The tower doors creaked shut behind them, sealing Kael and the other climbers into an expanse of darkness. A faint, pulsing glow from the walls illuminated a narrow, twisting path ahead, casting long shadows that flickered along the stone.
Kael took a deep breath, steadying himself. This was it—the first trial. The climb had begun.
The corridor narrowed as they walked, the glowing symbols growing brighter. Each turn they took seemed to stretch further into darkness, and the air felt heavy, almost thick with some unseen presence.
"We're meant to navigate this… maze?" Aria asked, her voice just above a whisper. She looked around, her auburn hair catching the faint light, her expression caught somewhere between awe and apprehension.
"Seems like it," Kael replied, stepping forward, his eyes scanning the walls for any clues. "It's a test, after all. Courage isn't just about fighting; sometimes it's about finding your way through the unknown."
Aria gave a nervous smile, nodding. Kael could sense her hesitation, but her resolve held steady.
Selene was just a few steps behind Kael, observing with her usual calm. She moved gracefully, her pale blue eyes absorbing every detail, but her expression remained guarded, as though she were keeping her own secrets close.
Nyra, on the other hand, seemed less cautious. She rolled her shoulders, glancing down each corridor impatiently. "So, which way do we go? Left or right?" she asked, already taking a step toward the right path.
"Hold on," Kael said, holding up a hand. "We don't know what's in there yet. Rushing won't help us."
Nyra shot him a glance, her lips curving into a smirk. "Caution already? Thought you were here to climb, not stand around."
"Climbing isn't just about speed," Kael replied, a small smile playing on his lips. "Sometimes you need to step back and see the bigger picture."
Thorne nodded approvingly. "He's right. We need to take it slow. Observe, plan, then act." His gaze held steady, giving Kael a subtle nod of respect. Kael noted it—Thorne seemed like a man who valued strategy and discipline.
Nyra crossed her arms, shrugging. "Fine, but don't take too long."
The group moved further into the maze, each turn narrowing their path until they were forced to walk in single line. Shadows began to flicker across the walls, moving in ways that didn't match the faint glow from the symbols. It was as if the shadows had a life of their own.
Then, without warning, the shadows shifted and took shape. They twisted and lengthened, transforming into figures that looked all too familiar.
Kael stopped, his gaze hardening. In front of him stood a shadowed version of himself, the outline marked by harsh, cold edges. Its eyes—his eyes—stared back at him, empty yet filled with something dark, almost mocking.
This is what you're climbing for, isn't it? Just power, no purpose.
Kael clenched his jaw, feeling a flicker of anger rise within him. I know who I am, he told himself. He forced himself to step forward, his shadow-self dissipating as he moved through it.
Behind him, he heard Aria gasp. Her own shadow seemed to loom over her, forming into a figure that whispered something Kael couldn't hear. She took a step back, her eyes wide with fear.
"It's not real," Kael said, his voice steady. "They're just illusions. Don't let them get to you."
Aria's gaze flicked to him, her face pale but determined. She nodded, taking a shaky breath before stepping through her own shadow.
As they regrouped, Thorne gave a curt nod. "Well done," he said, glancing at each of them. "The shadows are designed to unnerve us, but if we keep moving, they lose their power."
"Easier said than done," Aria muttered, though her tone held a hint of a smile.
Kael chuckled. "Look at it this way—if this is the tower's idea of a scare tactic, we'll have no problem. Right, Nyra?"
Nyra grinned, punching a fist into her palm. "You got that right."
Selene's gaze softened as she looked at Kael. "You're surprisingly good at keeping things light, considering the circumstances."
Kael shrugged. "If you're going to be terrified, might as well find a way to laugh at it. Keeps the mind clear."
They continued through the maze, the shadows retreating but the tension lingering in the air. Kael's gaze drifted to the walls, where faint carvings could be seen beneath the glowing symbols. One of the carvings—a small, intricate spiral—caught his attention. Unlike the other symbols, it looked older, worn, as though it had been there long before the others.
He ran his fingers over it, feeling the rough edges.
Selene noticed and joined him, her gaze tracing the pattern. "An older symbol, perhaps," she murmured. "It doesn't match the rest."
"Think it means something?" Kael asked, glancing at her.
"Possibly," she replied, her voice thoughtful. "If we're not the first climbers, it could be a marker… or a warning."
Kael considered this, his curiosity piqued. The tower held more secrets than he'd realized, and each one seemed to lead to even more questions.
After what felt like hours of navigating the maze, the group finally reached a fork, where two paths split into darkness. Each path looked equally foreboding, lined with shadows that seemed to shift as they looked on.
"We'll need to choose carefully," Thorne said, studying each path with a critical eye.
Nyra let out an impatient sigh. "Left, right, what difference does it make? We've been wandering for ages already."
"Rushing got you anywhere yet?" Kael replied, a teasing edge in his voice.
She huffed, but didn't argue further.
Kael looked at the walls around them, noting the patterns on each side. The symbols on the left path seemed slightly more faded, as if worn down by countless footsteps. It could be a sign of a safer path… or a well-used trap.
He turned to the group. "I say we take the left. The patterns look slightly different, like this path has seen more travelers. If nothing else, it gives us a clue."
Selene gave him a small nod of approval. Thorne, too, seemed to agree, his gaze thoughtful.
"All right," Nyra said, crossing her arms. "You're leading this one, then."
With a final glance at his team, Kael took a breath and stepped forward, moving into the darkness of the left path. The rest followed, the faint sounds of their footsteps echoing down the stone corridor.
The shadows seemed to close in tighter as they walked, thickening around them. Kael's heart beat steadily, his instincts sharpening with each step.
They hadn't even scratched the surface of the tower, and already he could feel the weight of its trials pressing down. He wasn't just climbing for himself; he was beginning to realize that there was something larger at play, a purpose hidden within the tower's walls.
But that's just one more mystery to unravel, he thought, allowing a small, determined smile.
They moved forward, deeper into the shadows.
End of Chapter 2
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