Astral Epoch

The morning light tears through the mist, golden rays falling and casting long shadows from the broken stone pillars, their carved inscriptions worn and weathered, like an ancient prison. The air is thick with the dry scent of dust; each step he takes sends a crisp crack echoing as his feet crush the loose stones. The Star Soul Ruins lie in silence, like an altar waiting for a sacrificial offering. Time seems to freeze here, with only the low-hanging sky and the collapsed circular altar witnessing the remnants of past glory.

Adrian steps forward slowly, his gaze drawn upward to the weathered runes, his heartbeat unconsciously quickening. He can feel a heavy, indescribable pressure closing in from all directions, as if the eyes of the world are fixed upon him, awaiting his step into this arena that has long since buried its heroes.

Set halts, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes fixed on the broken altar ahead. His voice is low and cold, carrying an unspoken authority: "Cross this threshold, and you will have truly set foot on the path of the Starborn. Retreat now, and it will be the same as death."

Adrian takes a deep breath, clenches his fists, and steps forward. He knows this is more than just a trial—it is a choice that will determine his future.

The moment Adrian steps onto the altar, the runes suddenly light up, their golden-blue glow like falling stars, intense and mysterious. The stone trembles slightly, and an ancient aura stirs beneath the ground. A formless force bursts forth, engulfing his body! The world shatters in an instant, light and shadow swirl, and disordered whispers fill his ears—like the ancient will that has existed for millennia, murmuring in the darkness.

A violent wind rises, and his consciousness is pulled into an endless abyss.

The sky cracks open, and blood-red light stains the earth. The desolate battlefield is filled with the acrid smell of burning and decay. Stone monuments are shattered, starborn statues topple, their fragmented remains scattered everywhere. The symbols once carved with faith are now devoured by darkness, leaving only silent mockery. A deathly stillness hangs over the land, with only the mournful cry of the wind in the barren wasteland, like the wails of the departed.

The ground beneath his feet is damp and sticky. Looking down, Adrian realizes that it is not earth, but a land soaked in blood. With each step, a strange, wet sound echoes. His heart contracts sharply, as if an invisible hand is squeezing it, cutting off his breath.

In the distance, a pitch-black throne stands at the far end of the battlefield, like the judgment seat of death, coldly looking down on the burial ground. Pale flames quietly burn on the throne, casting an eerie, cold light. A figure, familiar yet strange, sits atop it, lightly tapping the armrest with five fingers. With each tap, it seems to tell the tale of how the gears of fate slowly turn.

Adrian holds his breath, his gaze fixed.

The figure slowly lifts its head, revealing a face identical to his own.

Adrian's heart seemed to be gripped by an icy hand, his blood freezing in an instant. His gaze was locked onto the figure seated upon the throne. The face was unmistakably his own, yet it radiated a suffocating coldness and an overwhelming presence. The black robe draped over the armrest, and as the sleeves fluttered, dark lightning flickered at the tips of the fingers—like a twisted starborn power gathering in the palm.

The "Adrian" on the throne slowly stood up, looking down at him with lowered eyes. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, a smile that carried the disdain of one who gazes upon all things with contempt—mocking the fear Adrian now felt.

"This is your future." The deep voice echoed across the heavens and earth, cold and devoid of any warmth, as if it were the whisper of a god.

Adrian staggered back a step, his chest rising and falling violently. Every nerve in his body instinctively resisted this illusion. He could feel that the "self" before him was no mere mirage, but a terrifying possibility so real it made him tremble.

"It's impossible…" Adrian gritted his teeth, his fingers turning white from clenching his fists. Within him, the Azure Dragon's Might stirred restlessly, the lightning crackling as if trying to break free from the grip of this illusion.

However, the "self" on the throne merely raised his hand slightly. The pitch-black star energy swirled around his fingertips, and a twisted black mist slowly expanded from his palm, resembling the tide of the Abyss, creeping toward Adrian.

"You will become me."

The pitch-black waves surged with a deafening roar, engulfing everything in an instant!

Darkness coiled around Adrian's limbs like chains, seeping into his consciousness. He could clearly feel his soul being torn apart as the dark energy tried to fill his body, dragging him into the endless abyss. He struggled desperately, and the Thunder Spear suddenly materialized in his grasp. Lightning surged wildly, tearing apart the darkness, but it couldn't stop the overwhelming force from continuing to erode his will.

In the haze of his fading consciousness, he saw the figure of himself in the black robe, offering a sarcastic, cold smile, as though he already knew his struggles were futile.

"Accept your fate, Adrian."

The cold whisper echoed once again.

The darkness fully consumed his vision—

The tide of darkness surged forward, swallowing his consciousness. Adrian's limbs were bound by invisible chains, his body sinking into the abyss, the whispers in his ears growing louder, as if countless lost souls were telling him of an inevitable fate. His heartbeat slowed, and even the restlessness of the Azure Dragon's Might within him began to quiet, as though it was about to submit to this darkness.

"Is it… inevitable… I can't escape…" His consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse, the black mist swirling around him. The cold, indifferent face that belonged to him loomed larger in the darkness, drawing closer, as if it were about to merge with him.

At that moment, a faint, delicate note of a zither shattered the suffocating silence.

The tremor of the zither strings was like a gentle breeze sweeping across a lake, the ethereal blue spiritual energy rippling through the air. It was warm and gentle, yet carried an undeniable force. The tide of darkness faltered slightly at the zither's resonance, as if the violent erosion was being suppressed by a deeper will. Even if it was only for a moment, it was enough to disrupt the balance of the illusion.

Adrian's eyes shot open, and within the depths of his pupils, the lightning exploded!

"Azure Dragon—Break!" His roar shattered the darkness. The Thunder Spear cleaved through the air, and a blazing bolt of lightning erupted in a furious explosion, ripping through the space. The lightning tore through the chains, shattering the suppression, and his consciousness surged back like a tidal wave, his soul reawakening!

In the illusion, the black-robed figure's pupils narrowed slightly, seemingly caught off guard by the external interference. The next instant, the Thunder Spear pierced through the void, carrying the wrath of thunder, crushing the throne and the figure with it!

A deafening crash followed, the world collapsing as the darkness shattered like broken glass, scattering in all directions.

Adrian gasped, suddenly jolted awake.

Adrian opened his eyes, and the darkness in his vision had already dissipated. The morning light filtered through the ruins of the archway, casting a soft glow upon him. The faint light danced, reflecting the lingering aftershocks of thunder. His hand trembled slightly, the warmth of the collapsing illusion still lingering on his palm. His chest rose and fell violently, cold sweat soaking through his clothes. It felt as though what he had just experienced was not a mere illusion, but a tangible future that truly existed.

"You passed," Seth's voice came from nearby, calm and profound.

Adrian lifted his head, meeting Seth's sharp, knife-like gaze. He tried to respond but found his voice dry, as though the chilling breath of darkness still lingered in his throat. In his mind, the image of himself sitting on that black throne still lingered deep in his memories, as if it could reappear at any moment. He wasn't sure whether it had been a lie woven by the illusion or some real, foreboding omen.

Seth slowly approached, his eyes falling upon Adrian's face. After a brief pause, he suddenly asked, "What did you see?"

Adrian's fingers curled slightly, and for a long time, he didn't speak. He wasn't willing to share what he had seen in the illusion. It was not just a trial—it felt more like a warning, a dark possibility buried deep within his bloodline. And he had yet to find the answer.

Seth seemed to sense his hesitation. His tone remained unchanged, but there was a trace of meaningful calmness in it. "No matter what you saw, you should not let fear dictate your fate."

Adrian slightly pressed his lips together, his gaze lowering, flickering uncertainly. After a moment, he slowly nodded.

The glow of the runes in the ruins gradually dimmed, and the wind blew through the broken walls and remnants, as if a low, whispered voice escaped from the cracks in the stone, echoing through the ancient sanctuary that had slept for thousands of years. Though the trial had ended, the silence of the ruins felt as if it were waiting for some future day to witness his true choice.

In the distance, Lia stood beside a fallen stone pillar. The spiritual energy lingering on the zither strings vibrated faintly, as though the melody from before had not yet completely faded. A thoughtful expression appeared between her brows, her gaze fixed and unwavering.

She had witnessed Adrian's change, but she could not discern whether this change was true growth or the beginning of fate's design.

Adrian stood still, his grip tight on the Thunder Spear, his fingers pale and trembling. The shock of the illusion had passed, but the image of himself on that throne, with eyes cold and contemptuous, still haunted his mind. Would his future truly unfold as the illusion had shown — descending into the abyss, becoming the master of the destroyed Starborn? Or was this merely a manifestation of his own fear? Adrian couldn't find the answer, but the unease in his heart lingered like a shadow, refusing to be shaken off.

Seth's gaze fell upon him, deep as an abyss, his expression unchanged, as if Adrian's struggle was a matter of course. After a moment of silence, Seth spoke, his voice calm yet heavy: "You managed to break free from the illusion; that's not a failure. But the true trial begins now." He paused, his tone slightly darker, "You think what you saw was the future, but the future is not set in stone. It depends on the choice you make."

Adrian furrowed his brow slightly. Seth's words seemed to hint at something deeper, yet he left it unspoken. Adrian wanted to ask more, but Seth had already turned and began walking toward the exit of the ruins. Adrian followed silently, the words "It depends on the choice you make" echoing in his mind.

They passed through the collapsed columns, the morning mist swirling behind them like an engulfing tide, swallowing the remnants of the trial. In the shadows nearby, Leah stood silently, watching Adrian's figure fade into the distance. Her fingers lightly brushed the strings of her instrument, the lingering resonance still rippling through the air, and the faint traces of spiritual energy dissipating like a soft breeze.

She could feel it — Adrian's aura had shifted, the Star Soul power within him more refined, but there was an unfamiliar, subtle oddity in it. He had grown stronger, perhaps more resolute. Yet, her doubts had not diminished. She did not question Adrian's true heart, but rather, whether the future shown in the illusion was indeed a mere fabrication — or perhaps an unavoidable destiny. She couldn't be sure, and she couldn't judge. But she knew this: the path Adrian now walked was no longer the one she had once envisioned for him.

The music in her fingers trembled slightly as she chose to remain silent, making no move to reveal herself.

As dawn broke, the morning light pierced through the mist, spilling across the ancient ruins. Adrian stepped out of the Star Soul Ruins, gazing into the distance. Doubts still lingered in his heart, but his steps grew more resolute. No matter what the future held, he could not falter. The legacy of the Starborn now rested on his shoulders, and he, ultimately, would have to make his choice between light and the abyss.

In that moment, he was no longer the naive youth he once was, but a warrior stepping fully onto the path of the Starborn.