The courtyard of Aethrion hummed with an energy none of them had ever felt before. The glowing crystalline structures that lined the plaza pulsed like the veins of a living being, radiating light across the endless silver sky.
Rudraen stood in the center, his long cloak swaying against the windless air. The twelve warriors who had accompanied him in the last battle stood in disciplined formation behind him. Their presence alone was enough to silence the whispers of the crowd of guardians, priests, and attendants who had gathered to witness this moment.
Ariv, Vaishnavi, Neel, and Rohit stood side by side at the foot of the steps, their eyes darting from one marvel to the next. They weren't in their world anymore. Aethrion was beyond imagination—a sprawling realm where light walked like flesh, where rivers glowed like molten glass, and towering spires pierced through clouds like blades aimed at the heavens.
"Listen carefully," Rudraen's voice cut through the heavy air like steel scraping against stone. The four turned to him, their curiosity snapping into focus.
"The barrier is active now," he said, glancing at the warriors behind him. At his signal, they struck their weapons into the ground in unison. A tremor surged across the courtyard, and the air shimmered as an invisible dome locked into place above the horizon.
"Now no Kalarak will breach this sanctum," Rudraen continued, his tone sharp. "But that does not mean safety is yours. You four… must prove that you deserve to remain here."
Ariv frowned. "Prove? What do you mean by that?"
Rudraen's eyes, cold and unreadable, met his. "Aethrion does not harbor weakness. Every being tied to the Veil System carries a weight. That weight either strengthens you… or crushes you."
The words sank like stones in their chests.
Rudraen turned and gestured toward the grand archway ahead—a structure carved from crystal so clear it reflected their own nervous faces. Behind that arch, paths spiraled away like veins of light, leading into chambers none of them could see.
"There will be trials," Rudraen declared. "Four gates. Four tests. Each of you will walk through your own gate alone. No one will follow. No one will help."
"Wait," Vaishnavi spoke up, her voice calm but edged with defiance. "What happens if we… fail?"
Rudraen looked at her for a moment longer than necessary, his gaze almost softening—almost. "Then you will not walk these halls again."
A sharp inhale passed through the group. Rohit clenched his fists. Neel's jaw tightened, his usual sharp confidence unreadable now. Ariv stood still, his mind echoing Rudraen's words on a loop.
Fail… and disappear from this place forever.
"Why us?" Neel finally asked, his tone carefully measured. "There are thousands here. Why only the four of us?"
Rudraen didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze slid to the horizon where the Aethrion towers shimmered like frozen starlight. Then he spoke, voice low, as if the weight of his words could crack the ground beneath them.
"Because your bloodlines have already chosen your fate."
The silence that followed was heavier than stone. Vaishnavi's eyes flickered, searching Rudraen's expression for meaning. Rohit looked between his friends, confusion tightening his features. Neel said nothing, though Ariv noticed the subtle twitch in his fingers, like someone hiding too many truths.
Finally, Rudraen raised his hand toward the archway. The crystalline gate pulsed with pale-blue light, splitting into four luminous doors, each marked with a sigil glowing like molten silver.
"Vaishnavi," Rudraen called, his voice calm but commanding. "You first."
She froze for a fraction of a second before stepping forward, her steps echoing in the silent courtyard. As she neared the gate, one of the glowing doors pulsed brighter, its surface rippling like water. The sigil above it blazed like a small star.
The gate opened with a sound like distant thunder. Beyond it lay darkness—pure, consuming, endless.
Vaishnavi hesitated just enough for Ariv to catch her sideways glance—a flicker of fear masked beneath determination. Then, without a word, she crossed the threshold. The door sealed shut behind her with a low hum.
Ariv stared at the sealed door, his pulse heavy in his ears.
What kind of test waits behind that darkness?
He didn't ask. None of them did.
Because deep down, each of them knew the truth.
Their turn was coming.