The mist hadn't fully cleared when the next signal came.
> Proceed to Chamber of Echoes.
> Wielder traits synchronizing...
Kriss glanced at Michael and Leo, their new bracers pulsing softly in sync. None of them said it, but the silence between them spoke volumes. They had passed the first trial. But it was only the beginning.
"This way," Michael said, pointing to a staircase that hadn't been there a moment ago.
As they stepped onto the spiraling path, the air grew heavier—thick with energy and whispers that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere. The walls shimmered like glass, showing fragmented visions: a flaming sword, a collapsing mountain, a lone figure standing against a horde of shadows.
"Anyone else getting weird déjà vu?" Leo muttered. "Like the walls are downloading dreams straight into my skull."
> Trait detected: Wielder of Intellect
> Cognitive field activated.
> Dataflow unlocked.
Leo froze.
His bracer flashed with a gold hue, and the world shifted.
Suddenly, layers of information unfolded around him—charts, trajectories, pulses of light that mapped every magical current in the room. Time slowed for a moment, just long enough for Leo's brain to catch up.
"I… I can see it," he whispered. "The patterns. The mechanics. It's like this place runs on code, and someone just handed me the admin keys."
Kriss turned. "Leo?"
Leo blinked, then smirked. "Oh, man. This is awesome. I triggered my trait. 'Wielder of Intellect.' It's like someone installed a processor in my head. I can predict the spell cycles, measure reaction times, even see our movement latency."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "You're seeing latency?"
"Yeah," Leo said, tapping his bracer. "And you're three seconds from overthinking your next step."
Kriss grinned. "So, your genius finally has a user interface."
"About time," Leo said, already scanning the corridor ahead.
They reached a vast chamber—silent and dark, except for a single floating orb of light in the center. A soft voice echoed, not from the orb, but from within their minds.
"Your thoughts are your weapons. Your fears, your chains. Will you master them… or be mastered?"
The orb fractured.
Darkness poured in.
Each of them was pulled into their own illusion.
---
Kriss
He stood in a field of ashes.
Flames danced on the horizon, and shadows moved in the smoke. In the distance, he saw a boy—young, familiar.
Himself.
"Why did you leave them behind?" the younger Kriss asked. "Why do you always support others… but never let them support you?"
Kriss stepped forward, but the field crumbled under his feet. The voices of the past surged—regrets, failures, silent cries he never answered.
He clenched his fists.
> Wielder of Versatility: Emotional resilience test initiated.
> Adaptive mental shielding: active.
He took a deep breath. "Because someone had to be strong. And I chose to be the one."
---
Michael
He stood in a library with infinite halls.
Scrolls flew like birds, and books hummed with arcane energy. But when he reached for one, it dissolved. Again and again, knowledge slipped through his fingers.
"You can't learn everything," a voice said—his teacher from the real world, or perhaps just his own fear. "You always think study is enough. But what if instinct is the answer?"
Michael hesitated.
> Wielder of Insight: Logical override triggered.
> Accepting imperfection...
He closed his eyes. Reached out—not with logic, but with trust.
And finally, the book stayed.
---
Leo
He stood in a world of numbers.
Equations floated in the air. A complex matrix of interwoven light, constantly shifting. At its center—a mirror.
He stepped closer.
His reflection stared back... emotionless. Cold. Machine-like.
"You've always used your mind as a shield," it said. "But when your heart breaks, will numbers save you?"
Leo didn't answer.
Instead, he lifted his hand.
> Wielder of Intellect: Core logic restructured.
> Emotions integrated into cognitive map.
"I'm not just a brain," he said quietly. "I'm a friend. A fighter. And if I have to burn the code to protect them—I will."
The mirror cracked.
---
The illusions faded.
The trio stood once more in the Chamber of Echoes, the orb now whole again—glowing with all three of their colors.
> Trial Two: Complete.
> Emotional calibration stable.
> Mind and heart aligned.
They exhaled in unison.
Kriss looked around, his voice hoarse. "What was that?"
Leo rubbed his temples. "Some weird psychological reboot… but it worked."
Michael nodded. "They're not just testing strength. They're testing identity."
As they stepped toward the chamber's exit, the light shifted again—revealing a door made of obsidian.
It pulsed with power… and beyond it, a new path.
One step closer to the Demon Lord.
And the real battle.