Those who followed Kaelen's path to observe were also struck speechless at the sight before them. A single World Tree trying to keep reality from collapsing was a gut-wrenching sight.
Ashylle tightly grabbed Kaelen's hand, her eyes watering when she saw her adored Lady Heavenly Willow in such a miserable state. "Kaelen… we must go out and help her."
Kaelen frowned deeply. "Take deep breaths, Ashylle. Remember where we are. This is not reality."
"Is it not?" Ashylle asked, defiant. She looked around with a trembling heart and spoke tremblingly. "What if the portal is something that shows us the future? What if it wasn't a
"Ashylle." Kaelen's voice lowered a pitch, grabbing his wife's hands. "Don't break down on me. This might be a trial of the
Everyone else also snapped out of their daze, some of the Sylvans barely holding themselves back from smashing the windows and flying out to help.
Elowen looked at the circle and then at the rogue explorers. She flew down, careful not to step into the light pillar. "Friends, do you know what we need to do now?"
The Sylvan that spoke previously glanced over with crossed arms and sighed. "We are unsure, but one piece of advice. Do not ever think of stepping outside this cathedral. You'll die."
This caught everyone's attention. Those who knew added to her words. "The outside doesn't only 'Look' chaotic. The energies outside are so turbulent that your organs might fail as the ternary essence inside your body twists inside you."
Some sucked a sharp breath, their bodies shivering at the fate that those words promised.
Kaelen and the others didn't know whether to believe it. However, they couldn't test it with their own people. So, instead, they added it to their notes.
Darian, who had been silent until now, spoke up. His draconic facial features were somewhat thoughtful. "So… Should we enter one by one or as a group?"
Rovan's deep voice reached him mockingly. "That kind of question gets people killed."
Darian frowned and asked, annoyed. "What are you implying, Rovan? Do you have a better idea in that thick head of yours?"
Rovan spoke with disdain. "Search for the rules. If this is a Trial, then there must be something somewhere that explains the rules. We just have not found it yet."
Darian froze for a second, then scowled. "Whatever."
Shalora sighed again. Since Darian ascended, much of his patience and gentleness disappeared. He was stronger, sharper, and even smarter compared to his Level 99 self. However, he was also more impulsive, arrogant, and stubborn.
As the years passed, Shalora had completely fallen out of love with the man. Were it not for his loyalty toward her, she would've left him a long time ago.
Shaking her head, Shalora slithered and began searching the area with the others.
After an hour of searching, one of them flew around the runic circle. He decided to look into it, and once he did, he was delighted. "There are letters in the middle of the runic circle! They are mixed with the runes, but the runes' shapes can help form words. We need to decipher it."
Those knowledgeable in runes quickly flew up, and everyone began decoding it.
It took some time to decipher it, and once they did, Kaelen read it aloud.
***
A trial of heroes.
A thousand tales, all leading to the same bitter end.
Fight for her. Fight for us.
With each light, a new path.
With each soul, a new defender.
Only the worthy may face a World.
Step into the
Oh, hero, fight and never lose hope,
For heartbreaks are the hammer that forges your tale.
***
Everyone turned silent. The words lingered in the air, everyone pondering deeply what it meant.
A human woman from the Verdant Pathfinders, someone who had come to Ceperet as an Envoy, spoke with a thoughtful hum. "These words are obviously hints. A trial of heroes… It probably means that we are the martyrs of the story. The second line… It's most likely a warning that all scenarios end in the same way if we don't act. Tying it with the third and last lines, it's probably a defensive task of some sort."
Elowen glanced at Ylsea with a smile. "You are probably right. I also noticed that the fourth and fifth lines seem to hint that the more people participate, the harder it is."
Kaelen spoke up. "I don't think the fourth means that. Two lines meaning the same would be redundant. If anything, I think that the lights are probably linked to those sculptures. Each light, a new path. Meaning, depending on the light, we will go down one of the paths of these sculptures."
Everyone discussed, and in the end, they decided to challenge the trials, separating into their initial ten groups. That was the most efficient way to ensure they performed at their peak.
Kaelen's group, Azure Horizon Expedition, was the strongest one among them. It was their strength that made them the spearhead when they entered.
This time around, they did the same. Kaelen took out an intricate staff from a spatial pouch, something Ceperet had recently developed.
While the pouches were just around one to three cubic meters, they were extremely useful for carrying equipment.
The group at the front raised their shields, and after the supporters chanted some long-term buffs, they stepped into the light pillar.
Once they did, the atmosphere changed. Everyone felt a sense of oppression as the eight sculptures began radiating an intimidating pressure.
Then, in front of them, Kaelen and the other 29 saw 30 figures manifest. Roots coiled from the ground, bodies taking form in a matter of seconds. When they appeared, everyone's breath stopped for a moment. These figures were extremely similar to them, carrying their weapons.
The crystal, mixed with the roots that formed it, was a dim violet, while the wood was marble-white. The 30 figures that appeared all locked their eyes on the group, and they charged forward almost instantly in a disorderly manner.
Kaelen took the few seconds they needed to charge forward to analyze them. All of them, regardless of shape,
[Level 100 Eternal Woodcrystal Violet Puppet]
He quickly barked orders. "Don't get intimidated! They only got our appearances, not our strengths! Keep the formation sharp, Aethermancers, start elemental bombardment. Animamancers, try to see if your soul attacks work on them! Those at the front, don't let a single one slip through!"
Everyone moved fluidly, their coordination a clear testament to their years of shared adventures. Images of giant shields formed at the front, blocking the advance of the puppets, while elemental attacks rained on them fiercely.
The bombardment was brutal, destroying a few of them in the first exchange.
One Aethermancer grinned. "They are brittle, they are brittle!"
Kaelen's voice boomed out. "Leave that smugness for when we are out alive! Focus! We are in uncharted territory!"
He raised his own staff, a part of the battlefield losing color as a void rift manifested.
BANG!
Three puppets were thrown flying, terrifying gashes on their bodies.
He didn't see a kill notification, so he waved his staff one more time, void energies manifesting in front of him and cutting through. "
His Aether Mana drained, a black line slashing through everything in front of Kaelen.
The cut sent many of those puppets flying, some unable to withstand the blow and splitting in two.
The fight continued—controlled, methodical.
Kaelen's words constantly spread out, giving orders even when the enemy's numbers were reduced to four puppets. A swordsman slipped out of the formation at Kaelen's orders, slicing through everything with a quick technique.
A shield bearer followed a second later, taking the place in front of the swordsman just before one of the puppets slammed into where the swordsman previously stood.
BANG!
The shield bearer tensed his muscles with a grin, his feet perfectly steady.
After that, the Animamancers finally found the target and used soul spells to strike the last four puppets, the light in their dim violet eyes vanishing as they flopped forward.
Seeing everyone's shoulders relaxing, Kaelen shouted. "Formation! Don't relax!"
Everyone quickly tensed up again, not daring to drop their guard. With a quick glance around, Kaelen noticed the circle humming as their surroundings changed.
"Prepare spells!"
Everyone's ternary essences flowed, on the verge of exploding.
Then, two portals appeared in front of them. One of them was like a vortex, similar to what they saw when setting foot here. Its color was a dim violet, identical to the crystal of the puppets they just defeated.
The second portal was thinner, as if a single touch would make it collapse. Its color was also vastly different to the first—a ringed green and amber.
After the two portals formed, a pillar of dim purple light fell from the cathedral's ceiling, illuminating the feline sculpture and making it look alive.
Kaelen and the others took in every change, their bodies tense.
"...Nothing else is happening?"
Someone in their group spoke up, cautious and confused. Kaelen noticed as well and nodded. "I want ideas. Anyone can guess what's happening?"
No one spoke up at first. Soon, a beastkin at the side decided to tentatively speak up. "The purple portal… it looks as if it will transport us to another location. The other doesn't look like it."
Kaelen asked, curious. "Reason for that assumption?"
"Instinct, boss." That person shook his head.
Ashylle spoke slowly, each syllable pronounced meaningfully. "With each light… a new path."
Everyone blinked, their eyes suddenly flashing with comprehension. Kaelen analyzed quickly. "We faced 30 puppets, each one with our appearances. However, they didn't have our skills. Still, this completes the line [With each soul, a new defender.] Following that logic, I think we passed the first level of the trial, and now the
Someone nearby spoke with a frown. "Boss, don't be greedy. Since the
Kaelen nodded, thoughtful. "I was thinking the same. Everyone, advance toward the purple vortex."
Both vortexes were far enough so that no one stepped into them by accident. They were also large, each about 20 meters tall and 15 meters wide.
Like that, the Azure Horizon Expedition stepped into the purple vortex, disappearing from the cathedral.
Once they did, the lights and puppets all merged into the ground, returning the cathedral to its previous sacred and ancient calm.