The world beyond the shattered temple had shifted. With the activation of the Spiral Door's peripheral runes, a new map burned itself into Aarav's mind—etched in light, not ink. Solace, ever-watchful and more talkative lately, described the new locations as "Anchor Points," critical to reactivating the door's true function.
"You need three rings to stabilize the Spiral Gate, Aarav," Solace explained, his voice crackling with simulated static. "Each one is locked behind a trial… though the term 'trial' may be an understatement."
Aarav frowned, adjusting the straps of his makeshift satchel. "So, not like a board exam, huh?"
"No. More like... 'face your fears, break your limits, and don't die' kind of thing."
He sighed. "Fun."
A Long Journey to the First Edge
The first Anchor Trial was located at the eastern edge of the realm—a jagged scar of earth known as Sularan's Maw. The land became increasingly unstable the further he traveled. Plants twisted in unnatural ways, time dilated in strange pockets, and howls echoed through ruined ruins where no beast could be seen.
Despite the dangers, Aarav found something else on this journey: signs of an ancient civilization. Engraved murals, weathered statues, and crumbling obelisks began to appear more frequently. One mural in particular caught his attention.
It depicted two beings—one cloaked in radiant energy, holding a spiraling galaxy in his palm, and the other, monstrous in size, armor-clad and drenched in chaotic red flame.
"The Invader… and the Defender," Solace said, tone hushed. "This place remembers."
The mural showed the Defender embedding shards of himself across realms before falling to the Invader. The Spiral Door was visible behind him, chained and locked.
Aarav reached out to trace the glyphs, their meanings whispering into his mind.
"Sacrifice the Self to Preserve the All…"
The Trial Grounds
By the seventh day, Aarav stood at the edge of Sularan's Maw. A massive sinkhole opened before him, ringed by jagged black stones. At its center lay a floating monolith engraved with luminous blue runes. Three pillars surrounded it, one glowing faintly.
As he stepped forward, a circle of runes ignited beneath him.
"WARNING," Solace blared. "Initiation of Rune Sequence: Defender's Trial."
Before Aarav could react, the world around him warped. He was no longer standing in Sularan's Maw.
Rune Realm: The Defender's Trial
He found himself inside a pale-blue void where giant, geometric shapes floated lazily in the air. Runic symbols orbited around him, glowing brighter as he moved. The trial began not with a fight, but with a challenge of comprehension.
A floating platform appeared before him, symbols rearranging themselves constantly. A disembodied voice echoed through the space:
"Comprehend. Replicate. Transcend."
Solace's voice piped in.
"This is a test of foundational rune theory. Replicate what you learned in the ruins. Get it wrong and... let's just say it won't be pleasant."
The first pattern appeared—a defensive barrier glyph. Aarav, breathing heavily, began constructing the same with the runes he'd practiced. One wrong line, and the platform shocked his nerves like live wire.
"Ow—okay! Okay, not pleasant. Got it."
It was brutal. Six patterns, each more complex than the last. He failed twice, nearly lost consciousness once, but on the final one—a rune for temporal stabilization—something inside clicked.
The glyph responded to his will, not just memory. The symbols wrapped around his palm, and then his entire body.
The Reward – Memory Fragment One
When the trial ended, Aarav collapsed to his knees. The platform beneath him crumbled, and a single droplet of golden blood floated toward him. It touched his forehead.
A flood of memories surged through him.
He saw a younger version of the Defender—alone, desperate, forging the Spiral Gate using runes from fallen realms. The vision ended with a glimpse of the gate tearing open space itself… and the Invader stepping through.
Aarav gasped, vision blurry.
"You okay?" Solace asked, this time with a worried tone.
"I… I saw him. The Defender. And the Invader. This whole thing… it's way bigger than I thought."
"That was only part one. There's more."
As Aarav stood, his hand pulsed faintly. The rune he'd crafted in the final trial now remained etched into his skin.
A Glimpse of What's Next
He emerged from the trial chamber to find the monolith now partially opened—one of the three anchor slots was filled.
Solace scanned the area.
"Trial One complete. Two more to go. Want to guess what's next?"
Aarav raised an eyebrow. "Is there a 'nap and snacks' trial?"
"Nope. Up next: punch things. Hard."
"Great."
But deep inside, Aarav felt stronger—mentally sharper, rune circuits reacting faster. He looked at the horizon, then down at the rune-marked monolith. He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was learning. Evolving. And soon, he'd unlock the truth behind it all.