~Aurora~

　　Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's about the people around me.

　　…I don't feel stressed or threatened about this selection trial at all! Keeping everything to myself seemed easier than usual. Where I would throw a tantrum if it was my younger self. But now, everything seems to go smoothly and I am trying my best to train for the Trial I have to attend tomorrow.

　　I was walking around the corridor, trying to get back into my room where all my belongings were. I had my head held down as I was full of thoughts. Besides, there was no one else in the corridor except for myself anyway!

　　However, I suddenly bumped into the person I wanted least interaction with at the moment.

　　"I'm sorry— oh…"

　　My words faded from my tongue when I looked up to see the person's face. It was Odin.

　　"Hey," He initiated.

　　"Hey, hi. Um…I'm pretty sure you have heard the news right? It spread like wildfire, apparently." I said with a chuckle.

　　"A selection process, really? I get that Leif Lupus and Alexia Thorn don't like you very much. Nor do your pack's elders. This is…this is blasphemy against you." He replied. I could still sense the care he has for me from the tone of his voice! His body posture, and everything else indicated he still cares for me. But I'll never forget the feeling I felt when he left me in the middle of the duel. He let me down, looked down on my strength. But then again…it was seen from my perspective.

　　I wanted to ask him, 'Why did you leave me like that, Odin?'

　　For which he would probably reply with, 'Because you're my friend, and you deserved that prize more than anyone else in the world. Because that belonged to you since the beginning…'

　　Ugh.

　　I wouldn't wish to ruin my day any further.

　　Hence, I chose to give him a curt nod and walk away.

　　Just then…

　　"Aurora!" He tried to call me back, I simply halted in my footsteps. I slowly turned around, "What is it?"

　　My voice was slow and sounded unsure. What was I expecting from him? I wasn't even aware of it. But I know I was expecting something from him for sure.

　　"All the best, Aurora. Out of all people, I know you can do it. By the way…did you like my gift?"

　　By the end of his question, pink was dusted over his cheeks as my eyes widened. What gift has he given me? I didn't have time to check for all the gifts I received yesterday. I could only afford checking and rummaging into Emeric's gift. Odin gifted me something as well?

　　It turned awkward, however.

　　Our interaction ended when I nodded with a plain smile once again and followed back on my path. I could hear Odin sighing from a distance. But I didn't care to reach out to him anymore. What's done was done and our conversation was over.

　　When I got back to the room, the feeling of wanting to win this separate selection trial had clouded all my senses. I forgot about Odin, I didn't think I was capable of doing so. But I did. Instead of trying to check the gifts for his name, I rather changed into fitted clothes and decided to hit the gym.

　　The night would be spent at the gym and nowhere else. Guards were assigned - from a different pack - to keep an eye on me. They dreaded that I'd have another interaction with Prince Emeric. To be honest, I wanted to talk to him! His presence was much appreciated. He had a calming aura around him, despite the power gap between us. I felt safe and assured, wordlessly.

　　This is the time I prove my worth to the elders and everyone else.

　　Leif Lupus will be shut down forever. All his dirty tricks won't affect me anymore, for I will become an alpha as well. A status slightly higher than him because the Darkforest pack has a great reputation and strength. Not to forget, we have sworn allegiance to many packs and nations as well. No wonder the Darkforest pack was set as a price for Trials of Heirs.

　　Having pumped myself up well, I trained my body and strength for several hours straight. I appreciated my own resilience. All for the sake of proving to people who needed more, and more evidence of my development.

　　After a good night's sleep, the day had finally come!

　　"Everything good!?" yelled the captain of guards from Whispering Pines kingdom. I have so much respect for him, because he had personally volunteered to escort me all the way to the terrain I should survive, as per the proposal.

　　The Icy Glacier Trial…

　　"Everything ready from this side, Lady Aurora?" I was kind of lost in thought, I almost couldn't hear him. I was thinking about something that Odin said to me…just before I was about to leave.

　　"Yeah! Yeah…I just, I'm not nervous by any length of that word." To assure him, I smiled as well. Giving me a nod, Guard Captain Kingston patted my shoulder gently.

　　"I know no one except for you who will survive the Icy Glaciers, Fangborn. Besides, it's only for one day and one night. We will meet tomorrow again, at this time." He smiled at me as I did the same.

　　"Thank you, Captain."

　　The task is highly treacherous, even if it was just about survival. The Icy Glaciers of the deep end of the Outer ring was as dangerous as it can be. Hoarded with creatures of high predatory instinct and power beyond the level of sirens and alphas, this challenge is sure to keep me up at night as well. I could only pray that I wouldn't be ripped to shreds by predators the moment I close my eyes…to blink!

　　It is that dangerous, that perilous.

　　But it is me, like Captain Kingston said.

　　Only I am capable of winning this separate trial. It's as if it was tailor made for me!

　　Leif, you've picked the wrong choice of terrain for me to survive.

　　…Because the Icy Glaciers are nothing compared to the way my body has started to adapt to temperatures. Oh yes…I've been feeling extremely warm since the past few days.

　　I could melt the ice while I walked around the glaciers. I could start rivers if I so much as bathe in those glaciers. Something was happening to me, wasn't it?