The tunnel swallowed them whole, the faint light from the sanctuary's entrance fading quickly behind as Eryx and Lorian pressed deeper into the unknown. Eryx's heart raced as the air grew colder, the silence around them so heavy that even their footsteps seemed to vanish into the void.
"Lorian," Eryx whispered, his voice barely breaking the stillness. "What kind of trials are we facing?"
Lorian's voice was steady but low, as if afraid to disturb whatever lingered in the shadows. "The sanctuary tests those who seek the divine. The trials are different for everyone, designed to confront your deepest fears, your greatest weaknesses. It will test your heart and your will. Be prepared for anything."
Eryx shivered. He could feel something watching them, lurking just out of sight. The power within him stirred, faint and restless, as if sensing the approach of something dangerous.
The tunnel eventually opened into a vast chamber, its walls lined with strange, glowing runes that pulsed in time with some unseen force. At the center of the room stood an altar, shrouded in a thick mist. Eryx's eyes were drawn to it, though he couldn't explain why.
"This feels wrong," he muttered. "Like something's waiting for us."
Lorian nodded but said nothing, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. The silence grew more oppressive as they approached the altar, the air thick with anticipation. Eryx's pulse quickened, a cold sweat forming on his brow.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The runes on the walls flared to life, their glow intensifying as a dark figure materialized from the mist above the altar. It was a shifting mass of shadows, its form indistinct, but its presence overwhelming. Eyes—glowing red and filled with malice—locked onto Eryx, freezing him in place.
"You have come seeking power," the shadow hissed, its voice echoing like a thousand whispers. "But power is earned, not given. Prove yourself worthy, or be consumed by the darkness."
Before Eryx could respond, the shadow lunged, its form splitting into tendrils of inky blackness that surged toward him with terrifying speed. Eryx's body moved on instinct, summoning a barrier of light to shield him, but the tendrils smashed against it, cracking the barrier like fragile glass.
"Eryx!" Lorian shouted, drawing his sword and charging toward the altar. His blade cleaved through the tendrils, dispersing them momentarily, but the shadow reformed almost instantly, growing larger and more menacing.
"Stay back!" Eryx yelled, fear surging through him. He could feel the shadow's power pulling at him, dragging him toward the darkness. His hands trembled as he tried to summon more energy, but his control faltered. The power within him flickered like a dying flame.
The shadow's laughter filled the chamber. "You are weak, boy. A child playing with forces you cannot control. You will fall, just like those before you."
"No," Eryx muttered, his voice shaky. He could feel the shadow's grip tightening, its tendrils wrapping around his body, squeezing the breath from his lungs. "I... I won't..."
But even as he spoke, doubt gnawed at him. The weight of the power he had been given was too much. He wasn't ready. He couldn't fight something like this.
You must fight, a voice whispered inside his mind. It was different from the shadow—calm, steady, and familiar. This is only the beginning. If you fail here, you will never reach your true potential.
Eryx gritted his teeth, focusing on that voice. He didn't know where it came from, but it cut through the fear clouding his mind. His hands steadied, and a surge of energy flowed through him, stronger this time, more controlled. The light around him flared once again, and this time, it did not flicker.
The shadow hissed in anger as Eryx forced its tendrils back, the glowing barrier around him expanding with a burst of energy. "I am not weak," Eryx growled, his voice firm. "And I will not be consumed by you!"
With a shout, he released the energy, sending a blinding wave of light through the chamber. The shadow shrieked, its form disintegrating into nothingness as the light consumed it.
Eryx collapsed to his knees, panting heavily as the energy drained from him. His body ached, but the oppressive presence had vanished. The room was silent once more, save for the faint hum of the runes on the walls.
Lorian approached, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?"
Eryx nodded slowly, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I... I think so."
"You did well," Lorian said, helping him to his feet. "But that was only the first trial. There will be more."
Eryx swallowed hard, glancing around the chamber. He knew Lorian was right. The shadow may have been defeated, but the sanctuary had many more challenges waiting for him.
And this was only the beginning.