Fractured Core

"Now let's begin."

A sharp snap of Ezekar's finger broke the tense silence of the hundreds of people already geared up. Before Aiden could ask a single question, his vision blurred, and he vanished.

When his eyes fluttered open, and he found himself on the bridge. He had never questioned its existence before, but now he felt compelled to. Is that really the power of a exodite? His arms crossed instinctively as his gaze locked onto Ezekar, who loomed at the bridge's entrance.

How do others even gain that kind of power?

Ezekar's commanding presence. His voice carried across the shimmering expanse like a tidal wave.

"This bridge, beginners, is not merely a path," Ezekar announced, his tone sharp and unyielding. "It is a crucible. Each step you take tests your resolve, your wit, and your understanding of yourself. The Trial of Judgment demands more than strength. It asks for clarity of purpose and mastery over your limits."

Aiden hesitated, his foot hovering above the shimmering surface, watching as it rippled and shifted beneath him like liquid glass. With a shaky breath, he pressed forward.

Unease settled over him like a heavy cloak. The translucent walls around the dimension pulsed faintly, almost as if they were watching him. "What happens if I fail?" he muttered under his breath.

"Failure is not a concept here, only consequence. Hesitate, and the bridge will twist your doubt against you. Rush forward, and your arrogance will lead you to ruin. Survive, and you may glimpse the truth of what lies ahead."

Aiden thoughts tangled into knots, each one tighter than the last. Previously, he didn't care about die or being exodite, but now he was interested to see what happens after this trial. He felt it might find out the worth. Which wasn't really his worth. Is worth just a shadow of what I'm really asking for?

Ezekar's voice boomed again, pulling him back to the moment. "The truth of who you are. And perhaps… what you were always meant to be. Now step forward, and let judgment begin."

Earlier, in the crowd, Mira's gaze lingered on Aiden. Her voice was low. "Check it out. He's still alive."

Riven tilted his head, his brow furrowed. "That's surprising. It looked like he was going to die for sure, but here he is…fully healed and ready for the beginner test."

"Is he really the one we need?"

Riven answered, "The last guy we had really wasn't worth it." He paused, then added, "But being able to survive before... there's surely something special about him."

Mira didn't answer. She clenched her fists, her gaze snapping onto Aiden who appeared on the bridge. She knew what she had to do, but admitting it felt like surrender. Is this really the answer?

Aiden standing at the edge of the shimmering bridge, the structure pulsating with a life of its own. The translucent panels beneath his feet shift and ripple like liquid glass, revealing glimpses of an infinite void below.

Ahead the bridge extended into the horizon, fractured in places, pieces missing like jagged teeth in a broken jaw.

"Each step forward will demand more of you. Face the trial or fade into oblivion. Decide." Ezekar's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

Aiden swallowed hard, taking his first step onto the bridge. Instantly, the environment changed. The panels beneath his feet shift into a jagged, rocky terrain. A Serpentine Wraith emerged, its glowing red eyes locking onto him, a growl resonated in his chest.

"Your first test: Can you see through?"

Aiden noted Ezekar's words, he gripped the wrench, unsure how his personal life had become entwined with his specialty. He just didn't know that why. As sweat forming on his brow, It's bringing back memories.

Ahead, the Serpentine Wraith lunged at him, freezing mid-strike before repeating the motion again and again. As Aiden's eyes flicked between the wraith and the dozens of identical wraiths that flickered into existence around it, panic began to creep in.

Every instinct screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move.

"This damn Serpentine Wraith… not again." he muttered under his breath. His hands trembled. 'Am I really supposed to fight this thing? Is Ezekar insane?… I have wrench these wraith body looked to hurt. Only by lethal weapons.'

He remained frozen, torn between fear and worth. His eyes narrowed at the slhertine wraith, its body glitches and flickers. He was panicking, as thought it was fake or feared.

Breathe. Calm down.

Aiden muttered aloud, "They're moving… but it can't all be real."

He steadied himself, forcing his thoughts to focus. Why wasn't the creature attacking like it did before? Something wasn't right. Closing his eyes, seemed to understand something new.

He tuned out the visual chaos and honed in on the sounds around him. The hissing slither of the wraiths filled the air, a cacophony of false echoes. Then…there it was a faint metallic scrape, distinct and out of place.

Aiden's eyes snapped open, and he dove to the side just as the a wraith struck. Its fangs narrowly missed his shoulder. With a quick swing of his wrench, he struck Serpentine Wraith body, shattering the illusion. The false wraiths dissolved into wisps of light.

"Perception is your ally... remember this."

The bridge shifts again. One of the missing parts appeared. He barely had time to catch his breath before the air grew heavy and suffocating.

Aiden found himself surrounded by ghostly apparitions of Kurt and Maya, each staring at him with disappointment and sorrow.

"No… this isn't real. It's not real!" Why are they looking at me like that?

Kurt hollow voice radiated throughhim.. "I can't believe you did something that evil just to move forward. Why did I even bother helping you?"

Aiden stumbles backward, nearly falling from the bridge. He clutched his head, overwhelmed by the voices accusing him of some evil.

Why does it feel like they're right?

In fact, he didn't like to be around other, whereas Kurt was different he was always around him. Brought on something inside, he felt something different about him, just he couldn't figure it out or push it out.

"No!"

Aiden felt something stir deep inside, a memory or a truth, locked away and hidden from his reach. Whatever it was, it vanished before he could grasp it, leaving behind a hollow ache in his chest. Is there something wrong with my body? Did something happened when I was… younger?

Gritting his teeth, his breathing steadying. He pressed forward, ignoring the voices, his focus locked on the bridge ahead. One by one, the apparitions fade until only silence remains.

Still, Every step forward felt like walking into a trap.

Arriving at the next bridge panel, at that moment a Serpentine Wraith lunged right at him. He crouched low, his breath shallow as he presses himself against a cool, metallic wall of the bridge.

In his circle, the Serpentine Wraith slithered, its haunting hiss echoing through the air. Its shadow flickers across the walls, searching for Aiden.

Peeking around the corner, spotting the wraith's, translucent body coiling like liquid shadow. It's glowing eyes sweep the area, scanning for any sign of movement. Aiden's heart pounds, his every instinct screaming at him to run but he knows better. Not yet.

'Can I outthink what I cannot outrun? No hesitation.' he thought.

The wraith suddenly shifts, it's massive form whipping around. Aiden ducked back just as its glowing gaze brushed past him, illuminating the sweat on his brow.

I can't fight that thing head-on. I have to play it smart. It's hunting me… but what's it way of tracking?

He glanced down at the bridge's surface, noticing faint ripples of light where his footsteps had landed. The realization hit him like a lightning bolt.

'It's tracking me by sound.'

Carefully, he pulled a coin from his pocket and tosses it down the opposite end of the bridge. The coin clatter echoed, and the wraith immediately snaps toward the noise, its form darting fluid, terrifying speed.

Aiden didn't wait. He bolted across the bridge, trying to soften his footsteps. But the terrain shifts suddenly, the smooth surface turning jagged and uneven beneath him. He tripped sprawling forward, and the wraith whirls back toward him with an ear splitting screech.

Scrambling to his feet, he cursed under his breath. "Not good. Not good!"

The wraith surged foward, its body cutting through the air like a whip. Aiden bolted, weaving between the shifting terrain. His chest burns, his legs ache, and his vision blurs slightly, but adrenaline keeps him moving. The wraith is faster, closing the distance with every second.

'I can't keep this up… It's too fast! Unless...'

As he sprints, something strange happened. For a fleeting moment, his body feels lighter, his strides longer. The wind rushes past him, and his movements become unnaturally fluid, carrying him forward with a speed he'd never experienced before.

"Am I... faster? No time to think about it!"

He spotted a narrow crevice in the distance of the bridge, just big enough for him to slip through. With a burst of speed, he divded into the gap, landing hard on the other side. The wraith crashes into the wall behind him, screeching in frustration.

Panting heavily, Aiden pressed himself against the wall, his eyes darting around. He spots a series of reflective panels on the bridge, catching the wraith's glowing gaze and splitting it into multiple directions.

He grabbed another coin, tossing it into one of the reflective panels. The sound echoes, bouncing unpredictably across the bridge. The wraith coils in confusion, snapping at the illusions created by the mirrors. Aiden used the distraction to crawl further along the edge of the bridge, staying low and silent.

Finally, he reaches a section where the bridge widens into a larger platform. The wraith notices him, letting out a guttural roar, but Aiden spotted a glowing crack in the ground ahead.

"One chance."

As the wraith's lunged, its jaw snapping. Aiden sprinted for the crack. His body felt weightless again, his speed accelerating beyond what should be possible. He leaps into the crack just as the wraith's jaws snap shut behind him. He tumbled through the glowing void, landing hard in a new section of the dimension.