Nyx regained consciousness to the sound of the healers talking again.
"Her oxygen level is dropping."
"She won't survive another round."
She could feel someone holding her hand. She opened her eyes and saw Raziel sitting beside her with worry on his face.
"You're awake." He said with relief in his voice. "Don't try to talk. You're…"
The elderly healer immediately rushed towards her. She checked her eyes and dropped the medicinal paste she was holding.
"My king, she's dying."
"How long can you keep her conscious?" Raziel asked.
"Maybe for an hour. But she won't survive the third round. Her body has reached its limits."
"Then we quit…"
"No." Nyx immediately cut him off "No… quitting."
"Nyx, try to understand…"
"If I… quit … this all will mean… nothing." She whispered.. "Either I'll survive … all three or… die trying."
"You stubborn…" Raziel stopped himself. "Why? Why does it matter so much?"
"Because…" Nyx's vision was going dark again. "…you believed… I could…can't let you… be wrong."
Razeil looked at her for a moment.
"Do whatever you have to do. Keep her conscious for thirty more minutes. That's all I ask." Razeil ordered the healer.
"My king…"
"That's an order."
The healer bowed her head and returned to her work. Then Kira approached them suddenly.
"My king, we need to talk."
"Not now…"
"Yes, now. You're about to throw away everything for her. Your authority, your legitimacy, and possibly your life. I need to know if you understand that."
Raziel stood up slowly as he released Nyx's hand.
"I understand."
"I don't think so. I'm watching you destroy yourself, and I don't know how to stop it. She's only a human. You're a king, thousands of lives depend on your decisions."
"And all of those lives exist in a world built on genocide. If I let her die when I could have stopped it, what does that say about me?"
"It says you're a leader who understands sacrifice."
"It says I'm a coward who won't fight for what's right." Raziel looked at Kira. "Watching Nyx refuse to quit, refuse to accept defeat even when her body is falling apart has shown me what real courage looks like."
"This isn't courage, it's obsession…"
"Then I'm obsessed. Kira, you've been my friend and my most trusted advisor for years. All I want you is to trust me. Let me do this."
"Fine but when she destroys you, don't say I didn't warn you." She walked away in frustration.
Raziel returned to Nyx's bed and held her hand again. Before he could say anything, the horn blew. It was time for the round three. The guards entered to escort her. Raziel waved them off.
"I'll take her."
He lifted Nyx and carried her toward the arena. It wasn't allowed. The kings didn't carry trial participants but no one dared to challenge him.
At the arena's entrance, he put her down carefully. Nyx looked at him and tried to memorize his face just in case.
"Don't die." Raziel said.
"I'll do…my best."
"Your best better be enough." He cupped her face in front of everyone. "Just focus on surviving, understood?"
Nyx nodded.
"Good." He was about to walk away but then stopped and leaned in closer. "You've already changed everything, Nyx Keller; whether you live or die, you've proven humans deserve better than extinction but I need you to live anyway."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not ready to lose you yet."
Then he left. The gate opened and she stepped inside. The third bear warrior was waiting.
He was a male and huge, and was carrying a hammer. He was Korran's champion. The bear looked at Nyx as she limped inside the arena. He pitied her.
"You can barely stand." He said.
"I'm standing." Nyx replied.
"For now." The bear tightened his grip on the hammer. "I've been a warrior for fifty years and have killed more enemies than I can count. You're not my enemy, human. You're just unfortunate."
"Lucky me."
"I have no interest in doing this but orders are orders. When the horn blows, I'll end this as fast as I can. You won't suffer."
"I appreciate."
The crowd had gone silent. Korran stood up from his throne.
"Final round." He announced. "Fifteen minutes or…"
"Wait." Darius Bloodmaw said as he stood up from his seat. "Korran, a word."
Korran frowned but gestured his champion warrior to wait. He turned to speak with Darius. No one could hear what they were discussing.
Nyx swayed. This delay was both mercy and torture for her. The bear warrior watched her with respect.
"You survived two rounds. That's more than most warriors manage against us."
"But its not… enough."
"Sometimes survival isn't about strength. It's about refusing to quit when any sane person would."
"Are you… calling me insane?"
"Yes." The bear smiled. "But respectfully."
The Kings' conversation continued. Then Razeil too joined them. Then, other two kings as well. Finally, Korran raised his hand for silence. He turned back towards the arena.
"The trial will proceed." He announced.
"Last chance. Quit now." The bear warrior said.
"I'd rather die…."
"I knew you'd say that. Goodbye, Nyx Keller. You fought well."
The horn blew. The bear walked forward slowly.
Nyx couldn't run. She just stood there waiting.
The bear warrior raised his hammer to hit her.
Nyx closed her eyes.
I'm sorry, Raziel. I tried.
But the hammer never reached her. Then suddenly Nyx heard the sound of hammer falling on the ground. She opened her eyes and saw hammer lying on the ground. The bear warrior was staring at the kings.
Korran was standing with his one hand raised.
"Hold." Korran said.
The bear warrior stepped back immediately. Korran descended from the viewing area and entered the arena walking towards Nyx.
She tried to remain standing but her legs gave out. She collapsed and could only look up at him from her knees.
"Why?" Korran asked her.
"Why… what?"
"Why continue? You know you'll lose this round and die. Why not quit?"
"Because… if I quit… it proves you right. It proves that…humans… are weak."
"You're just a single human. Your death proves nothing."
"My surrender… proves everything." She looked at him despite her eyes wanting to shut down. "I can die. But I won't… quit."
"Sixty years ago, during the final days of the Culling, I fought a human. She was a skilled and fierce warrior. She killed three of my best fighters before I faced her personally." Korran said.
The crowd went completely silent.
"I broke her arm, shattered her legs and crushed her ribs but she kept fighting. She didn't surrender or beg. She just kept getting back up until her body couldn't anymore."
He looked down at Nyx.
"I killed her because those were my orders. But I've remembered her name and courage for sixty years. I wondered if maybe we'd made a mistake."
Korran looked toward the other kings.
"I want to invoke an ancient law, The Right of Mercy. A warrior who shows exceptional courage even when death is in front of them may be spared by the presiding judge."
Murmurs erupted in the crowd. This was rare.
"She hasn't won." Korran continued. "But she has proven that humans can face the impossible without breaking." He turned back to Nyx. "You survived the two rounds through strategy and determination. In the third round, you would have died but you refused to surrender. The trial is complete. Nyx Keller has passed."
The crowd exploded with confusion, disbelief, anger, and respect
Nyx's vision started to fade.
Passed? I've passed?
"Thank you." She whispered.
"Don't thank me. What you did was insane and reckless. You nearly died three times in one day."
"But… I survived."
"Yes." He smiled. "You survived."
Nyx's consciousness was slipping away. She heard voices, felt hands lifting amd carrying her. She saw Raziel's face above her.
"You stopped breathing twice during the break after the last round." His hands were shaking as he checked her pulse. "The healers brought you back both times."
"Dramatic… as always."
Despite everything, Raziel laughed.
"You're going to be the death of me."
"Not… if I die first."
"Don't joke about that. Don't you dare die now. Now…"
Darkness took her before she could hear the rest. But she'd survived unaware of what waited for her next and it wasn't just the trials.
RESEARCH NOTES-
Director Zhao-
In my twenty years of xenobiological research, I have never witnessed anyone like Nyx Keller. She was sent there to die but she is still alive.
But what's more interesting than her survival is what she's doing to them. Korran invoked a law that hasn't been used in decades. Raziel is compromising his entire political position. Even Darius is showing hesitation.
She's not just surviving. She's changing them.
The question is no longer whether she'll survive. The question is what happens to the Beastworld if she does and what happens to her if she doesn't.
SYSTEM STATUS
MONITORING CHIP: ACTIVE
NEXT TRIAL: 72 HOURS
SUBJECT STATUS: Alive but critical
SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 5%
END TRANSMISSION