The bridge stretched ahead. Beyond it stood the academy towering, ancient, impossible and Max couldn't help the thrill curling beneath the fear in his chest.
If this is just the entrance exam… what kind of place is this?
Alex didn't give him time to get lost in the thought.
"You're way too scrawny to attempt this," he muttered, stepping ahead. "Might be best if you give up."
Max blinked.
Not comforting, but expected.
Still leaving him wasn't an option.
So Max grabbed Alex's sleeve and pulled.
"Come on."
The two began running step after step echoing across the stone bridge. The chaos behind them quieted. Students on the bridge stopped mid fight. Faces leaned from windows above, watching with varying degrees of curiosity, pity, or boredom.
Somewhere above, a voice drifted out.
"Another clueless pair trying to rely on luck."
Max ignored them.
He ran.
The water stirred.
Students froze.
They knew what was coming.
The lake inhaled and then unleashed.
A monstrous wave rose, impossible in size, casting the shadow of a giant across the bridge. It surged forward, roaring like a living beast.
Max acted first.
Instead of bracing, he sprinted toward the side of the bridge then leaped.
Gasps rippled across the academy grounds.
"Did he just… jump?"
Alex skidded to a stop, jaw tight.
"That's one way to quit," he muttered, then lowered his stance.
Stone cracked beneath his heels as he braced himself arms crossed, lungs full of air.
Then CRASH.
The wave slammed into him with brutal force, swallowing him whole.
For a heartbeat, the world was nothing but white water and distant screams then the flood began spilling off the edges of the bridge in a violent waterfall.
When it cleared, Alex remained.
Barely.
He hung onto consciousness and footing by sheer will—skin bruised, coughing up water, body trembling.
He dropped to one knee.
A hand touched his shoulder.
Alex flinched and looked up eyes widening when he saw Max standing beside him, soaked but uninjured.
"You—what—HOW?" Alex wheezed.
Max shrugged, trying not to grin.
"The pressure was strongest in the center. The water dispersed as it fell. So I hung off the side and waited. Hardest part was climbing back up."
Alex stared, somewhere between disbelief and reluctant admiration.
"Just leave me be I'm done for."
Max looked toward the other end of the bridge. Victoria watched with crossed arms and unreadable eyes. When she noticed Max's attention, she looked away.
No time to dwell.
Another wave was forming twice as large, twice as deadly.
Max ducked under Alex's arm.
"Come on. Move before round two."
Alex resisted at first, but his legs shook beneath him.
"…Why bother?" he muttered. "I told you to leave me."
Max didn't slow. "We've already survived monsters, illusions, and homicidal trees together," he said quietly. "Feels wrong to stop now."
Alex huffed a tiny laugh pained him, but it was real and genuine.
"You're not as useless as you look."
Max looked forward. "I'll take that as a compliment."
The sky darkened. Clouds churned overhead, swirling with impossible speed as the lake rose again this time from both sides.
Two walls of water towered upward, forming liquid cliffs ready to collapse.
Max looked up at the impossible sight and let out a laugh half disbelief, half resignation.
"So… that's how we die."
Alex stopped.
Then slowly he let his arm fall from Max's shoulders.
"Not both of us."
Before Max could react, Alex grabbed him lifted him and with a strained roar.
THREW HIM.
Max hit the ground hard near the end of the bridge, air punched from his lungs.
He scrambled upright, stunned. Alex managed a weak smirk.
"For the record…" his voice was rough, fading, "…we're even now."
Max saw his lips form the last word.
"Go."
Then Alex collapsed.
The wave descended.
Max's breath caught fear clawing at his ribs not because of the water…
…but because for the first time since arriving in this world, he wasn't alone.
And now he might lose the first person who chose to stand beside him.