The air inside the sanctuary felt heavy, almost as if suffocating. Kael stood on the stone platform, his heart pounding in his chest. The glowing runes beneath his feet seemed alive, pulsing with a strange energy that made his skin to tingle.
Theron curiously watched him with a serious expression. "This is the first step, Kael. The void will test your mind, test your spirit, and also your resolve. If you make even the slightest mistake, the darkness will consume you."
Kael nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. It was already obvious he didn't have a choice. If he wanted to avenge his family and protect his sister Lira, then he had to become stronger. He couldn't let fear hold him back.
The runes on the platform flared with bright blue light. The air around Kael felt thin, and suddenly the world tilted. He felt as if he were falling, even though his feet stayed planted. His vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, he was no longer in the sanctuary.
Kael saw himself standing in the middle of a dark forest where the trees were twisted and roughly twisted, their branches looked like they were tearing at the sky like skeletal hands. Fog covered the ground, making it hard to see more than a few steps ahead. The only light came from a pale, eerie moon overhead.
Kael turned in a slow circle. "Where am I?"
"This is the void's realm," a deep voice answered from the shadows.
Kael spun around. A tall figure slowly stepped out from the darkness. He wore a dark cloak, and his face was hidden by a hood. Only his glowing red eyes were visible.
"Who are you?" Kael demanded, gripping the hilt of his sword. He was trying so hard to control his state of mind.
"I am your first trial," the figure said. "If you wish to survive the void, you must defeat me."
The figure raised a hand, and a sword appeared in his grip. The blade was long and black, with strange symbols carved into the metal. Without another word, the figure charged at Kael.
Kael barely had time to react. He raised his own sword just in time to block the strike from the hooded figure, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling backward.
The figure was fast, faster than any opponent Kael had ever faced.
"Focus, Kael," he muttered to himself. "You can do this. You only need to-"
The figure attacked again, and Kael dodged to the side, and immediately swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for the figure's side, but his opponent blocked it easily. Sparks flew as their blades clashed.
Kael's arms ached from the effort, but he refused to give up. He dug his heels into the ground and pushed back with all his strength. Slowly, he began to gain ground.
"Why do you fight?" the figure asked, his voice calm despite the battle. "Is it for revenge?"
Kael gritted his teeth. "It's for justice."
"Justice is an illusion," the figure said. "All that matters is power."
Kael ignored him. He focused on his movements, each swing of his sword, each step he took. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he didn't give up.
Finally, he saw an opening. The figure's guard dropped for a split second, and Kael struck at it. His blade slashed across the figure's chest, tearing through the dark cloak.
The figure staggered back, clutching the wound. For a moment, Kael thought he had won. But then the figure straightened up, and the wound disappeared as if it had never been there.
"You cannot defeat me with strength alone," the figure said. "Your true test is within."
Before Kael could react, the figure raised his hand. Dark energy surged forward, wrapping around Kael like chains. He struggled, but the more he fought, the tighter the chains became, almost making him immobile.
Series of images flooded Kael's mind. He saw the faces of his family. Their smiles, their laughter. Then he saw their lifeless bodies, lying in the ruins of their home. The pain was unbearable.
"You failed them," the figure whispered, as if it was in his head reading his thoughts. "You were too weak to protect them. You will always be too weak to protect anyone, even Lira."
"No!" Kael shouted. Tears streamed down his face, but he refused to give in. "I won't let the past define me. I will become stronger...for them...for Lira."
The chains tightened, but Kael felt something stir inside him. It was the void spirit. Its energy was wild and chaotic, but it was also powerful. Kael reached for that power, letting it fill him until he felt like exploding.
The chains shattered. Kael stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination. He raised his sword, and dark energy crackled along the blade.
The figure watched him with a new intensity. "You have embraced the void's power. But will you control it, or will it control you?"
"I will control it," Kael said firmly."I know I can."
The figure nodded. "At this point, you have passed the first trial."
The world shifted again. The dark forest faded, and Kael found himself back in the sanctuary. His legs felt weak, and he sank to his knees, gasping for breath.
Lira rushed to his side. "Kael! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he said, though he felt anything but fine.
Theron stood over them, his expression unreadable. "You did well. But this is only the beginning. There are more trials ahead. More...intense ones."
Kael looked up at him. "I'll face them. Whatever it takes."
Theron's eyes softened slightly. "Then rest for now. You'll need your strength for what is to come."
Kael leaned against the cool stone floor, his mind racing. He had faced his first trial and survived. But deep down, he knew that the hardest challenges were still ahead.
And in the shadows of the sanctuary, something dark and ancient stirred, watching and waiting.