The air inside the Temple thickened as the group moved deeper into its shimmering halls. The runes on the walls flickered, and faint whispers filled the air, fragments of sentences, laughter, and sorrow all tangled together like a song sung out of tune.
Eiji rubbed his arms, uneasy. "Okay, either the temple's haunted or it's trying to gossip about me."
Lyra tilted her head, listening. "It's reacting to your presence. The echoes remember the Oracle."
Kael walked ahead, his boots echoing sharply. "Stay focused. Temples like this test intent. If you lose concentration, the magic will consume your thoughts."
"Consume my what now?" Eiji asked, already distracted by a glowing mural.
The mural stretched across the chamber wall, showing scenes of ancient Oracles standing against monstrous shadows, sealing away chaos with radiant light. Near the end of the mural, the light faded, leaving the last Oracle alone, surrounded by darkness.
Pyra hovered close. "Guessing that's you. The last version, anyway."
Eiji squinted. "So my past self failed spectacularly."
The ground trembled. Runes flared, and a deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"The Oracle of Light returns. Face your first trial, the Trial of Echoes. Confront what you were, or lose what you are."
The floor split beneath Eiji's feet. He yelped as he fell into darkness. Lyra and Kael shouted his name, but the world blurred before he could answer.
When his vision cleared, he stood in a vast hall filled with mirrors that stretched to infinity. Each reflection showed a different version of himself, older, younger, battle-worn, or serene.
One mirror flickered, and his reflection stepped out of it, a taller, confident version of him dressed in ceremonial robes with golden eyes that glowed faintly.
"You again," the reflection said, voice calm but heavy. "How many times must we fail before you learn?"
Eiji stumbled back. "Okay, talking mirror me. Not how I planned to start my morning."
The reflection sighed. "You're not ready. You joke your way through destiny and expect luck to save you."
Eiji clenched his fists. "Look, sorry I'm not some perfect, divine Oracle. I didn't ask to be reincarnated or to have cryptic magic jewelry following me around."
The reflection raised a glowing hand. "You carry our burden, whether you want it or not. But power without resolve is just noise."
The hall trembled, mirrors cracking. Eiji's heart pounded. "I'm trying, alright? I just don't remember any of it."
The reflection's eyes softened slightly. "Then remember this."
He touched Eiji's forehead, and a flash of memory hit. Fire, screaming, and a collapsing sky. The last Oracle, standing alone as shadow swallowed the world.
Eiji gasped, stumbling backward. "I failed because I tried to save everyone at once."
The reflection nodded. "And because you couldn't trust anyone else to stand beside you."
Eiji looked up, trembling. "Then maybe that's what's different now. I do have people with me this time."
The reflection smiled faintly, then stepped back into the mirror, which shimmered before shattering like glass. The trial chamber dissolved into light.
When the glow faded, Eiji found himself back in the temple, sprawled on the floor. Lyra was shaking him, Pyra floating anxiously above.
"You were out for five minutes," Lyra said. "Then started mumbling about trust and ghosts."
Kael crouched nearby, examining the faint glow around Eiji's medallion. "The trial accepted you. You've passed the first one."
Eiji groaned, sitting up. "That was emotionally exhausting. Can I fail the next one and take a nap instead?"
Pyra smirked. "Nope. The universe clearly enjoys your suffering."
Eiji looked at the mural again. The final panel had changed. Now, the Oracle was joined by three companions standing beside him.
Lyra noticed too. "Looks like the temple approves of teamwork."
Kael gave a rare half-smile. "A miracle."
Eiji grinned weakly. "Hey, maybe this reincarnation won't be a total disaster after all."
The medallion pulsed once, a quiet, steady beat. Almost hopeful.