Chapter 16: Crossing the Threshold
The gate before Leon flared with a brilliant light, the pulsating energy making the air hum. The inscriptions on the ancient structure glowed brighter, moving like liquid fire across the surface.
Leon hesitated, his body still sore from the previous trial. He glanced at Kaelina, who stood silently beside him, her expression unreadable.
"You said this gate only appears for those ready," Leon began, his voice laced with doubt. "But what if I'm not?"
Kaelina turned to him, her sharp gaze softening slightly. "The System doesn't care about your doubts, Leon. Readiness isn't a matter of how you feel. It's a matter of stepping forward despite the fear."
Leon clenched his fists, the mark on his chest pulsing faintly as if responding to her words.
"What's on the other side?" he asked.
Kaelina's lips curved into a small, enigmatic smile. "That's for you to discover."
Taking a deep breath, Leon stepped toward the gate. As he did, the inscriptions seemed to reach out to him, their glow intensifying. The air grew colder, and a strange pressure settled over him, as if the gate itself were testing his resolve.
"Once you cross, there's no turning back," Kaelina said, her voice steady.
Leon turned to her one last time. "Are you coming?"
She shook her head. "This is your trial, Leon. I can't interfere."
Swallowing his nerves, Leon placed his hand on the gate. The moment his palm touched the surface, a surge of energy shot through him, pulling him forward.
The world around him blurred, and for a moment, there was nothing but light and the sound of his own heartbeat. Then, he found himself standing in a vast, empty expanse.
The sky above was a swirling mix of colors, and the ground beneath him was smooth, reflective like a mirror. In the distance, shadows flickered—indistinct figures that seemed to watch him from the edges of his vision.
"Welcome, marked one."
The voice echoed all around him, deep and resonant. Leon turned, but there was no one in sight.
"Who's there?" he demanded, his fists igniting with flames.
The shadows moved closer, coalescing into a single figure. It was humanoid, but its features were indistinct, its form shifting like smoke.
"I am the Arbiter," the figure said. "A fragment of the System's will. You have been brought here to face the next trial."
Leon's flames flickered as he tried to steady his breathing. "What kind of trial?"
The Arbiter extended a hand, and the reflective ground beneath them shifted, transforming into a battlefield. Towering creatures with glowing eyes emerged, each one more menacing than the last.
"Survival," the Arbiter said simply. "Prove your worth by enduring what lies ahead."
Leon's mark burned fiercely, and he felt a rush of energy course through him. The battlefield came alive with movement as the creatures charged, their roars shaking the very air.
He tightened his grip on his power, summoning not just fire but shards of crystalline energy like before. This time, he wielded them with greater precision, hurling them at the advancing foes.
The first creature—a hulking beast with spiked limbs—let out a pained howl as the shards struck true, piercing its glowing core. It collapsed into a heap of ash, but two more took its place.
Leon gritted his teeth, his mind racing. Each victory brought a sense of triumph, but the unrelenting wave of enemies threatened to overwhelm him.
"You fight well," the Arbiter said, its voice cutting through the chaos. "But brute force alone will not see you through."
Leon dodged a swipe from one of the creatures, the Arbiter's words ringing in his ears. Brute force wasn't enough—he had to think, to adapt.
As another beast lunged at him, Leon leapt into the air, channeling his energy into the ground below. When he landed, a shockwave erupted, sending the creatures sprawling.
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent. Leon stood in the center, panting, his body trembling with exertion.
The Arbiter stepped forward, its form still shifting. "Impressive. You show promise, marked one. But remember—this is only the beginning."
Before Leon could respond, the battlefield dissolved, and the reflective ground returned.
"Your trial is not yet complete," the Arbiter said. "Beyond this lies a choice. Be prepared, for it will define the path you walk."
Leon's mark pulsed once more, and the expanse began to fade. When his vision cleared, he was back at the gate, Kaelina standing where he'd left her.
Her expression softened as she saw him. "You made it."
Leon nodded, his resolve hardening. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it head-on. The System's path was brutal, but he was determined to carve his place within it.