Chapter 4

I followed the others through the gate and felt the air shift into something… different. Above us was a glass dome acting as the sky. Surrounding me were trees I'd only ever heard about in storybooks. A narrow path of damp soil stretched ahead, carrying a scent so distinct—one I had never smelled before. Everything felt so fresh, so alive.

Was this… utopia?

"It's beautiful," I murmured.

"Trees?" Ash turned to me, puzzled. "You've never seen trees?"

I nodded. "I lived in the underground district. The outside world was nothing but desert."

"Seriously?" Ash let out a small laugh. "What kind of humans live underground? I thought humans lived comfortably in big cities like Capitolis."

I shrugged. "Well… humans who were never really treated like humans, I guess."

"At least walking toward death isn't so bad then, right?"

"Probably," I said with a nod.

"You still look shaken. Because you're afraid you'll die early?"

I turned to Ash, frowning without realizing it. Didn't she fear death at all?

"Yes, I'm scared," I admitted honestly.

"Why be scared? You'd rather stay trapped underground your whole life? Your life was death itself, Maddie."

Living in despair, stagnant, with no hope or dreams—that wasn't life. The only thing that made it "life" was breathing.

Did the people who died in Legendary Trinity ever regret their short lives? Or, in the end, had they actually felt what it meant to live?

"Live as if death will come tomorrow," Ash continued. She gave me a calm, steady smile. "You'll learn to appreciate whatever time you're given, and you won't waste it."

Boom!

Up ahead, an explosion mushroomed into a thick, sand-colored cloud of smoke. Chaos erupted instantly. Ash and I exchanged a glance.

We just got here. And there's already a fight? Again?

"Don't you dare touch my territory!"

A loud, arrogant voice came from a red-haired guy in his early twenties. Flames crackled in his clenched fist. His opponent looked almost bored—probably in his early thirties—with shoulder-length blond hair tied in a low ponytail. He looked flamboyant, even overly thin.

"Territory? Everyone has rights here! Save that crap, you're just a lighter, not a match for me!" the blond snapped.

Ha! Honestly, that was a pretty good insult.

The redhead hurled fire again and again, while the blond dodged with ridiculous speed. He leapt lightly from branch to branch, as if dancing.

When a tree caught fire, Ash suddenly stepped forward, sweeping her hand outward. Water blasted from her palm, surging into a massive wave that knocked both men to the ground instantly.

Ash exhaled. "Don't destroy nature. Even if you think this place is property."

She walked back to me, tilting her head with another small smile. Meanwhile, I was shaking just from watching her. That water power was insane, and she said she was only a healer?

"Come on, Maddie. Let's find somewhere to stay," Ash said.

I glanced at the two men, drenched and stunned by what she'd done. At the same time, I felt someone watching. My gaze shifted. Kael was leaning against a tree trunk, his eyes openly following every step Ash and I took.

A shiver ran down my spine. I wanted to get away from his stare as fast as possible. And yet… something about Kael drew me in.

Something that unsettled me.

"One more thing, don't get too close to the werewolves," Ash whispered like a warning.

I frowned. "Why?"

"They live in a different district, only werewolves. Other shifters can stay together, but wolves? They're hot-blooded. They don't have second thoughts."

"You mean… they're like an open book?"

"Exactly. If they hate you, they hate you. If they like you, they like you. And that won't change. Once they hate you, they'll hunt you down. So stay away."

Why should I stay away from people who were honest and straightforward?

Mom and Windy hated me, treated me like trash, and used me like a workhorse. And yet I stayed, because I was forced to. I felt trapped, imprisoned.

That's why I wanted freedom. I wanted my own will.

But Kael—someone so unfamiliar—had bluntly stated that I would get what I wanted. When I said I wanted to die, he said he'd grant it.

That shocked me to the core. I'd been holding those thoughts in for so long… and suddenly someone actually acknowledged them.

Most people would have tried to stop me.

In the end, Kael unsettled me. Who wouldn't feel uneasy near someone who'd literally grabbed your throat?

I walked along the gravel path, passing rows of trees and small scattered huts. They were shaped like upside-down bowls, with tiny windows.

Some were already occupied.

I had no idea how many huts were here.

We stopped at the hut at the far end, near a waterfall. I could hear the rushing water and smell the dampness, unlike the underground. Something about it felt strange, awe-inducing, and frightening all at once.

"This is lovely," Ash said as she opened the door.

It was one open room with two beds, two wardrobes, and a bathroom.

I stepped inside and opened a wardrobe. Neatly folded clothes were already there, all the same dark green color.

"Get changed. We need to train," Ash said.

I turned to her. "Train?"

"The arena opens in 48 hours. You're just going to sit around until then? At least prepare for your first game."

I grabbed an outfit and looked back at her. "You know a lot about Legendary Trinity?"

"Yeah, I'm lucky." She pulled her shirt off without hesitation. "My brother won the Legendary Trinity three years ago."

"Really? That's amazing."

"Not really." Ash snorted softly. "When he came back, he was different. He was so quiet, always writing in his journal. He wrote everything from the game—every detail."

I stayed silent, listening.

"One day, he said, 'I've finished writing.' And that evening… he killed himself," she said.

"Why would he do that?" My voice cracked. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Don't be. I just regret that after winning, he chose something so stupid. I wouldn't call him stupid; he had his reasons."

"Maybe the memories kept weighing on him," I said quietly.

Ash shrugged. "Maybe. But I won't be like him. I'm going to win this and do better."

When she shut the wardrobe, something hit me hard inside.

Ash already had a goal. She'd prepared herself for this game.

While me? I didn't even know how to fight. Or survive. Would I just sit still and accept whatever happened?

God… I had no idea what I was supposed to do.