"The Hidden Ruin and the Final Reckoning"
Dawn in Arcshade
As the twelfth hour neared, the Arcshade Domain began to shift again.
The unnatural night peeled away slowly, like a veil being withdrawn. Soft amber light filtered through the high canopy as the sky brightened from violet to deep gold. The magical beasts that had prowled with confidence just hours before now began retreating into the mist — their instincts telling them that their time had passed.
But the silence was not peace.
Tension remained in the air, thick as spell-dust.
Candidates moved cautiously now — their bodies bruised, robes torn, mana reserves flickering low. There was no cheering. No alliances held strong beyond what was necessary.
Everyone could feel it.
Something was about to happen.
The True Test Emerges
A shimmering sigil appeared midair above the forest. A voice — not booming like before, but laced with ancient gravitas — echoed:
"Final Phase Initiated. Coordinates Unlocked: The Forgotten Ruin."
"Optional Trial: Enter the ruin and retrieve a core artifact. Points and recommendation priority awarded based on artifact integrity and difficulty tier."
"Beware: Entry restricted to teams of four. Trial ends in two hours."
Silence followed.
Then, chaos.
Candidates began racing toward the sigil's direction, conjuring flying runes, mounting swift familiars, or simply sprinting through the underbrush. Nobles barked orders. Commoners clung together for survival. Opportunists hunted for weaker teams to eliminate before they reached the ruin.
Kieran's Strategy
Within a cave near the southern arc of the Domain, Kieran stood at the mouth of the entrance, gazing up toward the sky where the sigil faded.
Riven paced nervously behind him. "We're going, right? That's where the high points are."
Kieran didn't answer immediately.
He was reading something the others couldn't see — a System overlay, detailing the internal map of the ruin. Not just the surface level, but the hidden chambers, artifact classifications, and trap cycles left behind by ancient mages.
[System Function: Trial Overlay Accessed]Artifact Classifications:– Tier 1: Decayed, Minimal Mana– Tier 2: Stabilized, Passive Buff– Tier 3: Living Core, Adaptive Magic
Locked Layer: Founder's Secret – Access DeniedConditions to Unlock: "Touch True Stone," "Stabilize Ambient Mana," "Possess System Authority"
Interesting.
Kieran smiled faintly.
'So even the Academy still doesn't know everything about their own trials.'
Intersections of Ambition
As the team approached the forest clearing where the ruin had manifested, they encountered several other groups — most notably:
Leonhart Duskveil, who had a bloodied rapier and a tighter, leaner squad now that several of his original team were incapacitated.
Velia, looking pristine as ever, floating midair with flame runes swirling around her, the arrogance in her expression undimmed.
Mira, the psionic girl, who was trailing along a group of commoners with her gaze fixed not on the ruin but on Kieran.
Something in her eyes… suspicion? No — curiosity.
Lyra shifted closer to Kieran, whispering, "They'll fight us inside. You know that, right?"
Kieran nodded. "Let them try."
The Ruin
The Forgotten Ruin didn't look like much at first glance — a half-buried structure of white stone and moss-covered pillars, partially swallowed by vines and mana-drenched soil. But once inside, it opened downward, spiraling like the core of a tower inverted into the ground.
Etchings along the wall pulsed with old power.
Runes blinked to life as they stepped through the entrance. A message appeared in glowing glyphs:
"Only those who see through illusion and withstand temptation may claim the heart."
The descent began.
The Inner Maze
Inside, the ruin was a series of connected chambers and hallways designed to separate, confuse, and test. Mana fogged the air like smoke. Walls rearranged themselves subtly when not watched directly.
[System Function Activated: Arcane Mapping – Passive Mana Pulse]Map Accuracy: 73% | Active Trap Suppression: Enabled
Kieran broke off from the others just briefly, tracing a corridor no one else had noticed. A shimmering barrier stood at its end — almost invisible.
He reached out.
A pulse.
[Touch True Stone – Complete]Founder's Secret Layer Unlocked.
The world shifted around him.
The Founder's Chamber
For a moment, he was alone — in a massive circular room made of smooth crystal and black obsidian. Floating at its center was a single white sphere, emanating threads of mana like a living spiderweb.
[Artifact Identified: Seed of Origin – Prototype Core Fragment]Class: Mythic | Status: Semi-StableIntegration: Limited to Systems or Spirit-Bonded Hosts
[System Compatibility: 100%]
Initiating… Absorption?
Kieran hesitated.
Then:
[Yes]
Evolution
The Seed dissolved into streams of white mana, pulled into Kieran's chest. For a brief moment, his body convulsed — and a halo of runes spun behind his back.
[System Upgrade Complete]
New Functions Unlocked:– Stealth Domain Creation (Limited Use)– Soulmark Application (Targets: 3/3)– Subsystem Creation: Branch Management
Host Synchronization: 92%
Warning: System Evolution Will Soon Enter Phase II.
His heart slowed.
A quiet calm returned.
He turned, and began walking back to the main ruin.