When Kael took another step, the ground trembled slightly. The light emanating from his necklace dispersed the dark texture around him like mist, illuminating the path. But this wasn't an exit, not yet. He was still within the trial. Only one confrontation had been completed. Now, the next curtain was rising.
From the depths of the emptiness, a door suddenly appeared. It was neither stone nor metal; it was as if this passage had been woven from thought itself. As Kael approached, the shapes on the door began to move—memories, faces, voices… all taken from Kael's mind. Each one was an echo of his past. But this time, he wasn't a passive observer; he was an active creator. He raised his necklace. The light focused on the center of the door, and the shapes reshaped themselves with Kael's hands. Some faded away, while others glowed with new meanings. This was the moment he rewrote his own past.
The door creaked open with a deep groan.
What appeared beyond it gripped Kael's heart. It was an old garden. The dreamlike haven of his childhood. But this place was withered, abandoned, as if it had dried up under the cruelty of time. Toys collapsed on the ground, broken wooden swords, fractured relationships—everything symbolized that buried part within Kael. This was the source of his deepest breaking moments. Not a real memory, but a metaphor. A vault constructed by his own mind.
Kael began walking slowly through the garden. With every step, an old memory came to life. In one, he was crying; in another, he was angry yet silently staring into the distance… But finally, when he stopped in the center of the garden, he saw a table. On the table was a single chair. And in the chair… sat himself. But this Kael was younger. His eyes were empty, his face pale. In little Kael's hands was a notebook, but its pages were blank.
When the older Kael approached, the younger one lifted his head and looked directly into his eyes.
"You forgot everything," said the child Kael, his voice deep, as if it came from the roots of an oak tree. "But the things you don't want to remember never disappear. They keep watching you."
Kael knelt down. This was the first time he had looked so openly at the child within him, his unfinished side, his most vulnerable self. He took a deep breath and extended the necklace to little Kael's hand. "I won't hide you anymore," he said. "This notebook will be filled. And this time, I'll write the truths."
Little Kael took the necklace. The light enveloped the table. The notebook's pages began to fill one by one—not with the old things, but with new decisions, new beginnings. The child within Kael was no longer alone. That piece was no longer a burden, but an ally.
The garden slowly blossomed again. Withered flowers bloomed, wooden swords swayed gently in the wind. Time didn't reverse its flow, but Kael had created a meaning that transcended it. This wasn't the final stage of the trial, but a threshold. The moment he completed himself and reconciled with his past.
At that very moment, a rift formed in the sky. The light pouring from it enveloped the garden and Kael. Then, a familiar voice echoed:
"You're ready."
When the light spilling from the sky fully enveloped Kael, time stopped. The wind in the garden, the dance of the flowers, the chirping of the birds… everything fell into silence in an instant. But this silence wasn't frightening—it was peaceful. For the first time, there was true calm in Kael's heart. The voids within him hadn't been filled, perhaps, but he was now allowing them to exist. Instead of erasing his pains, he had learned to live with them.
He took a step. A circle appeared on the garden's ground, drawn with light, almost sacred in appearance. This was the end of the second stage at last. Kael had reconciled with the past, unraveling its chains with his own hands and letting them go. The necklace he now carried was no longer a relic of the past; it was the seal of his will.
The circle activated. Spirals of light rose around it, wrapping around Kael's body. As the ground beneath him vanished, Kael found himself slowly ascending. This wasn't just spatial; it was a spiritual elevation.
While passing through a deep darkness, a single sentence echoed in his mind:
"You've completed yourself; now it's your turn to ask the question."
When Kael opened his eyes, he was in an entirely different place.
Stage 3 Beginning: The Scales of Echoes
This place wasn't familiar. The ground gleamed like black glass, and with each step Kael took, echoes clashed with echoes. It was as if every step summoned the voice of another version of himself. The surroundings were an infinite void, but this emptiness wasn't restless or unsettling. On the contrary, it was orderly, quiet, and heavy. Like a courtroom… but the judge wasn't outside—it was within.
A platform rose in the center. On it stood an ancient scale. In one pan was a white stone; in the other, a piece glowed like an eye burning in the darkness.
Directly across, a figure emerged from the shadows. It wasn't like the ones before. It was neither fully dark nor light. Its face couldn't be seen, but its presence was strong. Kael instinctively understood: This wasn't the arbiter of this trial, but its reflection.
The figure spoke.
"The third stage calls you, Kael. This isn't a trial where you're questioned—it's one where you ask. You'll no longer be the one seeking answers; you'll be the one posing questions. Because the echo within you is not just an expression of your past, but of your essence."
Kael remained silent. In the previous stages, he had sought answers. He had tried to learn why he was here, who he was, what he had forgotten. But now, a different need rose within him. To ask a question. To open the door to a truth himself.
Without taking his eyes off the figure, he spoke.
"My question is this…"
…
"…If all reality is shaped by belief… can what I believe truly change the world?"
The figure smiled. In an instant, the texture of the environment shifted. The scale trembled. Darkness and light mingled. The echoes within Kael stirred. This question was like a challenge to the fabric of the universe. And the echoes began to vibrate in response.
As the scale trembled, multiple doors appeared around the platform. Each was marked with a different symbol: an eye, a hand, a heart, a mouth, and the last one bore no mark—just a black void.
Kael turned his eyes to the figure.
Kael:
"What are these?"
Figure:
"Five doors. Five echoes. Each will lead you to a question, a decision, and a form.
But remember, every answer will shape you further. Some parts of you may change forever."
Kael:
"I'm not afraid of change. I'm afraid of lies."
Figure:
"Good. Then start with the eye door. That's where you most need to see the truths."
1st Door: Eye – The Trial of Perception
When Kael stepped inside, his eyes went blind for a moment. Everything was pure white. Then images began to emerge; but strangely, everything… was distorted. People walked backward, conversations sounded like they were rewinding.
In the center was a table. At the table sat a little girl.
Kael recognized this child. But he couldn't remember her. The only thing he knew was that this reflection didn't belong to his Big sister. Her eyes looked at him, straight into his core. There was no blame in them—just a question.
Girl:
"Do you remember me?"
Kael didn't answer. He bowed his head.
Girl:
"You don't remember. But I remember you. You made a decision. It was a very wrong decision, wasn't it?"
The images trembled. A scene Kael had never seen before flooded his mind. A fire… a scream… a choice.
In that moment, Kael hadn't chosen the child. But why?
Kael:
"Because… because in that moment… I couldn't save her. We'd both have died."
Girl (quietly):
"So you decided living was more important."
Kael (his throat tightening):
"No. I had to live so that living could mean something now… But yes… I didn't choose you."
The girl fell silent. Then she smiled faintly.
Girl:
"Hearing that didn't hurt me. Because for the first time, you were honest. When you remember everything one day, don't forget my name. I'm Vera… Vera #$>£$"
At that moment, Kael's head began to ache, the sounds he heard jumbled, and his vision blurred. The pain in his head was so intense it made Kael groan. Then the little girl's voice was heard again.
Girl:
"Please keep being honest, Kael."
The distortions in the environment suddenly corrected themselves. Kael's headache subsided, the confusion in the sounds he heard along with the girl's voice ceased, and his vision cleared. Everything became lucid. As the eye door closed behind him, a sentence echoed:
"Truth is sometimes a choice. Your choice doesn't carry you—you carry it."
2nd Door: Hand – The Trial of Action
This time, a dark room. In the center, an arm. It looked like Kael's own arm, but metallic, clad in armor. It held a sword in its hand.
Directly across, someone knelt. A man, chained, his head bowed. His face couldn't be seen, but Kael felt a rage within him. A deep, suppressed anger.
Figure (appearing in the background):
"This is the trial of action. This person once betrayed you. You don't remember his name. But the feeling is remembered. You can kill him. Or you can forgive him."
Kael:
"Forgive… but how? Without knowing what?"
Figure:
"Questioning the root of your anger is stronger than memory. The decision isn't in the action—it passes through the heart."
Kael raised the sword. The man lifted his head… and Kael was shocked. The face… was his own. But older. Harder. Colder and more ruthless.
Older Kael:
"Kill me. I should pay the price for these mistakes."
Kael:
"You… are you my future?"
Older Kael:
"No. I'm just a possibility of the end your anger could lead you to."
Kael closed his eyes and dropped the sword.
Kael:
"I won't reach that end."
The chains unraveled. The room shook with a burst of light. As the hand door closed, another echo sounded:
"Strength isn't destruction; it's the ability to guide. You decide who you'll become."
3rd Door: Heart – Relationships and Bonds
When Kael took a step, the environment changed completely. He appeared in a dark, ancient room. The walls were covered with mysterious symbols. A table made of old stone stood in the center. On it were a handful of leaves and stones. It was said that everyone who entered this room would take a piece of their past.
Figure (fading into the shadows, with a cold voice):
"This is a reflection of your past. Your family, your bonds… Each one an element that shaped you. But how real are these bonds? Your family abandoned you. Did they truly abandon you, or did you want to disappear?"
Kael silently began wandering the corners of the room. There was something he couldn't see but could feel. For a moment, he heard a child's sob… So faint and distant, as if it came from another slice of time.
Kael (with doubt):
"This… Who is this? No one from my past remains. Who abandoned me? Did they really abandon me, or… did I lose them?"
Figure:
"Bonds are trapped in your mind. You can't remember them, but you feel them. Are they real? Or not? You'll find what you need. But you'll have to make a choice."
Suddenly, the room's darkness deepened further. A figure appeared; it looked like a very old acquaintance of Kael's. But its face was blurred, like an unseen silhouette.
Kael (shaken):
"Who is this? Do they know something about me?"
Figure:
"Bonds are like ghosts. They carry the pain of your lost past. Your family forgot you, rejected you, but their love for you still lingers somewhere… even if they once drove you to despair."
Kael (coldly):
"Did my mistakes blend with theirs?"
At that moment, the figure vanished, and the leaves in the room began to scatter. Kael had started confronting the emptiness within him. Though his memory was hazy, some things were becoming clearer. He realized that old bonds were creating more of a burden.
Kael (resolutely):
"I accept my bonds. But I won't carry the weight of my past. I choose a new path."
After this, the room's darkness vanished in an instant. A light appeared, and Kael realized he was about to step toward the future, having faced his past.
4th Door: Mouth – The Power of Words and Reality
When Kael entered another room, the silence surrounding him turned into a nightmare. The room was filled with ancient writings. There was a large table, and on it sat a heavy book. The book's cover was encrusted with the sediment of years. But as Kael looked at it, he felt as though the writings were emerging from his own inner world.
Figure (slowly appearing, with a deep voice):
"Here, everything begins with words. Every word you speak shapes reality. Truth always rests on the unspoken. What will you say about your past? Will you accept the truth everyone knows, or create your own?"
Kael opened the book. What was written inside was a kind of journal describing him. It was so foreign, yet so familiar… As if it were a piece of his own past. The power of his words was now his burden.
Kael (taking a deep breath):
"My past… who knows how real it is? But I have to face these words."
Figure:
"Truth is always bitter. But remember, some truths can set you free. What binds you in chains also knows how to break them."
As Kael read the book, fragments of an empire's past came to light. He had no idea what they meant. But they told of his lost memories. Slowly, the chains of an ancient past began to break.
Kael (asking):
"Are these truths the ones I chose? Or a story created by others?"
Figure (smiling only):
"Truth can only become a path you accept. No matter how painful, you shape reality with the power of your words."
Kael closed the book and shut his eyes tightly. The power of his words echoed in his mind. Truth was drawing near. With every new word he accepted, Kael grew stronger. After reaching this realization, it was time to enter the next door.
5th Door: Mind – Confronting Reality
Kael hadn't seen any symbol on the fifth echo; it must have been pure emptiness. But when he returned, there were incomprehensible symbols etched onto the echo door. At that moment, thoughts flooded Kael's mind. The fifth echo was about his mind—in other words, this was the door of the mind.
When the mind's door opened, Kael found himself in another world. Nothing here was physical. Everything was abstract, shapeless. A mental void, like a space where his thoughts soared. As Kael took steps, echoes formed in the surrounding emptiness, but they were silent. There was a profound silence, as if his thoughts were waiting to tell him something.
Figure (with a cold, clear voice):
"The mind is the source of all questions and answers. Here, every thought and emotion has an echo. Are you ready to face your past, Kael?"
Kael took a step without knowing what to do. This was a place where everything in his mind took shape, where every thought turned into reality. There were things lost within Kael, memories he tried to recall but couldn't quite grasp.
Kael:
"How real is everything? My past, my choices… With everything so lost, how can I find the truth?"
Figure (slowly appearing):
"Truth takes shape with time. Sometimes you must accept the past. If you let only anger, pain, and fear guide you, then this mind becomes a labyrinth. What will your choice be, Kael? Will you make peace with your past, or flee from it?"
As Kael moved through the jumble of thoughts in his mind, he began to hear echoes from his past. The echoes of memories, of his lost self, were coming together there. But each reflection showed him a different face. Kael questioned whether everything his past told him was real.
Mind Echo (a voice from his past):
"Don't forget! You're the youngest, but how much does the truth remember you?"
Mind Echo (another voice):
"Everything is in your control! Your past can never define you. Choose your future."
Kael realized how complex a path his mind offered him. Everything from his past was shaping him in some way, but instead of carrying it as a mere burden, he needed to find meaning with it. He decided to accept this. No matter what his past was, he could transform himself.
Kael (taking a deep breath, resolutely):
"My truth isn't my past. I accept my past, but I won't live with it. My path begins here and now."
The echoes in his mind slowly fell silent. Kael's choice brought him one step closer to gaining his freedom. The dark room filled with light in an instant, and the voids within gave way to a kind of calm.
Figure (calling out one last time):
"Truth begins with acceptance. No matter what, what makes you you will be your future, not your past."
As the mind's door closed, Kael had taken another step. He had now faced his past and was ready to build his future. He had chosen his path, freely.
With the closing of the mind's door, Kael felt the emptiness around him for a moment. He had left behind the past and all its anxieties. But suddenly, he began to feel a heavy vibration in the air. Something was changing; a much greater power was approaching.
Abruptly, everything around him started to shake. A deep hum rang in Kael's ears, the sounds growing sharper and louder. It was no longer just his thoughts—reality itself was collapsing.
Figure (with a rising voice, in a deep and powerful tone):
"The final stage, Kael… The War of Truth begins! Reality doesn't tolerate doubt. This is your last trial. Make your choice, and gain the power to shape the truth."
When Kael heard these words, the darkness around him rapidly began to brighten. Everything was twisting with a threat to reality. He realized he had to determine the outcome of it all. This would be the moment when his past and future converged. He would enter a battle, facing the fundamental questions of existence.
The emptiness around him gave way to an arena. When Kael took his final step, he found himself in the midst of a war between darkness and light. In this place where everything came together, he would have to make one last decision.
Figure (deepening its voice):
"Truth isn't just a reflection, Kael. Now is your time. Create your own truth and choose your path!"
And at that moment, the final door opened. Before Kael appeared a dark figure, a being threatening his entire reality. Yet it was also so familiar. But this familiarity didn't belong to his past. It was the first element enabling him to fight his past. His Big sister. The battle was about to begin. Reality would be shaped in his hands; everything depended on him. The figure before Kael wasn't just a warrior—it was a symbol, a power wanting to help him reshape the truth.
As the arena was surrounded by a cool, gentle breeze, his Big sister spoke.
Aleria #£$#£:
Kael, you haven't forgotten the rules, have you? First, say your name and take your stance—then I'll begin.
I am Aleria #$£>$, and I invite you to the war of truth, Kael #£$>$!
The battle begins…