The air hummed with raw, untamed energy as I stood before the swirling vortex that was the entrance to the Divine Trial of Classes. A fusion of light and shadow swirled within it, beckoning me forward like the very gates of destiny. This was no mere trial; this was the test that would define my future. It was a rite of passage for heroes, a crucible of strength, intellect, and resolve. My pulse quickened as I drew a steadying breath, mentally steeling myself for what lay ahead.
"Focus, Noah," I whispered to myself, the words slipping through my teeth with a steely determination. "You've trained for this moment. You are ready."
With those words, I stepped forward, crossing the threshold. A rush of power enveloped me, as if the very fabric of reality shifted around me. The world around me twisted, and in the blink of an eye, I was no longer standing at the edge of the portal. Instead, I found myself in an expansive, otherworldly arena—its towering walls shimmering like the surface of a vast, undulating sea. The ground beneath me hummed with an ancient energy, as if the very earth itself was alive, breathing with a pulse all its own.
The atmosphere was intoxicating—charged with a quiet, lingering tension, yet bathed in an ethereal glow that bathed everything in soft, ever-shifting light. It was eerily beautiful, like stepping into the heart of a dream. The shadows seemed to stretch and twist, ever-watchful in the corners of my vision. I activated my Mana Sense, the arcane sight flaring to life within my mind. A maze.
Of course.
The walls were adorned with intricate, ever-changing patterns, shifting and reconfiguring in ways that defied logic. I felt an overwhelming sense of disorientation as the maze stretched out before me, its winding paths vanishing into the unknown. Yet beneath the disarray, I felt something deeper—a guiding force, as though the maze itself was alive and beckoning me forward.
I murmured a quiet incantation, focusing my energy into a small sphere of radiant light. Light Orb. The orb flickered to life, casting the surrounding shadows aside, and revealed the first of many twisting corridors that awaited me. Each step forward felt as though the maze itself were watching, waiting.
This isn't just a test of magic, I realized. It's a trial of my very will.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a deadly barrage of arrows shot forth, their tips gleaming with a toxic sheen that reflected the eerie light. Panic surged for a heartbeat, but I quickly centered myself.
"Not today." I focused my mana into the air, manipulating the wind with a sharp, controlled thought. The arrows slowed to a crawl, drifting harmlessly past me as if caught in a gentle breeze. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a Fireball, the flames erupting with a fierce, blazing light. The remaining arrows turned to ash before they could even touch the ground.
The adrenaline surged through me as I pressed forward, deeper into the maze. My senses tingled with the faintest pulse of raw magic, a beacon drawing me toward something. Something important.
I moved swiftly, dodging traps that sprang from hidden compartments in the walls, their mechanisms designed to test both my reflexes and my judgment. Then, I felt it—a powerful magical presence, thrumming in the distance. It wasn't the typical energy of traps or obstacles. This was something else. Something far greater.
Curiosity gnawed at me, and I followed the pull of the energy, every step closer to the source. The maze grew darker, the air thickening with an oppressive aura, as if it were preparing to test me in ways far beyond physical challenges.
Finally, I reached a small, secluded chamber at the heart of the maze. There, in the center, rested an orb—dark as night, yet suffused with a strange, golden glow. The light flickered and pulsed, drawing me in like a moth to flame. I hesitated, sensing something amiss. Is this a trap? I wondered, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the orb for any sign of malice.
The system remained eerily silent.
Taking a calculated risk, I reached out and grasped the orb. As my fingers brushed its surface, an intense surge of magic flooded my senses, almost knocking me off balance. A moment of realization struck me like a thunderbolt—this orb wasn't just an artifact; it was a key. A key to something much greater.
"What if there are more?" I muttered, recalling stories of ancient relics scattered across forgotten realms. What if this orb was one of many, each unlocking another piece of the puzzle? A surge of excitement bubbled within me, tempered by the awareness that this was no mere quest. It's a test.
Closing my eyes, I activated my Mana Sense once more, the invisible threads of magic swirling and guiding me to the other orbs hidden within the maze. One by one, I tracked their locations—three more, each pulsing with its own unique energy.
A thought struck me. I need help. But not just any help—something capable of navigating this labyrinth with the same efficiency I couldn't manage alone.
The answer came to me like a flash of insight.
"System," I whispered, "Create a technique—something like a clone, but better. A reflection of my abilities, with independent intelligence, capable of using my magic and gathering the orbs as I would."
[Processing request…]
[Creating skill Astral Mirage Clones... 20 Skill Points deducted.]
[Astral Mirage Clones: ] Summons ethereal clones that possess the user's abilities and can act with independent thought. Each clone is loyal to the user, and their experiences and memories merge with the original upon reunion.
I grinned, the possibilities endless. With a steadying breath, I cast the incantation:
"From the depths of my essence, I summon forth my astral mirages. Manifest, reflections of my will, and serve."
Two figures materialized before me, identical in every way—down to the exact shade of my hair, my eyes, my every detail. Their presence was a strange thing—familiar, yet otherworldly.
I ordered them to take the farthest corners of the maze, to collect the orbs I had sensed. They moved as if already attuned to my desires, passing through walls as though they were but phantoms of the mind.
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. They're better at this than I am.
An hour passed, and one by one, the orbs were retrieved. When all four lay in my hands, their glow intensified, merging into a single sphere of pure golden light. A powerful surge of energy erupted from the orb, and the very earth beneath me trembled with an ancient, untold force.
The ground cracked open, a chasm forming at my feet, threatening to swallow me whole. "Flash Step!" I shouted, launching myself into the air, narrowly escaping the abyss as the world around me began to crumble.
I sprinted, the maze falling apart in waves of chaos, my footsteps resonating like thunder. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the orb fell to the ground, its energy pulsing with a calm finality. I reached out, lifting it into my hands as I conjured my Light Orb to illuminate the surrounding darkness.
Before me stood an altar, ancient and regal, as if waiting for this moment. I placed the golden orb upon it, and instantly, the altar began to vibrate, glowing with the light of a thousand suns. The golden light radiated outward, filling the room with a blinding brilliance.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing before a magnificent gate—glowing with an aura of warmth and light. It was no longer just an altar. It was the gateway to my future.
"Welcome, challenger," a voice boomed, its resonance filling the space around me.
My heart beat with anticipation as I stepped forward, my crimson eyes fixed upon the gate. This was it. The beginning of my journey. What awaited on the other side was unknown, but I would face it head-on, as the hero I was destined to become.