Chapter 83- Trial Three: The Desert of Wrath
The Shifting Sands
Elias trudged forward, his boots sinking into the burning golden sands that stretched endlessly in every direction. The moment they crossed into this new section of the Elemental Crucible, the frozen abyss behind them vanished, swallowed by a sudden surge of scorching heat.
The sky above was an inferno-clouds like molten embers churned across the heavens, reflecting the sun's wrath down upon them. There was no wind. No shade. Just endless dunes and a heat so intense that the very air seemed to shimmer with waves of distortion..
"This place is worse than the last two, Althea muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. Her usually calm expression twisted in discomfort.
Lyra grimaced, glancing at the sky. "The Desert of Wrath... This trial isn't just about survival. The heat is designed to wear us down before the real challenge even begins."
Elias barely reacted. His silver eyes scanned the landscape, searching for movement.
He knew better than to trust what he saw.
This place wasn't just hot.
It was alive.
System Notification - Trial Three Initiated
[You have entered the Desert of Wrath - Trial Three of the Elemental Crucible.] [Survive the illusions, the shifting sands, and
the trial of fire. [New environmental debuffs detected.]
[Heat Exhaustion: Stamina regeneration reduced
by 40%.] [Mirage Distortion: Visual perception may be altered. Trust your instincts.]
Elias clicked his tongue. This was already going to be a problem.
'Stay close,' he ordered. "This place is designed to make us doubt what we see."
The three of them moved forward carefully, each step making the sand shift beneath them. There was no solid ground.
And then-
The desert moved.
A violent tremor shook the ground, sending waves of sand cascading like an ocean tide. Before they could react, the dunes beneath them collapsed, sending them plummeting into the
depths below.
Buried Beneath the Sands
Elias landed in darkness, rolling instinctively to lessen the impact. The sensation of heat was still there, but it was different.
He pushed himself up, his fingers pressing against smooth stone instead of sand. A tunnel.
Dimly lit by an orange glow, the underground cavern stretched endlessly ahead. The walls were carved from ancient sandstone, covered in faded inscriptions.
A voice whispered in his mind.
"You do not belong here."
Elias stiffened. His instincts screamed at him-
Something was here. Watching. Waiting.
Footsteps echoed from the darkness.
Then two piercing golden eyes emerged from the shadows.
The First Guardian - The Keeper of Flames
A figure stepped forward, wreathed in fire. It was humanoid, but its body was composed of
crackling embers and molten metal, shifting constantly as if it were struggling to contain its own form
It studied Elias in silence before speaking, its voice like burning coal.
"You are unworthy to walk these halls."
Then it attacked
The air ignited as it lunged, a whip of fire lashing toward Elias with terrifying speed.
He barely dodged, rolling to the side as the stone floor melted where he had stood. The heat was unbearable, even for him.
This thing wasn't just fire. It was living destruction.
Elias activated Phantom Step, momentarily
fading into the ethereal plane to avoid another burning strike. As he reappeared behind the
creature, he slashed with his Divine Dagger,
aiming for what seemed like its core.
The blade passed through... but did nothing.
The Guardian barely reacted. Instead, flames surged outward, engulfing Elias in a wave of searing heat.
System Notification Damage Taken: 24% HP lost.
Damn it.
This wasn't a normal enemy. It had no physical form.
Elias clenched his teeth, his mind racing.
If physical attacks don't work... then what does?
Then, he remembered.
One of the abilities he gained from Nythra-the Phantom Queen.
"Nightmarish Realm."
The Power of Fear
Elias activated the skill.
The entire chamber darkened, shadows creeping up the walls as a wave of illusions surged forth.
The Guardian of Flames froze mid-attack. Its form flickered, unstable.
For the first time, Elias saw fear in its burning eyes.
Nightmarish Realm was an ability that exposed enemies to their deepest fears.
Nightmarish Realm was an ability that exposed enemies to their deepest fears.
And for a being of fire-it feared the end of its own flame.
The flames around its body dimmed.
Elias didn't hesitate.
He called forth the power of Death's Touch, his dagger glowing with necrotic energy as he drove it straight into the creature's chest.
This time, the attack worked.
The Guardian let out a screeching wail as its flames flickered, its body beginning to collapse.
Then-with a final burst of light-it vanished.
System Notification Trial One Guardian Defeated.
[Path to the next trial unlocked.]
Elias exhaled slowly.
The first enemy had fallen.
But he knew this was only the beginning.
The Oasis That Wasn't There
Regrouping with Lyra and Althea took time.
Both had faced different trials in their own paths beneath the sands, battling entities that tested their strength.
When they finally emerged back to the surface, they were greeted with a shocking sight.
A vast oasis stretched before them. Crystal-clear water, lush green trees, a haven of shade and safety.
It looked real.
Too real.
Elias narrowed his eyes. "This is a trap."
Althea hesitated. "But... I feel water in the air. The moisture is real."
Lyra frowned, studying the reflection in the water. "It might not be an illusion, but it could still be dangerous."
Then-Elias saw it.
In the reflection of the water, the sky above was wrong.
It wasn't moving.
It was frozen.
His blood turned cold.
"Step into the water, and you will never leave."
He stepped back. "We go around."
As they turned away, the oasis shimmered-and then vanished.
The sand beneath where it had been collapsed into an endless abyss.
A pit of jagged black spikes lay hidden beneath, waiting for fools to step forward.
Lyra paled. "That would've killed us instantly."
Althea swallowed. "This place... doesn't play fair."
Elias clenched his fists. This trial wasn't about strength.
It was about deception. Survival. Mental endurance.
And they weren't even halfway through it yet.
Final Trial - The Burning Colossus
As they pressed forward, a new challenge loomed in the distance.
A massive silhouette stood against the burning horizon.
A giant of molten rock and ash, its eyes like twin volcanic cores, towering above the desert like a forgotten god.
Lyra's voice was barely a whisper.
"That's... not a normal trial boss."
Elias narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong.
The Tower's system always announced major threats.
But this time-it was silent.
Was this even part of the Tower's design?
His heart pounded.
Or was something-or someone-interfering?