Chapter 4: The Test

The darkness of the forest pressed in around us, the light of the setting sun barely able to penetrate the thick canopy above. My heart still raced from the encounter with Lira, her words echoing in my mind like a distant whisper that refused to be silenced. The choice is yours, Finn. But it's not just your choice. The guardians will be watching.

I turned to Fiona, searching her face for any sign of what I should do, but she seemed lost in her thoughts, her eyes scanning the darkening forest around us with an intensity I hadn't seen before.

"Fiona," I asked, my voice low, barely louder than the rustle of the leaves, "what is this choice? What am I supposed to do?"

Fiona didn't answer immediately. She moved slowly, almost cautiously, towards a nearby tree, placing her hand against the rough bark as if seeking strength from it. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter now, but still filled with urgency.

"You need to understand something, Finn," she said, her eyes meeting mine. "The forest isn't just a place—it's a living thing. And the guardians… they are part of it. They protect it, they control it, but they also test those who are marked by its power. Those like you."

I swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. "So, what now? What kind of test is this?"

Fiona glanced around us, as though she were expecting something to emerge from the shadows at any moment. She seemed uncertain for the first time since I'd met her, her usual confidence replaced by something darker, something more cautious.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I think we're about to find out."

Before I could ask her more, the ground beneath us trembled. A low, guttural rumble that made the trees shake and the air hum with an unnatural energy. I felt it deep in my bones, like a warning—a call to action. Fiona's hand went instinctively to the dagger at her side, her gaze flicking nervously from shadow to shadow.

"Get ready," she muttered, more to herself than to me. "The test... it's beginning."

I felt the same dread I had felt when I first woke up in this strange world creeping back into my chest, but I forced myself to stand tall. I didn't know what was coming, but I couldn't back down now. Not after everything that had happened.

The rumbling grew louder, and from the corner of my eye, I saw the movement. Shapes—dark, twisting figures—emerged from the forest, their forms barely visible against the encroaching darkness. They were tall, with long limbs and faces that shifted like shadows, never fully taking shape. Their eyes glowed faintly with an eerie green light, reflecting the dim light of the fading sun.

Fiona's stance shifted, and she stepped in front of me, her body language tense. "Stay behind me," she ordered, her voice steady despite the danger.

But I didn't move. I couldn't. The figures were already circling us, their movements slow but deliberate. I could feel the forest closing in around us, the trees pressing in like silent witnesses to what was about to unfold.

"I'm not afraid of these things," I said, my voice rough but firm. "We can fight them, right?"

Fiona didn't answer right away. She was watching the figures carefully, her hands tightening around her dagger. Finally, she spoke, her voice tinged with the weight of experience.

"They're not just creatures," she said, her eyes flicking to the figures. "They're manifestations of the test. The guardians use them to see how we respond. How we fight. How we survive."

I could feel the heat of adrenaline rushing through me. This wasn't just a fight for survival. It was a test of who I was, who I was becoming.

The first of the shadowy figures lunged forward with a speed that was almost impossible to follow. Fiona moved with practiced grace, her dagger flashing in the twilight as she parried the creature's strike. The force of the blow sent her stumbling backward, but she quickly regained her footing.

"Stay focused!" she shouted at me, her eyes locked on the figure in front of her. "They'll test you in ways you don't expect."

Without another word, the creature attacked again, its form shifting and warping as it moved, its glowing eyes fixed on Fiona. But I wasn't paying attention to it. I was focused on the other figures surrounding us, watching for any sign of an opening.

Another figure advanced toward me, its shape flickering in and out of focus like a bad memory. I gripped the makeshift weapon Fiona had given me—a sturdy branch, sharp on one end—and braced myself. The creature's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt the weight of its gaze as if it were trying to force its way into my mind.

"Come on," I whispered, my grip tightening around the branch.

The creature lunged, and I barely had time to react. I swung the branch with all my strength, aiming for its center. The moment the wood made contact, the creature screeched—a horrible, inhuman sound—and recoiled, but it didn't vanish. Instead, it twisted, its form warping into something more grotesque, more menacing.

I stumbled back, heart racing, as it charged again, its limbs stretching impossibly long. My instincts screamed at me to run, but Fiona's words echoed in my mind—How we fight. How we survive.

I could feel the power within me stir, something deep and untapped, but I didn't know how to control it, how to focus it. I had to do something. I had to act.

The creature was almost upon me when I heard Fiona's voice—sharp and commanding—cut through the chaos.

"Focus, Finn! You are the test. You have the power. Use it!"

I didn't know what she meant. But something clicked. A surge of energy shot through me, a force unlike anything I had ever felt before. The world around me seemed to slow as I instinctively reached out, my hand trembling as I extended it toward the creature.

In an instant, the air around me crackled with energy. The creature froze, its twisted form trembling as if caught in a trap. Then, with a sharp exhale, I pushed.

A burst of energy exploded from my palm, slamming into the creature with such force that it sent it flying back into the darkness. It writhed for a moment before disintegrating into nothing, its glow fading into the night.

I stood there, panting, my mind reeling with the intensity of what had just happened. The forest around us was silent now, the rumbling gone. I could feel the presence of the guardians, as though they were watching, waiting for something.

Fiona lowered her dagger, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and something else—perhaps fear.

"You did it," she said softly. "You used the power. But that's only the beginning, Finn. The guardians will know you now. They'll be watching more closely than ever."

I looked around, feeling the weight of her words. The test wasn't over. It had only just begun.

And I had no idea what would come next.