The ruins of the Obsidian Grove were cloaked in mist as Lei and Lin Yue stood before a stone altar, ancient carvings glowing faintly beneath the moonlight. Four towering statues encircled the altar—each depicting a different root: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. These were not mere elements. They represented the Four Primordial Roots, echoes of the world's original balance.
Elder Rong's voice was solemn as he stood behind them. "This is the Trial of the Four Roots—one only undertaken by those the Heavens have not yet deemed fit... or those who dare to defy them."
Lei's jaw clenched. "I'll take the trial."
Before Lin Yue could stop him, the ground trembled. The altar pulsed, and a beam of energy shot into the sky. Four portals opened—each glowing with an elemental hue.
"You must enter each realm," Elder Rong said, "and survive what it reveals. Not just your strength… but your truth."
Lei turned to Lin Yue. "Watch my back while I'm gone."
She nodded, but her eyes said more than her words ever could. Come back. I need you to come back.
Lei stepped into the first portal—the Realm of Fire.
---
The Realm of Fire
Blistering heat slammed into his skin. The sky above burned crimson, and molten rivers slithered across cracked obsidian ground. Flames danced like sentient serpents, whispering secrets only the mad could understand.
A voice rose from the inferno: "What burns within you, boy? Anger? Revenge? Or fear?"
Lei didn't answer. He walked forward.
A memory took form in the flames—his younger self, crying alone in the rain after being told he had no root. Another flame—Ren Xian, smiling as he walked away with Lei's hopes in his hand.
Lei raised his palm. Lightning crackled. "I burn for justice."
The flames attacked. He fought them—not just with power, but with resolve. When the fire cleared, he stood alone—but unscorched.
The portal to the next realm opened.