The air in the clearing felt thick, almost suffocating, as the group gathered around the ominous stone pillar. The green glow pulsated like a heartbeat, casting long, eerie shadows across the ground. Mina could feel the energy swirling around them—wild, unstable, and unnervingly powerful.
Adrian stood beside her, his presence comforting, but even his usual calm seemed to falter in the face of this strange and dangerous force. His fingers brushed against hers, sending a spark of warmth through her, but there was no time to indulge in the comforting sensation. They had a mission to complete. The System's warning echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of the danger that lay ahead.
[Warning: The unstable conduit ahead is a test. Proceed with caution.]
Mina glanced at the others. Rynn, the youngest member of their group, shifted nervously from foot to foot, his eyes flickering between the glowing pillar and the dark mist that surrounded them. Farah, their healer, stood with her arms crossed, a frown on her face as she watched the pulsating energy. She was usually the one to offer reassurance, but even she seemed on edge now.
"I don't like this," Rynn muttered. "This whole place... it feels wrong. What are we even supposed to do with this thing?"
Mina took a deep breath, trying to quell the rising tide of fear in her chest. She had to trust the map. The System had led them here for a reason, and it was her job to figure out why.
"We need to activate the conduit," Mina said quietly, her voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at her. "I think it's the only way forward."
Adrian turned toward her, his eyes narrowing as he took in the pillar's strange markings. "You're sure? The map didn't give any specifics about how to do it."
"No," Mina replied. "But I can feel it. The energy in this place is calling to me. This pillar... it's the key to moving forward."
The others exchanged uncertain glances, but none of them voiced their doubts. They trusted Mina. They had to.
"Alright, then," Farah said, her voice calm but filled with concern. "How do we activate it?"
Mina took another step forward, her heart racing in her chest. She could feel the pulse of the pillar thrumming through her body now, like it was resonating with something deep inside her. The map glowed in her hands, a soft blue light in contrast to the green glow of the pillar. The sensation was almost... familiar.
She reached out, her fingers brushing against the cold stone surface. The moment she touched it, a shock of energy coursed through her, sending a jolt of warmth through her veins. The world around her seemed to ripple, like the air itself was bending in response to the pillar's power.
Suddenly, the green light flared, and the ground beneath them trembled. Mina staggered back, her heart racing as she tried to regain her balance. The pillar's glow intensified, shifting between shades of green and blue as the energy surged, filling the air with a hum that resonated deep in her chest.
[Test sequence initiated. Prepare for traversal.]
The robotic voice of the System echoed in her mind, and the words sent a cold shiver down her spine. It was happening. The test had begun.
"What's going on?" Rynn's voice broke through the chaos, his face pale with fear. "Is this it? Are we supposed to... to go through it?"
Mina's gaze locked with Adrian's, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. She saw the same uncertainty in his eyes that she felt in her own heart. But there was no turning back now. The path ahead had been chosen for them, whether they were ready or not.
"We have to," she said, her voice firm despite the growing dread in her chest. "We have no choice."
Adrian nodded, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword as he took a step forward. "Then we go together."
Without another word, they all moved toward the pillar, stepping closer to the swirling energy that enveloped it. Mina felt the heat radiating from the conduit, and for a split second, it almost felt like they were standing on the edge of something vast and incomprehensible.
She reached out, her fingers hovering just above the surface of the stone. The hum grew louder in her ears, a rhythmic pulse that matched the beat of her heart. The air felt thick, charged with anticipation. Then, with a deep breath, she pressed her palm against the pillar.
The moment her skin made contact, everything changed.
The world around them seemed to shudder, as if reality itself was fracturing. The pillar's light exploded outward in a blinding flash, engulfing them in an overwhelming rush of energy. Mina gasped, her body jerking back as the force of the blast knocked her off her feet. The last thing she saw before the light consumed her was Adrian's outstretched hand reaching for her.
---
When Mina opened her eyes again, she was no longer standing in the clearing.
Instead, she found herself in an entirely different world—one that seemed to exist outside the boundaries of time and space. The air was thick with swirling patterns of light, and the ground beneath her feet was soft and malleable, like it was constantly shifting. She could hear whispers in the distance, voices that seemed to echo from all around her, but when she turned to look, there was no one there.
"Mina?"
The sound of Adrian's voice broke through the disorienting silence, and she turned to find him standing a few paces away. He looked just as confused as she felt, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes when he saw her.
"We made it," Adrian said, his voice soft but filled with awe. "But... where are we?"
Mina's eyes scanned the strange new world around them. The landscape was otherworldly—shifting and pulsating with colors that didn't exist in her world. There were no stars in the sky, just swirling vortexes of energy, like the entire realm was alive and breathing.
"I don't know," Mina whispered. "But I think we're inside the conduit. This place... it's not part of the novel. It's something else entirely."
Adrian frowned, his gaze turning toward the others. Farah and Rynn had also appeared in the strange realm, each of them looking equally disoriented and unsure.
"This isn't right," Farah murmured, glancing around nervously. "This place... it feels like a dream, but I know it isn't. This is real, isn't it?"
Mina nodded, trying to steady her breathing. "I think so. But this isn't just a test. We're inside something bigger. Something that wasn't supposed to exist."
The voice of the System filled her mind again, its tone colder this time.
[Error: Unspecified anomaly detected. Reassess your objective.]
Mina felt her heart sink. The System had always been a source of guidance, but now it felt like it was losing control—just as she was. The path ahead was uncertain, and whatever this place was, it was not part of the world she had come to know.
But she couldn't afford to back down now. The stakes were higher than ever before. The world was on the edge of collapse, and she had no idea what the next test would hold.
But one thing was certain: they were no longer just correcting a story. They were stepping into something far more dangerous—and it was only a matter of time before they faced the consequences of their actions.