A blinding, pulsating light engulfed them, and then—silence.
Valen's consciousness wavered, his mind adrift in a sea of disjointed thoughts and fractured images. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing alone in an otherworldly expanse. The chamber stretched endlessly in all directions, its floor a mosaic of glowing, shifting tiles suspended in mid-air. Around him, the air shimmered with raw energy, arcs of golden and dark light clashing and dancing in a violent harmony.
The whispers of the entities were louder than ever, their voices layered and reverberating.
"This is your truth, Aetheris."
"No allies, no interference—only you and what you seek."
Valen straightened, gripping the hilt of his sword as he scanned the space. His companions were nowhere to be seen.
"Aylara? Seraphine?" he called, his voice swallowed by the chamber's oppressive hum.
There was no reply.
A Trial of Ambition
