Trial by Shadows

The night was as unforgiving as the memories that clung to Alex's soul. After Cassandra led him away from the charred remains of his former life, every step into the unknown was a step deeper into the labyrinth of his own torment. The remnants of the estate burned like spectral warnings behind them as they entered a narrow, winding path that led into the heart of the Obsidian Forest.

Cassandra's voice was low and measured as they walked beneath twisted, ancient trees whose gnarled branches clawed at the inky sky. "This forest," she explained, "is where you will face your first trial. The shadows here aren't merely the absence of light they are remnants of ancient curses, echoes of forbidden magic. They will test you, force you to confront not only the external demons that haunt our world, but also the darkness within yourself."

Each step Alex took on the uneven, leaf-strewn ground echoed like a drumbeat of impending fate. The air was thick with a damp chill, and an eerie mist slithered around their feet. As they advanced, the forest seemed to close in, branches intertwining overhead to blot out the moon, leaving only slivers of pale light to guide their path. The atmosphere was heavy with secrets, and every rustle and whisper in the dark set his nerves on edge.

Cassandra paused at a clearing where the trees gave way to a small, natural amphitheater. In the center, a stone altar stood, half-swallowed by moss and time. It was here that the first trial would commence. "Your system," she said softly, "begins to awaken further in places like these. It is drawn to ancient, raw magic. The altar before you is a remnant of a time when the line between the mortal realm and the demonic was thinner. You must step forward and let the power within you clash with that primal force."

Alex's heart hammered in his chest. The memory of his family's screams and the dem.