The Glade was quiet after Lyra's death. Too quiet.
Her sacrifice had stopped the hunter. The Maze had gone still. But peace in the Glade was never real—it was just the silence before the next scream.
Three days later, the sky darkened unnaturally. Clouds churned in patterns that didn't belong to weather. And then, the drone returned.
It hovered above the Map Room, sleek and silent. A small black capsule dropped from its underbelly, landing with a soft thud.
Newt picked it up, hands trembling. Inside was a single note. No signature. No explanation. Just six words:
"Lyra is gone. The test begins."
You stared at it, heart pounding. "What test?"
Minho read it again, jaw clenched. "Final test. WICKED's endgame."
That night, the Maze shifted again. But this time, it didn't move randomly. It opened.
A new path—straight, narrow, glowing faintly with blue light. And at the entrance, carved into the stone:
"Only love survives. Only truth escapes."
Newt turned to you, eyes wide. "They're testing us."
You nodded. "Not just our survival. Our bond."
The Ember Circle gathered. Maps were redrawn. Supplies packed. But no one knew what lay beyond the glowing path.
Frypan whispered, "What if it's a trap?"
You looked at Newt. "Then we walk into it together."
Before you entered, you found something tucked beneath Lyra's old bunk. A second note—one she must've written before she died.
"If WICKED tests love, let yours burn brighter than their cruelty. Let it be the answer they fear."
You folded the note, tucked it into your jacket, and stepped into the Maze.
The walls closed behind you. The light dimmed. And the final test began.
