Terrain and Sky watched from behind a crumbling stone wall, their eyes fixed on the lone Firemelon guard patrolling the alleyway ahead. 

"Think we can get past him?" Terrain whispered, his voice barely audible.

Sky studied the guard’s path, her gaze calm and calculating. "I can. What about you?"

“I'm not as quick as you,” Terrain admitted, “but I’ll manage.”

They exchanged a silent nod. Muscles tensed. Breaths stilled.

The moment the guard turned his back, they shot forward. In a blur, they melted into the shadows, slipping down the alleyway and through the exit without a sound.

“That wasn’t too bad,” Terrain beamed, relief washing over his face.

Sky agreed, then pulled out a stub of chalk. Marking a number on the wall, she gestured for him to follow. “This way.”

They navigated through the twisting corridors, footsteps pattering against the stone. Then, without warning, Terrain halted mid-stride.

His gaze was drawn to a tapestry hanging on the wall. They had seen many before, but this one was different. Not just in colour, but in size and detail. The deep crimson fabric was woven with golden symbols, arranged with careful precision. Not by chance. A pattern. A chart.

“Sky, wait,” he called out, stepping closer to the tapestry. “I think there’s something here we need to solve."

Sky glanced at the embroidery. “It’s likely just decorative. This trial focuses on infiltration, not decoding.”

“Yes, but,” Terrain said, his fingers already hovering over the symbols. “You’ll need to problem-solve during an infiltration.”

Sky shot an unimpressed glare.

Beep.

Her eyes shifted to the glowing display on her arm guard, a groan escaping her lips. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Okay, I think I almost got —” Terrain looked up. She was gone.

He stared at the tapestry, then at the empty hallway.

“…Seriously?”

With a frustrated sigh, he sprinted after her.

…

Sky crouched behind a bend, peering cautiously around the corner. Three guards stood near a large doorway, their posture alert and unwavering.

Terrain skidded to her side, panting. “Sky—the code, I think—”

“Forget the code,” she cut in, gesturing her head towards the guards. “Look.”

He leaned around the corner, jaw tightening. “There are more guards than before.”

“Which means we’re close to the end.”

"…They’re not moving," Terrain said, analysing the scene. “This might be tough.”

Sky scooped up a small rock and tossed it to him. “Then we’ll need a distraction.”

Terrain caught the rock with a nod. “Got it.”

As he took aim, Sky snuffed out the torches lining the hallway ahead. All at once, the flames went out, plunging the passage into darkness.

Terrain hurled the stone. Clang! It collided loudly with a guard's helmet. The metallic echo ricocheted through the corridor, bouncing unpredictably from guard to wall to guard.

“Ambush!” a voice barked. Chaos erupted as shouts and hurried footsteps collided in a rising storm of confusion.

Then…silence.

Sky blinked. “That… sounded worse than I expected.”

She snatched up the closest lit torch and held it high, casting flickering light over the bodies sprawled across the floor.

“Ooh.” Terrain winced. “Maybe I overdid it.”

Sky took off towards the now free doorway. “We’re almost there,” she said, “Let’s go before more show up.”