Chapter 4 The Trial Grounds

Ivy’s POV

The entire hall had gone completely silent, but all I could still hear was the sound of my own heartbeat pounding inside my chest. His piercing blue eyes stayed locked on me, like he already knew something terrible about me that I didn’t.

After everything that had happened tonight— after being dragged to this place against my will and laughed at in front of an entire academy— something inside me finally snapped. 

Before I could stop myself, I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on without backing down. 

“And who exactly are you to tell me that?”

The reaction around us was instant.

Gasps spread across the hall, followed by shocked whispers as some students looked horrified, while others looked excited, as if they were waiting to see something terrible happen.

“Oh my God…did she just speak to Rydian in that manner?” Someone muttered behind me.

“No one ever talks to him like that,” another whispered.

Oh.

So Rydian was his name.

“I’m asking you a question,” I continued, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the loud whispers echoing around the hall. “You walk in here acting like the entire world belongs to you, then suddenly decide I shouldn’t exist? What is your problem with me?”

For a moment, his expression changed slightly, almost like he wasn’t expecting me to answer him back. Then, he slowly stepped closer to me, and I immediately felt the pressure of his presence. He was taller than me by a lot, and there was something dangerous about how calm he looked.

“You have a lot to say for someone with no powers,” he said quietly. 

“At least I don’t go around telling strangers they shouldn’t exist.”

“You should stop talking.”

“Or what?” I shot back, the words rolling off my tongue before my brain could stop them. “Are you suddenly mad that I’m speaking the truth…Rydian? That’s your name, right?”

The moment the words left my mouth, the air around us suddenly changed. A strange pressure filled the hall, so heavy that my stomach tightened instantly. Even the students around us stepped back nervously.

But before I could react—

He grabbed my wrist.

“What the—?! Let go of me!”

Pain shot through my arm as he yanked me closer to him.

“You’re testing my patience,” he hissed, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone that sent chills racing down my spine. I opened my mouth to scream at him to let go—

Then suddenly, his expression shifted.

Shock flashed across his face so fast I almost thought I imagined it. His fingers tightened around my wrist for a brief second before loosening slightly, and at the same time, a strange sensation rushed through my body.

It felt almost like something sparked beneath my skin under his touch—so sharp and sudden that it stole my breath away. For one confusing moment, our eyes stayed locked on each other, as though he felt it too.

But it disappeared just as quickly.

He immediately let go of my wrist as if touching me had burned him. Meanwhile, I stood there, staring in confusion as I rubbed my wrist. Because for the first time since he entered the hall, he actually looked unsettled.

Then the expression on his face went back to that cold look again. 

“Since you’ve got a dangerous mouth,” he said flatly. “Let’s see just how brave you are when you’re actually tested.”

What in the world is he talking about now?

“What does that mean?”

His eyes darkened slightly.

“You’re being sent to Trial Grounds One.”

This time, the entire hall exploded into shocked murmurs.

“What?!”

“Trial Grounds One?”

“She’ll die in there!”

“That place is only for advanced students!”

Fear immediately crept into my chest as I looked around at the terrified expressions on everyone’s faces, their confusion mixing with panic as their gazes remained glued to both of us.

“What is Trial Grounds One?” I asked.

Nobody had answered me directly, but honestly, they didn’t need to. The fear on their faces had already said enough.

Rhydian stared at me from head to toe, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his lips like he already knew how this would end. 

“Trust me,” he said calmly. “You’ll regret speaking back to me.”

Every instinct inside me screamed that this was a bad idea, but after everything I had been through my entire life, I couldn’t force myself to back down now. 

So instead, I swallowed my fear and said, “Fine.”

Without another word, Rhydian turned, heading towards a direction that I hadn’t even noticed before.

“Follow me.”

The academy corridors seemed darker now as we walked through them. Students poured out behind us, whispering excitedly to each other while following close behind like they were heading toward some kind of entertainment.

Oh God.

What exactly was waiting for me inside wherever we were going?

Eventually, we reached a huge underground structure hidden beneath the academy. The moment I stepped inside, my breath went still. 

The place was a gigantic circular arena stretched below, surrounded by towering black walls carved with glowing symbols I couldn’t understand. Huge chains hung from the ceiling, and blue flames flickered from giant torches fixed against the stone walls.

The entire place looked…dangerous.

More like somewhere people had died in before. The loud footsteps of students rushing toward the stone seats snapped me back to reality. They all quickly surrounded the arena while I was led toward the center.

And suddenly—

I was standing there alone.

Rhydian walked up toward the higher platform overlooking the arena. From up there, he looked untouchable, completely in control of whatever was about to unfold next.

“What exactly is this place?!”I shouted.

“A lesson,” he replied simply.

Then he clapped his hands once, the sound echoing loudly through the entire arena. A second later, the ground beneath my feet began to tremble slightly.

“What the hell?!”

At the far side of the arena, massive iron gates slowly began to rise. At first, I couldn’t see anything clearly because of the darkness behind them.

But then—

Something moved.

A low growl echoed from the darkness, deep enough to make my stomach drop instantly. Even the students around the arena suddenly went quiet.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to see better.

“What is that…?”

Before I could make sense of anything, two glowing red eyes appeared from the darkness. Then the creature burst out so fast I barely had time to scream.

It was enormous, covered in dark reptile-like skin, with massive claws scraping violently against the stone floor as it charged directly toward me. Its mouth hung wide open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that looked capable of tearing me apart in seconds.

And it was coming straight at me.

Fast.

Too fast.

Pure terror slammed into me as the monstrous beast lunged toward my throat—