The Chamber of Trials buzzed with an energy that felt almost tangible in the air, as if the stone walls themselves were alive with the anticipation of the next test. The woman with the piercing green eyes continued to stare at me, her gaze sharp and thoughtful. Whatever she saw in that moment, she chose not to voice it aloud. Instead, she merely nodded and turned away, her robes rustling softly as she moved.

Lienad and Niasuh were both breathing heavily, clearly shaken by their own trials. Lienad’s hand was still clutching the hilt of his sword, his knuckles white with tension. Niasuh, ever composed, wiped a sheen of sweat from his brow, his usual calm demeanor barely masking the strain of whatever he had just faced.

But there was no time to catch our breath or reflect on what had just happened. The woman with green eyes—who I was beginning to think of as the leader among the robed figures—lifted her hand, and the runes on the platform flared to life once more.

“The Trial of Magic will begin now,” she announced, her voice echoing through the vast chamber. “This trial will test your ability to harness and control the magical energies that exist within and around you. Magic is not merely a tool; it is a force that requires discipline, focus, and a deep understanding of the world’s fundamental truths. Fail to control it, and it will consume you.”

Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I had already felt that wild surge of power in the forest, a force so overwhelming that it had nearly torn me apart. And now, I was being asked to harness that power, to bend it to my will.

The platform beneath us began to shift, the runes rearranging themselves in complex patterns that were dizzying to watch. The light grew brighter, enveloping us once again in a vortex of energy. This time, I was prepared for the disorienting sensation, but it still left me feeling as though I were being torn between two realities.

When the light faded, I found myself standing in the center of what could only be described as a vast, empty void. The ground beneath me was solid, yet there was no visible floor. The space around me stretched out into an infinite blackness, punctuated only by the occasional flicker of light—like stars twinkling in a night sky.

A voice echoed through the void, though it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. It was not the woman’s voice, but something deeper, more ancient, resonating with power. “In this trial, you must find the balance between creation and destruction. Magic is a delicate equilibrium. Too much force, and you will shatter the world. Too little, and you will be powerless to affect it. Show us that you understand this balance.”

As the voice faded, the first challenge appeared before me. Out of the darkness, a figure began to take shape—a towering golem made of stone and fire, its eyes burning with a malevolent light. It moved with a heavy, lumbering gait, each step causing the ground beneath me to tremble.

Instinctively, I raised my hands, trying to summon the same energy that had surged through me in the forest. But this time, nothing happened. The power that had exploded from me so uncontrollably before was now beyond my reach. Panic began to rise in my chest as the golem continued to advance, its massive fists glowing with molten heat.

“Focus,” I told myself, trying to steady my breathing. “Find the balance.”

I closed my eyes, trying to feel the magic around me, to connect with the energy that I knew was there. I pictured the flow of power as a river, a current that I could tap into if only I could find the right place to reach out. The golem was closer now, its heat almost unbearable, but I forced myself to remain calm.

And then, I felt it—a spark of energy, just out of reach, like a thread waiting to be pulled. I grasped it, carefully, tentatively, and immediately felt the power begin to flow into me. It was not the wild, uncontrollable surge from before, but something more refined, more deliberate.

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I opened my eyes, and the world around me shifted. The golem’s fiery core pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat, and I knew that I had connected with its energy. I focused on the balance, the delicate push and pull of power, and willed the flames within the golem to extinguish.

The golem paused, its fiery glow flickering, but it did not stop. Instead, the fire within it seemed to surge even stronger, as if resisting my attempt to snuff it out. I could feel the strain of trying to control such raw energy, the danger of pushing too hard or not hard enough. The balance was precarious.

I needed another approach. If I couldn’t extinguish the fire, maybe I could redirect it.

I shifted my focus, imagining the flames being drawn out of the golem and into the void around us. The energy responded, the fire within the golem starting to thin, its movements slowing as its strength was drained away. I kept the flow steady, careful not to disrupt the delicate balance, until the golem was little more than a hollow shell, its fiery core reduced to a faint ember.

With a final surge of concentration, I pulled the last of the fire from the golem, and it crumbled into a heap of cold, lifeless stone.

I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my body trembling with the effort. The void around me was silent once more, but I knew the trial wasn’t over yet.

The voice returned, deep and resonant. “You have learned to control, to contain. But magic is not only about restraint. It is also about the ability to unleash power when needed. You must learn both.”

The ground beneath me began to rumble, and I could see cracks forming in the void, light pouring through them as if something immense was trying to break free. I braced myself, feeling the power building up, the air crackling with energy.

Suddenly, the void shattered, and I was standing on the edge of a massive chasm, the ground splitting apart with a deafening roar. From the depths of the chasm, a creature of pure energy surged upward—a serpent made of lightning and storm clouds, its body writhing with raw, untamed power. It was wild and uncontrollable, the very embodiment of the destructive force I had been warned about.

The serpent lunged at me, its fangs crackling with electricity. I had no time to think, only to act. I reached out with my mind, trying to grasp the serpent’s energy, to bring it under control, but it was too much, too chaotic. The energy slipped through my mental fingers, the power too vast to contain.

The serpent’s attack struck me like a bolt of lightning, the force of it knocking me back. Pain seared through me, my entire body burning with the shock of the energy. But even as I fell, I refused to give in. I couldn’t allow the power to overwhelm me—not now, not after I had come this far.

Desperately, I reached out again, this time not to contain the energy, but to direct it. I didn’t try to control the serpent; I guided its power, channeling the lightning through me and back into the earth. The serpent hissed, its body writhing as the energy flowed out of it and into the ground, dissipating harmlessly.

Slowly, the serpent began to fade, its form dissolving into wisps of cloud and electricity. I could feel the energy ebbing away, the storm within it calming until it was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

When it was over, I collapsed to my knees, utterly spent. My body ached from the strain, my mind exhausted from the effort of controlling such immense power. But I had done it. I had passed the Trial of Magic.

The voice returned one last time, softer now, almost approving. “You have shown that you understand the balance between creation and destruction, between control and release. You have passed the trial.”

The void around me dissolved, and I found myself back in the Chamber of Trials, once again standing on the platform. Lienad and Niasuh were there too, both looking equally exhausted yet also had a somber look on their face. The robed figures watched us in silence, their expressions unreadable.

The woman with green eyes stepped forward, her gaze resting on each of us in turn. “Only one of you has passed the Trial of Magic,” she said, her voice carrying a note of approval. “There is one more trial that awaits you. Prepare yourself, for the final test will be the most difficult of all.”

'What?'

As I glanced back at Lienad and Niasuh, I immediately felt confusion and rage. I tried to control myself and failed to hide my grimace.

They both didn't make any attempt to make eye contact, instead mouthing the word 'sorry' on their faces.

I inhaled.

'I'll be damned if I don't make sure we all get in.'

Suddenly, Niasuh clasped his hand on my shoulder and gulped. "Pass this last one for us, Rowan. We know you can, and we're sorry that we let you down."

Steeling my resolve, I stood up and met their two gazes. Looking back at the woman and Lord Vaelios, I made my choice.

"Take me to the last trial."