The door of the Cracked Tower creaked open slowly, releasing thick fog and a chilling wind from within. Luma swallowed hard, her steps steady though her heart felt dragged by an unnamed fear. Beside her, Kael gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. Ereth stood still, but his eyes were sharp, analyzing every flicker of shadow in the dark.
"We go now, or never," Luma said softly.
Without waiting for a reply, she stepped inside.
The corridor inside the tower greeted them with suffocating silence. The light from the small flame Kael carried only illuminated a small portion of the black, damp walls. A thin mist danced along the floor, as if it were alive.
Suddenly, whispers emerged — soft, calling with a voice full of longing. Luma stopped. Before her, the image of her mother appeared once more. This time her face was clearer, her smile deeper.
"Luma… leave all of this. Come home."
On the other side, Kael froze at the sight of a man he knew well — his older brother, long dead in battle.
"Kael, I've returned. You don't need to carry on with this mission. It's all pointless."
Ereth was silent. Before him, a woman in white appeared — her face filled with love and sorrow. Her hand reached out, as if wanting to touch him once more.
"Enough!" Luma shouted, closing her eyes. "This is all false! It's a test!"
A small light within her began to glow. The fog and images vanished instantly. Kael and Ereth coughed, as if waking from a nightmare.
"That wasn't them," Luma said firmly. "It just wanted us to stop."
They continued on into a tunnel, its walls made of crystal mirrors. It reflected not only their appearances, but their memories — and truths.
Kael saw himself pushing aside a friend to gain rank in the palace guard. His face turned pale.
Ereth saw an old prophetic book he once hid — a prophecy stating that Selene could fall to darkness and destroy the world.
Luma saw something deeper. Herself, split in two — one radiant, one shrouded in shadow. They danced in a whirlpool of power, pushing and shielding each other.
She raised her hand and touched the mirror. "I'm not one or the other. I am both. I am… Luma."
The crystal began to crack. The tunnel opened.
They arrived in a vast stone chamber, filled with silent giant statues. At its center stood a stone guardian — its eyes empty, yet its presence alive.
Without words, they were attacked — not with weapons, but with dreams and memories. The trial of the soul began.
Luma was trapped in a memory where she failed to save a child during an attack. She cried, blaming herself. But then, in the dream, the child forgave her.
Kael was pulled into the past — when he let someone die in the name of duty. But the man's voice said, "You learned from it. I know."
Ereth saw the woman again. But this time, he did not chase her. He simply said, "Thank you for once being my light."
The stone guardian bowed. They had passed.
They discovered a grand chamber — the throne room of Vaeloth, now empty. An aura of power filled the space, pressing on their chests.
Behind the throne was a symbol of light and shadow united. Before it lay a thick, ornate book — The Breath of the World.
Luma approached and touched it. In an instant, the room trembled. The earth shook. The walls shone with light.
"The true guardian… has arrived," the voice within the book echoed.
They stepped out of the tower. The sky had changed — split in two between light and shadow.
Kael looked up. "Whatever comes next… there's no turning back."
Ereth nodded. "The next step will decide everything."
And in the distance, from the swirling shadows in the sky, those red eyes returned — watching.
To be continued…