Orion's gaze lingered on Halia's star sign—Death—glowing ominously beneath her feet. The dark crimson letters seemed to radiate a chilling finality, sending a shiver through the group. No one spoke. The silence was oppressive, filled with the unspoken fear that her choice had sealed her fate.

"Death?" Michael finally broke the tension, scoffing nervously. "Talk about bad luck, huh? Bet you wish you could switch spots now."

Halia glared at him, her defiance sharp despite the faint tremor in her voice. "I don't need luck," she snapped. "If this is a game, I'll play to win. I suggest you do the same."

"Enough," Granna's voice cut through the exchange, cold and commanding. She stepped forward, her crimson cloak billowing behind her as the ruby at the center of the platform began to pulse faintly, in rhythm with the glowing star signs. Her masked face tilted slightly, surveying them with an air of calculated amusement.

"The roles you have chosen are not random," she began, her voice echoing softly in the cavernous hall. "They reflect the essence of who you are—or who you are destined to become."

She turned her masked face toward Halia. "And as for you, Death… do not despair. Death is not an end but a transformation. Your role may yet surprise you."

Halia's lips parted, as if to reply, but she quickly closed them. Her fists clenched at her sides, and she said nothing.

Granna continued, stepping toward the ruby in the center of the platform. "Each role is bound to a trial. Your success or failure will determine whether you may move closer to what you seek. Now…" Her gloved hand hovered over the ruby. "Let the first trial begin."

With a wave of her hand, the ruby flared to life, casting brilliant red light across the room. The zodiac symbols beneath their feet glowed brighter, their individual colors—blue, gold, green, red—melding into a kaleidoscope of hues that danced along the stone walls.

The floor beneath the group trembled. Then, with a thunderous crack, the platform split into eight segments, each one separating and sliding outward. Orion stumbled as the ground beneath him shifted, but he quickly regained his balance. Each of them now stood on their own isolated section of the platform, separated by a chasm that seemed to stretch into endless darkness below.

"What the hell is this?" Michael shouted, gripping the edge of his platform as it shuddered to a halt.

Granna's voice carried above the chaos, serene yet commanding. "Your first trial is one of trust. You must decide whether to face your challenges alone—or to collaborate."

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The ruby dimmed, its pulsing light replaced by the eerie glow of the zodiac symbols beneath their feet. A translucent screen materialized in front of each of them, floating in midair. Words scrolled across the screens, written in bold, unyielding script:

Choose your path: Unite or Isolate.

"Unite?" Solara whispered, her voice trembling as she stared at the screen in front of her. "What does that mean?"

"It's obvious," Orion said, his tone calm despite the rising tension. "We either face the trials as a group or go it alone. The question is—can we trust each other?"

Michael scoffed. "Trust? Please. I'm not risking my neck for anyone else. Alone's the only way to survive."

Halia crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "And yet you've been clinging to Orion like a leech since we got here."

Michael bristled, but before he could retort, Granna's voice interrupted. "Your choice must be made within one minute. Those who fail to decide will have their paths chosen for them."

A soft ticking sound began to emanate from the ruby, each second passing like a hammer blow against their nerves.

Orion's eyes flicked to his screen. Unite or Isolate. The words stared back at him, demanding an answer.

"Unite," he said aloud, pressing the option with deliberate certainty. His platform glowed faintly in response, the seven-pointed star beneath his feet shimmering with renewed light.

Across the chasm, Naima smirked. "Guess I'll follow your lead, handsome," she said, pressing her screen. Her symbol—Seducer—flared briefly before settling into a steady glow.

One by one, the others made their decisions. Michael, true to his earlier declaration, selected Isolate, his platform lighting up with an intense golden glow.

Julian hesitated, his hand hovering over the screen. "Trusting strangers in a place like this feels reckless," he muttered, but his finger tapped Unite after a brief pause.

The others followed, some with confidence, others with reluctance. When it was Halia's turn, she glanced down at the word Death glowing at her feet. Her jaw tightened.

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone," Orion said, his voice cutting through the tension.

Halia looked up, her gaze locking with his. "I know," she replied, pressing Unite without hesitation.

The ruby flared again, its light growing brighter until the entire hall was bathed in crimson. Granna clapped her hands once, the sound echoing sharply. "The choices have been made. Let the trials begin."

The translucent screens vanished, and the floor beneath each platform shimmered. A low rumble echoed through the chamber as sections of the platform began to shift and reconfigure, forming pathways and staircases that connected some platforms while isolating others entirely.

Orion noticed that his platform now had a bridge extending to Halia's and Julian's, while Michael's stood alone, completely cut off.

"Great," Michael muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Guess I'll just wait for whatever nightmare you all unleash."

Granna's voice rose again, her tone filled with quiet menace. "Your trials will test more than your abilities—they will test your character, your resolve, and the strength of your convictions. Fail, and the consequences will be… permanent."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of her words settling over them like a shroud.

"Step forward," Granna commanded, her gaze fixed on Orion. "The Sage will lead the way."