The glint of the object grew brighter the closer they got, shimmering in the relentless sunlight, almost as if it were calling them. Eryx's steps quickened, a sense of urgency building inside him. The air around him felt charged, as though something important was on the verge of happening. The heat of the desert did little to deter him—he was focused entirely on the faint spark of hope that the glint represented.
Rona and Bastian stayed close, but even they seemed to sense the growing intensity. Rona, usually so outspoken, was silent now, her eyes narrowing as she kept her gaze locked on the object ahead. Bastian, on the other hand, was muttering under his breath, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of the sword at his side. Eryx didn't blame him; they were all on edge.
As they reached the spot where the glint had been, Eryx slowed his pace. The object was barely visible, half-buried in the sand. It appeared to be a small, metallic sphere, intricately carved with runes that pulsed faintly, almost as if alive. The surface gleamed like polished silver, but something about its presence made Eryx uneasy.
"Is this it?" Rona asked, her voice barely a whisper as she crouched down beside the sphere.
Eryx didn't answer immediately. He studied the object carefully, noting the faint aura of magic that emanated from it. The runes on its surface were familiar, but twisted in a way he hadn't encountered before. They were symbols of power—symbols that, once activated, could trigger something far beyond his current understanding.
He reached out cautiously, his fingers brushing the surface of the sphere. The moment his skin made contact, the runes flared to life, the light becoming blinding. Eryx instinctively pulled back, his breath catching in his throat. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but it wasn't this.
The sphere lifted into the air, hovering just above the sand. A deep hum filled the air, vibrating in his bones. The ground beneath them trembled, and the wind picked up, howling like a storm. Rona and Bastian staggered back, their eyes wide with shock.
"What's happening?" Bastian shouted over the rising noise.
Before Eryx could answer, the sphere erupted with light, sending a shockwave through the air. He barely had time to shield his eyes before the world around him went dark.
When his vision returned, Eryx was no longer in the desert. He stood in a vast, open space, the air thick with an oppressive energy that pressed in on him from all sides. The ground beneath his feet was smooth, dark, and reflective, like black glass. The sky above was swirling with shadows, clouds moving in patterns Eryx couldn't decipher.
His heart raced. This wasn't the desert. This wasn't even the Academy grounds. His first instinct was to reach for his magic, but when he tried, nothing happened. He couldn't feel his mana. It was as though the very essence of magic had been drained from him, leaving him with nothing.
Panic set in for a moment, but he quickly calmed himself. He was no stranger to dangerous situations, and he knew panicking wouldn't help. He needed to figure out where he was and how to escape.
A figure appeared before him. It materialized out of thin air, tall and cloaked in shadows. The figure's face was obscured, but there was a presence about them—one that radiated power and ancient knowledge. Eryx's heart skipped a beat.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice steady despite the fear creeping into his chest.
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, they raised a hand, and Eryx felt a surge of energy pulse through the air. For a moment, it felt as if time itself had stopped.
"Who am I?" The voice was not a sound, but a presence that filled the space around them, echoing in his mind. "I am but a shadow, a reflection of what lies beyond. But you, Eryx of the Slums, you are something different."
The figure's words sent a chill down Eryx's spine. "What do you mean? Where am I? Why am I here?"
The figure moved closer, its presence becoming overwhelming, like a weight pressing on his chest. "You are here because you have been chosen. Chosen for what, I cannot say. But know this: your path will not be one of ease. The trials ahead will test you in ways you cannot imagine."
Eryx's mind raced. Chosen? For what? He had thought the test was meant to challenge his skills, his magic, his endurance. But this? This was something entirely different, something outside the bounds of his understanding.
"Why can't I use my magic?" Eryx asked, his frustration creeping into his voice.
The figure tilted its head slightly, as if considering his question. "You are not in a place where magic operates as you know it. Here, in this realm, only the strongest survive. Only those who can adapt. You will learn to control the forces that bind this world… or you will perish."
A surge of energy pulsed through the air again, and the figure's presence seemed to grow even stronger. It loomed over him like a dark cloud, but just as suddenly as it had appeared, the figure began to fade, its form dissipating into the shadows.
"You will find the answers in time, Eryx," the figure's voice echoed as it vanished. "But remember: the real trial has just begun."
The world around him shifted once more, and Eryx felt himself falling. The black glass beneath his feet dissolved into nothingness, and he was swallowed by the darkness.
Eryx blinked, and suddenly, he was back in the desert. The sun was still high in the sky, the air as oppressive as before. The sphere was gone, as if it had never existed at all. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around, his breath coming in quick gasps.
"What just happened?" Rona asked, her voice tense with worry. She was standing a few feet away, and Bastian was by her side, his eyes wide with confusion.
Eryx didn't answer immediately. His mind was still reeling from the encounter. He could still feel the presence of the figure, the weight of its words. The real trial has just begun.
He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts aside. They were back in the desert, and whatever had just happened—whatever that test had been—wasn't over yet.
"We need to keep moving," Eryx said, his voice steady once more. He glanced back toward the distant horizon, his eyes narrowing.
The test had just begun.