Chereads / The Fractured Ascendant / Chapter 25 - Chapter 23: Varyn’s Trial

Chapter 25 - Chapter 23: Varyn’s Trial

As Kael caught his breath, the ruins shifted again. The walls groaned like a living creature, and the oppressive shadows deepened. Varyn tensed beside him, his jaw tightening as the Mirestone seemed to turn its focus on him. 

"I think it's your turn," Kael said, glancing at his companion. 

Varyn gave a curt nod, his grip on his sword tightening. "Let's get this over with."

The ground beneath them quaked, and the scene dissolved into a familiar landscape for Varyn—one Kael had never seen. They now stood on the ramparts of a fortified city under siege. The sounds of battle filled the air: clanging metal, screams of pain, and the roar of flames. Soldiers in gleaming armor fought desperately against monstrous attackers—hulking creatures with gnarled claws and glowing red eyes. 

"This is... Fort Lyndale," Varyn muttered, his voice distant. 

Kael watched silently as Varyn's face twisted with a mix of anger and sorrow. It wasn't hard to piece together what this scene represented. Varyn had once mentioned losing something dear to him here, but he had never gone into detail. Now, Kael was about to see it firsthand.

The illusion solidified, dragging Varyn into its grip. Kael felt the Mirestone's power push him back, an invisible barrier forming between him and Varyn. This was a trial Varyn had to face alone.

---

Varyn's trial began as he stood atop the rampart, his younger self at the center of the chaos. He wore the colors of the fort's defenders, his sword bloodied from countless battles. Around him, soldiers yelled orders, struggling to hold the line against the advancing horde.

"Fall back! Regroup at the inner wall!" a captain shouted.

But young Varyn ignored the command, his focus fixed on a lone figure trapped on the battlefield below—a child no older than ten, clutching a broken spear and crying out in fear. The boy's resemblance to someone from Varyn's memories was undeniable, and the weight of recognition hit him like a hammer.

"Beren..." Varyn whispered, his heart clenching. It was his younger brother.

The memory replayed with cruel precision. Varyn remembered this day vividly: how he had disobeyed orders, leaping into the fray to save his brother. How his recklessness had cost him everything.

He watched as his younger self made the same decision again, charging down the rampart stairs and into the chaos. Monsters swarmed around him, but Varyn fought with a ferocity born of desperation, cutting down one foe after another. He reached his brother and shielded him, his sword a blur of deadly motion. 

"Stay close to me!" young Varyn yelled, his voice raw. 

Beren nodded, his tear-streaked face pale with fear. Together, they began to retreat toward the safety of the wall. But fate was cruel. A hulking beast leapt from the shadows, its claws raking across Varyn's back. He stumbled, his grip on his brother slipping.

"No!" Varyn shouted, his voice echoing through the memory.

Kael watched helplessly from the other side of the barrier as the trial reached its devastating climax. The younger Varyn turned to face the monster, his eyes blazing with determination. He struck with all his might, driving his sword into the creature's chest. But as the beast fell, another took its place, and then another. It was too much. 

Beren screamed as he was dragged into the shadows, his small frame disappearing into the darkness. The younger Varyn collapsed to his knees, his sword falling from his grasp. The scene froze, the memory suspended in time.

---

Varyn clenched his fists, his breathing ragged. He could feel the Mirestone's influence, its power pressing on his mind like a vice. This trial wasn't just about reliving the past—it was about confronting the guilt that had haunted him ever since.

"You can't save him," a voice whispered, low and mocking. "You never could."

Varyn turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as a shadowy figure stepped forward. It was a distorted version of himself, its form flickering like a dying flame.

"You failed him, and you know it," the shadow said, its voice dripping with malice. "Because of you, he's gone. You were weak. Reckless."

"No," Varyn growled, his voice trembling. "I tried to save him. I did everything I could."

"Did you?" the shadow taunted, stepping closer. "Or did you let your pride blind you? You wanted to be a hero, and it cost him his life."

Varyn's jaw tightened. The shadow's words cut deep, but he refused to let them break him. He had carried this guilt for years, replayed this moment in his mind a thousand times. He couldn't change the past, but he could choose how it defined him.

"I was reckless," he admitted, his voice steady despite the storm raging in his heart. "I made mistakes. But I didn't give up. And I won't let this moment—this failure—define me."

The shadow faltered, its form flickering as Varyn's resolve grew stronger. He stepped forward, his hand reaching for his sword. The weapon appeared in his grasp, its blade shining with an inner light.

"You're right—I couldn't save Beren," Varyn said, his voice firm. "But I can honor his memory by fighting for those who can still be saved. I won't let guilt consume me. Not anymore."

With a swift motion, Varyn swung his sword, the blade cutting through the shadow like a knife through smoke. The figure dissolved, its mocking laughter fading into silence.

---

The illusion shattered, and Varyn found himself back in the Mirestone. The oppressive shadows receded, the ruins returning to their usual eerie stillness. Kael stood nearby, his expression unreadable.

"You okay?" Kael asked, his voice quiet.

Varyn nodded, though his eyes betrayed a lingering sadness. "Yeah. I am now."

Kael didn't press further. He knew better than to pry, especially when it came to something as personal as what Varyn had just endured.

The voice of the Mirestone echoed once more, cold and unyielding. "You have both passed the first trial. But the path ahead remains perilous."

Kael and Varyn exchanged a glance. They had overcome the first challenge, but they both knew this was only the beginning. The Mirestone still held its secrets, and they would have to face whatever came next together