The temple loomed ahead, its towering spires disappearing into the clouds.
Cascading waterfalls framed its entrance, their mist catching the faint glow of glyphs etched into the temple's stone.
The air buzzed with energy, heavy with the weight of ancient power.
"This is it," Lira said, her tone measured. "The Temple of Trials. The first gate to the Nexus."
I tightened my grip on the fragment in my hand.
It pulsed softly, its light reflecting off the swirling glyphs carved into the temple walls.
"Are you ready?" she asked, casting a glance in my direction.
I wanted to say yes.
Instead, I nodded and took a step forward.
The massive gates were sealed, their surface engraved with intricate runes that seemed to shift under my gaze.
As we approached, the fragment in my hand grew warm, almost uncomfortably so.
"Place it there," Lira instructed, pointing to a pedestal at the base of the gates.
Hesitating only for a moment, I pressed the fragment into the pedestal.
It fit perfectly, and the entire structure groaned as if awakening from a long slumber.
The runes began to glow, and the gates creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hall beyond.
Inside, the air was colder, and the faint hum of energy was replaced by an eerie silence.
"Stay close," Lira whispered, unsheathing her blade.
We stepped into the temple, the doors slamming shut behind us with a deafening echo.
The glyphs on the walls shifted constantly, their patterns hypnotic and unsettling.
"Why do I feel like this place is alive?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Because it is," Lira replied. "These temples are tied to Elysia's very essence. They test dreamers like us, push us to our limits."
The hall opened into a large chamber.
At its center stood a circular platform surrounded by columns.
As we stepped onto the platform, the air shimmered, and the room darkened.
"Kay…" a voice whispered, soft yet sharp enough to cut through the silence.
The world around me began to blur.
I blinked, but when I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the temple.
I stood in a familiar place, my old home.
The scent of fresh bread hung in the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of rain on the windows.
It was warm, welcoming even, but something was wrong.
"Kay," the voice called again, clearer this time.
I turned and froze.
A figure stood in the doorway, their features obscured by shadows.
They stepped closer, and my chest tightened. It was someone I knew.
Someone I had left behind.
"You abandoned us," they said, their voice a mix of sorrow and accusation.
"No," I whispered, backing away. "I didn't"
The room twisted, the walls crumbling away to reveal an empty void.
The figure advanced, their form distorting into something monstrous.
"You ran," it hissed. "You always run."
"Kay!"
Lira's voice snapped me back to the present.
I was on the ground, my hands trembling as I gripped the fragment.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice shaky.
"The temple showed you something," she said, helping me to my feet. "An illusion. A reflection of your fears."
I glanced around.
The chamber had returned to its original state, but my heart still raced.
"Can it happen again?"
"Probably," she admitted. "The trials are meant to test us, and they won't stop until we prove ourselves worthy."
Before I could respond, the platform beneath us began to glow.
Symbols appeared, forming a pattern that spiraled outward.
"This must be the first trial," Lira said, readying her blade.
The symbols rose from the floor, swirling into the air and coalescing into a humanoid figure made of light and shadow.
Its voice was a low rumble, speaking words I couldn't understand.
The figure raised its arm, and the air around us shimmered.
Illusions began to form visions of my past, distorted and painful.
Lira stiffened beside me, her eyes wide as if seeing something only she could perceive.
"We need to focus," she said, her voice strained. "Don't let it control you."
I closed my eyes, gripping the fragment tightly.
The visions pressed in on me, but I fought to ground myself in the present.
"You can't change what's already done," I murmured, repeating the words like a mantra.
The figure lunged, its form shifting between solid and ethereal.
I raised the fragment, its light clashing against the figure's energy.
"Kay, watch out!" Lira shouted, blocking an attack aimed at my side.
The battle was chaotic, a test of both skill and resolve.
Each strike felt like it tore at my very being, forcing me to confront memories I'd buried deep.
Finally, with a burst of energy from the fragment, I struck the figure square in its chest.
It shattered into light, and the room stilled.
"Did we win?" I asked, breathing heavily.
"For now," Lira said, though her expression was grim.
At the center of the platform, a second Key Shard appeared, floating in a beam of light.
I reached for it, and as my fingers closed around it, the temple began to shake.
"Move!" Lira shouted, grabbing my arm.
We ran as the temple crumbled around us, the path behind us collapsing into nothingness.
The glowing glyphs flickered and died as we sprinted toward the exit.
Just as we reached the gates, a new figure appeared, blocking our path.
Unlike the illusions or the Guardian, this figure was solid and exuded an aura of authority.
"Who-" I started, but the figure raised a hand, silencing me.