In the Cradle of Stilled Time
Beyond the reach of courts, systems, or celestial war, Lysaria stirred.
The crystal chambers of her sanctum pulsed with slow, ancient light. It had been centuries since the sanctum's last breath. Since a mortal had even glimpsed its mirrored halls.
But now, in the silence between stars…
A presence approaches.
Not physically. Not yet.But a thread.A bond.
Chen Ming.
The Flame of Balance
He was not pure. Not untouched.
No, his hands had known lust, war, shadow—and love.
But it was how he held it that stirred Lysaria.
He did not take to conquer.He did not claim to own.He gave.
And in giving—he brought balance.
"So the flame is not purity without passion," Lysaria murmured, brushing her fingers across a sleeping altar of mirrored stone.
"It is passion without corruption."
The Trial Forged in Silence
For him to enter her realm, even in spirit, she would need to create something the heavens had long forgotten:
A Trial of Reflection.A Test of Self Before Divinity.
No blade would help him here.
No system screen.
No lust-filled power-ups.
Only his will. His truth. His heart.
And the mirror would show him everything—not as he wished to be seen, but as he truly was.
Lysaria stood before the altar, placing a single drop of her own divine essence into the mirrored pool.
It shimmered—then began to ripple with his image.
Three Paths Would Await Him
🜂 The Path of Flesh – A dreamworld where all of Chen's desires are fulfilled—but only if he accepts illusion over truth. If he lingers, he will never return.
🜄 The Path of Grief – Every face he has failed. Every moment he has faltered. A flood of guilt, meant to drown even the proudest hearts. But if he endures it—he may heal from it.
🜁 The Path of Fire – Where he must choose between his bonded… or sacrifice something precious for them all. A trial of worthy love, not possessive desire.
But He Must Come Willingly
Lysaria's sanctum could not reach out. It could only wait.
"He must find the gateway himself," she whispered.
"And only when he no longer needs me—will he be ready to stand before me."
A Final Whisper Across the Void
As the sanctum dimmed again, hiding its entrance from the Divine Courts, Lysaria stepped onto the center dais and looked to the stars.
There—far across realms—was a flicker of his energy.
"Grow strong, Chen Ming," she said softly.
"For when the heavens turn on you… when all courts demand you choose their path—I will offer you the path they fear most."
"The one where you stand free."