"What are you doing?" Jay asked as the group stepped out of the rift.

Without lifting her eyes from her phone, Amneris said, "Texting a boy."

"Uh-huh. What does Leo say?"

"That there's no record of anyone getting this far anywhere in the database and that we're on our own now." The phone was pocketed. Amneris looked up and whistled. "Wow."

Jay followed her gaze and crossed his arms with a smile. "Well, shit."

The rest of the group had varying reactions of shock and awe.

They stood at the far end of a long, tall canyon. On each side was a thin winding pathway carved into the ancient stone, barely large enough for two people to walk side-by-side. It eventually led to a pedestal at the other end of the canyon. Beneath them was a fast-moving river. The reasoning for this was clear. If one wasn't careful as they moved along the path, they'd find themselves swept out to sea. The bodies scattered along one of the two paths made it obvious there was some form of trap system along the way. 

Ema huffed. "Well, it's safe to say we know how Nephthys has been trying to enter."

"And failing," Xix said. "Note how all the bodies are near the beginning of the path."

"Near the beginning of the path . . ." Amneris' eyes widened. "If they haven't passed the challenge, that would mean that they're still here!" 

As if on cue, the group was surrounded by Nephthys' warriors.

"You just had to say something," Jay muttered. Amneris poked her tongue at him. 

Nephthys stepped forward with a smile, clapping slowly. Aurelia remained close behind. 

"My, my. I am impressed." Nephthys lowered her arms. "I did not expect you to make it this far."

"Oh, you know me," Amneris said, eyeing those surrounding her, their various weapons. "I never was one to fulfill your expectations." She met her mother's gaze and smiled. "So, how's the Third Trial going?"

Nephthys' smile faltered. She waved a hand. Those surrounding them stood down.

"Not well, eh?" Amneris' smile widened. "Let me guess, because there are two paths they have to be done at a same time in, say, a race? And, going off the fact all the bodies are at the start of the path, no one can even enter until two opposing parties go against each other."

Aurelia nodded. "Good guess."

Colt raised an eyebrow at the ancient Terpolite. "Did you consider splitting your forces in half and sending one group down each side?"

At the looks on their faces, Amneris placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't antagonise them, love. That's my job."

Jay leaned down to say into her ear, "And how, pray tell, are we suppose to get to one of the paths with them surrounding us?"

She waved a hand. "Oh, that's easy."

Amneris snapped her fingers. 

* * * * * * * * * 

The group appeared beside the empty pathway on the left side of the canyon. On the right side, Nephthys cried in outrage, rushing her forces toward the path nearest to them.

Amneris spun to face the group. "Right, there's no way we can move quickly with all of us going in there. Four people max to trigger and disable traps."

"I'll go," Xix said. 

"That's two."

Axel stepped forward.

"Three."

Colt shrugged. "I suppose someone should come who can keep you under control."

Amneris' lips twitched. "Fine. You can come too." She faced the others. "You guys wait until we're further along the path before following. And keep an eye out for missed traps, just to be safe."

* * * * * * * * 

Aurelia and Amneris reached the arched-over entrance of their respective pathways. A rumbling sound filled the canyon. A barrier of shimmering light dropped in front of them, vanishing into nothing. 

Aurelia and Amneris glanced at each other.

They ran onto the pathways.

* * * * * * * * * 

Amneris, Xix, Axel, and Colt bounded up their pathway single-file, Aurelia and her warriors following closely opposite them. Nephthys and the others remained further behind. 

Amneris led the four, Colt taking up the rear. As she ran, Amneris released her power through her feet, sealing the holes. 

She skidded to a halt beside one of the wall holes. Amneris held out an arm. Xix almost ran into her back. Both jumped back into Axel and Colt as a foul smelling liquid gushed from the hole. 

Xix grimaced. "I have a feeling we should not touch it."

"Agreed," Amneris said. 

She braced her hands on the wall and sealed the hole. 

"Come on. Bad guys are getting close. We need to move faster."

* * * * * * * * 

Unlike the rush Amneris was in, Nephthys felt no need to run. She walked at the centre of a circle of her soldiers. She'd sent some further ahead to scout for traps. Really, it was Aurelia who was to win this race for her. Nephthys cared little for such trivial matters. So long as she got her prize at the end, it did not matter. 

Screams ahead made her stop. The circle around her parted, allowing Nephthys to see the source. One of her soldiers had accidently stepped in one of the holes in the pathway. A large metal spike impaled him from bottom to top. Nephthys grimaced. That was just disgusting. 

From there, the party was more careful of where they stepped. 

* * * * * * * *

The pathway seemed to go on forever. Rounding a corner carved into the wall of the canyon, the four could no longer see the end goal. Even so, they continued to run. They had to stay ahead of their opponents. 

The four stopped few times in order for Amneris to seal trap holes in the wall before whatever was inside them could activate. From the screams coming from the other side of the canyon, it was clear nothing good came from the trap's activation. 

After sealing the next hole, Amneris took off again, Xix close on her heels. They returned from the curve, able to see their goal ahead once again with no difficulty.

Axel, however, had less luck.

Rushing to keep up with the two women, he stepped on a risen piece of pathway. Before he even had time to noticed, the very ground dropped from beneath him. Axel cried out, seeing what was about to become of him, what the pit of spikes rising from the water would do-

Two sets of hands grabbed his wrists. 

He looked up, shaking and with wide eyes to see Xix and Amneris holding onto him. Together, they pulled Axel back onto the path. 

He scrambled away from the hole and turned to the women. "Thanks."

"We are a team now," Xix said at the same time as Amneris said, "Whatever."

Behind them, Colt saw the hole now in the path. He increased his speed, taking a flying leap-

He landed with ease, rolling to his feet. 

Amneris clapped slowly. "I'm almost impressed."

Colt frowned. "Tali, next time you can be at the end of the group and deal with the aftereffects of traps."

"Or not."

Xix glanced behind them, her eyes narrowing. "You can have your lovers spat later. We need to move."

* * * * * * * * * 

Aurelia, heading her own party, rounded an identical corner to the one Amneris, Xix, Axel, and Colt passed moments ago. She saw her opponents immediately. They were not that far ahead. She could easily catch them. But they were not what caused her to stop mid-stride. 

Behind the four, the rest of their party were moving forward, not having to worry about the traps disabled ahead. Aurelia frowned at this, watching them run. There was only one member of their party they really needed to grab and that was the girl. She was in the centre of the second group. Not an ideal position. 

Aurelia nodded to herself. She turned to the soldiers with her. "Cover fire," she commanded. "We cannot allow Amneris' second party to reach her own.'