286 Skollwood Adventures Part 8: A Simple Be

Half the day was almost over before the first person encountered the third challenge. The third challenge required participants to complete the first two challenges before they were allowed to take it on. 

Several participants arrived at the site of the third challenge, only to realise the requirement needed. Without any other choice, they had to turn back to continue the maze in hopes of finding their way back there again later on. 

According to the scoreboards, only fifty had made it so far and only two have passed through it. The rest had either failed or were still stuck in it. 

Lycster, who had kept a close look at the scoring noticed something strange about it. He pointed it out to Aether, hoping that his sister's Familiar would have the answers. 

"Look Aether, it seems like as soon as the participants encountered the third challenge, the time it took them to complete it was significantly increased."

Aether looked up at the boards that the boy was referring to. 

-You're right.-

"Why though?" the boy pondered. 

The serpent looked up at the scoreboards, which included the amount of time each participant took to complete a challenge. Taking that into consideration, he came to a conclusion. 

-It is likely that the third challenge has multiple smaller challenges.- he theorised. -This would also explain why they chose to only show the first two challenges, and not the third and likely not the fourth either.-

Combining three challenges into one seemed like a sly move but it was also put in place to weed out participants. That kept the hunt exhilarating. Just as Lycster was about to ask another question, an announcement and a familiar face on the screen caught his attention. 

"It looks like we have our next participant who is ready to take on the third challenge! Will they be able to make it through? We are all waiting eagerly to find out!"

"You can do it, sis!" Lycster exclaimed with glee. He could not contain the excitement he had. Watching his sister making her way through meant she was one step closer to the finish line. 

"I hope I can participate in it when I'm old enough."

-You won't make it past the first challenge.- Aether teased. 

The boy furrowed his brows, his fist shaking in anger. How could the serpent insult him like that!

"I can! And I will! Wanna bet?" he challenged the serpent. 

Aether slithered up and looked the boy directly in the eyes. His eyes were filled with foolish fire and determination. Seeing him this fired up sort of reminded Aether of himself when he was much much younger. 

"Will what?"

-I will help you summon your own Familiar- 

Back in the maze, Vy stood before the portal to the third challenge as she tried to catch her breath. In the short time span that she had arrived, another three participants had already gone ahead of her. 

More than ten had already been disqualified from this challenge. She listened intently to the announcement made overhead. Only two participants had made it through so far. Realising it was going to be tougher than the challenges that came before, Vy did not back down. 

In fact, she felt energised. She was even more determined to complete it. Keeping her cool, she got a head start and jumped straight into the portal. Instantly, she was transported to a setup of a room. 

All around her, she noticed there were other similar type spaces set up around her, all with participants in them trying to complete the challenge given to them. 

"Welcome challenger to your third challenge! This challenge will have three segments. The first segment is right before you! It is potion-making!" the familiar voice popped up in Vy's head once more. 

It gave her a set of precise instructions that she must follow in order to achieve the desired end result, a perfect elixir of invisibility. Based on how closely Vy could replicate the elixir, it would determine the difficulty in the tasks to come. 

"Your time starts now!" the voice announced. 

Vy got to work immediately, carefully reading the instructions and committing them to memory. 

"Ah! These pixies are everywhere!" another participant exclaimed he swatted away the glowing pixies that flew around him. 

With a slip of his hand, the entire potion crashed onto the ground. The fragile glass bottle shattered upon impact as the liquid it contained splattered across the floor. 

"Noooo-" the participant was eliminated from the third challenge. 

Vy gulped as she quickly diverted her attention back to the task at hand. Knowing that distractions would make this challenge difficult, she made certain that she was fully focused on the task on hand. 

-Do not mess this up, do not mess this up.- she repeated to herself as she rolled up her sleeves and began to put the ingredients together. 

Although it took her a longer period of time to get it right, Vy took extra care in measuring each and every ingredient, careful not to spill anything. By the time the pixies came out to distract her, she was already brewing her ingredients together in the cauldron. 

As time waned on, Vy was getting anxious that the elixir was taking too long to brew. With the pixies flying overhead she could barely think straight. But Vy knew better than to let her impatience ruin the elixir. 

Vy looked up at the pixies, who seemingly were communicating with one another. While keeping an eye on the elixir, she struck up a conversation with them. 

"Do you happen to know how long this potion would take?" she asked the pixies. 

Surprised that Vy decided to speak to them, the pixies were delighted to respond. But knowing the many twists and turns of the challenge, she made sure to check the instructions for the elixir to ensure she was doing it right. 

After what felt like forever, her elixir was completed and bottled. 

"Potion making segment is complete! Congratulations, challenger. Now it is time for your second segment, Acid Flood!"

The acrid smell of acid quickly permeated her senses. She stood on a small platform, with plenty more ahead of her. 

"Your task is simple. Get from here to the other end, as simple as that." the voice explained the task. 

Vy grinned as she looked into the distance, barely seeing the other end of the path. The platforms she could stand on were far and few between. Not to mention, the acid all around posed a horrifying threat.

"When they said simple, it sure is simple," she sighed to herself.