13th District

Arrival

The air felt heavier as Kael and Arya were led through the city gates of the Capital, the towering stone walls stretching high above them, casting long shadows on the cracked cobblestones below. It was nothing like the 7th District—their district, where the streets were crowded with people hustling to make ends meet, where the buildings were low and crumbling, and the air smelled of dust and desperation.

Here, in the Capital, the streets were wide, clean, and lined with grand marble buildings. The oppressive luxury of the place hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating the soul.

Kael’s grip on Arya’s hand tightened as they walked. The Capital wasn’t just a place of wealth—it was a fortress of power, and every step they took felt like it was closing in on them. Arya, her eyes wide with wonder, barely noticed the tension, too caught up in the glittering sights around them.

She took in the towering spires, the pristine squares, the banners of gold that hung from every corner, advertising the upcoming Ascension Trials. She whispered excitedly, “Kael, look at all of this! It’s like something out of a fairy tale!”

Kael didn’t share her awe. His eyes flicked over the soldiers standing guard at every corner, their eyes cold and watchful, their weapons sharp. He felt the weight of their gaze, the unspoken warning in their posture.

This wasn’t a fairy tale—it was a kingdom built on control, on keeping the districts subdued. The Capital’s beauty was nothing but a mask for the brutality beneath it.

As they moved deeper into the city, the grand buildings gave way to the tall, looming towers where the competitors were to be housed. The sight of the towering structure made Kael’s stomach tighten. They were being herded like cattle to a slaughterhouse, and the gleaming towers were the prison where they would wait until their fate was sealed.

“We’re here,” the guard who had been escorting them said, his voice gruff as he pushed open a massive iron gate. Behind it lay a series of impressive marble steps leading to the entrance of the building.

Arya, still excited, tugged Kael’s sleeve. “Do you think we’ll get rooms like the ones in the stories? Or maybe even a balcony overlooking the city?” Her voice was full of hope, but Kael only shook his head in silence. He didn’t have the heart to burst her bubble, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing good would come from this.

The moment they stepped into the building, they were greeted by another set of guards who led them to a large, ornate hall. The walls were lined with intricate tapestries depicting the history of the Ascension Trials—the glorious victories of past participants, the rich rewards, the lives of luxury. The place felt like a shrine to the trials, and Kael’s skin crawled with the overwhelming sense of artificial grandeur.

As they were ushered deeper into the hall, they were introduced to the other participants. Kael’s eyes scanned the room, noting the young men and women, all varying in age and appearance, but all carrying the same cold, determined look.

Some of them were clearly elite, their bodies lean and muscled, their movements deliberate and calculated. These were the trained competitors, the ones who had prepared their entire lives for this moment. Kael could feel their eyes on him, sizing him up. He didn’t belong here, and they all knew it.

“Those two,” Arya whispered, her eyes wide with admiration. She pointed to a group of four competitors standing together near the far wall. They were tall and intimidating, dressed in dark, finely-tailored armor. “They look like they could tear us apart with their bare hands!”

Kael followed her gaze and frowned. “They’re probably the ones who’ll be first to fight. Don’t get too close to them, Arya. These people play dirty.”

But Arya didn’t seem to hear him, too fascinated by the sheer presence of the others. The group she had pointed out, all of them stone-faced and imposing, weren’t the only dangerous ones. Kael noticed others across the room—smaller, quicker competitors, their eyes sharp with calculation.

There were a few who appeared younger than he expected, their faces still holding a trace of innocence. But even they had the edge of those who’d been trained from childhood to survive in the brutal world of the Ascension Trials.

A tall figure stepped forward, his voice deep and commanding. “Welcome to the Capital, competitors. Tomorrow, you will all be tested. Some of you will succeed. Some of you will not.” The man’s gaze swept over the group, lingering on Kael for a moment longer than the others. He could feel the man’s scrutiny, but all he did was stand there, trying not to let his discomfort show. “Prepare yourselves. You have one day to settle in. Make it count.”

The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Kael glanced around the room at the other competitors. None of them seemed phased. Some were already discussing strategies with one another, while others simply stood apart, like Kael, lost in their own thoughts.

When the doors to the hall finally closed behind them, sealing them inside the massive stone walls, Kael couldn’t shake the feeling that they had just entered a different world—a world where only the strong would survive and the weak would be discarded.

“I don’t like this place,” Kael muttered under his breath, his voice laced with bitterness. “Everything here just feels… wrong.”

Arya, still wide-eyed, nodded in agreement, but her excitement hadn’t dulled. “It’s just the Capital, Kael. It’s all so big and beautiful! And I get to be here. I’m going to win, I know it. I’ll make sure we both have the life we’ve always dreamed of.”

Kael didn’t respond. He didn’t know if Arya’s optimism was just naïve or if she truly believed she could make it through this brutal game. All he knew was that the odds were stacked against them. And if he had to, he would protect her with everything he had—because he wasn’t going to let her die like the others.

But as the heavy doors slammed shut, sealing them into their fate, Kael couldn’t ignore the pit that had settled in his stomach. Tomorrow, they would be thrust into the fight of their lives. And in this game, the only thing that mattered was survival.

The air in the training hall was thick with tension. Kael’s breath came in shallow bursts as he eyed the obstacle course in front of them. His heart pounded in his chest, but he refused to let his nerves show.

Arya, standing beside him, was eerily calm. The others around them were buzzing with excitement, eyes shining with both fear and anticipation—but Arya? She just stood there, her expression unreadable, her posture relaxed.

“Kael, don’t worry. You’ve got this,” Arya said softly, her voice steady and confident. Her words weren’t a command, but a quiet assurance.

Kael shot her a glance, his lips pressing into a thin line. He didn’t want her to see how uneasy he was. He wasn’t about to show weakness—especially not to her. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied, his tone firm, though his hands clenched at his sides. He couldn’t let her see him falter. Not now. Not in front of all these people.

“Everyone, listen up!” The instructor’s voice cracked through the tension like a whip. “This first test will be both physical and mental. Your strength, agility, and focus will be measured. You’ll run the obstacle course, and after that, we’ll assess your stamina and decision-making skills. The fastest and the sharpest will move on. The rest of you… well, you’ll be going home.”

A murmur of nervous energy rippled through the competitors, but Arya only blinked, her face unwavering. Kael couldn’t understand it—how could she be so calm? But right now, his focus was on surviving this first test. He wasn’t here to win—he was here to keep Arya safe, no matter what it took.

“Up first, Ryden family,” the instructor called.

It was their turn. Kael gave Arya a brief, reassuring smile, but inside, he was already steeling himself for the grueling challenge ahead. He stepped up to the start line, his legs feeling heavy under the weight of the looming test.

Kael glanced at the wall ahead of him—tall and imposing. He could hear the other competitors muttering, sizing up the course, readying themselves. The balance beams loomed ahead, followed by a long stretch of uneven ground that would trip up anyone unprepared.

A quick glance at Arya confirmed what he already knew—she wasn’t worried. She had a quiet confidence in her movements, but it was subtle. She wasn’t brimming with cocky arrogance like some of the other competitors, but there was something in the way she moved, in the way her eyes swept over the course like she was mentally mapping every move.

“Ready?” the instructor shouted.

Kael nodded, ignoring the cold rush of nerves in his gut. “Let’s do this.”

And just like that, the horn blew, signaling the start of the trial.

Kael surged forward, tackling the first obstacle with as much speed as he could muster. His legs felt like lead, but he ignored it. Focus, he told himself. Just get through the course. His hands slipped as he grabbed the rope to scale the wall, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself up. One hand over the next, climbing higher, faster, ignoring the burn in his muscles.

When he reached the top and looked down, his stomach flipped. The next part was the balance beams. He had to cross without falling. There was no room for mistakes here.

“Come on, Kael!” Arya cheered from the sidelines, her voice steady, her eyes locked on him with that same quiet determination. She was watching him, but it wasn’t in the way that the others were—expecting him to fail, hoping to see his weakness. No. Arya trusted him. She believed in him. And that was something Kael couldn’t let go of.

He leaped from one beam to the next, balancing with a precision he didn’t know he had. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest, but he kept going, step by step. Finally, he reached the end and dropped to the ground, panting.

He wasn’t the fastest, but he was through.

“Not bad, Ryden,” the instructor commented, a flicker of approval in his voice.

Kael didn’t respond. Instead, he turned his gaze to Arya. She was already at the starting line, poised and ready. Her eyes met his for just a moment before she began.

Kael watched as she moved with an ease that sent a wave of pride crashing through him. She scaled the wall, crossing the balance beams with a grace that seemed almost unnatural for someone her age. Her movements weren’t hurried, but deliberate, as if she knew exactly what she was doing.

When she finished, her time was impressive—far better than Kael’s.

“Good job, Arya!” Kael called out, grinning despite himself. His chest swelled with pride. He had known she could do it. She was stronger than anyone realized.

She turned to him, a small smile on her face. “Thanks. You did great too.”

But Kael didn’t miss the way her gaze shifted for a split second, narrowing just slightly as she scanned the other competitors. She wasn’t worried about the others, but something about the way she observed them—calm, deliberate—made Kael wonder if she was thinking about something more. Something he didn’t understand.

He shook it off. The test was over for now, but the real challenge was still ahead. They had made it this far, but the trials weren’t over yet. They still had a long way to go, and Kael was more determined than ever to keep his sister safe.

But as the other competitors filed past, Kael couldn’t help but feel the weight of the competition bearing down on him. His eyes drifted over the crowd, scanning for any signs of weakness. Every competitor here was dangerous in their own right. And if they wanted to survive, they would have to be even more ruthless than the last.

No matter what, Kael wouldn’t let his sister fall.