The cavern's luminescent glow lingered in the air as Vero and Levin pressed onward, their path illuminated by the faint light of the shard. The visions Vero had experienced replayed in his mind like a haunting melody. He couldn't shake the image of the fractured crystal and the chaos it had wrought upon the universe. The Keeper's words echoed in his ears: "The shards are drawn to you because you are both their bearer and their bane."
Levin's voice broke through the silence. "So, are you going to tell me what that shiny river creature showed you? Or are we going to keep walking in suspense?"
Vero hesitated, unsure of how much he could share. "It showed me… the truth about the shards. Where they came from. What they were before."
"And?" Levin prompted, his tone a mixture of curiosity and impatience.
Vero glanced at him, his expression grim. "They were part of something bigger. A crystal that brought balance to the universe. But when it shattered, it created chaos instead. Every shard is a fragment of that chaos, and the more they're brought together, the worse it gets."
Levin stopped walking, his eyebrows raised. "Wait. So you're saying this whole quest to collect the shards is actually making things worse?"
Vero nodded reluctantly. "That's what it seems like. But I don't have a choice. If I don't gather them, someone else will. And they might not stop at just bringing them together."
Levin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Great. So we're stuck playing with cosmic dynamite, hoping it doesn't blow up in our faces. Love that for us."
Despite the gravity of the situation, Vero managed a small smile. Levin's humor was a welcome reprieve from the suffocating weight of his burden. But his thoughts quickly returned to the task at hand. The Keeper had warned him that the path ahead would be perilous, and he had no doubt they were about to face another trial.
---
The corridor they followed soon gave way to a massive stone archway, its surface etched with intricate runes that glowed faintly in the shard's light. Beyond the archway was a vast chamber, its floor covered in a thin layer of mist that swirled around their feet as they stepped inside. At the center of the chamber stood a towering obelisk, its surface smooth and black as obsidian.
Vero felt the shard in his hand vibrate, its light pulsing in rhythm with the obelisk. He took a cautious step forward, his senses on high alert. Levin stayed close behind, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger.
The moment Vero approached the obelisk, the runes on its surface flared to life, bathing the chamber in an eerie, otherworldly glow. The mist thickened, and a voice echoed through the chamber—a deep, resonant voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Bearer of the Shards," the voice intoned, "you stand before the Trial of Unity. To proceed, you must prove your resolve and face the truth of what you seek. Are you prepared to endure what lies ahead?"
Vero squared his shoulders, his grip on the shard tightening. "I'm ready."
The voice chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down his spine. "We shall see."
---
The chamber shifted around them, the walls and ceiling dissolving into an endless void. Vero and Levin now stood on a platform of light, suspended in the darkness. Before them, three figures began to materialize, their forms indistinct at first but gradually solidifying into shapes that made Vero's heart sink.
They were versions of himself—each one representing a different path he could take. The first was clad in gleaming armor, a golden crown upon his head. His eyes burned with determination, and his posture radiated authority.
The second wore tattered robes, his face gaunt and hollow. His eyes were filled with despair, and his hands clutched at the shard as if it were his only lifeline.
The third was shrouded in shadow, his features obscured. The only thing visible was the shard in his hand, its light twisted and corrupted.
Levin took a step back, his eyes wide. "Uh, Vero? Care to explain why there are three of you standing over there?"
Vero didn't answer. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the figures before him. He felt an unspoken connection to each of them, as though they were reflections of his innermost fears and desires.
The voice returned, its tone colder now. "These are the echoes of your potential, the paths you may walk. The choice is yours, Bearer. Will you rule, sacrifice, or succumb?"
The armored version of Vero stepped forward, his voice strong and commanding. "Choose me, and you will unite the shards to bring order to the universe. You will be a king, a savior, a legend."
The robed version spoke next, his voice trembling with sorrow. "Choose me, and you will bear the shards alone, sacrificing everything to protect others from their power. You will be forgotten, but the universe will endure."
Finally, the shadowed version stepped forward, his voice a low, menacing growl. "Choose me, and you will embrace the shards' true power. You will become unstoppable, feared and revered in equal measure. The universe will bow before you."
Vero's mind raced as he tried to process what he was hearing. Each choice represented a path he could take, but each one carried its own dangers. He glanced at Levin, who was watching the scene unfold with a mix of awe and apprehension.
Levin stepped closer to Vero, his voice low. "This has trap written all over it. Don't let them box you in, Vero. You're more than whatever these things are trying to make you choose."
Vero nodded, his thoughts clearing. Levin was right. These were not his only options. He couldn't let the shards dictate his fate.
He turned to the figures, his voice steady. "I reject your choices. I won't be a ruler, a martyr, or a tyrant. I'll find my own path—a path that doesn't end in destruction."
The figures froze, their forms flickering as though destabilized by his words. The voice returned, now tinged with frustration. "You defy the will of the shards? You dare to carve your own path?"
Vero stood tall, his resolve unshaken. "I do. I won't let the shards control me. I'll find a way to restore balance without losing myself—or the people I care about."
The platform beneath them trembled, and the void began to crack, light seeping through the fractures. The figures dissolved into mist, their voices fading into the distance.
---
When the chamber reformed around them, Vero and Levin found themselves back in the obelisk's glow. The runes on its surface pulsed one final time before fading, leaving the chamber in silence.
Levin let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Well, that was intense. Are you okay?"
Vero nodded, though he felt drained. "I'm fine. But this isn't over. The shards will keep testing me, trying to break me. I have to be ready."
Levin grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good thing you've got me, then. Someone's gotta keep you grounded."
Vero managed a faint smile, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The trial had shaken him, but it had also strengthened his resolve. He knew the journey would only get harder from here, but he was determined to see it through.
Together, they pressed on, the shard's light guiding their way.