Jade moved at the front of the convoy, his pace steady but controlled, his eyes constantly scanning the environment. Aaron walked slightly behind him, silent as ever, while Ella coordinated the formation from the flank. The rest of the survivors followed in organized lines, their weapons ready, their senses sharpened by weeks of relentless survival.
Ahead of them stood their destination.
The ancient ruin.
It loomed in the distance like a forgotten god—massive, broken, yet still carrying a presence that pressed against the mind. Its structure was unlike anything Jade had seen before: towering pillars carved with strange symbols, fractured stone walls covered in dark vines, and an eerie glow that pulsed faintly from within.
Yet something felt wrong.
They had been walking toward it for hours.
And it wasn't getting any closer.
Jade slowed his steps.
His eyes narrowed.
Something was off.
The air felt the same. The trees looked the same. Even the ground beneath his feet felt… familiar.
Too familiar.
He stopped.
The entire convoy gradually came to a halt behind him.
Aaron noticed immediately.
"What is it?" he asked, his tone calm but alert.
Jade didn't answer immediately. His gaze swept across the surroundings again—left, right, behind.
Then he spoke quietly.
"We've taken this path before."
Ella stepped forward, her expression tightening.
"That's not possible," she said. "We've been moving in a straight line."
Jade shook his head slowly.
"No… not straight."
He pointed ahead.
"We're moving… but not progressing."
A murmur spread through the survivors.
Some tightened their grip on their weapons. Others looked around nervously.
The sky had already darkened.
Night had fallen.
A few survivors summoned their echoes—massive creatures that could carry them while they rested. Some climbed onto them, lying down cautiously, while the echoes continued walking with the group.
But Jade remained standing.
Alert.
Thinking.
Then Ella spoke again, her voice quieter now.
"I think… it's a loop."
Jade glanced at her.
"A time loop?"
Ella nodded.
"Or something similar."
Jade's expression hardened.
If it were truly a time loop, then they were trapped.
And time was not something they could afford to waste.
He exhaled slowly.
"Let me test something."
Without waiting for a reply, Jade summoned his vine.
From his chest, the crystalline vine burst out, twisting through the air before plunging into the ground ahead of him. It anchored itself firmly, its thorns digging deep into the earth.
Jade gave it a mental command.
Stay.
The vine stiffened, locking itself in place like a marker.
Then he turned.
"Move forward."
The convoy obeyed.
They walked.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Jade kept his senses connected to the vine.
At first, everything felt normal.
Then—
A subtle distortion.
Like something shifting.
Like space itself bending.
Jade's eyes sharpened.
"Stop."
The command came instantly.
Everyone froze.
Jade stepped forward slowly, extending his hand into the air in front of him.
Nothing.
But—
He felt it.
A faint resistance.
Like touching an invisible wall.
"This is it," Jade said quietly.
"The barrier."
Aaron stepped beside him, his gaze focused.
"I don't see anything."
"You won't," Jade replied. "It's not meant to be seen."
He clenched his fist slightly.
"If this is a loop, then crossing this point resets our position."
Ella frowned.
"Then how do we break it?"
Jade didn't answer immediately.
Instead, a strange look appeared on his face.
A mix of curiosity… and danger.
"I have an idea."
Aaron glanced at him.
"That look never leads to anything good."
Jade ignored him.
Instead—
He grabbed Aaron's arm.
Aaron's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"What are you doing?"
Jade looked at him calmly.
"Be my experiment."
Aaron stared at him for a moment.
Then sighed.
"I knew this was coming."
There was no fear in his eyes.
Only acceptance.
And perhaps… a little interest.
"Fine," Aaron said. "Let's see what happens."
Jade nodded.
He tightened his grip.
"Step forward."
Aaron moved.
Slowly.
Carefully.
His body approached the invisible barrier.
From the outside, nothing looked different.
But the moment his body began to pass through—
Something changed.
Jade felt it instantly.
A distortion.
A pull.
Like two opposing forces tearing at the same space.
Half of Aaron's body crossed the barrier.
The other half remained behind.
Jade tightened his grip, holding him in place.
For a brief moment—
Everything was still.
Then—
Aaron's body trembled.
A sharp, unnatural tension filled the air.
Aaron's expression shifted slightly.
"…That's not good."
Jade's eyes widened slightly.
"What do you feel?"
Aaron's voice dropped.
"…Pain."
Then—
"It feels like I'm being split."
Jade reacted instantly.
He pulled.
Hard.
But—
Nothing happened.
Aaron didn't move.
It was as if the barrier had locked him in place.
Then—
A tearing sound.
Not loud.
But horrifying.
Jade's grip slipped.
And in the next instant—
Aaron's body was torn apart.
Cleanly.
Silently.
Split into two.
Blood scattered into the air.
Some survivors gasped.
Others stepped back in shock.
Jade froze.
For the first time in a long while—
He didn't move.
Didn't think.
Didn't react.
Aaron… was gone.
Just like that.
Then—
A ripple appeared in the air.
Right in front of Jade.
A portal.
Dark.
Spinning slowly.
Jade stared at it.
His mind trying to process what had just happened.
Then—
A familiar voice spoke behind him.
"Nice try."
Jade turned sharply.
And there—
Standing as if nothing had happened—
Was Aaron.
Completely unharmed.
Jade's eyes narrowed.
"…Explain."
Aaron smirked slightly.
"That wasn't me."
Jade didn't speak.
He just stared.
Aaron continued calmly.
"My brother gave me something before I entered the trial."
He tapped his chest lightly.
"A reflection."
Jade's expression didn't change, but his mind moved quickly.
"A substitute body."
Aaron nodded.
"Exactly."
He glanced at the portal.
"It activates upon fatal damage."
Jade exhaled slowly.
"So you knew you wouldn't die."
Aaron shrugged.
"I knew I might not."
There was a difference.
Jade looked back at the barrier.
Then at the portal.
"So the answer is…"
Aaron finished the sentence.
"We don't cross the barrier."
"We trigger it."
Jade nodded.
"By sacrificing something."
Aaron smirked.
"Preferably not yourself."
For a moment—
They both stood there in silence.
Then Aaron stepped forward.
"Well?"
Jade didn't hesitate.
He jumped.
Straight into the portal.
The world twisted.
Space folded.
And in the next instant—
He landed.
On solid ground.
The air was different.
Heavier.
Ancient.
Jade lifted his head.
And saw it.
The ancient ruin.
Up close.
Massive.
Towering.
Real.
Behind him, one by one, the survivors emerged from the portal, appearing on the same ground.
Some stumbled.
Others looked around in awe.
They had finally made it.
Jade turned immediately.
"Everyone stays outside."
His voice was firm.
"No one enters unless I say so."
No one argued.
They had seen enough to understand—
This place was different.
Dangerous.
Aaron walked past them, heading toward the entrance.
Jade followed.
The moment they stepped inside—
The atmosphere changed.
The light dimmed.
The walls were covered in ancient carvings—figures of creatures, gods, and something far more disturbing.
Something that didn't belong.
Their footsteps echoed softly.
Aaron spoke quietly.
"It's time."
Jade glanced at him.
"To save your sister?"
Aaron nodded.
"Yes."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Only certainty.
Jade looked ahead.
Into the darkness of the ruin.
"We'll see if she's still alive."
He paused.
Then added calmly—
"And I hope she's not as reckless as you."
Aaron didn't respond.
But a faint smirk appeared on his face.
As they walked deeper into the ruin—
The shadows seemed to move.
Watching.
Waiting.
The real trial…
Had just begun.