Alden took a slow, steady breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he gazed into the vast expanse of the Veil of Shadows. The world around him was an eerie, unnatural realm—neither fully night nor day, neither solid nor intangible. The sky above swirled with shifting shades of black and violet, as though reality itself was unraveling.
The ground beneath his feet pulsed like a living thing, sending faint vibrations through his boots. Strange structures loomed in the distance—massive, jagged formations that resembled ruins, though they shimmered and flickered, as if on the brink of fading from existence.
Beside him, Selene Veylan stood motionless, her golden eyes scanning their surroundings.
"This place is alive," Alden murmured.
Selene nodded. "The Veil of Shadows is not just a passage. It's a test."
Alden glanced at her. "A test of what?"
She smirked. "Of whether you deserve the Celestial Key."
Alden exhaled. "Of course."
A distant whisper curled through the air, like the wind carrying voices. Alden turned sharply, hand on his sword.
Selene remained calm. "Don't listen too closely."
"What are they?"
She hesitated. "Echoes. Shadows of those who have walked this path before… and failed."
Alden swallowed hard. He had read of such things in the archives of the Sanctuary—souls trapped between realms, lingering in places where the barriers of the world were thin.
Ahead, the path wound through the shifting landscape, leading toward what looked like a black monolith in the distance. It pulsed faintly, as if drawing them toward it.
Selene stepped forward. "Stay close."
Alden followed.
The First Trial: The Mirror of Truth
They had not walked far when the path ahead split in two.
Alden frowned. The left path led toward what looked like a bridge of floating stones, suspended over an endless void. The right path, however, led toward a vast obsidian gate, cracked down the center as if something had forced its way through.
Selene stopped. "It has begun."
Alden looked at her. "What?"
"The trials." She gestured at the paths. "This is the first. You must choose."
Alden studied both paths. "Which is the right one?"
Selene smiled faintly. "That depends."
He exhaled, stepping toward the bridge. But as soon as he neared it, a figure appeared.
It was himself.
Alden staggered back.
His own reflection stood before him—except this version of himself was different. His eyes were darker, his expression colder. Power radiated from him, sharp and unrestrained.
Alden knew what this was.
The Mirror of Truth.
His reflection smirked. "You hesitate."
Alden narrowed his eyes. "You're not real."
The reflection chuckled. "Aren't I? I am everything you could be, if you just stopped holding back."
Alden's grip tightened on his sword. "I will not become you."
The reflection stepped closer. "Why not? Look at you—always afraid of what you might become. Always doubting yourself." His smirk deepened. "Why deny it? You crave power."
Alden's pulse quickened. He did.
A part of him always had.
But that path—the path of reckless power—led to the vision the Keeper had shown him. A world where he ruled, but at the cost of everything.
"No," Alden said, his voice steady. "I will not become a tyrant."
The reflection laughed. "Then you will become a victim."
It lunged.
Alden barely had time to react as his own shadow struck at him. Their blades clashed, the air crackling with magic. Alden fought with everything he had, but his reflection was just as fast, just as skilled.
Blow after blow, they traded strikes, neither gaining ground. Alden gritted his teeth.
Then he realized—
The fight itself was the test.
If he tried to win by force, he would only prove his reflection right.
Alden stepped back, lowering his sword.
His reflection hesitated. "What are you doing?"
Alden met its gaze. "I am choosing my own path."
The reflection snarled—but then, it cracked. Like shattered glass, it broke apart, its form dissolving into the air.
Alden let out a breath. The bridge before him solidified.
He had passed the first trial.
The Second Trial: The Endless Maze
After crossing the bridge, Alden and Selene found themselves standing before a massive labyrinth. Its towering walls stretched endlessly into the mist, shifting as though they were alive.
Alden frowned. "A maze?"
Selene nodded. "And not just any maze."
Alden took a cautious step forward. The moment he did, the ground beneath them shuddered. The walls shifted, rearranging themselves before his eyes.
Then—Selene was gone.
Alden spun around. "Selene?"
No answer.
He was alone.
Alden took a breath, forcing himself to stay calm. The maze was alive, moving with each step he took.
This was the trial.
And the only way forward was through.
He moved cautiously, tracing his fingers along the cold stone walls. The whispers returned, curling through the air, growing louder.
Then—
A voice.
His mother's voice.
Alden froze.
"Come home, Alden."
His chest tightened. It wasn't real. It couldn't be.
And yet—he wanted to believe it.
He turned a corner and saw a light. A door stood open, revealing a warm, familiar room—the great hall of his childhood home. His mother stood within, her arms open, her smile gentle.
Alden's steps faltered.
It was everything he had longed for.
But he knew the truth.
With a shaking breath, he closed his eyes.
The illusion shattered.
The maze groaned, its walls twisting violently. Alden pressed forward, ignoring the whispers, ignoring the lies.
Then—he saw it.
A single silver doorway.
The exit.
Without hesitation, he stepped through.
The Final Trial: The Guardian of the Key
Beyond the maze, Alden found himself standing in a vast, open courtyard beneath a starless sky.
At its center stood an altar.
And atop it—
The Celestial Key.
It was a small, ornate relic, carved from something that shimmered like the night sky itself. Light pulsed from within, ancient and powerful.
Alden stepped forward—
But the moment he did, the shadows moved.
A figure emerged.
Tall. Cloaked in shifting darkness. Its eyes burned with silver light.
"The Final Guardian," Selene's voice called from somewhere behind him. "Be ready."
Alden swallowed hard.
The Guardian raised its hand.
And the final battle began.