The narrow tunnel stretched ahead like a vein carved into the mountain's heart, its walls glistening with faint traces of frost. Jace's footsteps echoed in the silence, accompanied only by the occasional crackle of energy from his frost core. The resonance he'd gained in the last chamber still pulsed faintly within him, its power both familiar and alien.
He ran a hand along the smooth wall as he moved, its icy texture grounding him. The tunnel seemed to twist and coil, its direction unpredictable, as though it were alive and shifting.
"Warning: Spatial anomalies detected. Possibility of disorientation: 87%."
"Great," Jace muttered. "Just what I need—getting lost in a glorified maze."
The System didn't respond, and Jace pressed on. The air grew heavier with each step, and a faint vibration began to hum beneath his feet. It wasn't random; it had a rhythm, like a heartbeat echoing through the stone.
The hum grew louder as the tunnel opened into a wide cavern. Jace stopped at the threshold, his senses sharpening as he took in the sight before him.
The cavern was vast, its walls lined with jagged crystals that pulsed with a dim, otherworldly light. A river of liquid silver flowed through its center, winding between massive stalagmites that glowed faintly. The air shimmered with energy, and Jace's frost core pulsed in response, resonating with the strange rhythm of the cavern.
At the far end of the cavern stood a monolithic structure—a towering gate carved from black stone, its surface etched with glowing runes. The runes shifted and flickered, as though alive, and a faint whisper filled the air, like voices speaking just beyond the edge of hearing.
Jace narrowed his eyes, stepping cautiously into the cavern. The whispers grew louder as he approached the river, their words still indistinct but growing more insistent. He crouched by the edge of the silver stream, studying its surface.
The liquid wasn't water. It moved too smoothly, its surface rippling as though responding to an unseen force. Jace dipped a finger into it, only to jerk back as a surge of energy shot up his arm.
"Analysis indicates high-density mana flow. Contact is not recommended."
"Yeah, thanks for the warning," Jace said, shaking his hand.
The river didn't seem to have any clear crossing, but Jace noticed small platforms of crystal rising intermittently from its surface. They looked unstable, their edges shimmering as though they were barely solid.
"Let me guess," Jace muttered. "I have to jump across, don't I?"
The System remained silent, and Jace sighed.
He took a step back, eyeing the nearest platform. It wasn't far, but the shimmering surface made him hesitate. He could feel the mana radiating from it, a volatile energy that didn't inspire confidence.
With a deep breath, he leapt forward, landing squarely on the platform. It shuddered beneath his weight, and a faint crackle of energy surged through his boots.
"Okay, not so bad," he muttered, steadying himself.
He glanced at the next platform, then leapt again. The second landing was smoother, but the platform's instability was more pronounced. The crystals at its edges began to crumble, dissolving into the silver river below.
Jace didn't wait for it to collapse entirely. He kept moving, his movements quick and deliberate as he crossed from one platform to the next.
The final jump was the longest, and Jace hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he gauged the distance. The platform beneath him was already starting to give way, its edges fracturing into shards of light.
"Here goes nothing," he said, pushing off with all his strength.
He landed hard on the far bank, rolling to absorb the impact. The moment his feet touched solid ground, the whispers surged, their voices overlapping in a cacophony that made him wince.
The black gate loomed before him, its runes blazing brighter now, as though reacting to his presence. Jace approached cautiously, his frost core thrumming in time with the gate's energy.
As he reached out to touch the surface, the whispers coalesced into a single voice—low and resonant, but undeniably alive.
"You carry the mark. Enter and be judged."
The gate began to shift, its surface rippling like liquid as it parted down the middle. Beyond lay only darkness, an impenetrable void that seemed to swallow the light around it.
Jace hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But the frost core pulsed steadily in his chest, a reminder of the strength he'd gained and the challenges he'd already overcome.
Without a word, he stepped through the gate, the darkness closing around him like a shroud. The whispers faded, replaced by a silence so profound it seemed to press against his ears.
Jace moved forward blindly, his footsteps echoing in the void. The air was thick with energy, its weight pressing down on him like a physical force.
The System's voice broke through the silence.
"Warning: High-level mana concentration detected. Recommend heightened caution."
Jace didn't respond, his focus narrowing as a faint light appeared ahead. It flickered like a dying flame, its glow barely piercing the darkness.
As he approached, the light resolved into a figure—tall and shrouded in a swirling mist. Its features were indistinct, but its presence was overwhelming, radiating an aura of power that made Jace's frost core stutter.
The figure towered over Jace, its presence a roiling tempest of energy. Though it had no discernible face, its sheer weight bore down on him, forcing him to steady his stance. The swirling mist around it seemed alive, shifting and curling as though seeking to ensnare him.
Jace clenched his fists, his claws glinting faintly in the dim light. The frost core pulsed within him, its resonance sharpening his senses.
The figure raised an arm, and the mist coalesced into a jagged blade of dark energy. Without warning, it lunged forward, the blade slashing through the void with impossible speed.
Jace barely dodged, the blade grazing his shoulder as he rolled to the side. A searing pain shot through him, and he bit back a curse, ice already forming to seal the wound.
The figure didn't relent. It struck again, its movements fluid and unrelenting. Jace ducked, weaving through the onslaught as he tried to find an opening. The air around him crackled with energy, each swing of the blade leaving trails of darkness that lingered like scars in the void.
Think, Jace, he told himself. You can't just dodge forever.
He countered with a burst of frost energy, aiming for the figure's center. The ice shot forward in a jagged spike, but the mist absorbed it, dissipating the attack as though it were nothing.
"Of course that didn't work," Jace muttered, leaping back to avoid another swing.
"Analysis: Opponent's composition is unstable. Recommend targeting points of energy concentration."
Jace's eyes flicked to the figure's core, where the mist swirled most densely. A faint light pulsed there, almost imperceptible but consistent.
"Got it," he muttered, focusing his frost energy.
The figure raised its blade again, but this time Jace didn't retreat. He charged forward, sliding beneath the strike and slamming his clawed hand into its core. Frost energy surged outward, freezing the mist around his target.
The figure recoiled, its form flickering as the frost spread. Jace didn't let up, pouring more energy into the attack.
For a moment, it seemed to work. The mist solidified, cracks spreading across its surface like glass under pressure. But then the figure roared, an unearthly sound that reverberated through the void.
The frost shattered, and Jace was thrown backward, slamming into the ground.
He groaned, pushing himself up as the figure regained its form. The light in its core burned brighter now, pulsing faster as though mocking him.
"Okay, freezing it won't cut it," Jace said, wiping blood from his lip. "What else can I do?"
The System's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Warning: Mana reserves depleting. Alternate strategies required."
"Yeah, thanks for the update," Jace muttered. He glanced at his surroundings, searching for anything he could use. But the void offered no answers, only endless darkness.
Wait... the mist, he thought, his eyes narrowing.
The mist that composed the figure was the same energy that surrounded them, the same oppressive force pressing against his frost core. If he could disrupt its flow, maybe he could weaken it.
Jace closed his eyes, focusing inward. The resonance from the frost core pulsed steadily, its rhythm aligning with the faint hum of the void. He reached out with his mana, not to attack, but to connect.
The mist resisted at first, its energy writhing against him. But Jace pushed harder, drawing on the frost core's stability to anchor himself. Slowly, the resistance faded, and he felt the mist begin to shift.
The figure hesitated, its movements faltering as the mist around it thinned. Jace opened his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Got you now," he said, surging forward.
The figure raised its blade, but it was slower now, its form less stable. Jace dodged easily, closing the distance in a single leap. He struck at the core again, this time channeling not frost, but the resonance of the void itself.
The reaction was immediate. The figure's core pulsed violently, cracks spreading outward as its form began to collapse. The mist dissipated, unraveling into the void like threads pulled from a tapestry.
The figure let out one final, echoing roar before vanishing entirely. The silence that followed was almost deafening, the oppressive weight of the void lifting like a curtain.
Jace stood in the center of the chamber, his breaths coming in shallow bursts. The frost core was still, its energy quiet but steady.
"Trial complete. Synchronization with void resonance achieved."
Jace felt the change immediately. The frost core pulsed with a new rhythm, its energy more fluid and adaptable. He clenched his fists, testing the newfound strength coursing through him.
"Not bad," he muttered, turning toward the far end of the chamber.
A faint light appeared in the distance, marking the path forward. Jace started walking, his steps steady as the void around him began to dissolve.