The bell's echo faded, but its weight stayed.
Alex stood at the edge of the palace steps, staring at the glowing name on the collector's page. Even after the sound died, the letters continued to pulse faintly, as if time itself had marked him.
ALEX — BINDER — STATUS: UNDER REVIEW
The collector lowered its staff and stepped back into formation. One by one, the others did the same. They did not attack. They did not threaten. They simply waited.
Waiting was worse.
"They're not moving," Sophia said quietly, her body tense like a drawn blade. "I don't like enemies that wait."
"They don't need to rush," Elena replied. "Time is their weapon."
Luna's eyes were fixed on the courtyard. "One day," she said. "They gave us one day because they believe we cannot succeed."
Alex finally exhaled. His lungs felt tight, like he had been holding his breath for far too long. "Then we prove them wrong."
The collectors spread out around the palace grounds, positioning themselves at measured distances, forming a loose circle. They did not block the gates. They did not touch the walls. They simply stood, staffs planted, masks forward.
Observers.
"Let's go inside," Luna said. "They want to be seen. Don't give them more than that."
They retreated into the palace, the heavy doors sealing behind them with a deep, final sound. For a moment, no one spoke. The halls felt different now—less like a home, more like a place under inspection.
Alex broke the silence. "What exactly do they want us to prove?"
Elena answered first. "Value."
Sophia frowned. "That's vague."
"On purpose," Elena continued. "If they defined it clearly, people would learn how to game the system. These trials are meant to show what cannot be faked."
Luna nodded. "They want to see if the bonds you formed change the world beyond this palace. Not pleasure. Not comfort. Impact."
Alex leaned against a pillar, rubbing his temples. "So love alone isn't enough."
"Love matters," Luna said gently. "But in systems like this, love is only one variable."
Sophia crossed her arms. "Then we show them strength."
"And wisdom," Elena added.
"And restraint," Luna finished.
Alex looked up. "Restraint?"
"Yes," she said. "You used the summoning tool freely. Often. That freedom is part of what triggered this. The collectors will watch how you act now."
Alex felt the weight of that truth settle in his chest. "So every move I make today matters."
"Yes," all three answered.
They moved into the strategy chamber—a room once meant for leisure, now repurposed. Maps floated in the air as Elena activated the space, showing the city, the palace, and the surrounding lands.
"The collectors are tied to balance," Elena said. "They don't care about happiness. They care about excess."
Sophia pointed at the palace icon. "This place is excess."
Alex nodded slowly. "I built it too fast. Too easily."
"And filled it with too much," Luna said, not unkindly.
Alex straightened. "Then maybe we start by giving something back."
Sophia raised an eyebrow. "You want to tear down your own palace?"
"No," Alex said. "I want to open it."
Elena's eyes sharpened. "Explain."
"This place has been closed off," Alex continued. "A symbol of isolation and indulgence. What if we change that? What if the palace becomes something the city needs?"
Luna smiled faintly. "A sanctuary."
Sophia considered it. "Shelter. Training halls. Healing spaces."
Elena nodded slowly. "If the palace becomes a source rather than a sink, the balance shifts."
Alex felt a spark of hope. "Can we do it in one day?"
"We have to," Sophia said. "Because if we don't—"
"They'll take something," Luna finished.
They split quickly.
Sophia went to rally the palace guards and workers, explaining the situation in clear, direct terms. She did not lie. Warriors respected truth.
Elena began weaving large-scale enchantments—not for defense, but for redistribution. Power that once kept the palace isolated now flowed outward, stabilizing nearby districts.
Luna went to the lower city, speaking with quiet leaders, healers, and those who listened to magic rather than coin.
Alex remained at the center, coordinating, choosing carefully when to use the summoning tool—and when not to.
That restraint burned.
Every instinct told him to reach for the tool, to fix things instantly. But each time his fingers twitched, he remembered the rule.
Power without balance invites correction.
Hours passed.
The palace gates opened for the first time.
Refugees arrived first—those displaced by old conflicts, those the city had quietly ignored. Then artisans. Then healers. Then children.
The palace changed.
Rooms once meant for luxury became shelters. Long halls turned into clinics. Gardens opened, not for beauty alone, but for food and rest.
The collectors watched.
Alex felt their gaze like weight on his shoulders.
By midday, exhaustion set in. Sweat dampened his collar. His head ached. The memory he had given up left a hollow ache he could not name.
Sophia found him in the central hall. "They're watching everything," she said. "Even when they pretend not to."
"I know," Alex replied.
She studied his face. "You're holding back."
"I have to."
"Good," she said. "Because this isn't about how strong you are. It's about whether you can stop."
Elena joined them, her expression pale but satisfied. "The city's mana flow has stabilized. For the first time in years, the lower districts are not draining themselves dry."
Luna arrived last, her steps slow. "People are talking," she said. "They don't know why this is happening. But they feel it."
Alex closed his eyes briefly. "Is it enough?"
No one answered.
As the sun began to set, the air shifted again.
The collectors moved.
They stepped forward in unison, staffs glowing softly. One separated from the group and approached the palace gates.
The same one as before.
It raised its staff and spoke.
"Assessment phase ending."
Alex stepped forward, heart pounding.
The collector's mask tilted slightly. "Value demonstrated. Balance partially restored."
Hope flared.
Then the staff struck the ground once.
"But excess remains."
The page unfurled again. New words formed.
SECOND EVALUATION REQUIRED
SUBJECT: SUMMONING TOOL
Luna gasped softly. "They're not done."
Elena's voice dropped. "They're escalating."
Sophia clenched her fists. "What do they want now?"
The collector's voice echoed through the courtyard.
"Tool usage exceeds acceptable variance. Binder must submit to restriction."
Alex felt cold spread through his chest. "Restriction?"
"Define," Elena demanded.
The collector raised its staff. A symbol burned into the air.
RULE ENFORCEMENT: LIMITATION PROTOCOL
Luna turned to Alex, fear sharp in her eyes. "They want to limit the tool. Permanently."
Alex swallowed hard. "If they do that… I won't be able to—"
"You'll still be you," Sophia said firmly. "Power doesn't define you."
"But it will change everything," Elena added quietly.
The collector took one more step forward.
"Choose," it said. "Accept restriction willingly, or surrender one bound creation to offset imbalance."
The world seemed to tilt.
Alex looked at the three women beside him.
One restriction.
Or one loss.
The sun dipped below the horizon.
The final hour of the day began.
And Alex realized the true trial had only just started.