The shadowed figure lunged, its form shifting like a mass of living void. It had no face, no eyes, yet Reinhardt felt its gaze burrowing into his soul.
Instinct took over. Reinhardt sidestepped the strike, his sword flashing as he aimed for its core. But the blade passed through nothingness, as if cutting through smoke.
Selene was already moving, her hands weaving dark sigils in the air. Obsidian fire erupted from her palms, roaring toward the Gatekeeper.
The flames struck. For a moment, the creature froze, writhing as the fire tried to consume it.
Then, just as suddenly, it absorbed the flames.
Selene cursed. "Great. It feeds on magic."
Reinhardt didn't hesitate. He switched tactics, bringing his sword down in a powerful arc. This time, the blade met resistance.
The Gatekeeper let out a sound—a deep, unnatural screech. The moment Reinhardt's sword connected, the creature's form shuddered, shifting from shadow to something almost tangible.
Selene's eyes widened. "It has a body. But only when it attacks!"
The realization came a second too late.
The Gatekeeper's arm solidified mid-swing, slamming into Reinhardt's side. The force sent him crashing against the iron gates. Pain exploded through his ribs, but he pushed himself up just in time to see Selene duck under another strike, rolling to his side.
Her expression was sharp. "We can't kill it. We have to outsmart it."
Reinhardt wiped blood from his lip. "Then let's find out what it's guarding."
The Challenge of the Hollow Bastille
The Gatekeeper shifted, its form rippling with ancient energy. It didn't speak, but Reinhardt felt something stir in his mind—a whisper of thought that was not his own.
A test.
Selene caught on first. "It's not just here to keep people out. It's here to see if we're worthy."
Reinhardt's grip tightened on his sword. "And if we fail?"
Selene met his gaze. "Then we become part of the Hollow Bastille."
The Gatekeeper raised both arms. The shadows around them thickened, twisting into countless figures—warriors, prisoners, ghosts of those who had failed before.
Reinhardt exhaled, steadying himself. "If it's a trial, then let's beat it."
Selene smirked. "Glad you're catching on."
The shadow warriors charged.
Reinhardt and Selene faced them head-on.
The trial had begun.