Trial of Fear

Chen Yu's eyes slowly opened.

His body still ached from the weight of the iron chain. His muscles burned, his shoulders torn, his legs weak—but his breath was steady.

The iron burden was gone. The endless stone path had vanished.

Now, he stood on a cold, narrow platform surrounded by darkness.

The faint glow of the Guardian hovered nearby, its ancient gaze locked on him.

"You have survived the Trial of Burden," the Guardian said, voice steady. "Your body did not fall. But endurance alone is not enough."

The Guardian's eyes glowed faintly.

"Now, you will face the Trial of Fear."

The ground beneath Chen Yu's feet rumbled and split apart. The stone platform widened, revealing an endless black lake stretching into the void.

Its surface was unnaturally still. The air above it was cold and sharp, like invisible blades pressing against his skin. Beneath the water, something stirred—something ancient, watching, waiting.

A jagged path of floating stone platforms slowly rose from the lake, forming a treacherous, winding bridge across the black surface.

The Guardian's voice echoed, calm but firm.

"Cross the lake."

"But know this—the beasts beneath the water can smell fear. Show weakness, and they will devour you."

Chen Yu's sharp eyes flickered across the path.

The trial was simple.

Step forward.

Or be swallowed.

His legs still trembled from the last trial, but his feet moved without hesitation. He stepped onto the first stone platform, the surface cold and slick beneath his soles.

As he advanced, the lake rippled.

The whispers came—soft at first, slithering into his ears.

"You are weak."

"You will not make it."

"Turn back while you still can."

Chen Yu's fists clenched tightly. His breathing sharpened.

The shadows beneath the water churned. Sharp fins sliced through the surface, circling him like hungry wolves.

Another whisper.

"Why suffer? Your grandmother is waiting for you. Return to the village. Abandon this path."

His chest tightened, his steps faltered for a heartbeat.

The black water surged—one of the beasts lunged upward, jaws wide, razor teeth flashing.

Chen Yu leapt to the next stone, narrowly dodging the snapping maw.

His body staggered. His legs throbbed. But his steps never stopped.

Step. Step. Step.

The beasts circled closer, their massive bodies carving waves across the lake's stillness.

The whispers grew louder, crueler.

"Your life means nothing."

"You will die here, forgotten."

"Turn back."

Chen Yu's breath came ragged, his pulse hammering in his ears.

But his eyes—those sharp, unyielding eyes—glared at the black lake.

"I won't turn back."

His steps quickened. The beasts attacked, leaping from the water with terrifying speed.

Chen Yu twisted, ducked, and leapt from platform to platform, his focus sharper than the fangs that grazed his skin.

The fear gnawed at his bones, but he kept moving.

His legs shook. His balance wavered. His body screamed for him to stop.

But Chen Yu refused.

When a beast's fin slashed across his side, he gritted his teeth and surged forward.

When the water erupted beneath him, he leapt without hesitation.

The whispers clawed at his mind, begging him to collapse.

But Chen Yu's spirit burned fiercer than the darkness around him.

Step. Step. Step.

The end of the path drew closer—a golden platform floating in the distance.

The beasts thrashed in fury, their maws snapping, their roars shaking the air.

Chen Yu's bloodied hands clenched into fists.

"No fear."

"No retreat."

"I will cross."

He forced his battered legs to sprint across the final stones, his body moving faster than his pain.

A final beast lunged from beneath, its jaws wide, ready to swallow him whole.

Chen Yu's eyes sharpened. He twisted his body mid-leap, landing hard on the final platform just as the beast's fangs snapped shut behind him.

The black water calmed. The whispers vanished.

Silence returned.

Chen Yu collapsed onto his knees, panting, his muscles trembling violently.

His chest rose and fell, but his heart remained steady.

The Guardian's voice returned, quiet but no longer distant.

"You have crossed the Lake of Fear. Your courage has been tested. Your will has been proven."

Chen Yu wiped the blood from his face, his sharp eyes still burning.

"What happens now?" His voice was low, hoarse, but without hesitation.

"You have passed the second trial. The seed of your spirit has begun to awaken."

"The first legacy is now yours to claim."

Golden light descended, wrapping around Chen Yu's battered frame.

A power ancient and fierce poured into him—a legacy that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.

But the Guardian's final words lingered, cold and sharp.

"The other nine legacies remain sealed. You are not yet worthy to touch them."

"Your journey is only beginning."

Chen Yu slowly rose to his feet. His fists tightened. His gaze sharpened.

"Good."

"I didn't come here to stop."