The wind howled through the desolate canyon, tearing at Drake's cloak as they approached the Trial of Shadows—the final test that would unlock the full power of the Blade. The journey had been harrowing, filled with traps and illusions meant to test their resolve. Drake had passed the previous trials, but this final challenge was different. It required not only physical strength, but also the strength of his heart and mind.
Drake stood before the ancient stone gate, carved with runes that pulsed with an eerie glow. Elara, Kaidan, and the others remained behind, waiting in tense silence. This was a battle Drake had to face alone.
The gate slowly creaked open, revealing a dark passageway. As Drake stepped inside, the world around him shifted. Shadows swirled, and the familiar scent of battle vanished, replaced by the stench of death. He was no longer in the canyon—he stood in a vast void, alone except for the figure waiting for him in the darkness.
It was himself.
A mirror image of Drake stepped forward, wielding an identical Blade of Shadows, his eyes burning with malevolent energy.
"You are weak," the doppelgänger hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "You hesitate. You doubt yourself. That's why you'll fail, just like all the others."
Drake clenched his fists around the hilt of his sword. "I won't fail."
The shadow version of himself laughed—a cold, hollow sound. "You've already failed. You've let the darkness inside you grow. It's only a matter of time before you become like Gruter."
"No!" Drake roared, charging at the doppelgänger, their blades clashing with a deafening ring. The fight was brutal, each strike met with an equally powerful counter. Drake's mind raced—this wasn't just a physical fight. He was battling his own fears, his own insecurities.
With every swing, his doubts surged to the surface. The faces of his fallen friends flashed before him. The weight of the prophecy bore down on his shoulders, threatening to break him. The other Chosen Ones had failed. What made him think he could succeed?
But then, through the chaos, he remembered why he was fighting. He wasn't doing this for himself. He was doing it for Elara, for Kaidan, for everyone who had suffered under Gruter's reign. The power of the Blade wasn't just about destruction—it was about protection, about hope.
Drake's resolve hardened, and with one final, powerful strike, he shattered the doppelgänger's blade. The shadow version of himself crumbled into darkness, and the void around him began to fade.
When the Trial of Shadows ended, Drake stood alone in the canyon once more. But something had changed. The Blade of Shadows pulsed with a new, brilliant energy, and for the first time, Drake felt in control.
The last trial was over.