TRIAL AND RETRIEVER OF FRAGMENTS
1588 Words
The temple trembled as darkness spread across its ancient walls.
Dust fell from the ceiling in thin streams, and the golden light of the Ancient Core fragment flickered like a dying flame.
Kael stood frozen.
His eyes locked on the figure emerging from the shadows.
Vorthyx.
Even in this incomplete form, his presence filled the chamber with a suffocating weight. The air grew colder. Heavier. As if the world itself feared him.
Sylvara stepped forward, placing herself between Kael and the shadow.
“Stay behind me,” she said quietly.
Kael clenched his fists.
“I’m not hiding.”
Vorthyx chuckled, the sound echoing unnaturally across the stone walls.
“Brave,” he said. “Or foolish.”
His crimson eyes shifted toward Kael, studying him like prey.
“So this is the first human you chose, Sylvara.”
His gaze darkened.
“I expected more.”
Kael felt anger rise in his chest.
“Yeah?” he said. “Well, I expected you to look scarier.”
Zephyra let out a small laugh behind him.
“Careful,” she whispered. “He enjoys breaking confident humans.”
Vorthyx’s smile widened.
“Oh, I don’t break them,” he said softly.
“I reshape them.”
The shadows around him twisted violently, spreading across the ground like living smoke.
Sylvara’s voice hardened.
“This ends now, Vorthyx.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“You still think this is a fight you can win?”
Suddenly—
The shadows exploded.
Dark tendrils shot across the chamber, slamming into the pillars and walls, shattering stone as if it were glass.
Kael barely had time to react.
“MOVE!” Zephyra shouted.
The three of them scattered as the temple began collapsing around them.
Vorthyx didn’t move.
He simply raised one hand.
The shadows obeyed.
They formed into massive creatures—larger than the beasts Kael had faced before. Their bodies were denser, more solid, pulsing with dark energy.
“Let us begin,” Vorthyx said.
The First Clash
The first creature lunged toward Kael.
He raised his hand instinctively.
“Come on…” he muttered. “Work!”
The ground beneath the creature erupted—but this time, it wasn’t enough.
The beast tore through the rising stone, crashing into him.
Kael was thrown across the chamber, slamming into a pillar.
Pain shot through his body.
“Kael!” Sylvara called.
She lifted both hands.
The entire chamber responded.
Roots burst from the stone floor, wrapping around the shadow creatures, pulling them down.
For a moment—it worked.
Then the creatures began tearing through the vines.
“They’re stronger here!” Zephyra shouted as she darted through the air, slicing through shadows with blades of wind.
Vorthyx watched, unmoving.
“Of course they are,” he said calmly.
“This place is already corrupted.”
He took a step forward.
“And now… so are you.”
The shadows surged again—this time straight toward Kael.
The Trial Begins
Kael tried to stand.
His body felt heavy.
His breath uneven.
The power he had felt before… it was still there, but weaker.
Why?
“Because you are afraid,” Vorthyx’s voice echoed in his mind.
Kael froze.
“You cannot control power you do not understand.”
The shadows wrapped around his arms, holding him in place.
“You think this bond makes you strong?” Vorthyx continued.
“It only reveals how weak you truly are.”
Kael struggled.
“I’m not weak!”
Vorthyx appeared in front of him in an instant.
So fast Kael didn’t even see him move.
“You are human,” Vorthyx said coldly.
“That is the same thing.”
Kael’s anger flared.
But deep down…
Doubt crept in.
What if he was right?
Just a blacksmith’s son.
Not a warrior.
Not a hero.
The shadows tightened.
“You cannot protect this world,” Vorthyx whispered.
“You cannot even protect yourself.”
Sylvara’s Voice
“Kael.”
The voice was soft.
But powerful.
Sylvara.
“Do not listen to him.”
Kael shut his eyes.
“I can’t…” he whispered.
“He’s right.”
“No,” Sylvara said firmly.
“You are not weak.”
The ground beneath Kael pulsed.
“You are connected.”
Kael felt it again.
The forest.
The earth.
The life around him.
“You are never alone,” Sylvara said.
“Feel the world, Kael.”
The shadows tightened again.
“Or be consumed by it,” Vorthyx said.
Kael gritted his teeth.
“No…”
He focused.
Not on the fear.
But on the connection.
The ground trembled.
The shadows began to c***k.
Vorthyx’s expression shifted—just slightly.
“Interesting.”
Kael opened his eyes.
They glowed faintly green.
“I’m done listening to you.”
With a sudden surge of energy—
The ground exploded.
Massive roots burst from beneath him, shattering the shadow bindings and throwing Vorthyx backward.
Kael landed on his feet.
Breathing heavily.
But standing.
The Real Fight
“Now that’s more like it!” Zephyra shouted.
Sylvara smiled slightly.
“You are learning.”
Vorthyx rose slowly, brushing off the dust.
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“He is.”
The shadows around him thickened.
“But not fast enough.”
He raised both hands.
The entire chamber darkened.
The walls cracked.
The ceiling began to collapse.
And from the darkness…
A massive form emerged.
Larger than anything Kael had seen before.
A towering shadow beast, shaped like a dragon.
Its eyes burned like red stars.
Kael stepped back.
“You’ve got to be kidding me…”
Sylvara’s voice was tense.
“This is no ordinary creation.”
Zephyra hovered in the air, ready.
“What’s the plan?”
Sylvara looked at Kael.
“This is your trial.”
Kael blinked.
“My WHAT?!”
“If you cannot face this,” she said, “you cannot continue this journey.”
The creature roared, shaking the entire mountain.
Kael swallowed hard.
“Great timing…”
The Turning Point
The creature charged.
Kael ran forward.
Not away.
Toward it.
“Okay…” he muttered. “Think… think…”
The creature slammed its claw down.
Kael dodged, barely.
He slammed his hand into the ground.
Stone pillars erupted—but shattered instantly.
“Not enough!” he said.
The creature swung again.
Kael rolled, breathing hard.
Then he remembered.
Sylvara’s words.
Don’t force the earth.
Let it move.
Kael closed his eyes for a split second.
He reached deeper.
Further than before.
And this time—
He didn’t control the earth.
He joined it.
The ground beneath the creature shifted.
Not violently.
But naturally.
Like a trap closing.
The creature stumbled.
Kael opened his eyes.
“Now.”
He raised both hands.
The mountain responded.
Massive stone spikes erupted from all sides, piercing through the shadow creature.
It let out a deafening roar.
Then—
Silence.
The creature shattered into darkness.
Gone.
Vorthyx’s Warning
The chamber fell quiet.
Kael stood there, stunned.
“I… did it…”
Sylvara nodded.
“Yes.”
Zephyra landed beside him.
“Not bad for a blacksmith’s son.”
But Vorthyx…
Was still standing.
Clapping slowly.
“Well done,” he said.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“You have passed the trial.”
Kael frowned.
“Trial?”
Vorthyx smiled.
“You think I came here to stop you?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
His eyes glowed brighter.
“I came to test you.”
Sylvara’s expression darkened.
“What are you planning?”
Vorthyx stepped back into the shadows.
“You are gathering the fragments.”
He looked at Kael.
“Good.”
“Grow stronger.”
His voice dropped.
“Because when the time comes…”
The shadows swallowed him.
“You will need it.”
And then—
He was gone.
The First Fragment Claimed
The temple grew still again.
The darkness faded.
Only the golden light remained.
Kael turned slowly toward the fragment.
“So… he just let us win?”
Sylvara shook her head.
“No.”
“He is preparing.”
Kael stepped toward the fragment.
This time, nothing stopped him.
He reached out.
And touched it.
The moment he did—
The energy surged into him.
Brighter than before.
Stronger.
He gasped as power flooded through his body.
Visions flashed again.
More fragments.
More locations.
More danger.
Then—
Silence.
Kael stood still.
Changed.
Stronger.
Sylvara watched him carefully.
“The first fragment has chosen you.”
Zephyra crossed her arms.
“One down.”
She looked toward the horizon.
“Many more to go.”
Kael clenched his glowing hand.
“Then let’s go get them.”
Sylvara smiled.
“Yes.”
She looked toward the distant lands beyond the mountains.
“Our next path leads to ancient ruins…”
Zephyra grinned.
“Oh, I like where this is going.”
Sylvara nodded.
“That is where we will find the next champion.”
Kael raised an eyebrow.
“Another one like me?”
Sylvara’s eyes glowed softly.
“Someone very different.”
Far Away…
In a ruined city buried beneath sand and time…
A young woman stood before an ancient door covered in glowing symbols.
Lyra Windell.
She studied the markings carefully.
“You’ve been waiting a long time,” she whispered.
Behind her, the symbols began to glow.
And far away…
Kael felt it.
Another fragment.
Another destiny.
Waiting to be found.
🔥 To be continued…
- Writer
