And behind them was death.

Real, ravenous death.

One moment, the storm had stalked behind them like a looming specter. The next, it lunged forward without warning—its speed doubling in a blink, its hunger evident, collapsing the distance between predator and prey in an instant.

Alex felt it before he saw it.

A pressure—deep and primal—pressed against his chest like an invisible hand. The air thinned. His lungs fought to expand. His senses screamed a warning, and still, the fear came too slow.

Then he turned.

And saw it.

The storm had closed the gap.

A monstrous wall of roiling black, streaked with veins of electric white. At its heart, a jagged mouth yawned wider with every pulse, as if the sky itself had cracked open and grown hungry. It didn't move—it devoured space, each surge pulling at the world around it.

Alex surged forward, jaw clenched. His muscles screamed, but he ignored them. The others followed suit, digging deeper into reserves they didn't know they had. Their footfalls echoed across the endless obsidian bridge—a chorus of desperation and grit.

All except one.

Kaelen.

The elf had pushed too hard, too early. He'd spent himself trying to stay ahead, flashing his power when endurance was what the trial demanded. And now… he was paying for it.

The storm was right behind him.

Too close.

Too hungry.

Kaelen's teeth clenched as he realized the truth. His stride wavered. The smooth elegance of his motion turned ragged, his limbs trembling with effort. The pride that once lifted his every step now shattered into panic.

Wind tore at his robes, and where the edges brushed the storm's aura, they sparked and sizzled—thin arcs of lightning licking at his form. The edges of his soullight flickered.

For a moment—just a moment—it looked like Kaelen would be swallowed.

But he refused to fall.

With a guttural shout, he forced power into his limbs. Green-gold light flared across his legs, veins of radiant energy flooding his body. His boots cracked the bridge beneath him as he leapt forward, severing the storm's grip on his aura with a burst of desperate speed.

He landed beside Korrum, stumbling to one knee, gasping.

Seconds later, the storm… hesitated.

It didn't stop.

But it slowed—just slightly. Like a predator realizing the prey had teeth after all.

Its maw still hung open. Still watching. Still waiting.

Everyone exhaled in relief.

Especially Kaelen, who had danced with death and lived. His face was pale, slick with sweat, but his stride stayed steady now. For once, there was no arrogance. No clever smirk. Just silence. And obedience.

He fell in line behind the others—not by much—but enough to finally fall in rhythm.

"Don't relax," Adam said, his voice tight with restraint. "The storm is only waiting for a moment of weakness. It could speed up at any time."

No one responded.

The storm still followed.

So they ran.

And ran.

Alex lost track of time. Or maybe time had simply unraveled. What were minutes? Hours? Nothing held shape here. Only motion.

His legs moved. His heart pumped. His mind narrowed into a sharp point of focus.

Each breath became a rhythm. Each step a whispered plea for survival.

And still, the Divine Gate loomed ahead.

Glowing. Taunting.

Always ahead. Always unreachable.

*When does this end?* Alex wondered.

His body wasn't in pain. Not exactly. It had passed pain. It had become wear—like a machine nearing its operational limit. Still moving. Still efficient. But trembling at the edge of burnout.

He glanced around.

The others weren't faring as well.

Korrum's once-radiant aura was dull, his breaths shallow. Vayren's inhuman poise had vanished—his shoulders sagging with fatigue. The monk, once serene, was now visibly slowing. Even the Anima—usually flitting forward like light—was grinding forward one step at a time.

Alex could only endure because he had \\[Limitless Drive].

The skill effect pulsed softly within him.

It was a slow burn.

As long as he kept moving, his stamina regenerated. Not fast. Not dramatically. But enough. Enough to matter.

In a test like this, it was everything.

No one spoke.

No one dared waste the energy.

Even Kaelen's usual complaints had died. There was no room left for arrogance. No space for rivalry. Only survival.

Then, it moved again.

The storm surged forward, increasing its pace. But this time, no one panicked.

No one stumbled.

No one cursed.

They simply adjusted.

They pressed harder—feet striking the bridge with renewed power, energy igniting in bursts beneath their soles. Their formation stayed tight. Their focus sharpened.

This was what made them elite.

They were adaptable.

None of them were going to slow down anytime soon.

The storm—though faster, hungrier—failed to catch any of them. But that didn't make them feel elated.

If this continued, someone was going to fall.

The air grew thick. The bridge stretched into forever. And the Divine Gate refused to get closer.

Alex's thoughts spun as he pondered:

*What are we missing?*

Speed wasn't the answer.

Neither was time.

It wasn't distance, either.

It was something else.

Then the thought struck.

A quiet horror.

*What if this doesn't end until someone falls?*

His pace didn't change. His breathing didn't shift. But inside, a cold weight settled in his chest.

*A sacrifice.*

Was that the true nature of this test?

Not endurance.

But loss.

He scanned the others.

Adam. Korrum. Vayren. The monk. The Anima. Kaelen.

And the demon.

The horned figure ran silently, crimson eyes locked forward.

Until now.

Now it looked at him.

Right at him.

Then it uttered, with a low and metallic voice:

"If anyone should be eliminated... it's you, Alex Knight."

Alex turned, stunned.

The words weren't shouted—but they cut through the air like knives.

"What did you say?" he asked.

Korrum twisted in stride. "What the hell's that supposed to mean, fiend?"

The demon's expression didn't change. He didn't stumble. Didn't blink.

His eyes gleamed with something unreadable.

"The human is considering a sacrifice," he said. "He believes the trial will only end if one of us falls, and he's trying to decide who it should be."

Silence.

Adam slowed a fraction. Vayren glanced sideways.

Even the monk turned its head.

They were all stunned.

"Is it not so?" the demon asked, his gaze fixed on Alex.

"Or are you...