Ithan was alone in a small room, with Dhurik and Unit 17 nowhere to be seen. The room was bare, save for a panel in the wall in front of him. He stepped up to the panel and tried to open it, but it was too tightly fastened to the wall to do so with his bare hands. He summoned his glaive as he felt Kiraan enter into his mind.

That was your chance to escape the terran, Kiraan spoke.

I couldn’t have escaped Irse, Ithan replied. Her magic is too strong.

Perhaps for now. I must admit, I did not expect to encounter someone of her skill in Averion. He grew silent for a few moments as Ithan started to try and pry the panel open. What is it you seek here?

I thought you would be interested in having an army of terrans at your disposal. Was I wrong?

You intend to take the terran’s place? Are you prepared for what you must do to succeed?

Yes, Ithan grunted as the panel separated from the wall, revealing a darker room beyond. I’ll show you I’ve still got what it takes to do this.

Good. Then take the terran’s key and use it to be rid of him and that cleric. His presence faded, allowing Ithan to relax as he dropped his façade. Of course, he did not truly plan to compete against Unit 17 in this trial, but instead keep his master entertained for as long as possible. The more time he gave Taer’inar to do his research the better.

The room in which Ithan now stood was much like the first, bare save for a plaque in its center and a door centered on each wall. Its pristine white walls bore no features except for the faintly glowing doors on each wall. The room was dimly lit, but Ithan was able to read the inscription on the plaque: “Find the three pillars before thrice the bell tolls.” Ithan strode past the plaque to the door directly behind it. It had no handles, but as he reached out to touch it his hand phased through it as if it were air. Just like the dwarves’ illusion. He stepped through the illusion and into a similar room to the last, except there was no plaque in the center. He proceeded through to the other side, passing once more through the door in front of him. The same room again; perhaps this was some kind of loop. He went through the door to his left instead of straight forward, but again he was in the empty room. Confused, he turned around and stepped through the way he came. But the empty room was replaced with the room with the plaque. Perhaps the rooms were shuffling as he walked between them.

He started over, going again through the door behind the plaque. This time, though, before proceeding through the next door, he summoned his glaive and made a mark in the middle of the floor. When he passed through the next door, the mark was gone, confirming that while these rooms were identical, they were distinct. Yet it had certainly been some sort of spatial magic that sent Ithan back to the first room. He continued forward through the rooms, but he stopped at the toll of a bell. He had used up a third of his time and had found none of these pillars that the plaque spoke of.

Frustrated, Ithan continued walking forward. The bell tolled again before he finally reached a room with a pillar in the center. To his dismay, there were no inscriptions nor additional clues as to where the other two pillars might be. He decided to continue on his original path until, finally, he heard the third bell. After passing through the next doorway, he was once more in the first room.

Time seemed to stretch on into eternity as Ithan tried several different paths in his attempts to find these pillars, but he only ever found the one. He started keeping track of his routes by carving out a sort of map in the floor of the starting room using a knife. It was not until his sixteenth attempt‍—he had started marking those as well‍—that he made an important discovery. The bells did not toll at regular intervals‍—they rang only after Ithan had passed through ten rooms. Whenever he passed through a room after the third bell tolled, he always returned to the starting room. If he went straight forward in any one direction, he could traverse through thirty rooms before ending up back at the beginning again. He knew by now that the first pillar was eleven rooms straight forward. That meant the other two rooms had to be within nineteen rooms of the first; the trial would have been impossible to complete otherwise.

Ithan spent much time investigating the room in which the pillar stood, hoping to find some indication of where to go next. The dim light prolonged his search, but he had to figure out this puzzle. There was nothing on the pillar itself; it was as bare as the walls of the room‍—wait, was that… A small circular marking, nearly imperceptible in this low light, was hidden above one of the doorways. At last, another clue. He passed through this doorway and searched for a similar marking above the doorways in the next room. There was another marking on the doorway to the right. Ithan grinned and continued on. After repeating this for five more rooms, he came across another pillar, and then two rooms after he heard the second bell toll, he found the third. He had found the three pillars, but nothing happened as he approached this one. He had stopped keeping track of the rooms as he passed through them, so he feared that he had stumbled upon the first pillar again. He sighed in disappointment as he stepped through another doorway, ready to begin again. But the room he stepped into now was entirely different‍—the walls, while still a pristine white, were adorned with intricate etchings rather than being entirely bare. A small pyramid-like structure lay at the center, similar to the one in which Unit 17 had placed the key. On the pedestal was a green orb. Relieved, Ithan stepped up to the pedestal and grasped the orb, and a bright light once again washed over him as the room around him faded away, the pure white walls decaying to reveal a dark cavern around him.

“There he is!” Dhurik shouted as Ithan finished materializing in front of him and Unit 17. They were seated at a campfire to his right. “We were starting to wonder if you’d ever make it.”

“What was your trial?” Unit 17 questioned as Ithan sat down with them. “Apparently it is different depending on the participant.” Ithan explained what he knew of the trial to his companions and was met with strange looks from both of them. “I wonder why your trial was so difficult,” the terran thought aloud. “You were very lucky to find even the first pillar in such a brief period of time.”

“Perseverance,” Dhurik grunted. “Can’t be a good leader if you don’t have it.” Unit 17 pondered this for a moment, then nodded. Or the trial’s rigged. He clearly would have been far behind the others by now had they not decided to wait for him. He stared into the orb he had retrieved as he pondered how he would fare in his next trial. “How much time do you think we have, Rockhead?” the minotaur asked as he tossed his orb up into the air, its red hue accentuated by the campfire’s flickering flames.

“The laws of time and space seem to be different here,” Unit 17 answered. “I do not believe we need to rush to complete the trial.” He almost seemed to be frowning as he spoke. “You did not need to come with me. If I am not meant to claim the title of Lord, it will be shown through my actions alone.”

“I’m not here for you,” Ithan lied. “I have my own ambitions.”

“I see,” Unit 17 responded softly. “Then, may I ask why you are still sitting here with us?”

“You did me the courtesy of waiting for me,” Ithan replied. “What kind of person would I be if I betrayed that kindness?” Unit 17 opened his mouth, but he did not speak. “Besides, like you said, there’s no need to rush.”

“That is fair,” the terran said finally. He took out his own orb from his chest, still glowing that otherworldly silver. Perhaps Ithan did not need to claim Unit 17’s orb now that he had his own. Despite their obvious differences in appearance, there had to be some purpose for the trial bestowing these orbs onto him and Dhurik. “I do not expect you to concede, but I do not intend to leave the fate of my kin to you.” His words were uncharacteristically pointed, but Ithan understood his concern. He was, as far as the terran knew, threatening to take control of the fortress in the name of his master.

“Good,” Dhurik laughed. “Some nice, healthy competition.”

“Indeed,” Unit 17 said. “Let the best terranoid win.”

As the group rested around the campfire, Ithan continued to gaze into his orb, the colors swirling within as he tried to determine its purpose.

What are you?

I am you, a voice rang out suddenly in his head. It sounded much like his own voice, except it had a certain dull quality to it that he recognized from the way the terrans spoke‍—monotonous and dry, as if speaking in their sleep. To be precise, I am a manifestation of your soul. Your kindness. Your loyalty. Your courage. Your perseverance. All that you are is held within me.

What is your purpose?

Should you emerge triumphant from the Lord’s Trial, I shall be the template from which all of Zastraria follows. You and they shall become one mind, with yours being the supreme will.

My will… or Kiraan’s…?

All that you are is held within me, the voice repeated as wisps of black began to flicker in and out of the green light. Your malice. Your arrogance. Your envy. Your fear. Ithan’s chest tightened as he heard his master’s voice overlay his own. Wisps of blackness grew, overtaking the green light within the orb. He wanted to stop, but something would not allow him to do so. He gazed helplessly into the orb as yellow eyes appeared within it, glaring back at him with the same fierceness as the demon he and his friends had faced before arriving at the fortress.

“Dogboy,” Dhurik called, breaking Ithan from his trance as he snapped his head up to the minotaur. He glanced back down at the orb and breathed a heavy sigh of relief as it glowed its brilliant green light once more. “You all right?”

“Yeah,” Ithan said quietly.

“Not liking what you’re hearing?” the minotaur questioned as he nodded down at Ithan’s orb. When Ithan looked back up at him confused, he simply smiled. “Guess you gotta be one with yourself before you can be one with everyone else.”

“You’ve been awfully philosophical lately,” Ithan commented. “What gives?” Dhurik jerked his head to each side, cracking his neck in the process.

“I know, it’s weird for me, too,” he replied. “But I gotta be more than just a tough guy that beats every living thing I see to a pulp, you know? ‘Specially if I’m gonna keep getting into messes like this and like with the hobgoblins.” He peered down at his own orb again and nodded. “Talkin’ to myself made me realize that more than before‍—I gotta be bigger than myself if I’m gonna lead.”

“Strength is but one facet of a good leader,” Unit 17 droned. “The very fact that you recognize this means that you are progressing.” He stood up and stamped out the campfire. “Let us proceed,” he said as he began walking down into the cavern beyond. Ithan and Dhurik followed close behind, not wanting to be outrun by the terran.

As they progressed, the cavern quickly grew darker and damper, eventually illuminated only by the orbs that the three of them carried. Ithan’s natural ability to see in the dark gave him an advantage here, one he very nearly acted on as Unit 17 carefully maneuvered around the boulders scattered across the ground. However, something else caught his attention‍—the sound of flowing water just ahead of the group‍—and he cast a spell to better illuminate the area to investigate. There, a few more feet in front of them, was a slow-moving stream of water flowing from further ahead in the cavern, splitting off into two smaller streams that ran to the left and right. Ithan beckoned his companions to follow him, and together they journeyed deeper into the cave until they came to a large open area. At the wall opposite the entrance to this area, water fell from the ceiling and into the stream, creating a foaming at the base and mist all around the area. The stream was shallow enough for Ithan to step into; he approached the waterfall until he could see his own reflection. There had to be a mirror or something behind it. But when he reached through it, his hand only met cold, rough stone.

“Lookin’ good,” Dhurik said as he glanced at his own reflection. He made a few different poses, flexing his muscles as he admired his body. Ithan looked at his own reflection with disgust‍—it was the first time, in fact, that he had seen his own body in full since he bound himself to Kiraan. It was no wonder his friends had fled from him back then. Ren’s horrified face as Naomi and Aedan took her away from their burning village… Please don’t go…

“You who would engage in the Lord’s Trial,” a voice suddenly boomed throughout the cavern, “present that which you earned as proof of your worth.” Startled, Ithan stepped away from the waterfall. Unit 17 produced his orb from his chest, and Dhurik followed suit. Ithan, shaking away his dark memories, took his own orb out of his pocket.

“Indeed, you are worthy; you have proved it to be so. Your souls glisten with the qualities of those destined to lead.”

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The orbs flew from their hands, depositing themselves within their reflections. Then, the reflections began moving of their own accord, stepping out of the waterfall until they stood on solid ground across from the trio.

“Indeed, you are worthy. But alas, even the greatest of leaders have their weaknesses.”

The orbs pulsed, and inky blackness exuded out from them and covered the reflections in darkness, reshaping them as the tendrils wrapped around them. Dhurik’s reflection shifted into something that looked very nearly like a hobgoblin, except it stood twice as tall and had twisted horns protruding from its head. It summoned a fiery blade nearly the length of its body. Unit 17’s reflection contorted into what Ithan could only think of as a giant insect-like armadillo. And at last, to Ithan’s horror, his own reflection glared back at him with sickly yellow eyes as it morphed into its own monstrosity‍—its antlers twisted as they grew to twice their length, its nails turned to claws and its teeth grew razor sharp, and monstrous wings burst out of its back‍—sneering at him as it summoned a shadowy version of his own glaive.

“Face your fears,” the voice echoed, “ere they consume all that you hold dear.”

At this, the blackened forms sprang forward and began to attack the trio. Ithan frantically summoned his glaive, not at all prepared to face his reflection as it rushed toward him. To his surprise, though, the shadows each quickly changed targets, with his glaive connecting instead with one of the giant insect’s antennae. He slashed at the creature as it swiped back at him, but he could not seem to break through its carapace. Meanwhile, his own reflection relentlessly attacking Dhurik, who barely stood his ground against the assault as he tried to match the shadow’s speed. Wanting to help him, Ithan took one final stab at the creature in front of him before sending a blast of magical energy at his reflection. It quickly flew backward to evade Ithan’s attack and laughed‍—a hideous sound to match its hideous form‍—as it resumed its assault on Dhurik. The insectoid creature interrupted Ithan’s next spell, gnawing at his leg with its mandible. He yelled out in pain, then stabbed and kicked it repeatedly until it released him. Then, before it could charge at him again, a pair of beams of energy hit it in the face, causing it to reel back and screech. Ithan glanced over at Unit 17, whose eyes slowly lost their glow as he deflected an attack from the large hobgoblin-like creature.

“Rust monster,” Unit 17 grunted.

“Ah,” Ithan said. He had never heard of such a beast before, but he understood why Unit 17 would be afraid of something that could very easily corrode his body and devour his remains. But the trial told them to face their fears. “You need to finish it,” he called to Unit 17 as the monster finally resumed its attempts to eat him. He ran over to the large elvenoid and slashed at its leg, and it changed its focus to him from Unit 17 as the monster crawled toward the two of them. Ithan cast a spell as the monster approached, one that blinded both himself and the two enemies intent on killing them. While in the darkness, he relied on his hearing to evade the giant’s wild swings. After more screeching from the rust monster, he dispelled the magical darkness. The creature’s form was melting away now, leaving behind Unit 17’s orb. Before Ithan could reach it, the giant flung him through the air into the wall behind him, his head slamming hard against the stone.

“Hang in there, Dogboy!” he heard Dhurik cry as he tried to steady himself. “Rockhead, let’s switch places!” As Ithan pulled himself up from the ground, Unit 17 started to fire more beams of energy at the giant to distract it as he ran toward Ithan’s reflection. Dhurik changed his focus to the giant, swinging his axe wildly at the hulking form as it continued to try to take down Unit 17. Ithan’s shadow had started muttering something as it continued to attack both of his allies‍—it was trying to cast a spell. Ithan frantically stumbled toward the shadow, his glaive outstretched. It collided with his shadow’s just before it reached Dhurik’s head, allowing the minotaur to fell the giant with a mighty swing upward. The shadow continued its incantation as it pushed Ithan away, grinning at his attempts to protect his friends. Suddenly, black tendrils began to rise from the ground, wrapping themselves around both Dhurik and Unit 17 and squeezing them tight.

What are you waiting for? a voice‍—the same amalgamation of his own and Kiraan’s‍—called from within Ithan’s mind. The shadow, not Kiraan himself, was speaking to him.

How…?

All that you are‍—and all that these terrans shall be‍—is held within me. But that cannot come to pass if you do not win. Finish it.

Ithan gripped his glaive tightly again and aimed it at his reflection’s chest. The shadow grinned again, waiting for Ithan to strike. He charged angrily at his reflection and ran his glaive through its chest. It gave a final laugh within his mind, and it exploded out in strands of smoke as the orb it contained fell to the ground. The tendrils that wrapped around Ithan’s friends vanished, and Ithan picked up his orb as they recovered themselves. He sighed in relief now that his friends were safe, but the wisps of shadow that remained bore some final words:

They will die by your hand all the same.

“What was that?!” Dhurik shouted as he and Unit 17 approached Ithan.

“It was me,” Ithan mumbled after a moment. “Or rather, what I’m afraid I’ll become.”

“You’re scared you’re gonna sprout wings?” Dhurik asked. “You got your head screwed on too tight or something? Those things looked incredible!” Ithan feigned a laugh but chose not to linger on the topic. Luckily for him, Dhurik seemed to be distracted by the waterfall beginning to part to reveal a passage behind it.

“We should rest here,” Unit 17 said as he tossed his sword aside. It was rusted now, unusable after having been touched by the rust monster. “I am glad that neither of you are made of metal.”

“Would this trial have been the same had we not joined you?” Ithan asked. The terran shrugged.

“I do not know if I could have faced it without help,” he said. He turned his attention to Dhurik. “Was that an ignan?”

“Yeah,” Dhurik grumbled. “They’ve been running my home into the ground since my granddad was a kid. They treat us like slaves, and I got sick of it.” He swung his axe around as he spoke. “Felt nice to chop one’s head off, even if it wasn’t real.”

“You didn’t seem to want to chop Apostalite’s head off,” Ithan said.

“Oh sure, they’re not all bad. Just the ones in my village.” Dhurik turned to Unit 17. “I know what it’s like to want to help your own kind, Rockhead. It’s the reason I came to Averion in the first place.” His somber tone belied his usual ferocity. “I’m not gonna take that away from you.” he added.

“Thank you,” Unit 17 said, turning to Ithan. “Do you still intend to compete, Mor’lavan?” he asked.

“You know I have to,” Ithan responded.

“I see.” The terran’s head tilted to the side slightly. “Then let us journey on.” He made way for the passage and stepped into it as Ithan and Dhurik followed close behind. The tunnel was cramped, forcing Ithan to crouch slightly so that his antlers did not scrape against the ceiling. Dhurik had to stoop down even further to navigate the passage. It was a bit claustrophobic, and with Dhurik behind him Ithan had no means of escape. Luckily, as the three of them moved through the tunnel, it opened up into another large area lit with large glowing crystals protruding out of the stone all around it. At the center of the area was another pyramid-like structure. There was no pedestal atop this structure, however; instead, there was a pool of metallic liquid. The liquid, much like the waterfall before, reflected the group’s images as they gazed into it.

“You who would engage in the Lord’s Trial,” the voice from earlier called again, “only one may claim the title of Lord. Show your strength and let all that you are become one with Zastraria.” All that I am… Ithan looked across at Unit 17. But what am I? Destined to lead? He had given any chance of that up when all of this started. He gripped his orb tightly as he thought about the ramifications of taking control of this city. It was wrong‍—he knew that all along, of course‍—but he could no longer stand to even pretend to be seriously trying to wrest Unit 17’s ambitions away from him. In an act of defiance, he threw his orb as hard as he could at the wall behind him. It shattered on contact, its green light bursting out and refracting over the crystals.

How disappointing.

Ithan’s chest swelled with pride. For the first time since he had formed his pact with Kiraan, he felt free. He smiled, reveling in this brief respite, as both Dhurik and Unit 17 stared at him in awe.

“I concede,” Ithan said, still smiling as he looked at the terran. He saw a flicker in Unit 17’s eyes, and he knew then that he had done the right thing.

“Sacrifice,” Unit 17 droned. “Another quality of a great leader.” He took his orb from his chest and held it out over the pool. He stopped there, though, refraining from dropping the orb into the pool. “I do not know whether to say ‘goodbye’ here.”

“This isn’t goodbye,” Dhurik stated. “We’ll see you soon. Now get on with it.” With a final nod, Unit 17 dropped his orb into the pool, and as it touched the liquid, the light within it pulsed out over the surface of the substance. Then, after a moment, the liquid suddenly and very quickly began to form into tendrils that wrapped around Unit 17. Ithan cried out and tried to reach for the terran as the liquid engulfed him, but Dhurik held him back as Unit 17’s body went limp, lifeless now as the day they had uncovered him in Rockfall. Then his body was pulled completely into the pool; the liquid began to bubble and the crystals around the room began to glow brighter. Soon the cavern began to tear away, and the light consumed Ithan once more.

🙡◊🙣

Ithan is in an empty place, staring into a vast expanse of white. There is no sun, yet its warmth graces his face. It is lonely here, but it is better than the bleak darkness that he usually finds himself in.

“You are more than you let yourself be,” a voice calls from all around him. It is the same voice that called out to him and his friends in the trial.

“I’m just Kiraan’s pet,” Ithan scowls.

“He is not all that you are,” the voice says. “He is but a fragment of what makes you you.” A faint image of his old self appears before him. He takes a moment to inspect it‍—he had been so pale and thin back then, but now he was taller, stronger. As he thinks on this, his image shifts. It grows taller and stronger, and its face matures. It is what he might look like now had he not been bound to Kiraan‍—a seventeen-year-old elven prince, poised and elegant. The image smiles warmly at him and speaks.

“This is who you are,” his reflection says in his own voice, “not the monster you believe yourself to be.”

🙠◊🙢

The blinding light faded at last, and Ithan was now back in the room where he and his friends had first entered the Lord’s Trial. Dhurik stood next to him, and Fenvyre, Bimpnottin, Ian, and Irse still stood across the room. To his dismay, Unit 17 had not returned with them.

“That was fast,” Bimpnottin commented. “Where’s Unit 17?”

“He passed the Lord’s Trial,” Ithan answered. “I don’t know what happened after that.”

“Fast?” Dhurik questioned. “We were in there for hours!”

“You only left moments ago,” Irse said. As Unit 17 had guessed, time and space were warped within the Lord’s Trial. They likely could have spent days, months even, within the trial and come back with not much real time having passed. Dhurik scratched his head.

“Is he going to be okay?” Fenvyre asked.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Ithan said. One of the terrans that had escorted them here stood upright.

“Our Lord invites you to join him in his chambers,” the terran spoke. “Please, follow me.” It gestured for the group to follow and led them up the stairs to the ground floor of the building. The terrans were no longer moving erratically, instead consciously avoiding obstacles‍—including other terrans‍—as they moved about the building. The terran they followed brought them all the way back to the tower, where they were greeted by a few other terrans attempting to remove the rust and moss from the sentries who were stationed in front. Another couple of terrans stepped in front of the group, carrying a table up the stairs. The group’s guide led them up behind, until they were once again at the top. There Unit 17 stood among piles of furniture and books and other loose papers, reading through one of them as the group reached the landing. It took a moment before he glanced up from the paper and greeted them.

“Greetings, friends,” Unit 17 spoke. “Thank you for your patience as I acquaint myself with my new role.”

“You do not waste time,” Irse said as she looked around the room.

“Indeed,” he responded. He stepped past a pile of books to be closer to the group. “The memories of my kin are scattered, and I must work fast to put them back into place.” His eyes flickered for a moment. “I am afraid I cannot afford to continue venturing with you.” Irse sighed, and Ithan knew exactly why‍—it now fell to her to watch him.

“I suppose not,” Irse muttered.

“I guess we lost our free ride,” Ian muttered to Bimpnottin.

“Were there any memories that you’ve already put back together?” Fenvyre inquired.

“Yes,” the terran said. “It seems that I was originally from here, and not from the Burning Scale Dynasty.” Ithan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “When they took me, they took my name, as well. My name is not Unit 17. It is Rham.” He glanced over at Dhurik. “You can still call me Rockhead if you prefer.”

“How many of you did the Seal take?” Bimpnottin questioned.

“When I was a representative of the Seal, I was part of a squadron of thirty sentry units,” Rham said. “However, records indicate that as many as one hundred terrans were taken from this city.”

“That many?!” Fenvyre shouted. “What is wrong with them?!” Her frustration shook Ithan; he had never seen her this upset.

“The last Lord had a hand in this, as well,” Rham buzzed. “Whatever their reason may have been, I will find it. And then, I will reclaim those lost terrans from the Seal. By force, if the Seal fails to comply.” Ithan shuddered at the words. The terran had always been so diplomatic, but now with these recollections, an emotion not unlike anger seemed to bubble beneath the terran’s unassuming exterior. “In the meantime, as we repair our city, please feel free to stay for as long as you need.”

“I think we outta get going,” Dhurik huffed. “We should rendezvous with Birdbrain after everything that’s been going on.”

“In that case, please feel free to return any time to recharge.” He and Dhurik shook hands, and the minotaur hurried out of the room, taking his sending stone out of his pocket as he disappeared from view. The others in the group each said their farewells before following Dhurik downstairs until finally, Ithan was left alone with Rham.

“I can no longer perform my duty of watching you,” Rham spoke, “but after what you did today, I trust that you can handle yourself.”

“Thank you, Rham,” Ithan said awkwardly as he held out his hand to the terran. Rham held Ithan’s hand firmly and pulled him in close, wrapping him in his metallic arms.

“Thank you, Ithan Aranis,” Rham said quietly before letting go. With a final wave goodbye, Ithan joined the rest of his allies as they traveled out of the tower and headed to the western wall, guided by another terran. When they reached the wall, it split apart, revealing two perfectly cut doors as they opened outward. Giving thanks to the guide, they stepped out of the fortress and headed to the south, back toward Myth Veri’Shantar.