Once Leo was standing, I immediately resumed my pace. I had already wasted valuable time helping him, and I could hear the sounds of other contestants gaining ground. Damn it, I was falling behind.
Pushing harder, my muscles screamed with every step. The pack on my back felt heavier with each passing minute, like the world itself was trying to drag me down. But I refused to slow. I had come too far, faced too much, to let someone else pass me now.
The dense forest finally began to thin out, revealing a shimmering lake in the distance. Its surface seemed calm—too calm. Nothing in this trial was ever what it seemed.
As I neared the shore, I spotted Fiona standing by the water, adjusting her pack. She glanced up, that insufferable grin plastered across her face despite the exhaustion weigh
