Somewhere deeper in the forest maze, the dappled sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting flickering patterns onto the moss-laced ground.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves above, but otherwise, the jungle remained eerily still.
A girl, around seventeen moved with careful steps through the brush, her blonde hair catching the light like gold threads.
A few loose strands clung to her cheeks, damp with sweat. Her green eyes scanned the terrain, alert and unwavering, fingers twitching beside the hilt of the short dagger sheathed at her side.
Unlike many others, she wasn't dashing about wildly in search of tokens.
No, Aria had patience. She didn't want to stumble into a fight.
Not yet.
"Calm mind wins the race," she muttered under her breath, echoing the words her mentor once drilled into her.
The vines parted as she pushed ahead, ducking under a fallen branch. That's when a glint caught her eye.
She froze mid-step.
