Alden sat in the dim torchlight, his breath still uneven, the memory of the trial seared into his mind. The vision of his burning village, the Hollow's voice slithering through his thoughts—it still clung to him like an unseen weight. But he had survived.
His father knelt beside him, his eyes searching Alden's face. "You did well."
Alden swallowed, feeling the Mark on his palm still pulsing with faint heat. "That… that wasn't even real, was it?"
His father hesitated. "It was real enough."
Alden looked away. The flames, the shadows, the Throne—it had all felt real. Too real. And yet, he had emerged on the other side. The first trial was behind him. But two more stood in his path.
"How much harder do they get?" Alden asked quietly.
His father's expression darkened. "The first trial was a test of fear. The second will test your will."
Alden clenched his fists. He had spent his life as a farm boy, dreaming of adventure but never truly knowing the weight of destiny. Now, it rested squarely on his shoulders. There was no turning back.
"I'm ready," he said, though his voice held the smallest tremor.
His father stood and extended a hand. "Then follow me."
Alden grasped his father's arm, pulling himself to his feet. Together, they walked deeper into the Sanctuary.
The corridors grew narrower, the air thicker. The torches that lined the walls burned lower, their flames whispering secrets Alden couldn't quite understand.
Then, the path opened into a vast chamber.
Alden inhaled sharply. This room was different from the others. The walls weren't stone—they were made of glass. Or perhaps something older, something more alive. They shimmered with colors that shifted like the night sky, reflecting images that didn't belong to this world.
In the center of the chamber stood a gate.
It was massive, stretching high above them, its frame carved from obsidian and gold. Strange runes pulsed along its surface, flickering between light and shadow.
His father stepped forward, his voice quiet. "The Gate of Eternity."
Alden's pulse quickened. "This is the second trial?"
His father nodded. "This gate is more than just a passage—it is a mirror. It does not open with force, nor with magic. It only opens when it recognizes the one who stands before it."
Alden frowned. "Recognizes?"
"The gate will show you the truth of yourself," his father said. "Not who you think you are—but who you truly are. If you can accept what it reveals, it will open. If you deny it… it will remain sealed forever."
Alden's stomach twisted. "And if I fail?"
His father's gaze was steady. "Then the Throne will never be yours."
Alden exhaled sharply. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to face something deeper than his fears. But ready or not, he had no choice.
He took a step toward the gate.
The moment his foot crossed an invisible threshold, the runes on the gate blazed to life.
The chamber trembled. The glass walls rippled. The air hummed with a power that made Alden's skin tingle.
And then—
The world fractured.
Alden blinked.
He was no longer in the chamber.
He stood in a vast expanse of sky.
Clouds stretched endlessly in all directions, golden light spilling across them. The air was warm, tinged with the scent of something familiar—something from his childhood.
Alden turned, searching for any sign of where he was. But there was nothing. Only sky.
Then—
A shadow moved.
Alden spun around. And froze.
Standing before him was… himself.
But this other Alden was different. He stood taller, his presence heavy with something ancient. His eyes burned with a golden light, and on his forehead shimmered a crown made of pure energy. The Mark on his palm glowed brighter, pulsing with raw power.
The other Alden studied him. "You are not ready."
Alden's breath caught. "What?"
The figure tilted his head. "You are weak. Afraid. You seek the Throne, but you doubt yourself."
Alden swallowed, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. "That's not true."
The golden-eyed version of himself raised a hand. The air shifted—and suddenly, the sky was burning.
Alden stumbled back. The clouds ignited, turning into flames that raged in all directions. But the other Alden stood unmoved, watching.
"You hesitate," he said. "You cling to your past, to the boy you once were. But that boy is dead."
Alden gritted his teeth. "I'm not weak."
The flames grew, forming shapes—figures.
Alden's breath caught.
His mother. His father. His village. All standing amidst the fire, their faces frozen in expressions of pain.
And behind them—
The Hollow.
It loomed in the flames, its form shifting, eyes like black voids.
The golden-eyed Alden gestured to the scene. "This is your destiny. If you are weak, they will all burn."
Alden clenched his fists. "I won't let that happen."
The other Alden smirked. "Then prove it."
Alden barely had time to react before the golden version of himself attacked.
The air exploded, sending Alden hurtling backward. He skidded across the burning clouds, pain lancing through his body.
He barely had time to get up before the other Alden was on him. A fist wreathed in pure energy slammed toward him—Alden barely dodged, the force of the strike splitting the very air.
His own reflection was trying to kill him.
Alden rolled to his feet, breathing hard. His opponent stood calmly, watching him with golden eyes. "Fight me," he commanded.
Alden's heart pounded. He didn't want to. He didn't want to fight himself.
The other Alden's expression darkened. "If you refuse, you will never claim the Throne."
Alden hesitated for only a moment.
Then he charged.
Their fists collided, sending shockwaves through the air. Alden's knuckles burned from the impact, but he didn't stop. He struck again and again, each blow filled with all his doubts, his fears, his determination.
But the golden-eyed Alden was faster. Stronger. Every attack Alden threw was countered with ease.
Then—
Alden's opponent struck.
A fist slammed into his chest, and pain exploded through him. Alden gasped as he was sent flying, crashing onto the burning clouds.
He lay there, struggling to breathe.
The other Alden walked toward him. "You are still weak."
Alden gritted his teeth. His vision blurred. His limbs felt heavy.
Then—
He heard a voice.
"No matter what happens, remember—you are not alone."
His father's words.
Alden's eyes snapped open.
He wasn't alone.
The Throne had chosen him. The Mark had chosen him. And he would not fail.
With a roar, Alden pushed himself up. The golden Alden struck again—but this time, Alden caught the blow.
Power exploded through him.
The Mark on his palm blazed with blinding light.
And for the first time, the golden-eyed version of himself hesitated.
Alden's voice was steady. "I accept who I am."
And with those words, the illusion shattered.
Alden gasped as he stumbled backward, the chamber returning around him. The Gate of Eternity stood before him—open.
His father watched him, a hint of relief in his eyes. "You did it."
Alden looked down at his hands. They were glowing.
He had passed the second trial.
But one more still remained.