The passage was narrow, its walls closing in on either side as I made my way deeper into the heart of the rogue pack’s compound. The air grew thicker, cooler, as if the very stone was alive, breathing with a pulse of its own. I could feel the weight of it pressing against me, like an ancient force that had been waiting for this moment. The rogue’s words echoed in my mind, the trials are not easy. They strip you down to your core.
I didn’t doubt him.
I had faced my demons before, had endured pain and loss that most could never understand. The wilderness had tested me, had shown me just how far I could push my limits. But this… This felt different. This was something darker, something deeper, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.
The further I went, the quieter the world became. There wer
