Solara's voice rang out, calm but resolute. As she explained the stakes of the trial to Liora. "this is a simulation—if you pass, my powers will be yours to command. However, your control and understanding are still limited, so for certain aspects, you'll need to summon me directly. The rest, though, you can wield freely since we're linked by the staff." Liora nodded firmly, determination etched on her face.
"got it ma'am." Solara studied her for a moment before continuing, "be ready, I'll begin now."
"okay, I'm ready," Liora replied, steeling herself. But nothing could have prepared her for what came next.
Fifty meters away, a horifying scene unfolded: a small boy sprinted desperately, his tiny legs pumping as fast as they could, while behind him loomed a grotesque goblin wielding a nail-studded club.
Its jagged weapon gleamed menacingly under the pale light, each step it took heavy with malice. Liora froze, shock and confusion rooting her in place. She glanced back at Solara, silently pleading for guidance, but the phoenix's expression was unwavering.
"I'm not allowed to help you now, girl. You must figure this out yourself." Panic surged through Liora as the realization hit—she knew what needed to be done.
Killing the goblin should have been simple enough, yet the thought of harming any living being felt insurmountable to someone like her. "it's not target practice… even if it's a goblin…" she whispered frantically to herself.
Before she could act, the unthinkable happened—the goblin caught the boy, yanking him into the air with brutal force. With a sickening roar, it raised its spiked club high, then swung it down with devastating speed.
Blood and fragments sprayed across the field, painting the serene landscape with horror. The sound—a wet, crushing thud—echoed in Liora's ears as she screamed, "NOOOO!" her cry came too late. The damage was done.
Dropping to the ground in anguish, Liora sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face as anger and guilt consumed her. How could she let it happen? Why hadn't she acted sooner?.
The merciless cycle continued, each repetition more agonizing than the last. Before Liora's tears could even dry, the same horrifying scene replayed as if an unseen hand were cruelly pressing a reset button.
Her mind, still reeling from the initial shock, struggled to comprehend why she was being forced to endure this torment again and again. This time, as the goblin raised its club, she managed a weak scream, "Stoooooppp…" her voice trembling and broken.
But the swing came anyway, accompanied by that gut-wrenching crunch of metal meeting flesh, followed by the sickening splatter of blood. By the third iteration, Liora had pushed herself to stand, taking one hesitant step forward, only to collapse once more, her legs buckling beneath her weight.
She screamed hoarsely, "please… stooop…" but it was futile. The sounds—the wet thud, the boy's muffled cries—echoed relentlessly in her ears, carving wounds into her soul.
As the loop persisted, dozens of times now, Liora stopped moving altogether. Exhaustion claimed her body and spirit; she no longer looked up at the scene, choosing instead to stare blankly at the ground, her tear-streaked face void of expression.
Yet even with her eyes fixed downward, the sounds haunted her—each swing, each scream, each gruesome impact seared itself deeper into her consciousness.
Frozen, numb, utterly shattered, she remained trapped in this unrelenting nightmare, unable to act or escape. As the grim scene looped endlessly, Liora's mind began to drift, pulling fragments of memory into sharp focus.
She remembered her days playing with Evelyn—laughter ringing in the air, sunlight dancing on their faces. Then came the moment she first locked eyes with Elowen, the mage who saw potential in her when no one else did.
Elowen's words echoed softly in her thoughts: "because I see something in you, Liora. Something worth fighting for. I knew you were special. Embrace your destiny, Liora. Walk this path with courage."
Confidence that wasn't hers before now seeped into her soul. The comedic yet heartfelt moments with Solara followed—the stories about Saint Felix, the teasing, and finally the phoenix's unwavering belief in her abilities.
Slowly, like a wilted flower reaching for sunlight, Liora's spirit stirred back to life. Her body respponded in kind; trembling but resolute, she pushed herself up from the ground, gripping her staff tightly as if it were an anchor tethering her to reality.
When the next iteration of the nightmare unfolded—the goblin chasing the boy—Liora raised her hand steadily this time, her watery gaze fixed firmly on the creature.
Whispering the spell "Golden Ray," she unleashed a blinding pillar of light from the sky. It struck the goblin with devastating force, its shrieks of agony fading as its charred remains dissolved into nothingness, swept away by the wind.
For a brief moment, Liora stood frozen, locking eyes with the boy before offering him a small, weary smile. Then, without another word, he turned and disappeared into the serene expanse of the field, leaving behind only calm.
Exhaustion crashed over her like a tidal wave, and Liora collapsed to the ground once more, tears streaming down her face—but these were different now.
They mingled with quiet laughter, relief and triumph bubbling through her sobs. Summoning the last shred of strength within her, she lifted her head to meet Solara's gaze.
The phoenix watched her with an expression of profound pride and relief, her golden eyes shimmering warmly. Liora managed one final, grateful smile before her body succumbed to fatigue, her consciousness slipping away once again.
But even as darkness claimed her, there was peace in her heart—a newfound certainty that she had faced her deepest fears and emerged stronger for it.
After what felt like an eternity, Solara gently shook Liora awake, her voice soft and coaxing. "Liora… Liora, wake up." Stirring slowly, Liora opened her eyes to find the majestic phoenix beside her.
In a sudden burst of emotion, she scrambled to her feet and threw herself at one of Solara's enormous feathers, hugging it tightly. "I did it, Solara!" she exclaimed through happy tears, her voice trembling with relief.
Solara chuckled warmly, lowering her head slightly. "yes, you did it, girl. I'm proud of you." The moment was tender—but short-lived. After a few minutes, Solara cleared her throat awkwardly, her expression sheepish.
"uh, forgive me, Liora, but … the trial isn't over yet." Liora froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "what?! But you said there's only one trial! Why do I have to go through that again?!" she protested, her tone laced with frustration.
Solara shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact as she replied. "well, yes, I did say 'one trial'—but I never mentioned it consisted of four phases…"
Liora groaned loudly, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "ugh! Are you serious right now? I'm still trying to wipe those horrifying memories from my mind, and you want me to dive back in? this is ridiculous!"
Solara let out an apologetic laugh, nudging Liora gently with her wing. "if you could do it once, you can do it again. Trust me." Liora shot her a glare, smirking despite herself.
"easy for you to say." She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Fine, fine. What do I have to do now?"
Solara hesitated for a moment, her tone usually meek. "well… hmm, it's—it's pretty much the same." Liora stared at her incredulously, crossing her arms. "you,ve got to be kidding me."
Solara gave her a hopeful smile, tilting her head slightly. "I believe in you, Liora. So… can we begin now?" her question came with a sly, sidelong glance that made Liora groan again.
Rolling her eyes, she stepped away, muttering under her breath, "just get on with it already." Despite her grumbling, she squared her shoulders, preparing herself for whatever come next.
As Liora braced herself for the next round, the scene shifted slightly—this time, instead of a goblin, an orc appeared, wielding a massive club lined with jagged nails that glinted menacingly under the dim light.
Liora whipped her head around to glare at Solara, her voice sharp and laced with irritation. "the same, huh?" she grumbled, clearly unimpressed.
Solara lowered her gaze sheepishly, her tone apologetic. "I'm sorry…" but Liora didn't have time to dwell on it; the orc was already charging after the boy.
Gritting her teeth, she raised her staff once more, shouting the spell, "Golden ray!" just as before, a brilliant pillar of light struck the creature moments before it could reach its prey.
The orc let out a guttural groan as it burned to ashes, the wind scattering its remains into nothingness. The boy glanced back at Liora briefly, offering a small smile this time before disappearing again.
No sooner had the scene reset than Liora turned to Solara, her voice rising slightly. "okay, begin the next one right away!" she snapped sarcastically. True to form, Solara hurriedly explained, "this time, it's a demon."
Sure enough, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows—its twisted features and glowing eyes left no doubt in Liora's mind that this was indeed a demon, just like the one described in academy lectures. Liora shot another pointed glare at Solara, who responded with an awkward smile and a shrug of her wings.
Taking a deep breath, Liora steadied herself and shouted the incantation once more. The demon met the same fiery, fate as the others, crumbling into dust.
However, when the boy turned to look at her this time, his expression was less grateful and more exasperated—he tilted his head slightly, silently asking, Really? Again? Liora couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly. "sorry," she muttered under her breath as he ran off yet again.
Whirling back to face Solara, she threw her hands up in frustration. "see?! Did you see what you've done?! I've never, ever, being seen like that by any kids, ever." Solara laughed softly, giving her wings another playful shrug.
"easy, girl. You handled it brilliantly... Now, are you ready for the final phase, Liora?" Solara asked, her tone gentle but firm.
Liora hesitated, her grip tightening on her staff as doubt clouded her mind. "I don't know… I don't know what to expect anymore. Is it going to be harder?" her voice wavered between frustration and fear.
Sensing her uncertainty, Solara leaned closer, attempting to bolster her resolve. "don't be like that, girl. You're just one step away from the finish line."
But Liora's unease lingered. "I know, but…" she trailed off, biting her lip nervously. Solara offered a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "I'll give you a couple of hints this time—to make it easier."
Liora raised an eyebrow skeptically, her tone laced with sarcasm. "really? After everything, I'm not sure if I can trust you anymore." Solara burst into laughter, clearly amused by the jab.
"ouch! It's that bad, huh? You really didn't hold back even a little—unlike the girl from the start of all this!"
Liora smirked despite herself, grumbling playfully, "well, whose fault is that?" shaking off the levity, Solara grew serious once more.
"Hint number one: demons are cunning and deceptive—they thrive on tricks. And hint number two…" she paused, her golden eyes locking onto Liora's with uncharacteristic gravity. "not all human are kind-hearted or lovers of peace."
Liora furrowed her brow, struggling to piece together the cryptic clues when suddenly, Solara spoke again. "alright, get ready. I'm starting the final phase."
Panic surged through as the scene unfolded—a boy running desperately, chased not by a monster this time, but by a brutal-looking man wielding twin swords. His appearance was twisted with malice, his beard unkempt, every step radiating menace.
Horrified, Liora shouted, "this isn't funny anymore, Solara! You've crossed the line!" raising her staff shakily, she tried to muster her resolve—but the thought of striking down a living, breathing human froze her in place.
Distracted by her inner turmoil, she failed to act in time. The swords slashed through the boy almost instantly, the grisly sequence replaying without mercy.
This time, Liora attempted reason, shouting desperately, "no! stop! Let's talk first!" but her pleas were futile; the boy was cut down again, the horrifying sight seering itself deeper into her soul.
Turning to Solara, Liora's eyes pleaded silently for the torment to end. Solara merely shook her head sorrowfully, unable to grant her request, her majestic form weighed down by guilt and sadness.