In an instant, Elara then appeared before the bewildered crowd as if he teleported, carrying Finn in his arms.

The crowd saw Elara carrying Finn like a princess in arms, eliciting a few woos from the girls in the crowd.

Lorien who saw this scene fought for his life as he held back his laughter with more strength than the spear throw.

Elara who was still carrying Finn, looked down and saw Finn looking at him with sparkly eyes and a slightly embarrassed expression, like that of a girl who had just gotten her first crush.

Elara smiled faintly and leaned in close to Finn's face. This caused Finn to instinctively shut his eyes as he waited silently.

In a low, deep voice, Elara whispered into his ear with a harrowing tone that did not suit his smile, "If I ever catch you making that expression again...”

“I will kill you."

“Kiiiiiiii!”

With a shrill shriek, Finn broke free from Elara's embrace before darting behind Lorien, moving faster than when he was fighting the minotaur with his guard raised and prepared for any incoming threats.

Ignoring Finn's reaction, Elara shifted his focus to the crowd of youths and said in a commanding voice.

"All of you must face the minotaur and defeat it to prove your worthiness to the Luminar tree," he declared, observing the youths' horrified and unsettled reactions. "But you don't have to kill it. Simply touch the blue gem on its chest, and you will pass the tree's test. The elders and I are here to intervene if your lives are truly in danger."

After hearing this information the youths let out a deep sigh of relief and determination filled their eyes ready to take on the challenge.

Finn stared at Elara, dumbfounded for a moment after hearing the information, before grumbling in a low angry voice “Why didn’t you tell me this before? I almost got myself butchered for no reason”.

Elara who somehow heard him from a distance, turned his head slightly and said to him with a smile “You seemed to be extremely confident when you volunteered so I kept quiet and besides, your effort was not wasted”

Then he turned his head back towards the crowd again and said “If you manage to destroy the gem on the minotaur’s chest then it will help you immensely in the next step of the rite and might even grant you a special gift from the Luminar tree”

Realizing he had just earned himself an award, Finn perked up his chin feeling proud of what he had just accomplished, but then he heard Elara say, “That benefit doesn’t apply to you since you received outside help in the form of the momentum built by the spear. The Luminar tree will likely give you an ordinary assessment or it might even decide to take away your right to become a Lexarch”.

After hearing this news, Finn’s expression dropped slowly as he realized the gravity of the situation. Now he just wanted to dig a grave for himself and go into eternal rest.