“So, what’s the plan?” Sarah asked. “Win this test.” I replied. “Good plan. Now we just have to make sure it happens.” Ashley said. 7:00 P.M. At the maze “Well Sarah I think I owe you 10 glimmer” Ashley sighed, pulling out some glimmer. “Yea, you do.” Sarah answered, accepting the glimmer. “That is a big maze.” I said. The maze we were talking about was a gigantic, stone maze on an open, grassy plain. “What’s the size of the maze?” I wondered. “The data on it says its 25 square miles and 20 feet tall” Apex answered after a few seconds. “Hey Apex. Got anything on which way to go and where the traps are? Jace questioned. “The file on that can only be viewed by the instructors. Anyone else viewing them can be punished by The Vanguard.” Apex stated, glaring at Jace. “Ok just asking, geez.” Jace replied. “I think we’re supposed to start down there.” I said, pointing at a part of the maze where there were a couple dozen guardians grouped up waiting for the test to start. “So do we want to stick closer to the outside or go more towards the center?” Sarah asked, going over the rules for the test. “I’m thinking we stay moving so they can group up on us.” I responded. “Sounds good.” Ashley replied. “I agree.” Sarah replied as well. As we were waiting I looked around at the other guardians and then over where the reps we talking. As if he knew I was watching him Felix look up and stared right at me. Not sure what to do I simply stared back. After a few seconds he looked away and walked up to the microphone stand at the entrance of the giant maze entrance. “Alright guardians, in 5 minutes the test will begin and you will enter the maze. There are 2 ways that you can leave the maze: first, your team can be eliminated, or acquire all 3 relics and complete the challenge in the center of the maze. Before we start I’m going to call out the name of each fireteam. When I call your fireteam’s name call out that you’re here. Fireteam Helios?” Felix called out. “Here!” Someone shouted behind me. Felix continued to call out the names of different fireteams and each time someone answered. “Fireteam Epsilon? This time no one answered. Felix waited a few more seconds before calling out again. “Fireteam Epsilon?” Still no one answered. Eventually the sound of crickets came out of the forest camouflaged ghost next to Felix. Eventually Felix realized it was coming from his ghost. “Shade.” Felix said looking at his ghost. “You and I both know there are several other ghosts that would do the same thing if they were in our position Felix.” Shade said with a chuckle. “Give me a minute.” Felix growled, pulling out his tablet. “Fireteam Epsilon you have 6 minutes to get to the maze. If you aren’t there by the time we enter the maze you will be disqualified!” Felix shouted through the loudspeaker. Angel walked over to Felix, whispered something to him and took the mic from him. “Guardians please get ready. You will be entering the maze in a minute. 5 minutes after you start we will be coming after you, so be prepared. Angel said. Listening to her, we all grouped up before the entrance to the maze. “Stick together. When we run in I don’t want us to get separated.” I said through the fireteam coms. “Yea, hate to be the 1 person who gets separated from their fireteam before the hunters enter the maze. Sarah replied. “I think everyone’s hoping that it does not happen to someone on their fireteam Ashley said, looking around us. Felix walked to the wall on the left side of the entrance. “Alright guardians we are starting now. Get ready.” Felix announced. Looking around us I saw many guardians getting ready to run. “We’re starting in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Go!” Felix yelled. Immediately everyone ran into the mouth of what was the final test. Looking at my radar I saw dozens of blue dots, but what I focused on were the two green dots that represented Ashley and Sarah making sure that they didn’t get forced away by the other fireteams that were running onto different paths. Eventually, after several turns and 2 dead ends we stopped to look around. The stone-walls appeared to be seamless with a few vines and dents in the stone. “Was anyone keeping track of how much time before we start getting hunted?” I asked. “They’re entering the maze now.” Apex replied. “You sure?” I questioned. Suddenly a loud boom echoed throughout the maze as the ground slightly rumbled. “Fireteam Delta eliminated.” An instructor announced through the loudspeakers. “I’ll let you figure it out for yourself.” Apex answered. “Dang, sucks to be them.” Sarah said “Lets keep moving.” I said, standing up. We walked around the maze looking for the hunters while trying to find the center. The only eventful thing was that 6 more fireteams got eliminated. “Man I’m going to die of boredom if we don’t find anything soon.” I said to myself. “Hey! There’s something up ahead and to the left. Not a guardian that’s for sure.” Holly exclaimed. “Well Matthew, you wanted some action so lets see what Holly found. Ashley said, stopping before the turn. “Didn’t mean I wanted to find something.” I said. Turning the corner and seeing nothing I stopped, confused and worried. I signaled Ashley and Sarah to stop as we looked around searching for anything out of the ordinary but all we could see were the ominous stone-walls, the hard dirt floor and numerous piles of dark, decaying leaves. “Holly are you sure that there’s something up ahead?” I asked, checking to see if anyone snuck up behind us while we were talking. “Matthew, in all seriousness I’m picking up something as well. I think there’s actually something there.” Jace answered with something else that I’ve never heard from Jace. Was it concern? “Either way we need to check it out. What if its something else needed for when we get to the center?” I said stepping forward and almost immediately getting attacked by one of the tethers that Felix said he put in the maze. I felt weaker, as if I was just a civilian instead of a warrior of the light. “Matthew! You ok?” Ashley asked worried if the tether was going to pull me in. “I’m Fine!” I shouted back “Just can’t do anything. Not sure how to get out of this though.” I started backing up, hoping that it then would release me. Eventually it did, retracting the energy that weakened me. “Anyone know where the tether came from?” I asked, searching for it as well. “Yep, marking it now.” Jace answered. A marker appeared over one of the leaf piles. Curious as to what would happen I shot at where the tether’s heart would be. I unloaded the mag of my scout rifle. Eventually I noticed that it was a bit quieter. Checking to see if we destroyed it I walked over to where I got caught by the tether, praying that it was gone. I grew more and more confident as I got closer to where Jace marked the tether until I was standing on top of the mark. “It’s gone, we can keep going.” I said grinning under my helmet and turning around to see a flaming object that somewhat looked like a hammer explode between Ashley and Sarah and watched them both disintegrate in solar energy.