The oppressive heat and humidity of the Emberwood clung to Leon like a shroud. Two days of relentless trekking through the dense undergrowth had yielded no sign of Simon. His dwindling water supply also added a gnawing anxiety to his exhaustion. He scanned the sky, hoping for a storm, a downpour that would allow him to replenish his canteen. He thought that maybe if such a blessing were to happen, he could rush to the top of the trees to try and catch some drops, but the heavens remained stubbornly clear.

All the while, a persistent whisper followed him, a voice that seemed to slither through the trees, calling his name, taunting him with insidious doubts. "You don't belong," it hissed, the words echoing in the hollows of his mind. He tried to dismiss it as the wind playing tricks on him, but the voice grew clearer, more insistent, its tone chillingly familiar, yet impossible to place.

The voice gnawed at him for hours as he stumbled through the tangled vegetation. Just as his strength began to fail, he emerged into a small clearing, a tranquil oasis centered around a shimmering lake. Relief washed over him. He rushed to the water's edge, drinking deeply, then frantically filling his canteen. He considered staying there, making the clearing his base for the remainder of the trial. Water was essential, and the open space offered a sense of security that the claustrophobic forest had thus far denied him.

But as he contemplated his options, the whispering voice intensified, its words cutting through him like shards of ice. "You don't belong here," it hissed again. The air around him grew heavy with malevolent energy. He glanced at the lake and his blood turned to ice as he saw the reflection of Lady Ellie standing behind him.

He whirled around, his heart pounding in his chest. Her chilling blue eyes, filled with contempt, bored into him. "What are you doing here?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What are you doing on my family's land?" she retorted, her voice dripping with disdain and contempt.

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"My name is Emberlight too!" he shot back, defiance flickering within him. "This is my land as much as yours."

A cruel laugh escaped her lips. "You are nothing but a bastard," she sneered, "a constant reminder of my husband's betrayal and infidelity. You will never be part of this family. You and your whore mother don't belong anywhere near Castle Emberlight."

Fury surged through Leon, eclipsing his fear. "Say that about my mother again!" he growled, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.

"And what will you do?" she challenged, her eyes gleaming with malicious amusement. "Strike down the lady of the house? I wonder what your father would think."

Leon hesitated, his anger warring with a sense of caution. He took a step back, his grip tightening on his sword hilt. Lady Ellie's taunts continued, each word a poisoned barb aimed at his deepest insecurities. He wanted to desperately to silence her, to lash out and cut her down. But Merrick's words echoed in his mind: You’re too hotheaded. You let your emotions cloud your judgement. Was this another one of Merrick’s tests? Had he devised this scheme, this vision to provoke Leon into trying to get an emotional reaction from him?

Slowly, deliberately, he lowered his sword, returning it to its scabbard. Lady Ellie's expression contorted into a mask of frustrated rage. "Strike me down, bastard!" she shrieked. "Prove to me what a worthless piece of trash you truly are! Or are you too scared? Don’t have that fire within you? To strike me down or to be a Warden?!"

But Leon stood firm. "I won’t attack you," he declared, his voice trembling but resolute. "But I will be a Warden, despite what you or anyone else says. You can call me a bastard, but that doesn't define me. I decide who I am, and I will prove you wrong."

A flicker of surprise crossed Lady Ellie's face. Then, to Leon's astonishment, her expression softened. For the first time, he saw a glimmer of respect, perhaps even pride, in her eyes.

"Well done, Leon," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "Never forget what you are, bastard, for I certainly won't. But never let anyone use it to diminish you. You control your own destiny. You alone decide who you are."

And with that, she vanished, the air around him returning to its normal stillness. Leon realized he had been facing a magical illusion, a test of his character, his self-control. He had passed.