12 Inside the maze

As Xylon walked towards the entrance of the maze, he glanced around at the other candidates who had formed groups.

The maze loomed in front of them, its walls towering high above their heads. Each group had its own entrance, carefully designed to ensure that no two teams would start in the same place. Xylon's entrance was at the far end, all the way on the opposite side from the others.

As he stepped into the maze, the noise hit him like a physical force. The creatures that lurked within were howling and snarling, making it difficult to concentrate. But Xylon gritted his teeth and pushed on, determined to succeed despite the odds stacked against him.

For a moment, he wondered if he had made a mistake in going alone. But then he reminded himself of the words his teacher had spoken earlier: "You will be disadvantaged."

Xylon had always been a lone wolf, preferring to rely on himself rather than others. This was his chance to prove that he could make it on his own.

The maze twisted and turned, confusing Xylon as he struggled to keep his bearings. He could hear the sounds of the other groups somewhere in the distance, but he had no idea how far ahead they were.

The monsters grew bolder as he progressed, and Xylon was forced to fight them off with his bare hands.

Despite the danger and the isolation, Xylon found himself growing more and more focused as he moved deeper into the maze. His senses sharpened, his instincts honed by the need to survive. He knew he was at a disadvantage, but he refused to let that stop him.

"If anyone could do it then I could do it too" He said to himself.

Xylon realized that the creatures were not physical beings but rather made of smoke and shadow. He knew that he needed to use a different approach to defeat them.

Thinking quickly, Xylon began to cast a spell that he had only read about in books. He closed his eyes and focused all of his energy on his hands, then released a burst of magic that formed a bright white light.

The light engulfed the creatures and they began to dissipate, their smoky forms disintegrating into nothingness.

Xylon stood in the midst of the dissipating shadows, panting heavily from the exertion. As he caught his breath, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and accomplishment.

"That was impressive," a voice called out from behind him.

Xylon turned around to see one of the other candidates standing there, watching him with a wicked smile on his face

Xylon was feeling weird as he watched his classmate, Deric, breeze through every challenge in their test. It seemed as though Deric was at the top of his game, and it bothered Xylon to no end.

He couldn't believe that someone could be so talented in every aspect, making it look so effortless.

With a deep breath, Xylon approached Deric and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Deric simply smiled and replied, "You know that it's not over, right? The test has just begun. These smoky creatures are the weakest among all of the creatures that we have to fight."

Deric Gardner had a striking appearance that was hard to ignore. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a powerful build that suggested he was no stranger to physical labor.

His skin was pale, almost ghostly, and contrasted sharply with the bold tattoo of a dragon that wrapped around his bald head like a crown.

Deric's clothing was practical and no-nonsense, like the man himself. He wore rugged pants that looked like they had been designed for military use, their sturdy material clinging to his muscular legs.

His broad chest was left bare, revealing a network of scars and old wounds that hinted at a past filled with danger and adventure. Overall, Deric exuded an air of confidence and self-assurance that made it clear he was not to be underestimated.

Xylon  knew that Deric was right. They still had a long way to go and many more challenges to face. However, there was something about Deric's confident smile that made Xylon uneasy.

"Where are your group members?" Xylon asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from Deric's unsettling demeanor.

Deric just smirked and said, "I won't let anyone drag me down."

Xylon didn't know how to react. He couldn't understand why Deric was so unwilling to work with others when he already had a team on his side.

With a heavy heart, Xylon decided to continue on with the test. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

He couldn't help but worry about what would happen if Deric's selfish attitude caused him to make a mistake.

As Xylon walked away, he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Deric's behavior than just pure arrogance.

Here was Deric, abandoning his group members without a second thought. It was clear that Deric was more concerned with his own success than the success of the team.

As Xylon was lost in thought, a huge snake suddenly appeared in front of them. Its appearance was eerily familiar to Xylon, reminding him of a dark creature that he had encountered during his time in the demon realm.

It had been a pet to the demons, and its sinister presence had left a lasting impression on him.

However, as Xylon looked closer at the snake before him, he realized that it was a terrible imitation of the creature from the demon realm.

It had been corrupted by the influence of the demons, twisted and perverted into a human copy of its former self.

"These humans truly have a talent for corrupting all that they touch," Xylon muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't help but wonder how many other creatures had been twisted by the demons' dark magic, and what other horrors lay ahead of them in the test.

"Easy …snake !" He shouted as he summoned a sword and started waving it in the air .