The path ahead of Rollan and his companions shimmered with the golden glow they had been following since the pool. The faint map that had emerged from the reflective surface had burned itself into Rollan's mind—a series of branching pathways, leading toward a central point that pulsed with an iridescent light. The horizon ahead seemed closer now, as if the terrain itself had folded inward to hasten their journey.
But the air had grown heavier, the vibrations beneath the ground sharper and more erratic. Each step sent a faint ripple through the environment, and Rollan couldn't shake the sense that they were being funneled toward something. The shimmering patterns of the beyond were no longer welcoming—they were constricting, closing in around the group like a tightening web.
"Are we close?" Tella asked, her voice a soft tremble as she scurried alongside Rollan. Her small form darted between the larger companions for protection, her antennae twitching nervously.
"Closer than we were," Rollan replied. He tried to keep his tone steady, though his own unease was mounting. "Stay together. We don't know what's ahead."
The group moved as one, their tight formation a silent testament to the bond they had forged through countless trials. Calyx led her disciplined line of ants at the forefront, their movements precise and methodical. Brack lumbered at the rear, his massive body a shield for the smaller creatures. The spiders skittered along the edges, weaving faint strands of silk as they scouted for threats.
The ground beneath them began to change again. The soft, glowing terrain grew harder, its faint pulses replaced by an unnatural stillness. The colors around them dimmed, fading into muted grays and silvers that seemed to leach the warmth from the air. Ahead, a jagged shape loomed on the horizon, its sharp edges cutting through the golden light like shards of broken glass.
"What is that?" Brack rumbled, his voice low and wary.
"I don't know," Rollan admitted, his antennae quivering as he studied the structure. It was massive, its surface dark and angular, jutting out of the ground like a fractured monument. As they drew closer, Rollan saw that it wasn't just one structure—it was a collection of jagged spires, each one covered in faint, glowing lines that pulsed like veins.
"It's another shard," Calyx said, her voice tinged with both awe and apprehension. "Like the one that brought us here."
"But this one's different," Rollan said. "It's… alive."
The shard hummed faintly as they approached, the sound resonating deep within Rollan's exoskeleton. The air around it seemed to ripple with unseen energy, and the ground beneath their feet grew colder with each step. Rollan felt a strange pull, a magnetic force that urged him closer even as his instincts screamed at him to stay away.
"This doesn't feel right," Tella whispered, her small body trembling.
"It isn't," Rollan said. "But we have to keep going."
As they reached the base of the shard, the group hesitated, their movements faltering. The structure towered above them, its sharp edges glinting faintly in the dim light. The glowing lines on its surface pulsed faster now, their rhythm matching the uneasy thrum of the ground.
A faint vibration rippled through the air, followed by a low, resonant hum. Rollan braced himself, his claws digging into the cold ground as the shard began to shift. Its jagged surface moved with a grinding sound, the sharp lines folding inward to reveal a dark, gaping entrance.
"What… is it doing?" Brack asked, his deep voice unsteady.
"It's inviting us in," Rollan said, his voice tight. "But I don't think it's a welcome."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, their fear palpable. Calyx stepped forward, her antennae quivering as she studied the dark opening. "We've come this far," she said. "If this is the way forward, we have no choice."
Rollan nodded, though his legs felt heavy with apprehension. "Stay close," he said. "Whatever's in there, we face it together."
The group entered the shard, their steps echoing faintly against the cold, metallic floor. The walls around them glimmered faintly, their surfaces covered in intricate patterns that seemed to shift and writhe as they moved. The air was thick with tension, the faint hum growing louder with each step.
As they ventured deeper, the passage widened into a cavernous chamber. The space was vast, its walls rising high above them and curving inward like the inside of a massive shell. At the center of the chamber was a glowing pedestal, its surface smooth and reflective, pulsing faintly with the same rhythm as the shard.
"What is this place?" Tella asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"A trial," Rollan said, his antennae quivering as he approached the pedestal. "It has to be."
The moment he stepped closer, the pedestal flared with light, filling the chamber with a blinding glow. The group staggered back, shielding their eyes as the light coalesced into a series of shifting forms. The shapes were abstract at first—flickering lines and swirling patterns—but they quickly solidified into something more familiar.
Figures began to emerge from the light. They were creatures, but not like those of the beyond. They were smaller, simpler—creatures Rollan recognized from the terrarium. A snail, its shell glistening with moisture. A colony of springtails, their tiny bodies leaping in unison. A spider weaving its delicate web in the corner of a familiar, enclosed world.
Rollan froze, his breath catching in his mandibles. These weren't just creatures—they were memories. The terrarium. His home. The world he had left behind.
"What… is this?" he murmured, his voice trembling.
"It's showing us where we came from," Calyx said, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
The light shifted again, the images dissolving into a new scene. This time, it showed the moment the shard had first appeared in the terrarium—the jagged rock splitting open, the blinding light spilling out, and the emergence of the creature that had changed everything. Rollan saw himself in the reflection, his small form dwarfed by the towering intruder, his antennae trembling as he took his first, hesitant steps toward the crack.
"It's a reminder," Rollan said, his voice steadying. "Of why we left. Of what we've overcome."
But as the images continued to shift, they grew darker. The scenes became fragmented, chaotic—a predator's jaws snapping inches from Rollan's shell; the glow of the first shard splitting the terrarium; the moment he had led his companions into the unknown. Each memory was sharper, more vivid, as if the shard was pulling them from Rollan's mind and laying them bare.
The final image froze in place. It was Rollan himself, standing before the shattered terrarium, his body scarred and battered, his gaze fixed on the vast, glowing beyond.
"That's enough," Rollan said, his voice firm. "We don't need to see more."
The light dimmed, the images dissolving into faint, flickering patterns. But the shard wasn't finished. The pedestal flared again, this time filling the chamber with a deep, resonant hum. The ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew heavier, charged with a force that pressed down on them like an invisible weight.
The walls of the chamber began to shift, their surfaces writhing as dark shapes emerged from the edges. They were shadows at first—vague, indistinct—but they quickly solidified into towering forms. Creatures made of the same jagged material as the shard, their bodies sharp and angular, their glowing eyes fixed on the group.
"This is the trial," Rollan said, his voice steady despite the fear coiling in his chest. "We have to face them."
The Battle for Unity
The shard-creatures moved in unison, their sharp limbs slicing through the air as they advanced. The group tightened their formation, their movements precise and practiced. Rollan darted forward, his claws striking at the nearest creature. His blow glanced off its jagged surface, sending a burst of sparks into the air.
"They're tough!" Brack called out, his massive body slamming into another creature. The impact sent the shard-creature staggering back, but it quickly recovered, its glowing eyes narrowing as it turned on him.
"We can't fight them head-on," Calyx said, her antennae quivering as she directed her ants. "We need to outmaneuver them."
The group shifted their tactics, working together to confuse and disorient their opponents. The ants darted between the shard-creatures' legs, their precise movements forcing the towering forms to hesitate. Brack charged forward, drawing their attention while the spiders worked quickly to weave thick strands of silk across the chamber's floor.
Rollan led the effort, his mind racing as he directed his companions. He darted in and out of the fray, his claws striking at weak points in the shard-creatures' armor. Each blow sent a ripple through their forms, disrupting their movements and giving the group an opening to strike.
The shard-creatures were relentless, their jagged limbs cutting through the air with deadly precision. But the group held their ground, their unity and coordination turning the battle in their favor. The spiders' webs ensnared one of the creatures, its sharp limbs tangling in the sticky strands as it struggled to free itself. Brack's massive frame toppled another, his powerful charge sending it crashing to the ground.
As the battle raged on, Rollan felt a surge of determination. This was their trial—not just his, but all of theirs. They had faced countless challenges together, and they would overcome this one as well.
"Push them back!" Rollan shouted, his voice ringing through the chamber. "We're stronger together!"
The group rallied, their combined efforts driving the shard-creatures toward the edges of the chamber. The glowing lines on their jagged forms began to dim, their movements growing slower and more erratic. One by one, the creatures collapsed, their sharp limbs shattering into fragments that dissolved into the air.
When the final creature fell, the chamber fell silent. The group stood together, their breathing heavy, their bodies trembling with exhaustion. Rollan turned to face them, his gaze steady despite the ache in his legs.
"We did it," he said, his voice quiet but filled with pride. "Together."
The pedestal at the center of the chamber flared once more, its light filling the space with a warm, golden glow. The walls of the shard began to shift again, the jagged edges folding inward to reveal a new passage.
"This is the way forward," Rollan said, his antennae quivering as he stepped toward the light. "Let's finish this."
The group followed him, their resolve unshaken. They had faced the shard's trial and emerged stronger, their unity unbroken. As they stepped into the passage, the golden light enveloped them, its warmth carrying them toward the final horizon.