After the remains of the guardians scattered around the cave's entrance, Rio and Jin stood before the darkness that seemed to pulse with life, beckoning them to venture further. Their heavy breathing was the only sound in the eerie silence as the faint glow from crystals embedded in the cave walls cast an air of mystery and tension.
Jin, speaking in a low voice as he wiped sweat from his brow:
"The guardians were just the beginning… This can't be all there is."
Rio, watching the shadows dance on the walls:
"This place feels alive… like we're not alone."
Suddenly, the system displayed a new message in front of Rio:
"Proceeding further means facing your memories and your mistakes. From here, the truth hidden within this land begins."
Rio said nothing, but a strange pressure tightened his chest. He muttered to himself,
"Memories? What does that even mean?"
With heavy steps, they moved deeper inside. The temperature grew noticeably warmer, the ground beneath their feet rougher. The carvings on the walls seemed to shift subtly, as if replaying scenes from a distant past.
Jin, advancing cautiously:
"Do you feel that? It's like this place is watching us."
Rio nodded silently, then froze when a new message appeared:
"This cave is a forgotten laboratory, created as a gateway to the unknown. Prepare to face those who are no longer human."
After ten minutes of walking, they arrived at a massive chamber adorned with cracked pillars and dried fountains. At its center stood a massive metal door inscribed with intricate symbols. As they approached, a circle of blue light illuminated beneath their feet, and an ancient voice began chanting incomprehensible words.
Jin, gripping his sword:
"This doesn't bode well."
Rio, observing the shifting carvings on the walls:
"Stay alert… I think this is another test."
Before they could act, distorted shadowy figures appeared. They were humanoid in shape but covered in open wounds, their glowing red eyes filled with malice.
Jin, speaking with anger:
"These aren't human!"
Rio, gripping his sword tightly:
"They're souls trapped in this place… They've lost their identities."
• The creatures attacked with unexpected speed, forcing Rio and Jin to fight with precision.
• Jin delivered powerful strikes, while Rio focused on observing the creatures' movements.
• Rio shouted to Jin:
"Jin! Look at their necks—there's a weak point!"
• After over half an hour of grueling combat, they managed to defeat the creatures, but exhaustion was evident on both of them.
When the battle ended, the massive metal door slowly creaked open, revealing a grand hall filled with glowing crystals. These crystals reflected scenes from the past, their light flickering like memories being replayed.
Jin, glancing around the hall:
"What is this place?"
Rio, stepping closer to one of the crystals, saw a vision he couldn't comprehend. It was himself, standing in the midst of a battle, but the time and place were unfamiliar.
"This… this is impossible," Rio whispered, his voice trembling.
Jin, noticing Rio's reaction, asked:
"What did you see?"
Rio didn't answer. He could only stare at the crystal as messages began to flood his vision:
"This is where your path to Ascendance begins. You will learn, but at a heavy cost."
"Be patient on this journey, for your fate is intertwined with the secrets these crystals hold."
A faint explosion echoed from the depths of the hall, as if something enormous had been roused from slumber. The tension in the air thickened as their eyes met briefly, each wondering if they were truly prepared for what lay ahead.
Rio, with newfound resolve, said firmly:
"Let's go."
As the system displayed one final message:
"This is only the beginning. The end will not be what you expect."
As Rio and Jin ventured deeper into the hall, the atmosphere began to shift. The glowing crystals became brighter, as if feeding off their presence. At the end of the chamber stood an immense gate, crafted from a dark, black metal and surrounded by glowing blue inscriptions.
Jin, studying the gate:
"This place… it's like it wants us to pass through, but are we ready?"
Rio focused on the system as it displayed a new message before his eyes. He read it aloud, his voice low:
"The Gate of Choice: Only those with strength and will may enter. What lies beyond could be your salvation or your end."
Rio, with a serious tone:
"This gate isn't ordinary. It's either going to grant us something unexpected or take something from us in return."
Jin turned to Rio and asked,
"Do we have any other options? It feels like this entire place was built to push us toward it."
Rio didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Jin and said,
"If we're going to cross, we need to be prepared for anything."
As they approached the gate and touched it, the space around them suddenly shifted, as if they had been pulled into separate realities. Rio found himself in the middle of a scene from his past, while Jin faced a nightmare resembling distant memories he couldn't fully recall.
In Rio's Vision:
He stood before a small body lying on the ground, its face obscured by blood. The child looked strangely familiar, but their features were blurred. A voice whispered from behind him,
"Could you have saved them if you were stronger?"
Rio felt the pressure in his chest intensify, as if the pain was alive within him.
"Who are you? What do you want?" he shouted.
The voice responded coldly,
"I am a part of you. I am your weakness. And you didn't do enough to save what you lost."
In Jin's Vision:
He was surrounded by flames, with screams echoing all around him. Familiar faces called his name, but he couldn't reach them.
"Why did you let them die? Was your life worth more than theirs?"
Jin, struggling to fight back, said with a trembling voice,
"I didn't have a choice… I wasn't strong enough."
The voice continued to torment him,
"Then why do you live? If you're weak and unable to protect what you care about?"
After an agonizing internal struggle, both managed to shatter the illusions through sheer willpower. When they returned to the hall, the gate was now open. Both looked drained, but something within them had changed.
Jin, speaking softly:
"This place doesn't just test our bodies—it tests our souls."
Rio, examining the open gate:
"If we've passed this trial, what could be waiting for us beyond the gate?"
As they crossed the gate, they found themselves in an entirely different world. The sky was illuminated with stars they had never seen before, and the ground was covered in massive crystals emanating powerful energy.
At the center of the landscape was a colossal stone throne. Sitting upon it was a shadowy figure, surrounded by an aura so intense it made the air heavy.
The entity spoke in a deep, resonant voice:
"You have proven yourselves, but power is not given freely. You must choose between what you want and what you need."
Jin, raising an eyebrow, asked:
"What do you mean?"
The entity gestured toward two swords floating in the air. One radiated brilliant light, while the other was so dark it seemed to absorb the light around it.
"Each of you must choose. But remember… the choice will change you forever."
Rio and Jin stood before the swords, fully aware that this choice was no ordinary decision. Time seemed to stand still as the entity watched them silently, waiting for them to determine their fates.