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"Welcome, younglings," the dragon boomed, his voice a comforting rumble that resonated through their very bones. "You stand now on the threshold of my Inheritance Trials. I am Auregon, a guardian of this realm, and it is I who shall test your spirit and your strength."

A murmur rippled through the students, some awestruck, others apprehensive. Auregon\'s gaze swept over them, a hint of amusement flickering in his reptilian eyes.

"Fear not," he rumbled, anticipating their anxieties. "No permanent harm shall befall you here. These trials are designed to challenge, to push you beyond your perceived limits. But worry not, for within these trials lies the potential for immense growth, both individually and as a collective."

Auregon gestured towards the swirling vortex below them. "Within that swirling chaos lies the path to my inheritance. It shall not be easy. You will face illusions, confront your deepest fears, and work together to overcome obstacles.

Remember, younglings," he stressed, his voice turning serious, "the cooperation you displayed before entering these trials… that peace however fragile which you want… will be tested here as well. Can you maintain it in the face of adversity, or will it crumble?"

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Those who succeed in these trials," he continued, a hint of pride in his voice, "shall be rewarded handsomely. Knowledge, power, and perhaps, a glimpse of a bygone era. Those who fail…" He trailed off, a playful glint returning to his eyes. "Well, let\'s just say you will have a consolation prize."

Auregon chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the endless expanse. "Very well then," he boomed. "Let the trials begin!" And the students and others were again teleported.

**************

A wave of dizziness washed over Keith and Pete as the familiar clearing around the tomb dissolved into shimmering particles. They reappeared, blinking in the sudden darkness, a stark contrast to the sunlit clearing moments before. They were in a damp, oppressive corridor of rough-hewn stone.

"Keith, I told you that light was suspicious!" Pete hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Now look at us, teleported to some trial by a freaking upper Nine-star! I didn\'t sign up for this crap! And we didn\'t even get a chance to protest! It\'s like we were there for a second, yet he gave that long-winded intro about inheritance and stuff. Like, what in the actual fuc—"

Keith cut him off with a raised hand. "Hold on a minute," he murmured, his eyes scanning the darkness. Despite Pete\'s rant, a sliver of practicality flickered in Keith\'s mind. "Things happen, that\'s for sure. But on the bright side, I saw the bandits, well I think it was them cause unlike the students they didn\'t have a uniform. I think that they are here too."

" So did the dragon tele... Kidnap everyone in the forest or were the bandits somewhere near the tomb site?" Asked Pete.

"Not sure." Said Keith.

"And the kid?" Pete asked, finally calming down a bit. "Do you think he got sucked in too?"

"Maybe," Keith admitted, his voice low. "But we can\'t worry about him now. Let\'s focus on getting through this trial first. This situation just keeps getting more complicated."

**********

Confusion hung thick in the oppressive air of the maze. One moment Azrael, Vera, Moira, Kim, Astrid, Enia, and Tyler were at the tomb site, the next, they were deposited in a dark, damp corridor. Disbelief etched their faces as they took in their surroundings.

"What the…" Azrael sputtered, a rare display of surprise on his normally stoic face. Even the ever-composed Vera couldn\'t hide a flicker of bewilderment in her eyes.

"A nine-star guardian ... I knew it this tomb was too valuable. But why did it have so low energy, and why didn\'t the instructors or other strong dragons notice it?" Moira thought, then said with her voice laced with disbelief. "This doesn\'t make any sense."

Kim, for once, seemed mildly interested. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, but remained unnervingly silent. Astrid, scanning the corridor for hidden dangers, let out a low whistle.

"We seem to be in a maze," she stated, pointing to the numerous branching pathways ahead.

Enia, ever the opportunist, puffed out his chest. "This should be easy. Leave the navigation to me," he declared, a smug smile plastered on his face.

Tyler, the elven leader, cast him a skeptical glance. "We have no idea what challenges await us. Perhaps cooperation would be more prudent."

A tense silence descended upon the group. Moira, still fuming from the humiliation at the tomb site, crossed her arms defiantly. "I work alone," she declared, her voice dripping with arrogance. Enia mirrored her posture, a defiant glint in his eyes.

"Suit yourselves," Vera sighed, rolling her eyes at their theatrics. "But remember, strength lies in numbers, especially when facing an unknown trial."

Azrael, his gaze fixed on the maze ahead, spoke in a thoughtful tone. "Vera\'s right. We might have our differences, but surviving this together would be the most logical course of action."

Kim, finally breaking his silence, shrugged. "Doesn\'t matter to me either way. But if there\'s loot, I want first dibs."

Despite the tension, Azrael\'s words resonated with some. Astrid nodded in agreement, while even Enia seemed to consider the possibilities of a powerful guardian\'s inheritance.

"Fine," Moira begrudgingly conceded, but she was not pleased at all"But if this proves useless, I\'m leaving."

Enia, still clinging to a sliver of pride, mumbled a reluctant agreement.

With a tentative truce in place, the group approached the maze, their individual goals temporarily overshadowed by the need for survival. Azrael, Vera, and Astrid, with their experience and leadership skills, took point. Kim, unpredictable as ever, kept a watchful eye from the back. Moira and Enia, though reluctant teammates, followed suit, their pride battling with the instinct to survive.

********

Panic gnawed at Aqua\'s insides. The students, blessed or not, vanishing without a trace was a disaster in the making. Especially with the Council, particularly the Dragon King, involved. A shiver ran down her spine. Aethelred wouldn\'t take kindly to such a blatant display of magic, especially on such a large scale.

And if he were to delve deeper, he might discover her carefully laid plans – plans that had to remain hidden from the Dragon King\'s scrutiny.

She\'d already issued strict orders to her allies – disappear, blend in, avoid detection. But with the students gone, questions were bound to arise. And there would be some investigations.

As Aqua fretted, a magical notification pulsed in her mind. Eliana had contacted Valeriana, and now the Council knew. A tense silence followed, broken only by the frantic pounding of her heart. Then, a presence. A powerful, undeniable presence materialized right in the heart of Siegfried Forest. Aethelred.

Aqua plastered a facade of composure onto her face as she whirled around to greet the Dragon King. Sweat, despite the cool forest air, beaded on her forehead. "Your Majesty," she bowed deeply, her voice carefully neutral.

Aethelred\'s gaze, usually sharp but regal, held an unfamiliar edge of suspicion. He listened as Aqua, with practiced ease, spun a tale about the peculiar tomb, its sudden appearance, and the unsettling blue guardian spirit. However, the Dragon King wasn\'t reacting. His attention flickered – Aqua felt it.

With a snort, Aethelred raised a hand, his magic humming. He scanned the forest, a deep frown etching itself onto his face. The remnants of the summoning circle, hidden as it was, couldn\'t escape his keen senses. Neither could the complete absence of any human or humanoid life force within the forest, a swathe extending from the clearing all the way to the central region.

He also saw a summoning circle that was being formed deep inside the forest and the rough method the summoners used to cover it up. He looked at Aqua and saw how nervous she was, then immediately got disinterested in the situation. He knew Aqua was upto something but did he care?

No.

His head snapped back towards the tomb just as the blue dragon reappeared, his booming voice echoing through the silent forest. "Don\'t test me, boy. I said no harm will happen to the children. So just stay put."

Aethelred\'s frown deepened into a scowl. This unexpected guardian, a powerful being judging by his aura, added another layer of complexity to the situation. He barked an order towards the empty air, summoning his elite guard. "Find everything there is to know about this blue dragon. Now!"

" Understood." Said the the summoned guard as he disappeared.