The forest pulsed with illusory life—roots shifting just beneath the surface, distant howls carried on a breeze that wasn't real, and the oppressive heat clinging to every breath. The students didn't know it, but none of it was real. Not the beasts. Not the wounds. Not even the blood.
But the fear? That was real.
A scream tore through the trees as a boy scrambled backward, blood pouring from what looked like a gash along his thigh. A beast made of smoke and claws barreled toward him, fangs gleaming—only for the boy to vanish mid-scream.
In a blink, he was gone.
Far above in the boughs, Aria lowered her hand. Her eyes were cold, calculating. "Too panicked. He wouldn't have made it two more minutes."
"Another illusion death?" Nyx asked, appearing beside her in a soft flicker of shadow.
"Yes," Aria replied. "Third one in the last half hour."
