บท 299: 40 minutes

Zaya steadied herself, staring defiantly at the massive orb of purple flame suspended above Ciara's head. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to keep fighting, to find a way around the fiery onslaught.

She knew she couldn't overpower Ciara in raw strength, but if she could outlast her dodge, evade, and keep herself in the game just long enough she might have a shot at being the last one standing in this trial.

Forty minutes. She only needed to survive forty minutes.

Ciara's smile didn't falter, her fingers tightening around the immense, crackling sphere of fire. With a quick flick of her wrist, she hurled it straight at Zaya. The searing purple flame descended like a meteor, crackling through the air with terrifying speed.

Zaya leapt to the side, her shadow magic propelling her into a fast roll as the flaming mass crashed into the ground where she'd been standing.