon. "Ha! You lot? You think that just because you can pull off a few tricks, you're good enough for Iria’s elite force?" the guard scoffed.

  Aira's eyes fshed dangerously, but Rael's hand on her shoulder held her back. "Worst case, if we’re that weak, we’ll end up as mere guards of the great capital. Here, look, this is a pass we got from our vilge leader to be here! It's proof that we're not spies from a neighboring country."

  The guard, visibly irritated, let them through without another word.

  "Wow, good thing we found this a few months ago on the bck market!" Kai said enthusiastically, a little louder than he should have.

  "That guard would have done anything to block our entry," Rael commented as the group approached the recruitment tent.

  After completing all the necessary paperwork, the group headed toward their inn. The city streets were crowded, the sound of voices blending with the ctter of rushing carriages, but the group was too focused on their mission to take in the bustling surroundings.

  Aira, feeling the weight of the journey, walked a little slower than the others, her heavy steps reminding her that their journey was far from over. Rael, ever the easygoing one, was a few steps ahead, ughing at something Kai had said. The temporary silence was broken when they turned a corner and found themselves in a narrow alley where their inn was located.

  "Ha... look at this. Why do we always have to stay in pces that are dirty and reek?" Aira compined, already analyzing the pce critically, catching the scent of mold and the muffled sounds coming from inside the inn.

  "Got a better idea? Looks like anything else costs twice as much!" Rael replied with a chuckle, pushing the door open with a creak. Aira followed him inside, disheartened by the sight. Kai rushed in behind them, stealing one st gnce at the still lively street outside.

  The moment they stepped inside, the stale scent of old wood and dampness filled Aira’s nose. The room, though spacious, reeked of decay. The stained walls and the unmade beds were clear signs that this pce should never be considered an option for a proper rest.

  "This is horrible," Aira muttered, taking a hesitant step forward, trying to avoid touching the grimy surfaces around her.

  Rael, already sprawled on the nearest bed, ughed. "You knew it wouldn’t be any different. Arath isn’t just made of gleaming white buildings, Aira."

  Just as he finished speaking, Kai, with his usual pyful smirk, whispered to Aira, "You know, if we make Liora lose her temper again, I think we’ll be the ones sleeping outside tonight."

  "Shh!" Aira replied with a mischievous grin. "Let’s do it. I think we’re due for some fun."

  At that moment, Liora’s sharp voice rang from across the room. "No running off to the bar, Kai! And I swear, if you two get into trouble tonight—"

  "Then why did you bring the loaded dice?" Kai interrupted, already stirring up trouble.

  Aira, smiling under her breath, murmured, "Eeer, Kai, I think I’ll go to sleep. I don’t want to upset the witch."

  "YOU KNOW I CAN HEAR YOU, RIGHT? WANT TO CAUSE TROUBLE UP HERE?" Liora snapped, extremely irritated, while the duo ughed and got into bed. Making Liora lose her serious composure was one of Aira and Kai's favorite pastimes.

  The ughter soon faded as the group settled in for the night. The distant sounds of the city could still be heard faintly, but inside the inn, a quietness gradually took over.

  The sun had barely risen when the first light pierced through the thin curtains, casting long shadows across the room. The air was still cool, but outside, the city was already waking up, the streets filling with noise as Arath began its daily routine.

  Aira stirred in bed, the light bothering her eyes. She had barely managed to sleep, her mind restless and anxious about the test ahead. She gnced over at the others—Rael was snoring lightly, his arm thrown over his eyes, while Kai was already sitting at the edge of his bed, staring out the window with an unreadable expression.

  Liora, of course, was already up, calmly preparing her things in silence.

  Aira stretched, rubbing her face as the thought of the test gnawed at her. "Hey, Liora, you sure you’re ready for this?" she asked with a smirk, though her voice carried the weight of the question.

  Liora didn’t even look up. "Ready as I’ll ever be," she muttered, tying her boots swiftly.

  Kai finally spoke, his usual grin creeping onto his face. "I bet Aira can’t go a whole day without causing some kind of trouble."

  "Don’t even start," Aira replied, tossing a pillow at him, which he easily caught.

  "She’s not the only one causing problems for us, you know?" Liora added as Rael woke up ughing. "Come on, we need to go if we don’t want to be te."

  The group finished getting ready and made their way to the testing grounds, returning to the clean and pristine part of the city.

  "I can’t believe I can finally breathe without smelling piss," Aira sighed happily.

  Upon arrival at the arena, a simple structure with white stone and a small grandstand, the tension in the air was palpable.

  "Behave yourselves," Liora warned.

  "You know it’s not me you should be worried about, right?" Rael smirked.

  Before Liora could respond, Kai had already run off to talk to a duo sitting alone in the stands, with Aira following to size them up.

  "Why does it feel like I have two children?" Liora muttered, holding her head in disbelief.

  Before the introductions could go further, a loud voice echoed across the arena, making Aira's blood run cold. "Silence! The test begins now."Aira's fingers curled into fists, her knuckles white with tension. "Gin..." she muttered, her voice dripping with hatred. The pyful atmosphere from moments ago evaporated like morning dew in the summer sun.