The landscape around Kain shifted as he continued on his journey. The desolation of the ruins gave way to more diverse terrain—a mix of jagged cliffs, deep ravines, and dense forests. The crystal in his hand pulsed with an undeniable rhythm, guiding him deeper into the unknown. He could feel the Luck weaving its threads around him, tightening its hold with each step he took. The figure's words echoed in his mind: The Luck will test you. It felt like an ominous prophecy, and Kain wasn't sure he was ready to face it.
His thoughts swirled, a maelstrom of doubt and determination. The path ahead was uncertain, but he couldn't afford to hesitate. The Luck had chosen him, whether by fate or chance, and he was now bound to it. If he wanted to survive, he had to understand it—control it, even. But first, he had to face whatever trial was coming his way.
Hours passed as Kain walked through the shifting landscape, the only sound the soft rustle of his boots against the uneven ground. Despite the silence, he could sense something watching him. The air felt heavy, charged with energy, as though something—or someone—was observing his every move. It was as if the world itself was waiting for him to make a mistake.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Kain noticed something in the distance—a strange, glowing figure standing at the edge of the forest. The light it emitted was soft, ethereal, like the glow of the moon reflected on a still lake. But there was no mistaking the unnatural aura it exuded.
Kain's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword. He knew better than to approach an unknown entity without caution. The figure was still for a moment, unmoving, as though waiting for him to make the first move. Kain's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped closer, every instinct telling him to stay alert.
Then, without warning, the figure moved. It shimmered like smoke, its shape shifting and blurring in the fading light. Kain's eyes widened in disbelief as the figure morphed into a strange, fluid form—half-human, half something else entirely. Its skin was like liquid silver, rippling with an otherworldly energy. Its eyes glowed with an intense, unblinking gaze that seemed to pierce right through him.
"You have come, Kain," the figure said, its voice both familiar and alien, like a chorus of voices all speaking in unison. "The Luck has called you."
Kain didn't lower his sword. He wasn't sure if this being was an ally or a foe, but the air around it was thick with power. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice steady but wary.
The figure tilted its head, as though amused by his question. "I am the embodiment of the trial," it replied, its voice a strange mixture of warmth and cold. "I am the first test. And you, Kain, must prove yourself worthy."
Kain's grip on his sword tightened. "What kind of trial?" he asked, his mind racing. Was this part of the Luck's test? He had been warned that the Luck would test him, but he had no idea what that entailed.
The figure's expression remained inscrutable, but the air around it grew heavier, as if the very fabric of reality was bending under the weight of its presence. "The Luck is not just a force of power, Kain," it said, its voice growing deeper, more resonant. "It is a force of balance. It will test your will, your spirit, your very soul. If you wish to master it, you must first confront yourself."
The ground beneath Kain's feet rumbled, and the sky above seemed to darken, as though the world was shifting around him. The figure raised one hand, and the air trembled. "You have been chosen by the Luck. But it is not enough to simply exist within it. You must prove that you are worthy to wield its power."
Kain took a step back, his heart racing. The world around him seemed to warp and twist, and for a moment, he wasn't sure if he was still standing on solid ground. The figure's form shimmered again, and then, in a flash, it dissolved into a swirl of light and shadow. The very air seemed to pulse with the force of its departure.
And then, everything fell silent.
For a moment, Kain stood frozen in the stillness, the weight of what had just occurred sinking in. He had been chosen. He had been marked by the Luck. But now, he was faced with something even more terrifying: the trial. He could feel the Luck pressing against him, demanding his attention, and he knew that whatever came next would determine his fate.
A voice echoed through his mind, clear and sharp, like a distant thunderclap.
Face the trial.
Kain's breath hitched, his pulse quickening. The Luck was testing him, just as the figure had said. But what kind of test was this? What did it want from him?
Before he could think any more about it, the ground beneath him trembled again, this time more violently. The air crackled with energy, and a deep rumble filled the sky. Kain's sword hummed in his hand, its steel vibrating with an unexplainable force. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew one thing for certain: he was not in control anymore.
The world around him shifted again, and the landscape seemed to dissolve into nothingness. Kain's surroundings melted away, leaving him standing in an endless void, a place where time and space seemed to stretch into infinity. The crystal in his hand glowed with an intense light, pulsing in time with the beating of his heart.
Suddenly, a voice spoke, deep and commanding. "To pass the trial, you must face your greatest fear."
Kain froze. His breath caught in his throat. His greatest fear? The very idea made his stomach churn. He had faced danger before, fought battles against impossible odds, but facing his greatest fear—that was something entirely different. What could the Luck possibly want from him?
A shadow began to form in the distance, its shape shifting and warping like smoke. It grew larger, closer, until Kain could make out the details. His heart skipped a beat as the figure took form.
It was him.
But not the Kain he knew. This Kain was darker, twisted, a reflection of all the things he feared about himself. The face that stared back at him was cold, empty, and filled with malice. The eyes were filled with a cruel intelligence that Kain recognized all too well—the very same darkness that had haunted him for years.
The figure of his fear stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on its lips. "So, this is the hero who will save the world?" the shadow sneered. "What a pathetic sight."
Kain's breath caught in his chest as his doppelganger approached, its every step sending a ripple through the void. The figure's voice echoed in his mind, dredging up every doubt, every insecurity he had ever felt.
"You think you can control the Luck?" the shadow laughed. "You can't even control yourself."
Kain's pulse quickened as the figure's words dug deep into his mind. It was right. He wasn't in control. Not of the Luck, not of his own destiny. He had always feared this—feared that he wasn't strong enough to handle the weight of what was coming.
The shadow grinned, its form shifting into something more monstrous, more menacing. It lunged at Kain with terrifying speed.
This is the trial, Kain realized. This is my fear.
He couldn't run from it. Not anymore.
The Luck had forced him to confront the darkness inside himself. The question was: Would he fight it, or would he let it consume him?
Kain raised his sword, his grip firm as he prepared to face the terror before him. The Luck had given him the test. Now, he had to decide if he would pass it—or be destroyed by it.
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End of Chapter Twenty.