The Trial of the Marked

Darkness swallowed Kyle whole.

It wasn't just a lack of light—it was something deeper, heavier, suffocating him like unseen chains wrapped around his body. He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. It was as if the world itself had vanished, leaving only the weight of unseen eyes pressing against his mind.

"You are not enough."

The voices came from everywhere and nowhere, a chorus of whispers threading through the abyss. Some were mocking, others filled with contempt, and beneath them all was a terrible certainty:

They were judging him.

A sudden shockwave of energy slammed into Kyle's chest, sending him reeling.

He gasped as he felt his body collide with solid ground, knees scraping against cold stone. His vision snapped back into focus, and he found himself standing on a vast battlefield of blackened rock, stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see. Shattered ruins jutted from the landscape like broken ribs, and the sky above was a swirling mass of dark clouds, streaked with eerie blue light.

Something crackled in the air—a pulse of power, ancient and terrible.

And then, they appeared.

The Marked.

A dozen figures emerged from the darkness, surrounding Kyle in a wide circle. They weren't human—not anymore. Their bodies flickered between solid and smoke, their armor scarred and rusted, their weapons etched with runes of a forgotten war. Their eyes burned with a cold, pale fire, locked onto him with unreadable expressions.

They weren't just enemies. They were those who had come before him.

A notification flickered into existence.

---

Trial of the Marked: Survive the Forgotten War

The echoes of those who came before you demand proof of your worth. Defeat the Fallen Marked or be consumed.

Survive.

---

Kyle barely had time to process before the first Marked warrior charged.

A heavily armored knight rushed forward, their massive greatsword splitting the air with a force that made the very ground shudder. Kyle barely dodged in time, the sheer shockwave of the swing sending cracks spiderwebbing through the stone beneath him.

He twisted, bringing his sword up just in time to parry another blow from the side. His arms screamed from the force of the impact, but he held his ground.

They weren't just attacking. They were testing him.

A second figure moved in, faster than the knight—a rogue, dual-wielding curved daggers, their footwork silent as death. They struck at his exposed flank, their blades flashing in the dim light.

Kyle barely managed to block the first attack, but the second slashed across his shoulder, hot pain burning through him as blood splattered onto the blackened ground.

A growl rumbled in his throat.

He didn't have time to bleed.

More were closing in.

Kyle rolled away, dodging just in time to avoid a spear thrust that would have run him through. He came up in a crouch, heart pounding, his grip tightening around his sword. These things weren't just ghosts or mindless specters. They were warriors—and they fought like it.

He had to move.

His body shifted into action, his instincts roaring to life. He sidestepped another incoming slash, twisted, and drove his blade deep into the rogue's chest.

For a brief second, there was resistance—then Spectral Rend activated, and his sword sank through their form like fire through mist. The rogue let out a hollow scream as their body dissolved into wisps of smoke.

One down.

But the others weren't slowing.

The knight swung again, their greatsword carving through the air in a wide arc. Kyle ducked low, feeling the wind of the blade whistle past his head. Before he could counter, another warrior—a berserker, wielding a massive battle-axe—rushed in from the side.

Kyle barely blocked the first strike, but the raw force of the impact sent him skidding back. His boots scraped against the stone, his muscles screaming from the effort of staying upright.

Another notification flashed in his vision.

---

Blood Reclamation Activated.

Absorbing Energy… Minor Strength Boost Acquired.

---

Kyle felt the rush of raw power flood his limbs. The pain in his shoulder dulled, his grip steadying on his sword.

Fine. If they wanted to test him, he'd show them exactly who he was.

He lunged forward, his sword a blur.

The berserker raised their axe, but Kyle was faster now. His blade slashed across their midsection, carving deep into the ethereal armor. The warrior let out a guttural snarl, staggering back as black mist poured from their wound.

Kyle didn't give them a chance to recover. He twisted, sidestepping another attack from the knight, and drove his sword straight through the berserker's chest.

Their body shuddered, flickered—then exploded into ash.

Another down.

The remaining warriors hesitated.

Kyle grinned, rolling his shoulders. "What? You thought this would be easy?"

The hesitation didn't last.

They charged as one, their movements perfectly in sync.

Kyle moved like a storm, dodging, parrying, countering. His blade cut through armor, through mist, through the remnants of warriors who had fallen before him.

Each kill sent another surge of strength through his veins, the system feeding on the energy of the fallen.

Until only one remained.

The last warrior stood apart from the others, watching. They were different—taller, clad in heavier armor, their sword unlike any he had seen before. The air around them shimmered with dark energy, the ground cracking beneath their feet.

A final notification flashed in red.

---

Final Opponent Identified: The First Marked

Level: ???

Threat Level: Mortal Danger

---

Kyle's pulse spiked.

This wasn't just another enemy.

This was the one who had come first.

The First Marked raised a single hand, and the battlefield shook, as if The Land itself recognized them.

Kyle could feel it—the sheer power radiating from this warrior. The strength of all the Marked before him, condensed into one final test.

He took a slow breath.

This was it.

Kyle lifted his sword, his grip firm. He could feel the raw power still running through him, could feel his abilities evolving even as he stood there.

He had fought through every challenge The Land had thrown at him.

And he wasn't about to stop now.

The First Marked moved.

Faster than anything Kyle had ever seen.

Kyle reacted instantly.

The final battle of the Trial had begun.