Chapter 356: At the Threshold

The morning air carried a strange sort of anticipation.

It buzzed beneath the wide arch of the pack gates, threading through the gathered trainees like an unseen current—anticipation tangling with nerves, excitement rubbing shoulders with dread. Boots shifted against the ground. Fingers flexed around weapon hilts. Wolves stirred restlessly beneath skin. Snow fell heavily, staining cloaks.

Sophia stood in line with the others, shoulders squared, chin lifted. Dren and the others had made her stand at the front due to how short she was. They joked about how Sophia would get lost in the midst of the trainees because of her height, and even how the beasts would miss her, thinking she was a bug.

But the moment they stood in position, all joking cut off immediately.

This was it.

The gates loomed ahead of them, tall and carved with symbols that marked protection and boundary alike. Beyond them lay the forest. Beyond that—whatever the test truly held.

At the front stood Orion. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

He was flanked by familiar presences: Brynhild, calm and unyielding; Garron, solid and watchful; Caspian, sharp-eyed as ever; Daniel, composed, his single hand resting easily at his side. Other people stood nearby too—guards and hunters alike—forming a quiet wall of authority.

Six wooden boxes sat on a raised platform just ahead of them. Not tall enough to intimidate, not low enough to be ignored.

Sophia’s gaze lingered on them before she forced herself to look forward again. She was curious about what the boxes were doing there, especially since Orion hadn’t let on anything regarding the test.

He had made her promise again last night to be careful and not hurt herself. He had asked her questions about the monsters again and what roads to take if she got lost.

Then, when he was done, he made her rest, telling her she needed all the energy she could get.

Orion stepped ahead of the group now, hands clasped behind his back. He scanned the lines of trainees, his sharp gaze lingering here and there before he sighed dramatically.

"Alright," he said, his voice carrying easily. "First things first—relax."

A ripple went through the group.

"Your nervousness is rubbing off on me," Orion added dryly. "And I don’t look good jittery."

A few chuckles broke out. Shoulders loosened. Someone exhaled loudly behind Sophia.

Orion smiled faintly, satisfied, then lifted his gaze to the sky. "It’s a fine morning," he said. "Clear air. Good visibility. Heavy snowfall that will probably obstruct one’s vision..." He paused, then shrugged his shoulders. "What more could one ask for on a day like this, when people are going into the forest for a test?"

Everyone chuckled at his words. Sophia’s lips twitched. Orion was trying to lessen the tension, even making jokes. Times like this, she realized why he was the leader of the pack. He had the skills after all.

Orion looked back at the trainees. "Let’s forget the snow. Today is a day a majority of you have been waiting for. A day that I’m sure most of you here have anticipated, especially with how tough the training has been these past few days."

The murmurs quieted then. The laughter stopped.

"This test," Orion continued, "will help determine who gets promoted and who remains where they are. Everyone already knows that."

"Pardon me, you all. I’m normally better at giving speeches, but it seems that talent has been lost today," he told them with an exaggerated wince, making the trainees chuckle again.

"I’ll be honest," he said, his tone shifting—gentler, but no less serious. "I really want all of you to pass. Even those of you who didn’t put in the same effort as the rest."

A few trainees stiffened. Even Holly felt attacked then, because she hadn’t put in that much effort—though she had trained. Maybe not as intensively as the others, but she trained too. And besides, she was still sure Orion and the others were just exaggerating the test. It couldn’t be that tough after all.

"But even though I hope for that," Orion added calmly, "I also know that not all of you will pass the test. It’s inevitable."

"You already know everything you need to know," he went on. "You’ve been taught. You’ve trained. You’ve bled during said training. What happens next depends entirely on how you execute what you know."

He paced slowly in front of them.

"How you adapt. How you think. How you move when things don’t go the way you planned."

His gaze sharpened. "It’s on you to do the rest."

Silence stretched among the trainees.

"I don’t have much else to say," Orion admitted. "Do your best. And if anyone fails today"—his eyes softened just slightly—"I hope you take lessons from it. Failure doesn’t end you unless you let it."

He turned and stepped back.

Brynhild moved forward seamlessly, her presence snapping the air taut again.

"As most of you know," she said evenly, "I am the captain of the guards. And I’m even worse at giving speeches—but at least Kevin is worse than me."

People chuckled at that, and Sophia frowned, wondering who Kevin was.

"I’ve been ruthless these past few days," Brynhild continued without apology. "And I make no excuses for it."

Sophia felt that line land squarely on her shoulders—and her muscles twinged in agreement.

"As Orion said, everything you need has already been given to you. I won’t repeat it." Brynhild inclined her head slightly. "I’m here to wish you luck."

Her lips curved faintly. "And I sincerely hope we get to take more of you into our ranks after today."

Then she stepped aside.

Another man moved forward.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark skin catching the morning light. Thick dreadlocks trailed down his back, tied neatly at the nape of his neck. A jagged scar cut across his cheek, pale against brown. White earrings hung from his ears, their centers pink-colored.

Sophia leaned slightly toward Dren. "Who’s that?"

Dren gave her a look—half disbelief, half amusement. "How do you not know the hunters’ captain?"

Sophia winced. "I—sorry?"

"Kevin," Dren said. "That’s Kevin."

"Oh," Sophia said quickly, nodding. "Right. Kevin."

The same one Brynhild had talked about. Sophia was sure she hadn’t met the man before—she would have remembered, after all.

Kevin cleared his throat, drawing attention back to himself.

"It’s been a while since the last placement test," he said, his voice deep and steady. "And like Brynhild said, I’m extremely bad at speeches. But I do know this—I am looking forward to accepting new members into the hunters’ ranks."

His gaze swept over the trainees, assessing.

"Earn it."

He stepped back, and Garron took his place.

"Now," Garron said, clapping his hands once, "I’ll explain how the test will proceed."

Everyone straightened immediately.

"Each team will have a healer," Garron continued. "There are no exceptions. You will also all be wearing protective amulets—blessings from the Moon Goddess."

"There will be at least one hunter and one warrior or guard assigned to each team," Garron added, gesturing briefly toward some of the others gathered around. "They are not there to fight for you. They are there to intervene if necessary. And they will be your examiners. They will determine who passes and who does not."

He turned slightly and gestured toward the raised platform. "Team formation will be done entirely by draw."

Shocked sounds spread through the trainees.

"These boxes contain numbered tokens," Garron explained. "Anyone who draws the same number is on the same team."

Sophia swallowed and exchanged glances with her friends. This draw was all by luck.

"Individual skill matters," Garron said firmly. "But how you work together will also determine whether you pass or fail."

"Once teams are finalized," he concluded, "I will read your tasks."