Orion and Aurora continued to soar through the sky. However, while Aurora could fly to a particular section, other students had beasts that couldn't fly and could only move on land.
Therefore, the tournament officials took this into account, and they decided to make the tournament fair for all the contestants by introducing challenges that some beasts may excel at while others might struggle with.
A good example was the hurdle Aurora leaped over.
As a bird, Aurora didn't have to leap over the barriers like a four-legged magical beast, but she had to do it because every single activity she and Orion did was rewarded with points, and it would be displayed at the end of each round of the tournament.
Also, Orion's encounter with Aurora in the magical forest was assessed carefully, just like everyone else, and he was rewarded with a point based on not only how he was able to tame Aurora but also on how he equipped her with a saddle and his communication skills with his beast.
As a beast tamer, it was expected of every contestant to know the right words to say to their beasts. Words and body language were very important in communicating with a beast, and cheering them up as well.
All these were just a few of the things the judges were watching closely. They cared very little about the race and who finished first.
A student might win the race, but that didn't mean that he would qualify for the next round, because he would still be disqualified if his total points weren't enough to proceed to the next round.
Judges and the tournament officials were only concerned with the student's efforts to build a strong connection with their beasts during the tournament.
They were only judging them based on their ability to tame the beasts and not their ability to race. However, this wasn't the only thing they were monitoring closely.
During the first and second sections of the tournament, Orion's positioning and handling of the reins were monitored closely, just like every other student.
He and everyone else would be rewarded fairly based on the things the judges observed and expected them to do.
As for the hurdle Aurora jumped over a few minutes ago, the judges were awarding points to the contestants based on their adaptability to the obstacles and the teamwork they had with their beasts, regardless of what type of beast they had with them.
The maze was made up of extremely tall mirrors, but even though the mirrors were tall and huge, the size didn't prevent them from shifting and distorting around the contestants.
There were other small mirrors as well, and they were floating around for no particular reason.
A spell had been cast on the mirrors, and now, they were either displaying the reflections of the contestants or a family member of theirs.
These illusions looked realistic and difficult to avoid because not only could Orion see his own reflection, but he could also hear his own voice, and that was not all.
The mirrors also displayed Evelyn and Elena's reflections, and they were calling out to him, begging him not to leave them.
"Orion, sweetie, where are you going? Won't you take mummy along with you?"
"Orion dear, your aunt needs you, can't you stop what you are doing for a minute? I miss you so much, dear."
The voices and cries of his mother and aunt echoed loudly in his ears, making it difficult for him to move past them.
Orion had no choice but to ask Aurora to stop. "Aurora, stop."
He patted the back of her head and she slowed down, but Aurora wondered why Orion would want them to stop now when they had just entered the maze.
Orion closed his eyes and tried to re-evaluate the situation he was in.
Even though his eyes were currently closed, he could still hear the sounds of his mother and aunt from the countless images reflected in front of him.
"Baby, its mummy. Why aren't you looking at mummy?" He heard Evelyn's voice.
"Come on, Sweetie, mama just wants to talk to you."