The morning sun barely penetrated the thick canopy of leaves above us as we gathered at the edge of the forest. The air was thick with tension, each contestant acutely aware that this trial would push us to our limits. I stood apart from the others, my mind still reeling from yesterday's events, but I forced myself to focus on the task ahead.
The forest loomed before us, dark and foreboding. The judges' voices cut through the nervous chatter of the contestants as they explained the rules of this latest trial. We were to survive and evade capture by bandits scattered throughout the forest, using whatever means necessary. The warning that followed sent a chill down my spine – these bandits were known for their ruthlessness, and this trial would test not just our physical endurance, but our
