The narrow path revealed by the First Gate stretched ahead, carved into the jagged mountains. The glowing carvings along the rock walls pulsed faintly, their rhythmic patterns guiding the way. The faint hum of energy from the gate still lingered in the air, blending with the low howl of the wind.
Aria stepped cautiously onto the path, her sharp blue eyes scanning the terrain. The Frost Minks followed close behind, their tiny bodies huddling together as they chirped softly.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing against the frozen ground. "What's next? Another fight?"
"Current trial: Test of Wisdom. Host must solve the trial to proceed further into the Feline Den."
Her fur bristled. "A puzzle? Seriously?"
"Trial objectives: Demonstration of critical thinking and understanding of Feline Den principles."
She growled softly, her tail swishing. "Great. Another thing I didn't sign up for."
---
Xuan Hao walked beside her, his dark eyes glinting faintly as he studied the glowing carvings. "You don't look thrilled," he said, his tone light.
Aria shot him a glare, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Why would I be? I'm not here to play guessing games."
He smirked faintly. "You might surprise yourself."
Her claws scraped against the rock. "Keep talking, and I'll show you a surprise."
---
The path widened into a circular platform, its surface covered in intricate carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light. At the center stood a stone pedestal, its top etched with runes that shimmered like liquid silver.
The Frost Minks chirped nervously, their tiny bodies pressing against Aria's legs. The smallest one climbed onto her back, squeaking softly as it peered at the pedestal.
"System," Aria thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What's the deal with this thing?"
"Pedestal identified as Trial Interface. Host must decipher runes and activate the mechanism to proceed."
Her claws flexed. "And if I don't?"
"Failure to complete the trial will result in host removal from the Feline Den's perimeter."
Her tail lashed. "Figures. No pressure."
---
Xuan Hao stepped closer to the pedestal, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied the runes. "These markings… they look familiar."
Aria growled softly, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "Familiar how?"
He gestured to the glowing carvings along the walls. "They match the patterns we saw at the gate. It's probably a sequence."
Her claws scraped against the ground. "So you're saying we have to solve this thing like a puzzle?"
He smirked faintly. "That's the idea."
---
The Frost Minks chirped hesitantly, their tiny eyes darting between Aria and the pedestal. The smallest one squeaked softly, nudging her neck with its tiny nose.
"You're not helping," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.
The mink tilted its head innocently, squeaking again.
---
Aria crouched low, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the pedestal as she studied the runes. The shimmering symbols shifted subtly, their patterns rearranging themselves in response to her presence.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing. "What's the solution here?"
"Trial solution requires host to align runes in accordance with Feline Den principles: Strength, Harmony, and Growth."
Her fur bristled. "And how am I supposed to know what that looks like?"
"Host must rely on intuition and observation."
She growled softly, her tail swishing. "You're useless sometimes, you know that?"
---
Xuan Hao leaned against the edge of the platform, his dark eyes glinting faintly as he watched her. "Need a hand?"
Aria shot him a glare, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "I can handle it."
He smirked faintly, raising his hands. "Suit yourself."
---
The runes continued to shift, their shimmering patterns forming faint outlines of familiar shapes—a paw, a crescent moon, and a tree with branching roots. Aria's sharp blue eyes narrowed as she focused on the symbols.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing. "These shapes—are they the principles?"
"Runes represent symbolic representations of Feline Den principles. Host must align them in the correct order."
Her fur bristled. "So I have to guess the order?"
"Observation and intuition are recommended over guessing."
She growled softly. "You're not making this easy."
---
The Frost Minks chirped nervously as Aria pressed her paw against the pedestal. The glowing runes responded instantly, rearranging themselves into three separate groups.
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed. "Strength, Harmony, and Growth… What's the connection?"
Xuan Hao's voice broke the silence, his tone thoughtful. "Maybe they're connected to the carvings we've seen so far. The gate was about strength, right?"
Aria growled, her claws flexing. "And harmony would mean balance. Growth could mean evolution."
He nodded, smirking faintly. "Looks like you're getting the hang of it."
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, blazing with irritation. "Keep talking, and I'll hang you off the edge."
---
She pressed her paw against the symbol of the crescent moon, the glowing rune shifting as it locked into place. The pedestal emitted a faint hum, and the carvings along the platform's edge began to pulse in response.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Am I doing this right?"
"First alignment successful. Host must proceed with remaining principles."
Her tail flicked sharply. "One down, two to go."
---
The Frost Minks chirped softly, their tiny eyes fixed on the pedestal as Aria studied the remaining runes. The smallest one squeaked quietly, nudging her neck.
"I know," she muttered, her claws flexing. "I'm working on it."
---
She pressed her paw against the symbol of the tree, its branching roots glowing faintly as the rune shifted into place. The pedestal's hum grew louder, and the carvings along the walls pulsed in unison.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "How's that?"
"Second alignment successful. Final principle remains."
Her fur bristled. "Almost there."
---
The final rune, a paw print, glowed faintly as Aria pressed her paw against it. The symbol locked into place, and the pedestal emitted a bright flash of light that illuminated the platform. The carvings along the walls glowed brightly, their rhythmic pulses creating a harmonious melody.
The Frost Minks chirped in excitement, their tiny bodies trembling as they pressed closer to Aria.
"It's done," she muttered, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Finally."
---
The pedestal's glow faded, and a section of the rock wall slid open, revealing a narrow passage that led deeper into the mountain. The faint hum of energy lingered in the air, a reminder of the trial they had just completed.
Xuan Hao smirked faintly, his dark eyes glinting. "Not bad."
Aria growled softly, her claws flexing. "Don't start."
---
The Frost Minks chirped nervously as the group stepped into the passage, their tiny eyes darting to the shadows that loomed ahead. The smallest one climbed onto Aria's back, squeaking softly as it nuzzled her fur.
"For now," she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing, "we've passed the test. But I know this isn't over."
The faint melody from the carvings followed them into the darkness, fading slowly as they ventured deeper into the mountain.