Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Hiss, they completed the hardest challenge game and walked away with the grand prize," one of the vendors muttered as Adrian and Aria moved on to the next stall.

"Ha, don\'t mention it, it is nothing in front of the Haunted House challenge, they weren\'t scared at all, I heard the \'ghosts\' and \'monsters\' were scared of them." Another added.

"You two are still behind, do you know what they just did?" Another one joined the conversation. "I just saw it with my own eyes. You know that fatty Eric The Scammer, right? They even managed to outsmart him and win the elusive \'Sand Eagle\'s Eye\' artifact!"

"Woah, that\'s amazing!"

"Haha, that fatty was becoming arrogant lately, serves him right."

"But, I think even they can\'t complete \'that\'!" The second one suddenly exclaimed, patting his beard.

"Wait... Are you talking about \'that\'."

"Yes, \'that\'."

"You\'re right, it\'s practically impossible to beat. Nobody could do it till now."

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"What do you think?" Adrian chuckled slightly hearing those men\'s gossip. "Should we give \'that\' a try?"

"Hmm. But we should find out what \'that\' is first." Aria agreed as she was already keen on playing these games.

"Don\'t worry, I already know what it is." Adrian grinned. "Follow me."

Adrian led Aria through the bustling crowd, weaving between stalls until they reached a quiet corner of the Treasure Hunt section. There, nestled between two larger booths, was a small, unassuming stall adorned with rich, velvet curtains and a sign that simply read: "The Eternal Rings Challenge."

Aria glanced at Adrian, her curiosity piqued. "What\'s this?"

Adrian spoke trying to sound mysterious. "It\'s called \'The Eternal Rings Challenge.\' I heard it\'s one of the most intriguing games here. Nobody could complete it till this day."

They approached the stall, where an elderly man with a twinkle in his eye greeted them warmly. "Welcome, young ones," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of mystery. "Are you here to take the challenge?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, we\'d like to give it a try."

The old man\'s eyes sparkled with excitement as he gestured toward two small velvet cushions on the counter, each adorned with a single, intricately crafted ring. One was made of gleaming silver, while the other was fashioned from shimmering gold.

"These are the rings," the old man explained, his voice low and secretive. "One for the man, and one for the woman. Your task is simple: put the ring on your partner\'s finger, then remove it. That\'s all."

Adrian and Aria exchanged a glance, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. The challenge sounded deceptively simple, yet there was an air of mystery surrounding it that made them both intrigued.

Adrian reached for the golden ring, his fingers brushing against the cool metal.

\'Hmm... Wait... He said we have to put them on each other, right? Isn\'t that basically confessing? Or the tradition to do when lovers get married?\'

\'She definitely thinks I had other motives to bring her here!\' Adrian secretly glanced at Aria who was observing the silver ring in her hands. Her long silver hair, mesmerizing face and the way her purple eyes sparkled with curiosity only added to Adrian\'s nervousness. But he couldn\'t let his thoughts distract him from the task at hand.

"I am starting." He muttered in a low voice.

Then with a determined expression, Adrian took Aria\'s hand gently, his fingers lightly brushing against hers as he slid the golden ring onto her finger. Aria\'s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn\'t resist, allowing him to complete the action.

As Adrian released her hand, Aria\'s gaze softened, and she reached for the silver ring, her movements deliberate yet gentle. She carefully placed the ring on Adrian\'s finger, her touch sending a shiver down his spine.

For a moment, they stood there, hands clasped together, the rings glinting in the soft light of the stall.

The two raised their heads, their eyes meeting at the same time.

In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still for Adrian and Aria. They were lost in each other\'s gaze, the world around them fading away as they stood there, hands intertwined, the rings binding them in a silent pact.

But suddenly, the spell was broken by a cough from the old man, his voice cutting through the silence like a sharp knife. "Ahem... If you could please continue, young ones," he said, his tone polite but firm.

Adrian and Aria blinked, snapping out of their trance-like state. They exchanged an awkward glance, realizing they had been lost in the moment.

"Right, sorry," Adrian said, his cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment. "We got carried away."

Aria nodded, her own cheeks tinged with pink. "Yes, sorry about that."

The old man chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "No need to apologize, young ones. It happens more often than you think."

With a shared nod, Adrian and Aria turned their attention back to the task at hand. They both reached for the rings, their movements synchronized as they attempted to remove them.

But no matter how much they pulled and twisted, the rings remained firmly in place, as if fused to their fingers by some unseen force.

Adrian furrowed his brow in frustration, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns etched into the surface of the golden ring. Beside him, Aria mirrored his actions, her silver eyes filled with determination.

Minutes passed, but still, the rings refused to budge. Adrian and Aria exchanged frustrated glances, their determination waning with each failed attempt.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reluctantly admitted defeat. Adrian sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I don\'t understand. Why won\'t they come off?"

The old man watched them with a mixture of happiness, shock, and mystery. "Congratulations," he said, his voice filled with a sense of awe. "You have completed the challenge."

"Eh?" (Adrian)

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(A/N: How have the chapters been lately? Is their quality and grammar good?

Are the romance and battle scenes written well?

Comment if you have any opinions, I\'m doing my best, and I\'m still trying to improve.)