Tessia giggled softly, glancing at Lucien's long ponytail swaying behind him.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"
She waved her hand playfully. "Nothing, nothing. It's just… I've never seen anyone with yellowish-brunette hair before. And especially not a boy with such a long ponytail."
Lucien crossed his arms. "It's fashion. You wouldn't get it."
Godir burst out laughing. "If that's where fashion's headed, we might as well give up on the world now."
Lucien scowled but quickly composed himself. "So now that we've completed this 'tutorial,' we should head for the second trial, right?"
Godir snorted. "Tutorial? That was just the path to the tutorial, genius. The Sacred Altar up ahead leads to the real first trial."
Lucien blinked. "Wait—what? Then how do we get there?"
Tessia smiled. "Simple. We just keep walking forward."
Godir nodded. "Yeah. And if you've recovered, you might actually be useful, so stop slacking and walk."
Lucien clenched his jaw but nodded. He had no time to argue—he needed to reach the Asylum of Divinity.
They pressed forward into the forest, thick and damp with shadows wrapping around the twisted trees. Every step brought the scent of moss and rain-soaked bark.
Lucien stopped for a breath, panting slightly.
Godir scoffed. "Tired already? What kind of man are you?"
Tessia frowned. "Godir, don't be rude." She handed Lucien a canteen. "Here, drink."
Lucien took a sip, nodding his thanks. The silence between them stretched thin.
Tessia finally broke it. "Maybe we should rest a bit?"
Godir shrugged. "I'm fine, but if the two of you are weak, sure. I'll take a break—for your sake."
Lucien clenched his fists but said nothing.
They laid a cloth beneath the canopy of trees. Tessia brought out warm food—juicy steak with a rich, flavorful miso-style soup.
Lucien took a bite. "This is… good."
"Glad you like it," Tessia smiled.
Once their lunch was finished, they packed up and continued their journey.
After several more hours, the trees parted, revealing a monumental structure.
The Sacred Altar stood at the end of the path—a colossal base of radiant diamond stone. Gigantic pillars rose from its foundation like ancient guardians, and at the center gleamed a tri-colored diamond—red, blue, and yellow.
The light from it was so mesmerizing it seemed to mock every diamond in existence.
Tessia stared in awe. "We made it… What now?"
Godir stepped forward. "To enter the trial, we must infuse our Zyre into the diamond. It'll teleport us."
Without hesitation, he placed his hand on the glowing edge and pulsed his Zyre into it.
FLASH!
He vanished in an instant.
Tessia followed next, her hand pressing gently to the gem. With a brilliant shimmer, she disappeared.
Lucien hesitated.
He reached out slowly, his palm hovering above the gem. Then, drawing in a deep breath, he touched it—and infused it with his Zyre.
The moment he did, everything went black.
No light. No shape.
Only the sensation of falling.
Then—splash.
Water. He was submerged deep underwater.
He flailed, bubbles escaping his lips.
"I should've taken those swimming classes with Viola…" he thought, panic rising. "I can't swim!"
Desperately, he thrashed, arms waving wildly, choking on water, his vision blurring—
Then a voice.
"Tessia—"
"Lucien! Grab my hand!"
He saw her silhouette above, her hand stretched out through the water. With one final effort, Lucien leapt upward and latched onto her wrist.
But she couldn't hold him alone. "Godir! I need help!"
"Tch… why do I always have to babysit?" Godir muttered, grabbing Lucien's arm and yanking him onto dry land.
Lucien gasped, coughing hard. As his vision cleared, he saw the shore they were on—it shimmered like gold, covered in sand that sparkled with an otherworldly glow.
He looked forward.
And froze.
Before him were countless mirrors—no, not hundreds.
Millions.
Each reflected a version of himself—some twisted, others regal, some bloodstained, some crying, others laughing manically.
The Trial had begun.
End of Chapter 20