Ren stood in front of the massive gate. The air around it felt thick, like something was pushing against him. It was hard to breathe, but he didn't move. He could feel the power of the gate, and his mark on his hand burned, telling him this was important.
Sora and Hina stood beside him, both of them ready. "This is it," Hina said softly. "Beyond this gate is where the truth begins. Are you both prepared?"
Ren nodded, even though his heart was racing. He wasn't sure if he was ready. How could anyone be ready for what was behind a gate like this?
Sora looked at him and smiled. "Together, we'll make it."
Ren took a deep breath, his hands tight at his sides. "Let's go."
The moment Ren touched the gate, it opened with a loud noise. The world around them shifted, and they were no longer standing at the edge of the Third Step. Instead, they were in a place that felt… empty.
It was as though they were in between worlds. There were no walls, no sky, no ground. Just an endless void. And in the middle of it all, there was a small, glowing light. It was the only thing that stood out.
"That light," Hina said, her voice low. "It's the key. It's what we need to find."
They moved toward the light. The closer they got, the more Ren felt like something was pulling at him, like the light was calling to him. It felt familiar, but he couldn't remember why.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the void. It was deep and heavy, like it came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
"Who dares to approach the Gate of Truth?"
Ren froze. The voice wasn't like any sound he had heard before. It felt ancient, like it had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"We do," Ren said, his voice strong. "We are here to find the truth."
The voice laughed. "The truth is not something you can simply take. It is not something that can be found easily."
Ren's mark flared brightly, and he felt a surge of power. "We are ready."
The voice paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Very well. The truth will test you. It will not show you what you want, but what you need to see. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Ren looked at Sora and Hina. They both nodded. He turned back to the light. "We are sure."
The moment he spoke, the light grew brighter, and the world around them began to shift again. This time, they were no longer in the void. Instead, they found themselves standing in a room, a small chamber.
At the center of the room was a mirror.
Ren stepped forward, his heart racing. The mirror was unlike any he had ever seen. It wasn't made of glass, but something darker. It looked like it was made of shadows, twisting and changing. And when he looked into it, he didn't see his reflection.
Instead, he saw something else.
He saw a version of himself, but different. Older, more powerful, but also more twisted. The eyes in the reflection were cold, empty. It was like looking at the version of himself that he could become, but he didn't want to.
"This is the truth," the voice said again. "This is what lies ahead if you continue down this path. Will you accept it?"
Ren didn't answer right away. He felt fear, confusion, but he also felt something else. He didn't want to become like that… but he couldn't turn back either. He had come this far.
Sora stepped forward, her voice calm. "We've already seen the darkness. We won't let it control us."
Hina nodded. "We face it together."
Ren looked back at the mirror. The reflection smiled, its eyes burning with a dark power. But Ren stood tall. "I won't be afraid."
The mirror shattered.
The darkness that had surrounded it faded, and the light from before returned. Ren looked around, and he could feel it—the weight of the truth. It was like a heavy burden, but it was also a key to something bigger. Something he had to understand if he wanted to move forward.
The voice spoke one last time. "The truth has been shown. Now you must choose. Will you walk the path of power, or will you stay true to who you are?"
Ren didn't hesitate. "I will choose both. I will not be afraid."
With that, the light brightened one last time and then faded. The room was gone, and they were back at the edge of the Third Step, standing before the gate.
Sora looked at him. "Are you okay?"
Ren took a deep breath. "I think so. The truth… it's harder than I thought. But it's a part of who we are. We can't hide from it."
Hina nodded. "Now we continue. The road ahead is long, but we've taken the first step."
Ren smiled, feeling a little lighter. "Let's go."
And together, they moved forward.
---
To be continued...