It was dawn.
There was a faint mist in the air and while the sky was beginning to lighten, the sun had not yet woken up from its slumber.
The air carried a faint chill as Darius led Ren through the castle's private grove. Ren hadn't really explored the place, as it had been locked up tight.
While it had been the family's private grove, he hadn't seen anybody except his father and elder brother Felix, enter. Now, he was here with Darius.
Darius had placed a hand over the iron gate and it had swung open. Ren had wondered if the gate could only be opened by Bloodbinders before he'd discarded the thought. This wasn't the time for that.
The path they took was lined with gnarled trees, their leaves a deep red, as if they had been permanently stained by blood.
At the grove's heart stood the tallest tree, its roots twisting like veins through the earth. It had a dark red—almost black— bark and its leaves were a vibrant red like freshly spilled blood.
The air around it pulsed with an almost heavy energy that none could see, thick with the power of Bloodbinding. The ground itself seemed alive, breathing in time with the slow, rhythmic heartbeat of the tree.
"This, brother, is our families' Blood Tree." Darius said, looking up at the tree. "Some people say the Blood Trees are descendants of the White Trees."
"Unlike the White Trees which no longer grant abilities, the Blood Trees are what triggers the Pact."
Ren glanced at his brother before looking back up at the tree. Will I be able to use Unfettered Enhancement in the trial?
"Come." Darius walked closer until he stopped in front of a stone altar that was half-embedded into the Blood Tree's roots.
The altar looked ordinary, except for the fact that it was red, covered with dried blood. Its surface was smooth, except for a small, concave indentation in the center. Around the altar, the roots of the tree shuddered, almost as if they were waiting for him.
"This is it." Darius said, turning to face Ren. "By giving your blood to the tree and passing the trial, you form the Bloodbound Pact and attain the power of Bloodbinding, which will make you a knight."
Ren stared at the altar, his heartbeat beating to a frantic rhythm. "You said it would test my fears?"
Darius nodded. "The trial is tied to your blood, Ren. It forces you to confront your fears according to your lineage. No two trials are ever the same because no two people carry the same burdens."
Ren clenched his fists. "Then I'm ready."
Darius studied him for a long moment before stepping aside. "Then step forward. Place your hand on the altar."
Ren took a breath and stepped onto the stone platform. As he did, the Blood Tree seemed to react, its great trunk shuddering slightly, its roots slithering deeper into the earth.
The energy around the tree grew heavier, the air thick with power.
A low whine filled the air, vibrating through Ren's bones as if the tree itself was speaking in an old, forgotten tongue.
The moment his palm touched the surface of the altar, a sharp pain lanced through his hand.
Blood welled up, and before he could react, the roots of the Blood Tree shot forward, snaking around his wrist.
They weren't rough or jagged but felt warm, alive. Almost as if they were tasting his blood, analyzing it. The moment the blood touched them, the entire grove trembled, a deep, resonant pulse shaking the ground beneath them.
A gust of wind swept through the trees, despite there being no source for it. The leaves of the Blood Tree rustled, sounding like voices, whispering in a language that Ren couldn't understand.
The altar began glowing a crimson that mirrored the color of the tree's leaves. The roots tightened slightly around Ren's wrist, and then, just as suddenly, they withdrew, disappearing back into the earth.
The Blood Tree shuddered one last time before its pulse steadied, the energy settling into a rhythmic flow.
Then, Ren's vision darkened, the world spinning around him. The last thing he heard was Darius's voice, distant and echoing.
"Endure, Ren."
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Ren's eyes snapped open.
For a moment, he was disoriented, his head swimming. He groaned as he sat up, feeling the soft sheets beneath him. The ache quickly faded, leaving him staring at his blanket.
His head snapped up, taking in the sight around him. He was in his bed at the Ross castle.
Everything was the same it had been just an hour ago. Even the wooden beams above him were exactly as he remembered. But something was… off.
His body felt different, heavier. His limbs no longer carried the awkwardness of his ten-year-old self. His hands were broader, his legs longer.
His heart was pounding as he swung his legs over the bed. Standing, he moved to the mirror across the room. The reflection staring back at him was unfamiliar yet familiar.
He was sixteen.
Then, his eyes widened and a chill ran down his spine. How? He had been ten only moments ago.
Was this real? No, It couldn't be. He was inside the trial.
He nodded to himself and clenched his fists. This was the Bloodbound Pact. This was part of the test.
But why this moment? Why the… future?
A knock on the door made him turn to the door. A servant entered, dressed in Ross colors, bowing politely.
Ren frowned. He didn't recognize him. And no matter how hard he tried, the servant's face blurred in his memory, as if his mind refused to hold onto it.
"Lord Ren." The servant said, his voice eerily neutral. "Lady Lilith Underwood has arrived for a visit."
Ren froze.
Dread coiled around his heart like a vice. No. Not this day.
How had he forgotten?! He didn't know if there had been a force locking away the memory in his head, but now it came rushing back with horrifying clarity. He knew exactly what this day was.
This was the day Ren Ross died.
The memories felt like jagged fragments of glass in his mind. He'd read about this scenario on Lilith's wiki page.
The original Ren Ross had argued with Lilith. Something had gone wrong, and Lilith…
Lilith had taken his soul.
This moment had been the catalyst for her descent into madness. This was the first step toward her becoming the Third Great Calamity.
Ren inhaled sharply. So this is my trial? To relive the moment of my own death?
He could hear the sound of his pounding heart like a roar in his ears.
If this was a test, then there had to be a way to change it. He wasn't the same Ren Ross.
He wouldn't just let fate play out the way it had before.