Chapter 1683: A Mirror to the Soul

The silence stretched after the figure's declaration, heavy and stifling. Liora's fingers twitched at her side, her palm itching with the imprint of the fragment's residual heat. Around her, the others wore expressions that mirrored her own—a mix of dread and reluctant resolve.

"The heart of the Divide…" Elara murmured, breaking the stillness. Her voice trembled as she turned toward Liora. "You felt it, didn't you? The way it's… inside us now?"

Liora nodded, her throat dry. "It's not just a place. It's… alive. Watching us." She glanced at the shimmering form before them, unsure whether it was their judge, their adversary, or merely a part of this living trial.

"The trial will begin," the figure intoned, their voice reverberating as though the Divide itself spoke. "Each of you must face what lies within. Step forward when you are ready."