The Trial of Will

The walls shifted as the passage leading from the Trial of Strength sealed behind them. Kael barely had a moment to breathe before the air changed.

It was subtle at first—a heaviness settling over his shoulders, a quiet pressure in the air. But the deeper they stepped into the next chamber, the stronger it became.

By the time they reached the center, Kael felt like he was suffocating.

The chamber was vast, yet eerily empty. Unlike the last room, there were no energy constructs, no enemies waiting to attack. Instead, the only feature was a thin stone pathway suspended over an endless abyss of swirling shadows.

The energy radiating from below wasn't like the raw electricity he was used to. It was heavier. Older.

Veyra stepped forward cautiously, scanning the surroundings. "Something about this place feels… wrong."

Ryven let out a low breath. "Yeah. I hate this already."

Kael forced himself to move, trying to shake the sensation creeping along his spine. This wasn't a test of strength. It was something worse.

Then, the voice returned.

"Strength is meaningless without the will to endure."

The chamber reacted instantly.

The stone beneath Kael's feet rumbled, and suddenly, a barrier of light surged upward, separating him from Veyra and Ryven.

Kael spun, slamming his fist against the barrier—but it didn't budge.

"Kael!" Veyra shouted, her voice muffled.

He could see them, but the barrier cut off everything. Even the energy currents around them had gone silent.

A second barrier rose behind him, sealing him on the pathway alone.

Then, the abyss shifted.

Shadows rose from the depths, swirling around him, taking shape.

Kael's heartbeat slowed.

Because he knew exactly what he was looking at.

Himself.

The shadow moved first.

Kael barely dodged as his own reflection lunged, its form shifting like liquid darkness. It was fast. Faster than him. The moment he countered, the figure anticipated his move, twisting effortlessly out of reach.

It struck without hesitation.

Kael blocked the first hit, but the force sent him skidding backward, his feet barely catching the edge of the stone bridge. He glanced down—there was nothing below.

No solid ground.

Just the abyss.

His shadow self straightened, tilting its head in amusement. "You are not ready to lead."

Kael's grip tightened. "You're not real."

The shadow smirked. "Aren't I?"

It blurred forward again, and this time Kael wasn't fast enough.

The impact sent him flying, his body nearly toppling off the edge. His fingers barely caught a crack in the stone, keeping him from falling.

But for a second—just a second—he hesitated.

What if he let go?

Would it be easier?

Wouldn't it be simpler to stop fighting, to stop pushing forward?

The thought hit him harder than any physical blow.

The shadow's voice whispered in his ear. "You think breaking a few chains makes you free?"

Kael gritted his teeth, pulling himself up.

"I don't need you in my head."

His reflection smiled. "I am your head."

Kael charged.

Lightning crackled around his fists as he struck forward—but the shadow matched him. Every movement, every attack—it knew what he was going to do before he did it.

Because it wasn't just a copy.

It was him.

And it was winning.

Veyra and Ryven stood frozen behind the barrier, watching Kael fight something they couldn't see.

From their perspective, he was swinging at empty air.

Ryven tensed. "He's losing."

Veyra clenched her fists, eyes locked on Kael as he barely dodged another attack. She could see it—he wasn't fighting an enemy. He was fighting himself.

And he was struggling.

"This isn't a battle of strength," she murmured.

Ryven frowned. "Then how does he win?"

Veyra exhaled. "He has to make a choice."

Kael was running out of options.

No matter how hard he fought, the shadow was always faster. Always stronger.

Because it wasn't about power. It wasn't about skill.

It was about doubt.

Every strike weighed heavier. Every movement slowed.

Why are you fighting?

What are you really trying to prove?

You're just another fighter playing hero.

The thoughts burned.

Then, the shadow stopped.

It stood a few feet away, arms crossed, tilting its head. "You don't get it, do you?"

Kael panted, his body aching, his energy running low.

The shadow stepped closer. "The more you fight me, the stronger I get."

Kael froze.

The words settled into his mind like a cold blade.

The more he resisted…

The more he tried to prove he was stronger…

The more the shadow overpowered him.

Because this wasn't about winning.

It was about acceptance.

Kael let out a slow breath, forcing himself to loosen his stance.

The shadow narrowed its eyes. "You're hesitating."

Kael met its gaze. "No."

His hands lowered.

"I'm letting go."

The shadow lunged—but this time, Kael didn't move.

He didn't resist. He didn't counter.

He simply accepted.

The impact never came.

Instead, the shadow faltered, its form distorting. Its own charge began to collapse, unraveling like a current with no source.

It tried to stabilize—but it couldn't.

Because Kael had stopped feeding it.

The shadow looked up at him one last time.

Then it vanished.

The barriers dropped.

Kael gasped, stumbling forward, his body suddenly light—as if the weight of the entire test had been pressing on him until now.

Veyra and Ryven rushed to him.

"What the hell was that?" Ryven asked.

Kael exhaled slowly, wiping sweat from his brow. "A lesson."

Veyra studied him carefully. "And did you learn it?"

Kael nodded.

"The real battle isn't just out there," he said. "It's in here." He tapped his temple. "And if I can't trust myself—I can't lead anyone."

Veyra gave him a small nod of approval. "Good."

Then she turned toward the far end of the chamber. The final door had opened.

Kael straightened.

One trial remained.

And it would determine everything.