As Lorian ventured deeper into the Tzaras Mountains, the air grew colder, and the winds howled with an unsettling intensity. Every step felt heavier, and the world around him seemed to shift as he neared the summit. At one point, he discovered an ancient passage hidden between the rocks. The doorway was weathered by time, adorned with unknown symbols.
Crossing the threshold, he immediately sensed a strange change in the air. A thick mist settled in. The path ahead was suddenly shrouded in darkness. Lorian instinctively reached for his sword, but something told him that this was not a battle that could be fought with steel alone.
Then, ashes began to swirl in the air. At first, they drifted gently, but soon they became a storm, carried by dark winds. Before him, a figure began to take shape.
A knight clad in black armor, draped in a pale gray cloak, his face obscured by a helmet. But what was most unnerving was the cold, white glow emanating from his eyes. Lorian took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious.
The figure spoke in a deep, hollow voice.
"Lorian Blackwind. Your soul carries a burden. Are you ready to bear its weight?"
Lorian stepped forward, his voice unwavering.
"I don't know who you are, but if you stand in my way, I must pass through you."
The knight chuckled darkly.
"I am the first trial of Ziyrath. I am the Ashen Knight. Only those who are born from ashes can survive within them."
The moment he finished speaking, the ashes around him ignited. Lorian instinctively moved back, but the ashes on the ground began to wrap around his feet. In an instant, the landscape transformed into a battlefield.
The First Clash
Lorian quickly drew his sword. The Ashen Knight wielded a massive blade forged from embers and struck with incredible force. The ground trembled as his attack landed, but Lorian barely managed to evade.
The knight lunged again, but this time, Lorian recalled Eklia's words:
"The mountain will test not only your body but also your soul."
This was not just a battle of swords—it was a battle of spirit. Lorian tightened his grip and felt a shift within himself. He called upon the power of the wind, enhancing his speed.
As he dodged, he realized something unsettling. Every attack the knight made released more ashes into the air. The battlefield itself was feeding him power.
"If I keep fighting like this, I'll only make him stronger," Lorian thought.
The knight lunged once more. Lorian narrowly avoided the strike and maneuvered behind him. But then, the Ashen Knight's voice echoed through the air.
"You cannot escape the ashes!"
Suddenly, Lorian felt his body grow heavy. His legs refused to move. The ashes had wrapped around him, holding him in place.
His breathing quickened. His body burned.
"Is this the end?"
The Truth Within the Ashes
Just as he was about to give in, a voice whispered from deep within his mind. It wasn't Eklia's voice—it was someone else's.
"Ash does not only signify death. It also signifies rebirth."
Lorian's eyes widened. He realized something.
The ashes were not merely imprisoning him. They were testing him. If he succumbed to fear, he would be consumed. But if he embraced them… he could be reborn.
He took a deep breath.
"I am not separate from the ashes. They are not my enemy. They are my power."
At that moment, he stopped resisting. He let the ashes flow around him, not fighting against them but becoming one with them. And as he did, he felt their weight lift. He was no longer shackled—he was in control.
The Ashen Knight prepared for one final strike, but this time, Lorian was ready. With the wind at his back, he surged forward. The knight's massive sword came down, but Lorian caught it mid-swing, using its momentum against him. With a swift movement, he drove the knight to the ground.
The battle was over.
The Ashen Knight fell to one knee.
"You… have understood the ashes. Then, you have passed the first trial."
With those final words, he dissolved into a cloud of embers, vanishing into the wind.
Lorian stood there, breathless. He had won. But this was only the beginning.
He stepped forward, ready to continue his journey. The Tzaras Mountains still held many secrets.
And this trial… was only the first.
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