The Grand Keeper's voice echoed through the silent chamber as the remnants of the golem crumbled to dust. "The first trial is over. Now, you will face your true test."
Rayan steadied himself, his body aching from the battle. Azura's golden feathers had been a distant memory for too long, and he longed to feel the gryphon's wings beneath him. But this was far from over. The Grand Keeper's words had been clear: two more trials awaited them.
Kael stepped forward, his staff still glowing faintly from the spell. "What's next?" he asked, his voice heavy with weariness. Even the starmage had limits, and the last spell had clearly taken a toll.
The Keeper's gaze turned toward the vast wall behind him. "The second trial is not one of strength, but of mind. You must face your own reflection." He extended a hand, and the stone wall parted, revealing a darkened passage beyond.
Rayan felt an uneasy chill creep up his spine. "Our reflection?"
"You will understand soon enough," the Keeper said, stepping aside. "Enter the passage. And beware, for your mind may be your worst enemy."
Rayan exchanged a glance with Kael, who looked just as uneasy. Eron, ever the skeptic, simply grinned. "Sounds like a walk in the park compared to that rock giant."
Without another word, Rayan entered the passage, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The air grew colder, and an unnatural stillness pressed down on them. As they walked deeper into the temple's heart, Rayan's mind began to wander.
"I've faced worse than this," he muttered to himself. The sound of his own voice seemed to reverberate strangely in the tunnel, almost as if the walls were mocking him.
The passage twisted and turned, growing darker the farther they went. After what felt like an eternity, they emerged into a large, circular room, the walls lined with mirrors. Each mirror was framed with ancient runes, glowing faintly as if imbued with magic. The center of the room was empty, save for a single pedestal where a crystal orb rested.
The moment Rayan stepped into the room, the mirrors shimmered. His reflection in the nearest one rippled like water, and suddenly, it was no longer him staring back. A dark version of himself stood in the glass, a twisted, malevolent version with glowing red eyes and a cruel, mocking smile.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the reflection said, its voice a twisted echo of Rayan's own. "The Skyhunter, too proud to see what's within."
Rayan recoiled, but the reflection's voice followed him. "You think you're special? That the stars chose you? You're just like the rest of them. Weak, pathetic—nothing more than a pawn in a game you don't even understand."
Kael and Eron stepped forward, but Rayan raised a hand. "Stay back," he said, his voice steady despite the growing fear in his chest. "This is my trial."
The reflection smirked, stepping forward. "Your trial? No, Rayan. This is your truth." It reached out, and the mirror shattered, leaving Rayan standing in the center of the room with only the orb before him.
He could feel the weight of the room closing in, pressing down on his chest. His reflection had shown him the darkness he tried so hard to ignore—the self-doubt, the fear of failing everyone who depended on him, the rage that simmered beneath his calm exterior.
"You're a failure, Skyhunter," the voice of his reflection whispered, its words like daggers in his heart. "You're no hero. You're just another fool who thinks he can change the world."
Rayan's hands shook as he reached for his bow, but it felt heavier than ever. "I'm not you," he said through clenched teeth. "I won't be."
"Then prove it," the reflection sneered. "Show me that you're not afraid."
Suddenly, the orb before him began to glow. The mirrors around him fractured, each piece showing a different version of Rayan's reflection. One showed him running away from his destiny, one showed him lying dead in battle, and another showed him kneeling before the Shadow Sovereign, broken and defeated.
The weight of the images threatened to overwhelm him. But Rayan didn't break. He forced himself to meet his own eyes in the shattered glass.
"You're right," Rayan whispered to the fragments of his reflection. "I'm afraid. I'm terrified, in fact. But I won't let that stop me. I've got people counting on me. And no matter what you say, I'll never give up."
The moment he said those words, the mirrors shattered completely, the room flooding with light. The orb on the pedestal pulsed, and the golden doors to the Vault of Light creaked open.
Kael stepped forward, his face inscrutable. "You've passed the second trial."
Eron raised an eyebrow. "I thought this was supposed to be hard."
Rayan stood tall, despite the exhaustion settling in. "The hardest part was facing what's inside me." He glanced at Kael. "What's next?"
The Keeper's voice boomed through the chamber. "The final trial awaits. Prepare yourselves, Skyhunter."