The wind was quiet that morning.

  Too quiet.

  Khal walked carefully, boots crunching lightly over old ash and stone as he, Lira, and Ash approached a strange crack in the forest floor. Trees grew in twisted shapes here—bent as if bowing toward something buried long ago.

  Khal held the shard of the Spectral Cipher close to his chest. It pulsed faintly with warmth.

  “According to the map,” Lira said, kneeling, “this is where the ruins should be.”

  Khal glanced over her shoulder, eyeing the faded runes on the scroll they’d uncovered.

  “Are we sure we want to go in?” he asked.

  Ash barked once, then hopped toward the fissure, tail wagging.

  Khal sighed. “That’s a yes.”

  The descent was steep.

  Vines clung to old stone. Their torches lit up massive murals carved into the walls—heroes and monsters, fighting battles from a time long forgotten.

  Lira ran her fingers along one carving. “This place… it’s older than any of the records we’ve found.”

  Khal stopped at the bottom of the stone steps. Before them stood a large door made of blackened steel, covered in swirling patterns of silver.

  As he stepped forward—

  System Alert:

  Trial Site Detected: Vault of Whispering Flame

  Recommended: Level 8 and Above

  Warning: Trial may cause emotional stress, confusion, or memory interference.

  Begin Trial? [YES] / [NO]

  Khal stared at the prompt. He wasn’t even sure what level he was. His power didn’t feel like it fit into numbers.

  But his hands didn’t shake this time.

  He looked to Lira, who gave him a nod. “We’re with you.”

  Ash barked again. Probably saying something like, Let’s do this already.

  Khal grinned. “Alright. Let’s go.”

  [YES]

  The door groaned open.

  Inside, the air shimmered—like heat over desert sand. Lights danced around them, flickering between blue and orange. At the center of the chamber was a floating platform of cracked obsidian, and atop it… a strange book, bound in glowing chains.

  “Is this the trial?” Khal whispered.

  Before anyone could answer, the floor trembled.

  System Challenge Activated:

  TRIAL OF THE UNFINISHED FLAME

  Objective: Prove your identity against false echoes. Resist manipulation.

  Time Limit: 30 minutes.

  Note: Companions will be separated.

  “What? Wait—!”

  The light surged. Khal reached out to Lira and Ash—but they were already gone.

  Then… silence.

  Khal stood alone in a warped reflection of the forest. But the trees here were burning—and yet, nothing was consumed. The fire was memory, not flame.

  He heard a voice. Familiar.

  “Khal... it’s your fault.”

  He turned and saw a version of himself—smaller, younger. Sickly. The boy coughed violently, eyes full of pain.

  “You lived… and I didn’t.”

  Khal’s chest tightened. He stumbled back. “No… this isn’t real.”

  System Notice:

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Emotional Distortion Detected. Memory Integrity: 68%

  Stability Dropping…

  “I… I didn’t ask to survive,” Khal whispered. “But I’m trying to make it worth something now!”

  The younger version of him smirked. “Trying isn’t enough. You don’t even know who you are.”

  The flames rose higher.

  Then, something sparked inside Khal’s chest—not fear, but something else. Determination.

  He grabbed the Spectral Cipher Shard and held it high.

  System Response: Trait Resonance Detected

  “Pulse Echo” and “Heart of Becoming” are synchronizing…

  Defensive Trait Forming: Echo Ward

  The burning trees bent away as a bubble of light surrounded Khal. The twisted version of himself shrieked and crumbled into embers.

  The illusion faded.

  He was back in the chamber. The book's chains unlocked.

  Ash and Lira reappeared beside him.

  “You good?” Lira asked.

  Khal exhaled. “Better than before.”

  He reached for the book.

  System Update:

  New Ability Acquired: “Echo Ward”

  A defensive shield that strengthens with emotional clarity.

  Mystery Progression Unlocked: “Cipher Path – 1/4 Fragments Restored”

  Khal opened the book. Inside were pages of forgotten magic, scrawled in flowing script that somehow felt… familiar.

  Lira peeked over his shoulder. “Looks like our next journey just got a lot more interesting.”

  Ash wagged his tail.

  Khal smiled faintly. “And probably more dangerous.”

  But for the first time in a while, he didn’t feel afraid of that.

  He felt ready.

  The morning air was cool, but it carried a strange stillness—as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

  Khal walked with slow, careful steps, boots crunching on ash and broken stone. Lira followed close behind, clutching the scroll map like a precious treasure. Ash, their furry companion, sniffed eagerly at the strange smell of smoke mixed with earth.

  Ahead, the ground cracked open in a wide fissure. Dark smoke curled softly from the gap, but it wasn’t fire—more like the breath of a sleeping giant.

  “Are you sure this is safe?” Khal asked, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt.

  Lira smiled. “Safe? Probably not. But it’s the only place the map points to. We have to find out what’s inside.”

  Khal swallowed hard. He looked down at the Spectral Cipher Shard in his hand. It pulsed gently, like a heartbeat — reminding him he wasn’t alone.

  Ash barked, as if saying, Well? What are we waiting for?

  Khal chuckled. “Alright, team. Let’s see what secrets you’re hiding.”

  They carefully climbed down the jagged stone steps leading into the fissure. The walls were covered with ancient carvings — figures frozen in battle, beasts roaring, and strange symbols glowing faintly in the dim light.

  Lira traced her fingers over the carvings, her eyes shining with excitement. “These stories… they talk about a fire trial, a test for heroes. If it’s true, this could change everything.”

  Khal wanted to believe it, but a cold knot twisted in his stomach. He felt small here, like a child lost in a giant’s playground.

  The steps ended at a huge door made of blackened steel. Silver patterns swirled over its surface, shifting like smoke trapped in metal.

  Khal’s hand trembled as he reached out.

  System Alert:

  Trial Site Detected: Vault of Whispering Flame

  Recommended Level: 8+

  Warning: Trial may induce emotional stress, memory distortions.

  Begin Trial? [YES] / [NO]

  He hesitated.

  Khal didn’t know if he was strong enough for this. Not yet.

  But looking at Lira and Ash, he felt a surge of warmth—the kind that grows when people believe in you.

  “Let’s do it,” he said, pressing YES.

  The heavy door creaked open, revealing a chamber bathed in flickering light — like a campfire reflected in water. The floor was cracked obsidian, cold and rough beneath his boots.

  In the center floated a book, bound in glowing chains. It hummed softly, almost alive.

  Suddenly, the ground shook.

  System Challenge Activated:

  Trial of the Unfinished Flame

  Objective: Confront your deepest fears and prove your resolve.

  Time Limit: 30 minutes.

  Note: Companions will be separated.

  Before Khal could react, a flash of light blinded him. When he opened his eyes, he was alone.

  Around him, the forest burned — flames danced without heat, burning memories instead of wood.

  And from the smoke stepped a boy—small, fragile, coughing painfully.

  Khal’s heart clenched.

  The boy’s eyes were his own—only filled with pain and accusation.

  “You lived… I didn’t,” the boy whispered, voice cracking.

  Khal staggered backward, fighting the surge of guilt.

  System Notice:

  Emotional Distortion Detected

  Memory Integrity: 65%

  Stability Warning: High

  “You think this is your fault?” Khal asked the ghostly boy. “I didn’t ask to survive. I’m trying to make it mean something. I’m trying to be strong.”

  The boy’s face twisted into a cruel smile.

  “Trying isn’t enough. You’re weak. You don’t even know who you are.”

  The flames rose higher, swirling like angry spirits.

  Khal gritted his teeth, gripping the Spectral Cipher.

  Inside him, something stirred—a warmth spreading from his chest.

  System Response:

  Trait Resonance Detected: “Pulse Echo” + “Heart of Becoming”

  Defensive Trait “Echo Ward” Formed

  A glowing shield blossomed around Khal, pushing back the burning forest and the accusing boy.

  The boy screamed, dissolving into sparks.

  Suddenly, Khal was back in the chamber.

  Lira and Ash appeared beside him, concern on their faces.

  “You okay?” Lira asked softly.

  Khal nodded, breath heavy but steady.

  “Better than okay,” he said.

  He turned to the floating book, now free of its chains.

  System Update:

  New Ability Acquired: Echo Ward

  A shield that grows stronger when you stay true to yourself.

  Mystery Progression: Cipher Path – 1/4 Fragments Restored

  As Khal reached to open the book, a spark of hope flickered in his chest.

  This trial was only the beginning.

  And for the first time, he wasn’t afraid.