Thorns of the Moonlit Throne
Volume 3 — Chapter 6: Trial of the Celestial Forge
Writer: Sabbir Ahmed
The heart of the Eternal Eclipse pulsed like a living entity, rivers of starlight and shadow converging into impossible shapes.
Lyriana stepped forward, crown radiating in perfect harmony with the chaotic environment. The bridge beneath her feet wavered, but she felt no fear—only purpose.
"This is no ordinary trial," Eryon said, his shadow rippling nervously. "The Eclipse tests not just the body, but the essence of your soul."
Ahead, a vast forge appeared, suspended in the void. Molten starlight poured from celestial anvils, flowing like rivers into intricate mechanisms that shaped and reshaped themselves constantly. The air hummed with energy so intense it burned yet didn't harm.
A voice echoed from the forge, neither male nor female, commanding all: "To pass, you must forge unity from chaos. Separate, you perish. Together, you endure."
Aryn glanced at Lyriana. "Unity from chaos… like balance itself."
Lyriana nodded, stepping onto a floating platform of pure energy. The crown pulsed in response, extending a thread of shadow and light that connected with Aryn and Eryon. "Then we forge it… together."
The forge reacted immediately. Flames of starlight and rivers of shadow surged toward them, testing coordination and resolve. One wrong step, one faltering thought, and the energy would consume them.
Aryn moved instinctively to shield Lyriana from a stream of molten light, only to have a shadow surge knock him off balance. Lyriana countered, directing a wave of balanced energy to stabilize him, her crown flaring in unison.
Eryon's shadows merged with the forge's energy, twisting molten light into flowing paths that guided them forward. Each trial forced them to anticipate, trust, and act as one.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the forge stilled. The rivers of starlight and shadow harmonized, forming a glowing sigil in the void. The crown pulsed once—steady and true.
The voice of the forge spoke again. "The first trial is complete. Balance endures when unity prevails. But the heart of the Eclipse still awaits."
Lyriana exhaled, hand gripping Aryn's. "One trial down… the true challenge is still ahead."
Above them, the Eternal Eclipse swirled, dark and radiant, as if impatient for what was coming next.