5. Lyra

5

LYRA

I can't believe my luck. Or lack thereof. As I scan the list of trial overseers posted on the bulletin board, my heart sinks when I spot a familiar name: Sariel.

"Shit," I mutter under my breath, earning a few curious glances from nearby candidates.

Of course, it had to be him. The xaphan I embarrassed myself in front of just days ago. The one who looked at me like I was less than dirt beneath his pristine boots. Now he'll be overseeing my cohort's wing trials.

I step away from the board, my mind racing. Maybe I can switch cohorts? But as soon as the thought crosses my mind, I know it's impossible. The xaphan would never allow it, and I'd probably be disqualified for even asking.

"Looks like we're stuck with the asshole," a voice beside me says.

I turn to see Mira, surprised she's talking to me outside of our rooms. She's eyeing the board with a mixture of disgust and resignation.

"You know him?" I ask.

Mira snorts. "Everyone knows Sariel. He's got a reputation for being particularly cruel to human candidates."

Great. Just great.

"I'll just have to avoid him," I say, more to convince myself than anything else.

Mira raises an eyebrow. "Good luck with that. He's overseeing every stage of our trials."

Reality crashes down on me. There's no escaping this. Sariel will be there, watching my every move, probably waiting for me to fail. The thought makes my stomach churn.

But as the initial panic subsides, something else takes its place. Determination. White-hot and unyielding.

"You know what?" I say, squaring my shoulders. "Let him watch. I'll show him and every other xaphan that I belong here."

Mira grins, a fierce light in her eyes. "That's the spirit. We'll show those winged bastards what we're made of."

I nod, feeling a spark of hope ignite in my chest. Maybe I can't avoid Sariel, but I can damn well prove him wrong about humans. About me.

As we head to our first training session, I steel myself for what's to come. Sariel might be overseeing these trials, but I'm the one who'll be conquering them. No matter what it takes.

I collapse onto the cold floor of the training room, my lungs burning and sweat stinging my eyes. It's well past midnight, but I can't stop. Not when the first trial is only days away.

"Come on, Lyra. One more set," Mira urges, offering her hand.

I groan but take it, hauling myself to my feet. My muscles scream in protest as I face the obstacle course again.

"You got this," Kai calls from the sidelines. Mira started to recruit some of our roommates, hoping to find a group to train and support each other. I have to admit, it's helped a lot.

I nod, take a deep breath, and launch myself at the first hurdle. My body moves on autopilot, muscle memory kicking in as I vault, climb, and sprint through the course. By the time I reach the end, I'm gasping for air, but a small smile tugs at my lips. My time's improving.

"Nice work," Mira says, tossing me a water bottle. "Think you can go again?"

Before I can answer, the door to the training room slams open. We all freeze, hearts pounding. If we're caught here after hours...

But it's not a guard. It's Lena, and she looks terrified.

"They've changed the first trial," she pants. "It's... it's not just endurance anymore. They've added combat."

The news hits like a punch to the gut. Combat? We've barely had any weapons training.

"How do you know?" Kai demands.

Lena shakes her head. "Overheard two xaphan talking. They're trying to weed out more of us early on."

Silence falls over our group as the implications sink in. This changes everything. Our carefully planned training regimen, the strategies we've developed – all useless now.

"Well," I say, breaking the heavy silence. "Guess we better start learning how to fight."

The others nod, determination replacing fear in their eyes. We've come too far to give up now.

The next morning, I stand at attention, my heart racing as Sariel strides in front of our line. His wings, a pristine silver-white, catch the light with each step. I force myself to breathe steadily, refusing to show any weakness.

"Listen up, humans," Sariel's voice cuts through the air. "The first trial has been decided."

My stomach drops. They hadn't decided until now? The realization that the xaphan are making this up as they go makes me shift uneasily.

Sariel's golden eyes sweep over us, lingering on me for a moment. "Tomorrow, you'll face an aerial obstacle course. It'll test your physical abilities and how well you handle heights."

The blood drains from my face. Heights. Of course it had to be heights. I've always been terrified of falling, a fear that's only intensified since moving to the towering structures of New Solas.

"Better start praying to whatever gods you believe in," Sariel sneers. "You'll need all the help you can get."

As he walks away, leaving us to process the news, I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Kai.

"You okay?" she whispers. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I shake my head, trying to snap out of it. "I'm fine. Just... wasn't expecting that."

Mira and Lena join us, concern etched on their faces.

"We need to train," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "Now."

We spend the rest of the day in the practice arena, rigging up makeshift obstacles as high as we can manage. With each climb, each jump, my heart threatens to burst out of my chest. The height makes my palms sweat and my vision blur, but I push through, gritting my teeth against the fear that threatens to paralyze me.

"You've got this, Lyra," Lena encourages as I wobble on a narrow beam, my arms windmilling for balance. "Don't look down, just focus on the next step."

I nod, taking a shaky breath. One foot in front of the other. I can do this. I have to. The alternative - failure, shame, returning to the squalor of my family's hovel - is unthinkable.

With trembling legs, I force myself to take another step, then another. The beam creaks ominously beneath me, but I keep my eyes fixed on the platform ahead. Just a few more steps...

As the day wears on, my movements become more confident. The fear doesn't disappear, but it becomes manageable. A dull roar in the background instead of a deafening scream.

By the time we finish, exhaustion has set in, but so has a grim determination. Whatever Sariel and the other xaphan throw at us tomorrow, we'll face it head-on.

I wave goodbye to my friends as they head to the dining hall. My muscles ache, begging for relief after our intense training session. A hot shower sounds like heaven right now.

The communal showers are blessedly empty when I arrive. I strip off my sweat-soaked clothes and step under the steaming spray, letting out a sigh as the water cascades over my sore body. For a few blissful moments, I forget about the trials, about my fears, about everything.

But reality crashes back as I shut off the water and towel dry. My stomach growls, reminding me I haven't eaten since breakfast. I quickly dress and head towards the dining hall, hoping to catch the tail end of dinner service.

The corridors are eerily quiet, the silence pressing in on me from all sides. I'm so lost in thought, replaying the day's events in my mind, that I don't notice the figure rounding the corner until I slam into a solid chest. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs, and I nearly lose my footing.

"Watch where you're going, human," a familiar voice snarls, dripping with disdain.

I stumble back, my heart racing as I look up into Sariel's golden eyes. They're as cold and unyielding as ever, narrowed in irritation. His wings flare out behind him, silver-white feathers catching the dim light of the corridor.

They're breathtaking, a reminder of everything I'm fighting for - and everything that sets us apart. I swallow hard, trying to find my voice as I shrink under his imposing presence.

"I'm sorry," I say, the bite in my voice unable to ignore. It comes out more as a threat than an apology. "I didn't see you."

Sariel's lip curls in disgust. "Clearly. It's a wonder you pathetic creatures manage to survive at all with such poor awareness."

His words sting, reminding me of the cruel nature of the xaphan. But as he steps closer, looming over me, I feel a different kind of heat rising in my cheeks. It's clear he's trying to intimidate me, and I refuse to let him, not yielding a step.

"Tell me, little human," he murmurs, his breath hot against my ear. "Do you really think you have what it takes to earn wings?"

I should be repulsed. I should be angry. Instead, my traitorous body wants to lean in at his proximity. His scent – something crisp and otherworldly – fills my senses.

"I'll prove myself," I snap back.

Sariel chuckles, the sound sending sparks down my spine. "Will you now, little nexari?" I fight a snarl at the insult of the baby animals. "Or do you just have a weak roar and too little claws, can't even fight back when you need to?"

His hand brushes my arm, and I can't suppress a gasp. What's wrong with me? Why am I reacting like this to someone who clearly despises me?

But before I can process these conflicting emotions, Sariel steps back abruptly. His eyes, for a moment, seem to burn with something other than contempt. Then his mask of disdain slides back into place.

"We'll have to see, won't we?" he says coldly, then turns and strides away, leaving me breathless and confused in the empty hallway.