The Trial Of The Keepers

Chapter 22 – The Trial of the Keepers

The ruins of Solcrest pulsed with an ancient energy, the very air crackling with unseen power. Selene tightened her grip on the Blade of Aetheris, its shimmering surface glowing faintly in response to the presence of the spectral guardians before her. Their hollow eyes burned with golden fire, their translucent forms flickering like ghosts trapped between realms.

Rylen moved beside her, his muscles taut with tension. "We've fought a lot of things, but I'm not sure how to kill something that's already dead."

Cassian twirled his blade, his stance relaxed but his gaze sharp. "We don't need to kill them. We need to pass the trial. If we fight mindlessly, we'll lose."

The lead guardian stepped forward, raising his flaming sword. His voice echoed like the wind through forgotten halls. "To reach the Heart of Solcrest, you must prove your worth. Strength alone will not see you through. You must endure the Three Trials."

Selene exhaled, preparing herself. "What are the trials?"

"The Trial of Spirit. The Trial of Shadows. And the Trial of Truth. Fail, and you shall remain trapped here for eternity."

A chill ran down her spine. There was no choice but to move forward.

The guardian lifted his hand, and the ground beneath them trembled. The ruins around them shifted again, and suddenly, the path they stood on became a long, winding bridge suspended over an abyss of swirling mist. At the far end, three towering archways appeared, each leading into darkness.

"Choose wisely," the guardian intoned.

Selene glanced at Rylen and Cassian. "We do this together."

They stepped forward, their footsteps echoing against the stone bridge. As they approached the first archway, a force pulled them inside, separating them into different realms of the trial.

---

The First Trial – Spirit

Selene found herself standing in an endless field of golden grass beneath a blood-red sky. The wind howled around her, carrying whispers of forgotten voices.

Then, they appeared.

Her mother. Her father. Her former pack.

They stood before her, their faces frozen in time, just as she remembered them before their deaths. Her heart clenched as her mother reached for her, her voice soft.

"You abandoned us, Selene. You left us behind."

Selene's breath hitched. "No. I didn't have a choice. They would have killed me."

Her father's gaze was hollow, filled with quiet disappointment. "A true Luna fights for her pack. But you ran."

Pain stabbed at her chest, but she shook her head. "I was a child! What was I supposed to do? Die with you?"

Her mother's eyes darkened. "Maybe."

Selene staggered back, her body trembling. The shadows of her past coiled around her, trying to drown her in guilt.

Then, she remembered the words of the temple keeper.

"The trial is not meant to break you—it is meant to test your spirit."

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to stand tall. "I loved you both. But I won't let your deaths define me. I survived, and I will keep surviving."

The figures before her flickered, their forms dissolving into golden dust. A voice whispered in the wind. "You have passed the first trial."

The field vanished.

Selene opened her eyes, back in the ruins, the first archway behind her now sealed.

Rylen and Cassian reappeared beside her, their faces pale with whatever they had faced in their own trials.

"You okay?" Rylen asked.

She nodded, though her hands were still shaking. "One trial down. Two to go."

---

The Second Trial – Shadows

The second archway loomed before them, its entrance shrouded in absolute darkness. The moment they stepped through, the world vanished into pitch-black nothingness.

Selene couldn't see. She couldn't hear. She couldn't feel anything beneath her feet. It was as if she had been swallowed by the void.

A whisper slid through the darkness.

"What are you without your power?"

A sharp pain lanced through her chest, and suddenly, the magic inside her—her wolf, her strength—was gone. She gasped, her knees giving out beneath her. The darkness pressed closer, suffocating her.

"Without your magic, you are nothing."

Selene gritted her teeth. "That's not true."

The whisper laughed, slithering around her. "Then prove it."

The ground materialized beneath her, and suddenly, she was in a vast battlefield, surrounded by enemies. Dozens of warriors, their faces blurred, their weapons drawn. Her magic was gone. Her wolf was silent. She had nothing.

And then they attacked.

Selene ducked as a blade whistled past her ear. She rolled, grabbing a fallen sword. Her arms burned with effort as she parried another strike. Every movement was harder without her enhanced strength. She was slower, weaker.

But she wasn't powerless.

She fought with everything she had, dodging, countering, striking when she found an opening. The battle stretched on, her body screaming in protest, but she refused to give up.

When the last opponent fell, the darkness retreated.

The voice whispered again. "You have passed the second trial."

She blinked—and found herself back in the ruins, the second archway now sealed behind her.

Rylen was panting, a thin line of blood on his arm. "That was hell."

Cassian exhaled. "Tell me about it."

Selene turned to the last archway. "One more."

---

The Third Trial – Truth

The final trial was unlike the others. Instead of a realm of illusions, they stepped into a blinding white light.

In the center stood a mirror.

Selene approached cautiously, her own reflection staring back at her. But something was wrong. The eyes in the mirror weren't hers. They were glowing gold.

The reflection spoke. "Who are you?"

Selene hesitated. "I am Selene Nightshade."

The reflection's expression didn't change. "No. That is just a name. Who are you?"

A weight settled in her chest. She thought of everything that had led her here—the pain, the loss, the battles. She had been running for so long, afraid of what she might become.

But now, she knew.

She lifted her chin. "I am the true heir of Solcrest. The daughter of the moon and the blood of the first queen. I am not a victim. I am not weak. I am the force that will change everything."

The reflection smiled. "Then you are ready."

The light shattered.

And when the ruins came back into view, the final archway sealed behind them.

The spectral guardians stood before them, their golden eyes unreadable. Then, the lead guardian knelt.

"You have proven yourselves worthy. The path to the Heart of Solcrest is open."

The ruins rumbled. Ahead of them, an ancient gate creaked open, revealing a long stairway leading into the depths of the citadel.

Selene exhaled, gripping Rylen's hand.

They had passed the trials.

But the real test was still ahead.

The ancient gate groaned as it swung open, revealing a long, spiraling staircase carved into the heart of the ruins. Faint blue light flickered along the stone walls, casting eerie shadows as Selene, Rylen, and Cassian stepped forward. The air smelled of old magic and forgotten memories, thick with the weight of centuries.

The spectral guardian who had spoken before stood at the threshold, his golden eyes flickering like dying embers. "Beyond this gate lies the Heart of Solcrest. Few have ever reached it, and fewer still have left unchanged."

Selene exchanged glances with Rylen and Cassian. They had survived the trials, but a deeper unease settled in her chest. Whatever awaited them at the end of this path was far greater than any challenge they had faced before.

"Ready?" she asked, her voice steady despite the rapid beat of her heart.

Rylen squeezed her hand. "We've come too far to stop now."

Cassian nodded, gripping his blade. "Let's finish this."

With a final breath, they stepped through the gate.

Descent into the Abyss

The staircase seemed endless, winding deeper and deeper into the ruins. The deeper they went, the colder the air became. Their breath curled in front of them in white wisps, and the walls pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

Selene's magic tingled beneath her skin, restless. It was as if the very ruins were alive, watching them. Testing them.

After what felt like an eternity, the stairs opened into a vast underground chamber. At its center stood a raised platform, upon which rested an ornate pedestal made of black stone. Suspended above it was a single, glowing crystal—deep blue with veins of silver swirling within. It pulsed like a heartbeat, filling the chamber with an eerie hum.

The Heart of Solcrest.

Selene swallowed hard. She could feel its power from across the room, ancient and overwhelming. This was the source of the magic that had protected Solcrest for centuries. The artifact that could change everything.

Cassian let out a low whistle. "That thing is radiating enough energy to level a city."

Rylen stepped forward cautiously. "It's beautiful. But something feels… off."

Selene agreed. The power was intoxicating, but beneath its beauty lay something darker. Something dangerous.

A whisper drifted through the chamber.

"Who dares claim the Heart of Solcrest?"

The air rippled, and from the shadows, figures began to emerge—tall, robed beings with golden masks. Their presence sent chills down Selene's spine.

The Keepers.

They had been watching.

The Keepers' Judgment

The lead Keeper stepped forward, his mask an intricate design of swirling gold and deep sapphire. His voice echoed unnaturally, as if spoken by many voices at once.

"You have passed the Three Trials. But the Heart is not given freely. To take its power, you must answer one final question."

Selene straightened, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What is the question?"

The chamber grew impossibly silent. Then, the Keeper spoke.

"What will you do with this power?"

The words settled like a weight upon her chest.

Selene had dreamed of reclaiming her birthright, of taking back the strength stolen from her. But this wasn't just about her. It was about her people. About the war that loomed on the horizon.

She could use this power to change everything.

Or she could become the very thing she feared.

She took a slow breath, choosing her words carefully. "I will use it to protect those who cannot protect themselves. To break the chains of the past and forge a new future—one where the strong do not rule over the weak. I will not hoard this power. I will not abuse it. I will wield it as it was meant to be wielded. For balance. For justice. For my people."

The Keepers were silent for a long moment. Then, they moved in unison, raising their hands.

The chamber trembled.

The Heart of Solcrest pulsed once—twice—before a beam of pure energy shot from it, striking Selene directly in the chest.

Pain and fire exploded through her veins.

She screamed, her body arching as the raw power of the artifact surged through her. Her vision swam with blinding light. Images flashed before her eyes—her past, her future, the destiny she had tried so hard to outrun.

She saw a great battle. A city in flames. Shadows rising from the depths of the earth.

And at the center of it all—her.

The world shattered.

Awakening

When Selene opened her eyes, she was on the ground, gasping for breath. Her body trembled, her veins thrumming with a new kind of energy.

Rylen was at her side in an instant, his eyes filled with worry. "Selene! Are you okay?"

She blinked, her vision clearing. The chamber was still. The Keepers had vanished. The Heart of Solcrest now rested in her hands, no longer floating, its glow dimmed but still pulsing faintly.

She had done it.

Cassian helped her sit up, his expression unreadable. "What happened?"

Selene stared down at the artifact, feeling its power merge with her own. "I saw… the future."

Rylen tensed. "What did you see?"

Her fingers tightened around the Heart. "A war. A war that hasn't happened yet—but one that will."

A heavy silence settled over them.

Cassian exhaled. "So, what do we do now?"

Selene looked up, fire burning in her eyes.

"We prepare."

Because whatever darkness was coming, she would be ready.

She had the power now.

And she would not fail.