The passage beyond the Trial felt different, as though the air itself carried a weight it hadn't before. Each breath I took was heavy, sharp, laced with something metallic that clung to the back of my throat. The glowing carvings along the walls pulsed weakly, their light flickering like dying embers.
The orb in my hand felt heavier too, its warmth fading into a cold, steady thrum that vibrated through my arm. The shadows inside swirled with a restless energy, moving erratically as if agitated by something just out of sight.
I walked cautiously, every step echoing unnaturally through the narrowing corridor. The walls pressed closer, jagged and uneven, their surfaces glistening faintly in the dim light. The hum of the dungeon had shifted again, growing louder and more erratic, like a heartbeat thrown out of rhythm.
The unease that had followed me since the first Trial had evolved into something more sinister—a gnawing sensation at the back of my mind, as if I were being watched.
The corridor twisted sharply, and I found myself in a new passage. It was darker here, the faint glow from the walls barely illuminating the jagged floor. The air grew heavier with every step I took, and soon the sound of my breathing drowned out even the hum of the dungeon.
I stopped to steady myself, leaning against the wall as the cold seeped into my skin. The shadows within the orb stirred violently, and a sharp jolt shot through my chest.
"What now?" I muttered under my breath, my voice barely audible.
The shadows didn't answer, but their movements became more chaotic, thrashing against the orb's surface like they were trying to escape.
Then, the whispers began.
At first, they were faint, barely distinguishable from the hum of the dungeon. A soft, almost melodic murmur that seemed to come from every direction at once. But as I moved deeper, the voices grew louder.
"Kei…"
The sound of my name froze me in place. My heart skipped a beat as I turned sharply, my eyes scanning the shadows behind me. The corridor was empty, silent save for the whispers that seemed to seep from the walls themselves.
"Kei…" the voices called again, more insistent this time.
I tightened my grip on the orb, feeling the shadows within it churn violently.
"It's just the dungeon," I whispered to myself, though my voice shook. "Another trick."
But the whispers didn't stop.
They grew louder, overlapping into a dissonant chorus of voices that filled the air around me. Some were soft and pleading, others sharp and mocking.
"Failure…"
"Zero…"
"Why do you keep going?"
The words cut deep, but I forced myself forward, my steps uneven. The shadows within the orb thrashed wildly, reacting to the voices as though they recognized them.
The corridor seemed to twist around me, the walls shifting and warping as the whispers grew louder. Faces began to form in the shadows along the walls, flickering and distorted, their mouths moving in time with the voices.
"You don't belong here," one of them hissed, its hollow eyes boring into mine.
I stumbled back, clutching the orb tightly. The shadows erupted outward, lashing at the walls, and the faces shattered like glass, dissolving into smoke.
The whispers faded into silence, leaving me alone in the dark.
The corridor opened into a large chamber, its walls lined with jagged carvings that glowed faintly. In the center stood an altar, cracked and weathered, its surface covered in symbols that pulsed with a strange, unsettling light.
I approached cautiously, the orb in my hand growing warmer as I drew closer. The shadows within it stirred, their movements growing more deliberate, as though they recognized the altar.
The energy radiating from the altar was palpable, a low, rhythmic pulse that matched the thrum of the orb. Carved into its surface were words, deep and angular, glowing faintly with a light that seemed alive.
I couldn't read the symbols, but the moment my eyes fell on them, their meaning poured into my mind like a torrent.
"The shadows are chaos, unbound by time or light. They destroy and reshape, consuming all that they touch. To wield them is to invite madness. To master them is to be unmade—and remade."
The words sent a chill through my body.
"Unmade?" I muttered aloud, running my fingers over the carvings.
The orb pulsed sharply in response, and the shadows within it erupted outward, swirling around the altar. The runes on the walls flared brightly, filling the chamber with a harsh, flickering light.
The whispers returned, louder and more distinct than before.
"Do you seek power, or salvation?" they hissed.
I stumbled back, my chest tightening as the shadows coiled around me. The black veins beneath my skin began to glow brighter, spreading up my arms and across my shoulders.
The altar seemed to pulse in time with the shadows, its symbols shifting and twisting.
"Do you seek to destroy, or to create?" the voices demanded.
"I don't know!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "I didn't ask for this!"
The shadows surged, wrapping around my legs and dragging me to the ground. I thrashed against their grip, the orb in my hand glowing brighter as the tendrils tightened around me.
"You must choose!" the voices roared, their tone deafening.
"I just want to survive!" I screamed, my voice raw.
The chamber fell silent.
The shadows recoiled suddenly, snapping back into the orb as the light in the chamber dimmed. I lay on the ground, gasping for air, my body trembling. The whispers were gone, replaced by an oppressive silence that pressed against my ears.
I forced myself to my knees, staring at the altar. The symbols on its surface had stopped glowing, their meaning fading from my mind.
The Keeper's voice echoed faintly, calm and distant.
"You are beginning to understand."
I glared at the darkness around me, my fists clenching. "Understand what?" I demanded. "That this power is killing me?"
"The shadows are chaos," the Keeper replied. "They are both a gift and a curse. To wield them is to walk the edge of madness. But in madness, there is freedom."
I forced myself to stand, my legs unsteady but firm. The orb in my hand pulsed faintly, its light steadier now, though the shadows within it still writhed uneasily.
Ahead, another passageway opened, its entrance framed by glowing carvings that pulsed faintly in time with the orb.
"The path forward is perilous," the Keeper said. "But it is the only way."
I stared down the corridor, my chest heavy with uncertainty.
The whispers might return. The shadows might pull me deeper into chaos.
But I wasn't going to stop.
Not now.
I tightened my grip on the orb and stepped forward.