Page 3 of Angel of Ruin

I collapse on the fifteenth, panting while the burn stretches up my arms.

"Not good enough," I growl, pushing myself back up.

I move on to squats, then lunges. My legs feel like jelly, but I force myself to keep going. I've got to get stronger if I want to survive the trials. Focusing on my past failures, I remind myself of where I went wrong. I gave up too quickly. I was too weak.

That won't be the case this time around. Not if I can help it.

Next, I focus on my core. Planks, crunches, leg raises. My abdomen screams in protest, but I grit my teeth and push through the pain. If I don't push myself, I won't get stronger.

As I work out, I run through mental exercises in my head. Puzzles, riddles, anything to keep my mind sharp. I can't let the xaphan outsmart me, and they like to play dirty with their tricks. Anything they shoot my way, I'll be ready for it.

The day rolls into evening, and the skies above start turning darker and darker. During one of my breaks, I roll onto my back, staring up at the evening sky. In my mind, I imagine xaphan soaring overhead, their wings glinting in the sunlight. Mocking us humans who could only dream of having a pair of wings to call our own.

Soon. Soon I'll be up there with them.

That imagery only spurs me on. I force myself to my feet, ignoring the protests of my aching muscles. There's no time to rest. I've got to be ready for whatever the trials throw at me.

Eventually, Helen returns home; I can tell by the way her front porch creaks under her weight and how the doors slam close inside her home. I duck under a bush and make a hasty escape out of her garden, silently thanking her for giving me a place to train.

If I want to win those trials, I'll need to be consistent with this. The cogs in my mind spin, thinking of ways to disappear from my parents' sight so that I can work on building muscle and endurance.

This is just the beginning, I understand that. I've got a long, rocky way to go, but I'm on the right path. I'll win these trials, no matter the cost. I have to.

2

SARIEL

As I approach the arena, I'm suddenly filled with a strong sense of disdain. I mean, seriously? I've been sent to New Solas to be an overseer for the wing trials, but every xaphan around knows that the entertainment lies in watching, not training the damn humans.

Huffing out a breath, I keep my head held high as I enter the arena from one of the bottom levels. Then, I maneuver through the massive structure until I reach the top, where a pair of overseers are standing on a glass platform, overlooking the center of the arena. They banter between themselves as they observe one of the aerial obstacle courses.

"Ah, it must be Sariel!" one of them calls out, waving a hand. His dark hair glistens in the light. "You're late."

"Only because I've just arrived to New Solas," I retort, voice lacking inflection. "I shouldn't even be here."

"But orders are orders," the other xaphan retorts, perking a pale brow. "I'm Zephyr." She juts a thumb at the one who first spoke to me. "And that's Raxis."

"Charmed," I reply, though from the amused looks on their faces, I'm sure they can tell I don't care much for their presence.I nod towards the aerial obstacle course floating in the middle of the arena. "What's this?"

"A contraption created from the finest xaphan minds!" Raxis says, a smirk playing on his lips.

I raise an eyebrow at his Raxis' remark. "Spare me the dramatics. What exactly are we dealing with here?"

Raxis' smirk only widens. "I'm adoring your enthusiasm. There are three parts to these trials. One tests physical endurance. We've got this lovely aerial obstacle course that'll have the humans scrambling for their lives. They'll need to navigate through spinning blades, currents, and unstable platforms. It's quite the spectacle when they fall."

"And if they survive that?" I ask, my interest piqued despite myself.

Zephyr chimes in, her voice dripping with amusement. "Then comes the magical aptitude test. We give them a taste of power, just enough to make them think they have a chance. It's hilarious watching them fumble with abilities they can barely comprehend."

"And don't forget about the best one of all, in my humble opinion," Raxis continues, placing a hand on his chest. "Mental fortitude. We throw them into simulations that play on their deepest fears and insecurities. It's amazing how quickly they break."

I can't help but chuckle. "And these humans actually believe they can become xaphan?"

Zephyr rolls her eyes. "They're so desperate for a better life, they'll believe anything. It's pathetic, really." A smile curls up her lips. “I hear that’s how the Praexa got them here, you know. Promised them a better life, one where they can be like the ‘angels’ they called us. I bet they’d stayed on their puny little planet instead of willingly jumping into servitude.”

"At least we have the entertainment," Raxis adds with a wicked grin. "Nothing quite like watching their hope fade as they realize they're in way over their heads."

We share a laugh, the sound echoing across the empty arena. It feels good to be among my own kind, sharing in our superiority over these lesser beings. Seeing them die off one by one will make this trip to New Solas all the more worth it.