It began with shadows swallowing the sun. The sky darkened abruptly, the daylight draining away as though devoured by unseen jaws. A hush spread across the city, silence gripping its streets for a fraction of a heartbeat before being violently shattered.
Enormous towers burst from the ground like divine spears, thrusting skyward with deafening roars. Earth ruptured, sending concrete, steel, and soil exploding into chaotic showers. Windows shattered for blocks, their shards cascading down like glittering rain. Each monolithic structure surged upward, impossibly massive and gleaming like polished obsidian swords, slicing clouds apart and piercing the very edge of space. Spiraling patterns of violet and azure energy rippled up their surfaces, pulsing as if the towers themselves were alive.
Leo stumbled backward, mouth dry, heart pounding furiously in his chest. He was a lean young man, barely eighteen, with messy dark hair falling over eyes widened in disbelief. His casual clothing—jeans, a hoodie, and scuffed sneakers—felt suddenly trivial amidst the apocalyptic chaos erupting around him.
The nearest tower exploded from beneath the city square, obliterating buildings and roads effortlessly, as if tearing through wet paper. Massive chunks of debris hurtled through the air, some narrowly missing Leo as panic surged through him. A violent hum filled the air, vibrating every atom in Leo's body, resonating painfully within his bones and stealing his breath. He turned desperately, feet slipping over the unstable ground, his vision filled with the towering menace looming above him.
Before Leo could run, an invisible vortex seized him, its force irresistible, dragging him backward toward the colossal black monolith. His frantic scream vanished instantly into the rushing wind, lost within the cataclysmic noise of reality fracturing apart.
In an instant, he was gone, swallowed by darkness.
Light flashed. He stood on polished stone, illuminated by torches blazing white fire. Panic surged through Leo as he noticed figures around him—men, women, and even children, equally dazed and disoriented. They exchanged terrified glances, eyes wide, bodies trembling.
Beside him, a young couple clung tightly to one another. The woman, pale and shaking, met Leo's gaze, eyes pleading silently for reassurance. Her partner stepped protectively in front of her, whispering comforting words Leo couldn't hear clearly. Across from them, a fierce-looking young woman with dark red hair, and a muscular man with strikingly calm eyes exchanged a quick, resolute glance, silently preparing themselves for whatever came next.
"Where are we?" the pale woman whispered shakily.
Leo opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, a voice resonant and powerful boomed from nowhere: "Trial of the First Floor: Survive for sixty seconds."
Before anyone could react further, the ground trembled violently. Walls of stone surged upward around each individual, enclosing them instantly into separate circular arenas, each marked by high stone walls etched with unfamiliar glyphs glowing faintly blue.
A voice, resonant and powerful, boomed from nowhere: "Trial of the First Floor: Survive for sixty seconds."
Before anyone could speak, the ground trembled violently. Walls of stone surged upward around each individual, enclosing them instantly into separate circular arenas, each marked by high stone walls etched with unfamiliar glyphs glowing faintly blue.
Leo spun around, heart racing as the isolation pressed down on him. Panic gripped his throat. Suddenly, a gentle glow materialized beside him, shaping into a weapon—a sleek, black spear etched with intricate silver markings that pulsed softly in rhythm with his heartbeat. Without thinking, he grasped it, feeling an immediate connection, its weight perfectly balanced in his hands.
The air shifted, shimmering with hostility. Across from Leo, a warrior materialized, clothed in armor of midnight steel, face obscured by an emotionless mask. The warrior drew a blade, its edge singing with deadly intent.
Chaos erupted. Leo stumbled backward, barely ducking beneath a blur of metal. Adrenaline surged through him; each heartbeat hammered desperation into his veins. His legs trembled, unsteady, driven only by primal instinct.
The warrior advanced methodically, terrifyingly calm. Leo's mind blanked, overtaken by sheer panic. He dodged awkwardly, nearly losing his balance. The blade whistled by his ear, the chilling proximity of death snapping clarity into his mind.
Seconds crawled by like eternity. His breath burned, muscles screamed. Sweat blurred his vision. Another strike tore at his sleeve, grazing his skin. Pain flared, bright and blinding, sharpening his focus.
Just as Leo's legs buckled, he saw the warrior's stance shift slightly. An opening. Pure instinct propelled him forward, gripping the spear tightly.
Time froze. A flicker of inspiration surged through Leo, illuminating the warrior's movements as if slowed. With a flicker he saw a path.
Leo lunged forward, thrusting the spear with every ounce of strength left. The spear connected, piercing through armor and flesh. Shock registered behind the warrior's mask, a fleeting moment of surprise before the warrior toppled heavily to the floor.
Silence fell.
Leo staggered, breathless and stunned. The voice returned, rich with an echo of astonishment. "Trial complete. Exceptional achievement recognized. Awarding talent: Increased Comprehension."
He kneeled on the ground ragged breaths feeling the air barely believing he survived. And yet before he could gather his wits a flash of light filled his vision and he was gone.