The night was colder than Ethan expected. After the intensity of the trial by fire, the cool, crisp air of the underground halls was both a relief and a reminder of how far he still had to go. His limbs ached, his mind spun with the weight of what he'd experienced, and as he lay on his small cot in the dimly lit chamber Magnus had led him to, sleep seemed like a distant dream.
Ethan turned over, staring at the stone ceiling above. Flickers of fire still played in his vision, the rush of heat and energy surging through his body. He could feel the magic inside him, like a pulse—a presence that had always been there but had only now begun to awaken.
He thought of Aeris Solara, the way she had watched him during the trial, cold and calculating. She was hard to read, her motives unclear, but there was no doubt she was powerful. And then there was Magnus, always patient, always encouraging. He had known more about Ethan's abilities than Ethan himself. Why?
*They both know more than they're telling me,* Ethan thought. *But why bring me here if they didn't think I was ready for this?*
The sound of footsteps echoed through the stone corridors outside. Ethan sat up, listening. At first, he thought it was Magnus coming to check on him, but the footsteps were lighter, more deliberate. He strained his ears, trying to track the movement.
A shadow appeared at the entrance to his chamber.
Ethan tensed, his muscles sore but ready. "Who's there?"
The figure stepped forward, and to his surprise, it was Aeris.
"Get up," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We don't have much time."
"What?" Ethan blinked, confused. "It's the middle of the night. What's going on?"
Aeris stepped closer, her golden eyes narrowing. "You want to survive, don't you? Then follow me. There's something you need to see. Now."
Ethan hesitated for a moment, but something in Aeris's tone urged him to trust her. He threw off his blanket and stood, his body protesting with every movement. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see," she said, already heading out into the corridor.
Ethan hurried after her, the dim light of the floating orbs casting long, eerie shadows along the stone walls. Aeris moved swiftly and silently, her cloak barely rustling as she led him through a series of twisting tunnels Ethan hadn't seen before. It felt like they were descending deeper into the earth, the air growing cooler and the walls damper.
Eventually, they reached a large, heavy door, engraved with more of the strange runes Ethan had seen on the trial platform. Aeris placed her hand on the center of the door, and with a soft hum, the runes began to glow. The door slowly swung open, revealing a vast, underground cavern.
Ethan stepped inside, his breath catching in his throat.
The cavern was enormous, its ceiling lost in shadow. Strange plants, glowing faintly with blue light, clung to the rocky walls, and in the center of the cavern, a massive underground lake shimmered, its surface reflecting the soft glow from the plants.
But it wasn't the lake or the plants that caught Ethan's attention. It was the figure standing at the water's edge.
It was Magnus.
He stood there, alone, his back to them, staring out over the water. In his hand, he held a staff Ethan had never seen before—long, made of dark wood, and tipped with a crystal that pulsed faintly with light.
Aeris didn't move. She stood beside Ethan, her expression unreadable. "Watch," she said quietly.
Ethan frowned. "What's going on? Why is Magnus—"
Before he could finish, the air in the cavern shifted. The surface of the lake began to ripple, and the crystal on Magnus's staff flared brighter. The water churned, rising in unnatural waves, and then, from the depths, something began to emerge.
Ethan's eyes widened as a massive shape broke the surface of the lake—a serpent-like creature, easily the size of a building, its scales glistening in the blue light. Its eyes glowed with a fierce, otherworldly intelligence, and as it rose higher, it let out a low, rumbling hiss that echoed through the cavern.
Magnus raised his staff, and the serpent bowed its head toward him, the glowing crystal reflecting in its eyes.
Ethan took a step back, instinctively reaching for something—anything—to defend himself, but Aeris's hand shot out, gripping his arm. "Stay still," she warned, her voice sharp. "This is his trial."
"His trial?" Ethan echoed, his voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean?"
Aeris's grip tightened. "Magnus has his own demons to face. His own powers to prove. What you're seeing is only the beginning."
The serpent hissed again, lowering its head toward Magnus. For a moment, the air seemed to still, and then, with terrifying speed, the creature lunged.
Magnus moved like lightning, raising his staff and slamming it into the ground. A burst of magic rippled through the cavern, and the serpent froze mid-lunge, its body suspended in the air as if caught by an invisible force. The water around it swirled and frothed, but the serpent could not move.
Ethan watched, heart pounding, as Magnus stepped forward, his eyes locked on the creature's. The staff in his hand pulsed with a strange energy, and slowly, the serpent began to shrink, its massive form receding back into the water. Within moments, it was gone, and the lake was calm once more.
Magnus stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, his grip on the staff tight. Then, without turning, he spoke. "I didn't expect you to follow me here, Aeris."
Aeris stepped forward, her expression cool. "You weren't exactly subtle."
Magnus turned, his gaze falling on Ethan. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, and then he sighed, lowering the staff. "Ethan, I suppose you're wondering what this is all about."
Ethan nodded, still trying to process what he had just witnessed. "You think?"
Magnus walked toward them, his steps slow, as if the trial had drained him more than he wanted to admit. "The trials aren't just for you, Ethan. Every mage, every warrior, every leader in this world faces their own. Aeris and I… we have our own challenges to overcome."
"You didn't tell me," Ethan said, a hint of accusation in his voice. "You never mentioned any of this."
Magnus met his gaze, his eyes filled with a tired wisdom. "Would you have understood if I had? You've barely begun to understand your own power, let alone the forces at play in this world. But you're right. I should have told you. The path we walk isn't easy, and it's not without danger. But know this, Ethan—everything I've done has been to prepare you for what's to come."
"And what is that?" Ethan asked, his voice hardening. "What exactly am I being prepared for?"
Magnus glanced at Aeris, who remained silent, and then back at Ethan. "You've felt it, haven't you? The power inside you, the pull of something greater. It's no accident you were brought here, no mere coincidence. There are forces in this world—ancient, powerful forces—that are stirring. The Dark Sovereign is only one piece of the puzzle."
Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. "And you think I'm part of that puzzle?"
"I know you are," Magnus said. "You've already seen it for yourself—the magic, the connection you have to this world. There's a reason you were chosen, Ethan. A reason you're here. But it's not just about power. It's about the choices you'll make."
Aeris stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension. "Magnus is right. You've passed the first trial, but there are more to come. We're all being tested, Ethan. The question is, will you be ready when the time comes to face your destiny?"
Ethan swallowed hard, his mind racing. He didn't want to believe it—that he was somehow destined for something greater, something dangerous. But deep down, he knew it was true. He had felt it ever since he had first arrived in this world—the pull of something ancient and powerful, the sense that he was meant for more than he had ever imagined.
"I don't know if I'm ready," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Magnus smiled, a tired but knowing smile. "None of us ever are. But that's the nature of the journey, isn't it? You'll face your fears, your doubts, and you'll come out stronger on the other side."
Aeris turned toward the exit of the cavern, her cloak billowing behind her. "Rest, Ethan. Tomorrow, we continue. The next trial will not be as forgiving as the first."
As they made their way back through the twisting tunnels, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. Not just within himself, but in the very world around him. The trials were only beginning, and the true test was still to come.
The question that gnawed at him now was simple: Would he be ready to face it when the time came?