Ethan couldn't sleep. The cavern, the serpent, and the weight of Magnus's words hung heavy on his mind. As he lay awake, staring at the stone ceiling of his chamber, the distant echoes of the trials seemed to pound like war drums in his chest. The air in the underground halls felt colder tonight, the quiet too thick, too ominous.
He turned over on his cot, his limbs aching from the exertion of the past few days. The strange, raw magic that had coursed through him during the trial now lay dormant, but he could still feel its pulse beneath his skin—a reminder that his journey had only just begun.
*Magnus had his own demons to face,* Aeris had said, and now, after witnessing the ancient magic of the lake, Ethan understood that more than ever. But the real question was, what exactly lay ahead for him? What kind of trials awaited, and how could he possibly prepare for them?
Suddenly, a knock at the door shook Ethan from his thoughts. He sat up, tension gripping him. It was late, far too late for any casual visit. The dim light of the floating orbs barely illuminated the figure who stepped inside.
It was Magnus.
His face was drawn, eyes shadowed by exhaustion, but there was a strange urgency in his expression. "Ethan," he said quietly, "we need to talk."
Ethan swung his legs over the edge of the cot, pulling his cloak tighter around himself. "Now? In the middle of the night?"
Magnus nodded, his tone somber. "We don't have much time. There's something I haven't told you, something you need to know before we move forward."
Ethan frowned. "More secrets?"
Magnus closed the door behind him, his eyes locking onto Ethan's. "I've been keeping things from you, yes, but not without reason. The truth is, you're more important than you realize. The power you felt during the trial was just the beginning. The Dark Sovereign... it's not just a distant threat. His influence is already here, in Valantria. And you—" Magnus hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "You're part of the key to stopping him."
Ethan's chest tightened. The weight of responsibility Magnus was placing on him felt unbearable. "Me? I'm just some kid from Earth. I barely understand any of this world, let alone the magic inside me. How am I supposed to stop something like that?"
Magnus moved closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "That's where you're wrong. You're not just 'some kid.' You were brought here for a reason, Ethan. You have a connection to Valantria's ancient magic, to the very source of the power that keeps this world in balance. That's why the Dark Sovereign sees you as a threat."
Ethan's heart raced, and he shook his head. "This is crazy. How can I be connected to a place I've never been? To magic I didn't even know existed?"
Magnus placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder, his eyes piercing. "Because your arrival here wasn't an accident. The magic of Valantria... it called to you. And whether you like it or not, you're a part of this world now. You're part of its fate."
Ethan's thoughts spun wildly. None of this made sense—yet, at the same time, it explained everything. The strange pull he had felt when he first arrived, the raw power surging through him during the trial, the way the world around him seemed to shift in his presence.
He wanted to argue, to deny it, but deep down, he knew Magnus was right.
"Okay," Ethan said, his voice quieter now. "Let's say I believe you. What am I supposed to do? How do I stop the Dark Sovereign?"
Magnus sighed, stepping back, and for a moment, he seemed to be weighing the gravity of his next words. "There's something I haven't told you about the trials. They're not just a test of your strength—they're a test of your will, your soul. The Dark Sovereign feeds on fear, on doubt. The stronger you become, the more he'll come after you. The trials are meant to prepare you for that... to break you down so you can be rebuilt stronger."
Ethan swallowed hard. "And what if I don't make it through the trials?"
Magnus's eyes darkened. "Then the Dark Sovereign will take you, just like he's taken others before you."
The room felt colder now, the weight of Magnus's words hanging in the air like a storm about to break. Ethan tried to process it all, but it was too much. The pressure, the fear... it was suffocating.
Magnus could see the fear in Ethan's eyes, and his expression softened. "You're not alone in this, Ethan. Aeris, myself, the others—you'll have allies. But you have to be ready. You have to fight."
Ethan nodded, though his mind still swirled with uncertainty. "And the next trial... when does it begin?"
Magnus glanced toward the door, as if sensing something in the shadows. "Soon. Very soon. Which is why we need to leave—tonight."
Ethan's eyes widened. "Leave? Where are we going?"
"To the Valley of Ancients," Magnus said, his tone grim. "There's something there you need to see. Something that will help you understand what you're truly up against."
Before Ethan could ask more, Magnus had already turned toward the door. "Gather your things. We leave in an hour."
---
The journey through the underground tunnels was silent, the only sounds being the echo of their footsteps and the soft flicker of the magical orbs lighting their path. Aeris had joined them just as they prepared to leave, her face as unreadable as ever, but there was a tension in her that Ethan hadn't seen before.
They traveled through narrow corridors and past vast chambers, each filled with ancient relics and forgotten histories of Valantria. Magnus led the way, his pace steady but urgent. They didn't speak, but the weight of what lay ahead seemed to hang in the air between them.
Eventually, they emerged from the underground, stepping into the cool night air. The sky above was a deep, velvety black, the stars scattered like diamonds across the heavens. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of earth and magic.
Magnus led them to the edge of a cliff that overlooked a sprawling valley below. Ethan stared in awe at the sight before him—the Valley of Ancients.
The valley was vast, a sprawling expanse of crumbling ruins and towering stone pillars, half-consumed by nature. Ethereal lights danced between the pillars, like ghosts of a long-forgotten age. In the distance, a massive structure loomed—a temple, or perhaps a fortress, its stone walls glowing faintly in the moonlight.
"This," Magnus said, his voice soft but filled with reverence, "is where it all began. The birthplace of Valantria's magic."
Ethan felt a shiver run down his spine. The valley seemed alive, as if the very air hummed with power. "What is this place?"
"The Valley of Ancients," Aeris said, stepping beside him. "Long ago, it was the seat of power for the Celestials—the old gods who ruled before the Dark Sovereign's rise. This is where the first magic was born, where the balance of the world was once maintained."
Magnus nodded. "And it's here where you'll face your next trial."
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. "What do I have to do?"
"You'll know when the time comes," Magnus said cryptically. "But for now, rest. We'll need our strength for what's to come."
Ethan glanced back at the valley, feeling the weight of the magic that lingered there. The Valley of Ancients wasn't just a place—it was a challenge, a test of everything he had learned so far.
As they set up camp near the cliff's edge, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The valley below seemed to pulse with a life of its own, and though it was beautiful, it was also filled with an ancient, dangerous power.
And somewhere, deep within the ruins, Ethan knew something was waiting for him.
Something that would change everything.