The air grew lighter as Aethren and his companions left the Trial of Earth behind. The oppressive weight of the underground tunnels gave way to an open expanse, the cavern ceiling arching high above like a vast cathedral. Pale blue light filtered down through cracks in the rock, and a soft breeze brushed against Aethren’s face.
“This must be the approach to the Trial of Air,” Seris said, her voice quieter than usual. She glanced at Aethren, her expression unreadable. “The final trial before the shard is fully awakened.”
Kaelor, as ever, found a reason to grumble. “Great. We’ve burned, drowned, and been crushed. What’s next? Getting tossed into the sky and smashed on the rocks below?”
Seris shot him a withering look. “The Trial of Air isn’t about destruction. It’s about freedom—your ability to rise above constraints, to see beyond what binds you to the ground. But it’s also the most unpredictable of the trials.”
“Unpredictable?” Aethren asked, his brow furrowing.
She nodded. “Air is elusive. It cannot be held or controlled. This trial will test your spirit, your ability to adapt and trust in the unseen.”
Aethren’s grip tightened on his satchel. He could feel the shard within, its energy now pulsing with the combined blessings of fire, water, and earth. The final piece of the puzzle lay ahead, and he could sense that this trial would challenge him in ways he hadn’t yet faced.
----------------------------------------
The path opened into a circular chamber, its floor made of glass-like crystal that shimmered with an iridescent glow. The walls were smooth, reflecting the pale light that seemed to emanate from nowhere and everywhere at once.
In the center of the chamber stood a stone pedestal, on which rested a feather carved from gleaming silver. The feather seemed to float just above the pedestal, suspended by an invisible force.
“The Feather of Ascension,” Seris said softly. “It represents the essence of air—lightness, freedom, and the will to rise.”
As Aethren approached, the breeze around him grew stronger, swirling in gentle currents. But when he reached out to touch the feather, the wind turned violent. A sudden gust knocked him back, and the entire chamber seemed to shift.
The glass floor beneath his feet became translucent, revealing a dizzying drop into an endless abyss. The pedestal and feather remained suspended in mid-air, but now there was nothing beneath them—just open sky and swirling winds.
A voice echoed through the chamber, soft and melodic yet carrying an edge of challenge.
“You seek the blessing of air, yet you are bound by fear. Air is freedom. It cannot be grasped, only embraced. Let go, or fall into the void.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Aethren staggered to his feet, his heart racing. The ground beneath him felt unstable, as if it could give way at any moment.
Kaelor shouted from the edge of the chamber. “What’s happening? Aethren, don’t let the wind throw you off!”
Seris’s voice was steadier, but there was a note of urgency. “Trust the wind, Aethren. It will catch you if you let it. But if you resist it, you’ll fall.”
----------------------------------------
Aethren looked down at the abyss below, his stomach lurching. He had faced fire, water, and earth, but this was different. Those trials had been tangible, solid. Air was... nothing. Invisible, untouchable, and utterly unpredictable.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. The voice’s words echoed in his mind: Let go, or fall.
Slowly, he stepped toward the edge of the crystal floor. The winds howled around him, tugging at his clothes and threatening to pull him off balance.
“You’ve come this far,” he whispered to himself. “You can do this.”
With one final breath, he stepped off the edge.
----------------------------------------
The sensation was immediate and overwhelming. The wind caught him, its currents lifting him like invisible hands. He was no longer falling—he was flying. The fear that had gripped him moments ago began to fade, replaced by a sense of exhilaration.
The winds carried him higher and higher, the chamber disappearing below as he was surrounded by endless sky.
“You are learning,” the voice said, now softer and more encouraging. “But freedom is not without responsibility. The skies are vast, but they can also be treacherous. Can you find balance amid the chaos?”
The winds shifted abruptly, throwing him into a spinning current. Aethren struggled to stay upright, but the turbulence was overwhelming. He remembered Seris’s words: Trust the wind.
Instead of fighting the chaotic currents, Aethren allowed himself to move with them, letting the wind guide him. The spinning stopped, and the winds grew steady once more, carrying him upward.
----------------------------------------
At the peak of his ascent, the winds calmed, leaving Aethren suspended in a serene pocket of air. Before him appeared a figure, composed entirely of swirling mist and light. Its face was featureless, but its presence radiated wisdom and strength.
“You have proven your spirit,” the figure said, its voice echoing like a distant melody. “You have learned to trust in the unseen and embrace freedom. But remember, freedom is not the absence of weight—it is the ability to rise above it. Take the blessing of air, and carry it with you as you face the challenges ahead.”
The figure extended its hand, and the silver feather floated toward Aethren. He reached out, and the moment his fingers touched it, the feather dissolved into a stream of energy that flowed into the shard in his satchel. The shard pulsed brightly, its glow now encompassing the elements of fire, water, earth, and air.
----------------------------------------
When Aethren opened his eyes, he was back in the chamber. The glass floor was solid once more, and the winds had stilled. Seris and Kaelor stood nearby, their expressions a mixture of relief and amazement.
“You did it,” Seris said, her voice soft but proud. “You’ve completed the trials.”
Kaelor let out a low whistle. “I honestly thought you were going to splatter yourself on the rocks. Guess I was wrong.”
Aethren smiled faintly, his hand resting on the shard. “The trials were just the beginning. Now, we have to face what’s waiting for us outside.”
Seris nodded. “The shard is awakened, but its power is only a tool. How you use it will determine the fate of our world.”
Aethren’s smile faded as he looked toward the path ahead. The trials had tested him in every way, but he knew the true battle was still to come.