Scene 1 – Shattered Light
The explosion of golden light swallowed everything.
For a heartbeat, there was no chamber, no blades—only brilliance so intense it seared the air. Jemil felt the ground vanish beneath him, his body weightless, chains of fire wrapping tighter around his chest. His mark pulsed like a living brand, each throb threatening to split him apart.
When the light receded, he was no longer standing in the chamber. Neither was Kaelina.
They were both suspended in an endless void, blades floating around them like stars, their edges glinting with predatory hunger. At the center hovered the colossal predator-blade, its golden veins pulsing like a heartbeat.
Jemil staggered, clutching at his burning chest. Kaelina steadied herself beside him, sword raised, her gaze sharp despite the weight of the trial pressing on her spirit.
The voice came again—low, resonant, impossible to ignore.
Hunter. Prey. Vows. Desire. Chains. Ashes. Only one truth survives. Choose.
