'Cold'
That was the first thought that appeared in Alix's mind upon re-awakening. It was unbearably cold.
Slowly, her eyes opened.
She was on the ground, obviously. However, this ground was familiar to her. She'd seen it recently. In the vision, this was the entrance to Sosech Temple.
The walls and the smooth limestone flooring. It all was reminiscent of that room. The only difference was this freezing air.
'Why is it so cold?'
She pushed up from the ground.
At least she tried.
Her arms lacked the strength to lift her up, and she collapsed instead. Now she felt an intense pain radiating from her arms.
"Why do my arms hurt so much?" She groaned.
Upon inspecting her arms, she found the issue. Her arms bled and ached. Something ripped them to shreds and left them in a poor state. At first she was confused, then she remembered how the vision ended.
The way she tore at the Null Mana in the air to force her way out of the mysticism. That process left her arms in this state.
"Right. That did more damage to me than I expected."
"You're telling me..." Alix flinched and turned toward the voice.
"Who's there?" She scoured the room until the speaker was found. A person who propped themself up against the wall.
"What, did you forget my voice?" It was Vorza, clad in his white robes. "Well, I guess that was centuries ago now? I'd forget it too."
"You..." Alix grumbled.
"What? Not happy to see me? Does it have anything to do with the fact that I let you get consumed by the mist? If it is, then I'm not sorry. You punched me."
"You deserved it."
Vorza opened his mouth to retort but couldn't think of a good comeback. He leaned back again with a defeated sigh. "Fine, fair point."
Alix rolled her eyes. Her arms still warped with pain that she ignored. "Is this the temple of Amalgamate? Am I truly inside this time?"
Vorza nodded. "Yeah, it's real this time. Master Amalgamate is in the room ahead." Vorza put emphasis on the mystic's title.
"They're waiting for you."
"Good, I've got some words for that bastard." She shifted, trying to get up with as little pain as possible.
"Want some help?" He offered, his face twisted into a smug grin. Alix glared at him and slammed her injured arms against the ground. Alix endured the sharp torment and lifted herself.
"That hurt to watch."
"Get over it. Take me to the mystic." Alix ordered.
Vorza didn't even try to say anything else to Alix. He turned on his heel and guided her to the next room. Their footsteps echoed as she entered the cavernous throne room.
Being in the room again reminded her of how ornate the hall was. Hanging braziers, glyphs etched onto the polished walls.
It felt less like the temple of some master spellcaster and more like the worship hall of a god.
The tall throne in the center only reinforced that feeling.
Her eyes climbed the throne until they arrived at the person sitting atop it.
The Amalgamate Mystic, also known simply as Amalgamate. This was the first time she truly stood face to face with them.
The mist hugged close to the mystic, obscuring several parts of their body. And with each shift, their body transformed. Vorza stopped several feet away from the throne and kneeled.
"Greetings master. I have arrived with the trial taker."
The eyes of the Mystic were steady and observant. They took in Vorza's reverence with the air of a person used to being worshiped.
Though they took notice of Alix's glare.
"You seem perturbed, or should I say bothered by my presence?"
"I am," Alix stated. "You trapped me in a spell. Did you think that I'd come in singing your praises?"
"Ah, this must be that characteristic insolence that I've heard about. Truly a marvel that someone so young could be this brash."
Alix took a step closer to the Amalgamate's throne. "So you've heard about me? From who, the mist? Or are fake gods all-seeing now?" Vorza couldn't help but break composure with that one.
"Fake god?" Amalgamate let out a confused grunt. "I don't remember claiming to be a god?"
"Yeah, right? I saw how the people worshipped you. Don't get me started on the monk training. By the way, do all of your monks end up lechers and attention seekers like this one? Or is that just for your direct disciples?"
"No, this one is unique."
"M-Master!" Vorza stammered, face flushed. "Shouldn't we get ready to send her into her trial?"
"Ah, right. I apologize." The mystic let out a low, breathy chuckle, which contrasted their momentary childlike appearance. Their fingers twisted and, like an extension of the being's body, so did the mist.
It swirled in the space dividing Alix and the tall throne. It was strange.
No wind was blowing, but the mist spun like a cyclone.
"What is this test that you are planning to have me take?" Alix questioned. "I thought I already went through your dumb test. I just need my fish now."
"Your fish… you must be referring to the one that you call Mo?"
"Yeah, that's him. You almost killed him with that spell of yours. Now I want you to return him. And don't act like he isn't here. There's nowhere else in this godforsaken town for him to be."
"He's here." The Mystic conceded willingly. "And that which you experienced before was less of a test. It was more of an examination."
Alix frowned. "Examination?"
"Yes, I wanted to know how you'd react if I separated you from your friends."
"Those annoying brats aren't my friends."
"Right, I forgot about the strange familial relationship you all have."
"They aren't my kids either!" Alix's jaw set. "Don't act like you know me just because the people in this town treat you like some sort of all-knowing power! Give me Mo and let me leave!"
"Alix, you're losing your temper," the mystic said.
Alix's face darkened. "I'm not losing my temper. You're testing my patience."
"From what I have seen, you have no such patience, Ms. Deminal."
"You don't know me, Amalgamate."
The tension between this young woman and this being with the shifting form grew denser. And the mist reflected that, becoming more opaque as the interaction bubbled to the pot's rim.
Vorza stayed to the side. His job finished the moment Alix and Amalgamate stood met.
Though watching this insolent girl talk back to his master was infuriating.
"I do not know you personally. However, the moment you entered my town, you have been under my gaze." Amalgamate stated.
"Hah," Alix scoffed, "There goes that god speech again. You really have an overactive ego just because a few people call you master?"
"I have said once before that I am no god, and I will tell you that again." The Mystic's voice reverberated through the mist that now seemed to gain an intense pressure.
Alix took a step back. A simple act to most that felt fear.
But not Alix.
She looked down at her foot as though it had betrayed her.
"What's this? Is your confidence finally showing its cracks?" Amalgamate's voice deepened.
Alix forced a smirk. "Are you trying to say that I'm afraid of you? Now who's the insolent one?"
A cruel, mocking chuckle filled the air. The mist darkened, an unwelcome but familiar sight. Alix tried to lift her arm, but the pain from the simple action was too much.
"Ms. Deminal, you are not afraid of me…"
"I know that much. Your theatrics are nothing more than an annoyance. Now that we've confirmed that I'm not afraid, get rid of this stupid cloud and give Mo back to me!"
"That's not what I said." The Mystic corrected. "I said you weren't afraid of me. Not that you held no fear at all."
"Are you saying that I'm afraid of something in this room? What is it? Your sad excuse of a disciple that's standing at the side?"
"Losing…"
Alix's eyes shook. "What?"
A hand made of the dark gray mist reached over to Alix and brushed her hair to the side. "You are afraid of losing. Not failing, not losing in a race or whatever else you were thinking I meant."
"Losing bonds. The people that you let into your heart, the ones that swear to stand by your side. You are terrified of losing the thing in this world that has always been taken from you."
Alix swiped at the misty hand, but it caught her wrist. She winced as the mist's grip on her tightened.
"There it is. That desperate rejection that you always turn to when someone calls you out." Amalgamate took shape in the mist directly in front of Alix.
Alix kicked and pushed, trying to break free from the mist's grip. Yet each attempt proved futile.
"You are incredibly predictable, Alix. Now it's time to begin your test."
"Y-you-"
"Shut it, you insolent brat!" They shouted. "I've had enough of this useless back and forth. Leave my presence."
Amalgamate's hand reached out, grabbing Alix's face in a massive palm. Alix's body went rigid when the hand enclosed around her head, but she didn't say a word.
An uncomfortably familiar feeling ran down her spine, just keeping her mouth shut.
"Go meet the ghosts that haunt you in the dark."
Amalgamate shoved her into the mist and out of his sight.
The last thing she saw was the cold, indifferent stare of the one everyone called Master.
Now she fell, unsure what awaited her in this test.
And terrified to face it alone…