289 Ruins to Maze

'The first transcendent,' Ren mused silently, 'this bozo is hard to forget.'

Remembering the time Ren had mentioned that there are about twelve sixteen-star individuals in the Grav Kingdom, he realized that the Hestia Empire also harbored such powerful mages. Eldric was one of them, just like Headmaster Amrose Nexus.

Ren activated his elemental vision for a moment but quickly turned it off, sensing nothing but feeling Eldric's gaze fixed upon him. Eldric emitted no mana presence; one could feel his aura but not his mana, so if he wanted, he could practically be invisible to everyone's senses here.

"Well, well, well," Eldric began, stretching his left arm wide as a staff materialized in his palm. It was a long wooden staff adorned with the skull of some dead mana beast, with a red stone embedded in the skull's head.

"I'll start—" Eldric paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping past everyone gathered before him. He acknowledged that the young individuals standing before him were the future of the world of magic, but for some reason, unlike the past few Gambits he had hosted, this one felt ominous.

Shaking his head, Eldric turned to face the ruins—the remnants of the ancient Hestia Empire. These ruins hinted at a world that existed before them but remained the same at its core.

Ren couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he watched Eldric's display of power. There was something unsettling about the way the ruins came to life at his command, as if they were responding to some ancient, long-forgotten magic.

Beside him, Aron tensed, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's he up to?" he muttered under his breath.

Ren shrugged, his gaze fixed on Eldric as he continued to manipulate the ruins with effortless ease. There was no denying the man's power, but Ren couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye....or he knew for a certain something was weird.

Closing his eyes, Eldric muttered something under his breath. Suddenly, the walls of the ruins came to life, every stone and boulder beginning to move. Statues crumbled into dust or transformed into small blocks, while the entire area began to reshape itself into a more organized cluster.

As Eldric's mystical incantations filled the air, the Ruins of Eshmera began a mesmerizing transformation. What once stood as crumbling remnants of a forgotten kingdom now shifted and melded into a circular maze, a labyrinthine marvel that seemed to defy the laws of reality.

The ruins reconfigured themselves into concentric circles, each one interwoven with the next like the intricate layers of a puzzle. Stone walls rose and fell, creating pathways that twisted and turned in every direction. At the heart of the maze stood a towering spire, surrounded by rings of stone that marked the progression towards its center.

The walls of the maze seemed to pulse with magic, shifting and changing shape as the participants moved through its winding passages.

Entrances to the maze appeared at intervals along its circumference, each one marked by a swirling vortex of energy that beckoned the participants deeper into its depths. Once inside, there was no turning back—the maze had become a realm unto itself, a realm where only the most skilled and determined would prevail.

Magical traps and illusions awaited the unwary, testing their mettle and pushing them to their limits. But amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there was an undeniable sense of exhilaration, a thrill that came from knowing they were part of something extraordinary.

"Your first trial awaits," he said, his voice echoing. "Enter the ruins, and prove yourselves worthy of the title of mage."

Out of nowher he held a thin sword with a chipped blade and rusted edges.

With a swift motion, he tossed the sword into the sky, where it glinted in the ethereal light. Then, with a voice that seemed to resonate with the very fabric of reality, he spoke, commanding and enigmatic.

"Find it," he commanded and the sword was gone.

As Eldric's commanding voice echoed through the air, Ren felt a shiver run down his spine. The weight of Eldric's words hung heavy in the air, stirring a sense of anticipation among the gathered participants. With a determined nod, Ren steeled himself for the challenges that lay ahead.

Just as Eldric's proclamation settled over the ruins, Ren's attention was drawn upward to the sky. There, amidst the swirling clouds, a shimmering projection appeared—a testament to the magical prowess of the event.

Ren marveled at the sight of the Enchanted Projection Crystals, scattered strategically throughout the ruins of Eshmera. Each crystal glowed with an ethereal light, pulsating with the power of potent communication spells. Ren understood that these crystals held the key to broadcasting the Mage's Gambit to audiences across the world.

As skilled mages stationed in Eshmera activated the crystals, they harnessed the magical energy of the surrounding environment. With a surge of power, the crystals projected holographic images and vivid audio into the sky above major cities, captivating audiences far and wide.

Ren watched in awe as the projection unfolded, immersing viewers in the thrilling events of the competition. The sights and sounds of the Mage's Gambit came to life, transported through the enchanted crystals to distant lands. Ren marveled at the seamless connection between Eshmera and the outside world, realizing that even those who could not be present in the ruins could still experience the excitement and drama of the competition.

Adam looked at the maze as he could feel his heart pounding hard enough to be heard in his head.

Adam surveyed the maze, his heart pounding like a drummer on a caffeine binge. With a gulp, he turned to address his team, ready to deliver a motivational speech that would make even the most hardened warriors shed a tear.

"Everyone, keep in mind- we—" he paused as he noticed, "where's Ren?"

"There," slowly Erik pointed forward with his left hand.

"What the fuck..." Adam cursed under his breath as he saw the running silhouette of Ren's back as he ran towards the third entrance to the maze.

He did not stop or look back as if something had possessed him, he kept running like a rabid dog without a mind.

"That dude never— whoa!" He exclaimed as he was pushed aside.

This time it was Aron. Aron too ran in the same direction; he immediately began forming wind to skip steps and make big jumps to catch up to Ren.

"...losers," Adam muttered under his breath, but taking a deep breath calmed himself down to only find that now Vexa and Erik were gone with only Isolde remaining.

"Dude, you gotta keep your team under you or else you'd fail," said John before he took off with his team.