An hour had passed since the challenge began.

  The forest, silent and dense, swallowed all sound but the rustling of leaves beneath my feet. I moved carefully between the bushes, eyes trained on the figures in the distance. Most of them didn’t interest me—weak, reckless, clueless. They were merely waiting for fate to cut them down.

  No. I was only watching those who stood a real chance.

  And then, I saw him—a boy with a body carved from stone. Muscles taut, spine straight. His presence alone hinted at danger.

  If this challenge came down to strength, he’d be the last one I’d want to face.

  Just as I observed him, he moved. No warning. No hesitation. He dashed forward with terrifying speed—faster than anything I thought possible for someone that size.

  Reflexively, I followed.

  But the gap between us grew with every step.

  "That speed...?"

  I pushed myself harder, but within seconds, he disappeared behind a wall of trees. Frustrated, I ducked behind a thick trunk, steadying my breath.

  I had misjudged him.

  I had assumed his size would slow him down. A mistake.

  A mistake I would not make twice.

  "Never judge from the surface," I muttered.

  All around, children roamed—some hunted, some hid, and some wandered aimlessly, hoping not to be noticed. I had to be careful. Every choice could be fatal.

  Then—snap.

  The sharp crack of a branch behind me.

  I froze.

  Body low. Muscles tense. I was ready to vanish.

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  Slowly, I peeked toward the sound.

  A girl.

  Small. Slender. Her hair wild and tangled. She clutched a sharpened stick like it was the only thing keeping her alive. Her eyes—dark and frantic—shimmered with fear.

  She wasn’t a threat.

  But perhaps... she could be of use.

  I stepped out, making just enough noise for her to notice.

  "Hey. You."

  She flinched. Her eyes widened in panic, and her hands gripped the stick tighter.

  "I’m not going to hurt you," I said, calm and cold. "But if you keep stumbling around like that, you’ll be dead before nightfall."

  She bit her lip. Uncertain.

  But... she didn’t run.

  Good.

  "Do you have a plan?" I asked.

  She shook her head.

  I smiled faintly.

  "Then come with me."

  I led her toward the base of a hill. I was sure the top, the riverbank, and the cave had already been claimed. The deeper woods were a death trap—too cramped, too flat, and too easy to ambush from.

  "Let’s go," I said, climbing the rocks.

  "Wait—don’t leave me behind!" she cried, scrambling after me.

  Then—thud.

  A loud fall.

  I turned quickly.

  "Are you okay?" I asked, a hint of panic slipping through.

  "Y-Yeah... I’m okay," she winced.

  No food. No light. No comfort. We climbed on, with only the rustle of leaves and our hollow breaths as company.

  The sky darkened.

  Dinner would not come tonight.

  "Damn, I forgot to ask her name," I muttered.

  I hesitated, then glanced at her timid figure.

  She was smaller than me. Quieter. Frailer.

  "You... What’s your name?" I asked.

  She seemed unsure how to answer. Then, softly—

  "Abel."

  I nodded, eyes forward, and said nothing else.

  Eventually, we found a small clearing near a sharp slope. A large stone jutted from the earth—perfect for keeping watch.

  "This will do. The slope and that rock should give us a good view," I said, settling in.

  "We’ll take turns. I’ll sleep first. When you’re too tired, wake me—but don’t just do it right away, got it?"

  I cringed at how that came out.

  "Wake me when the moon is right above us."

  I pointed to the sky—sometime around two or three in the morning, I figured.

  I leaned against the stone, closed my eyes, and sleep took me.

  And then—

  I dreamed.

  A blurry life.

  A fleeting happiness.

  Laughter. Warmth.

  Faces I couldn’t remember, but hearts I could still feel.

  For a moment, I felt like someone had gently touched the heart I thought was long since frozen.

  The heart of this boy.

  The one that used to be mine.

  “Wake up.”

  A voice—soft, but trembling.

  Where... where is that voice coming from?

  Oh right. She’s supposed to wake me for the next shift.

  But her voice wasn’t a whisper.

  It was pain.

  “Please... wake up... help me...”

  My eyes snapped open.

  She was standing in front of me.

  Abel.

  Blood dripping down her side.

  Her torch casting flickering shadows on her trembling face.

  Why... why does my neck hurt?

  I tried to speak.

  Tried to move.

  But I couldn’t.

  Darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.

  My thoughts scattered.

  And I fell—

  Not from sleep this time.

  But into something much deeper.