Level 3

The growls kept getting louder and louder, an ominous echo that reverberated through the labyrinth. Derek's heart pounded in his chest, his grip tightening on the handle of his weapon. "Ifrit, shoot fire at it!" he commanded, his voice strained with fear.

With a fierce roar, Ifrit extended its hands, and a torrent of fire burst forth, blazing a path through the darkness. The flames licked at the walls, casting long shadows that danced with the flickering light. But suddenly, a loud sound erupted from the side, accompanied by deep claw marks gouged into the stone. 

Kane's head snapped to the side. "Derek, on the wall!" he echoed, pointing towards the source of the noise. Ifrit swiveled, redirecting its fire towards the wall, but the flames hit nothing but empty stone. The creature was too fast, too elusive.

Another loud sound boomed from the opposite wall. Kane spun around, eyes darting wildly. "On the other side!" he yelled. Ifrit redirected its flames again, but it was a futile effort. The creature was everywhere and nowhere, its growls growing ever closer.

Before Derek could react, a sharp pain tore through his chest. He screamed, stumbling backwards as blood poured from a deep gash. The creature's claws had found their mark. Kane's eyes blazed with fury. "Damn it, Derek, stay with me!"

Without wasting a second, Kane summoned his thunderbird. The majestic beast appeared with a crackle of electricity, its feathers sparking with raw power. It flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind that blew the creature off the wall. For a brief moment, they saw it—a dark, shadowy figure with glowing red eyes.

.....

The contestants that were getting chased by the large wolf got close to Jaxon and Eldon. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, chests heaving from the exertion of their escape. Eldon's hand tightened on his blade, his eyes scanning the newcomers with suspicion.

"Stop right there!" Eldon yelled out, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He stepped forward, his stance defensive.

A girl with the group walked towards Eldon, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "We're not here to fight," she said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "We were just getting chased, as you saw."

Eldon regarded her for a moment, his gaze unwavering. Behind him, Jaxon shifted nervously, his fingers itching to draw his own weapon. But there was something in the girl's eyes, a sincerity that gave him pause.

"We don't mean any harm," the girl continued, her tone earnest. "We just want to survive this trial, like everyone else."

Eldon exchanged a glance with Jaxon, uncertainty clouding his features. They were already at a disadvantage, and starting a fight could worsen their situation. Slowly, Eldon lowered his blade. "Fine," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind.

"What's your plan?" Jaxon asked quietly, his gaze flickering between Eldon and the approaching group.

"To escape from here as soon as possible. That boulder won't hold them off forever," she said.

"Them," Eldon asked, his tone laced with curiosity and a hint of concern.

The girl nodded, her expression grave. "The large wolves that were chasing us," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Eldon and Jaxon exchanged a glance, confusion evident in their eyes. They had only seen one wolf.

"But we only saw one," Jaxon interjected, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"There's more of them," a boy in the group chimed in, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes darted nervously around the dimly lit passage, as if expecting the creatures to leap out at any moment.

Eldon's mind raced as he processed this new information. More wolves meant a greater threat, one that they couldn't face head-on. 

Just then, a loud growl erupted from the direction of the boulder, followed by multiple growls and the sound of the boulder being crushed on the other side. The ground trembled slightly under the force of whatever was causing the commotion.

Eldon's grip tightened on his blade once more, his instincts screaming at him to flee. Jaxon stood close behind him. The newcomers exchanged fearful glances, realizing that their situation had just become infinitely more dangerous.

The girl's eyes widened in alarm, her previous composure faltering for a moment. "We need to move, now," she urged, her voice urgent. Without waiting for a response, she turned and sprinted down the passage, the rest of her group following closely behind.

Eldon and Jaxon followed the group from behind, their hearts pounding in their chests. Eldon yelled out, "Do you know where you're going?"

"I don't, but anywhere is better than back there," she said, her voice strained with fear.

Eldon realized she was right. Just then, a loud sound of the boulder being shattered echoed behind them. He glanced back to see three massive wolves emerging from the rubble.

"It's three of them!" Jaxon yelled out to Eldon.

"I know," Eldon replied, his mind racing for a plan.

....

Outside of the labyrinth, the Beaster Council observed the students with keen interest. Among them stood the instructor, known as Seven, his gaze fixed on the screens displaying the trials. Beside him, another member of the council, addressed him by his forbidden name, Dwalin.

"Dwalin, I thought you said your students were special," the council member remarked, skepticism evident in his tone.

The instructor, his true name forbidden, urged patience. "Be patient, and remember to refer to me as Seven," he reminded firmly. In this clandestine world, even names held power.

Eight snorted, refusing to use the instructor's real name, as per the council's laws. "You want me to call you Seven, yet the students aren't even here," he retorted.

"It matters not. It's the law," the instructor replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

On the other screen, it was Liam, the first student to make it out of the labyrinth. The Beaster Council observed him with a mix of surprise and admiration. The council members, known for their stoic nature, couldn't help but exchange approving nods.

"Remarkable," one of them murmured. "This student has exceeded our expectations."

Another member turned to the instructor, Seven, with a rare smile. "You've done well with this one. Your teaching methods are impressive."

Seven, a man of few words, simply shook his head. "The boy is talented," he replied, his voice devoid of pride. "I merely guided him."

Eight, standing beside him, couldn't contain his excitement. With a hearty laugh, he smacked Seven on the back. "Stop being so modest! You raised a genius, Seven!" he declared, his voice booming across the chamber.

Seven winced slightly at the force of Eight's enthusiasm but maintained his composure. "Genius or not, he still has much to learn," he said, his eyes never leaving the screen.