NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Ch 14
Chapter 14: Trial of Trust
The oppressive darkness of the cave dissolved into blinding light. Tara blinked, her vision adjusting to the sudden shift. The ground beneath her felt smooth, and as the haze cleared, she found herself standing in a vast, white space. Elegant stone pillars stretched endlessly into the void, their surfaces carved with symbols that glowed faintly.
Ahead, two figures emerged—Samudra, leaning casually against a pillar, and Aryan, gesturing animatedly as if recounting a particularly dramatic story. Samudra's calm gaze flicked toward Tara, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Took you long enough," Aryan chirped, turning to her with mock indignation. "We were starting to think you'd decided to redecorate that cave permanently."
Tara didn't respond immediately, still shaken by the lingering echoes of the Trial of Memories. Her heart felt heavy, and every muscle in her body ached. But seeing Aryan's playful grin and Samudra's composed stance brought a strange sense of relief.
"What happened to you two?" she asked, her voice steadier than she felt.
Aryan clapped a hand over his chest in mock despair. "Oh, you wouldn't believe it! I had to charm my way past an entire council of shadowy figures, all the while dodging their traps and questions. Quite the workout for my wit, if I do say so myself."
Samudra gave a faint chuckle. "And I had to relive the final battle of my empire. Leading ghosts into war isn't exactly restful." He straightened and gestured toward the space around them. "But it seems we've all made it here. Together."
Before Tara could reply, the ground beneath them trembled. The glowing symbols on the pillars began to pulse, and a deep voice boomed around them.
"The Trial of Trust commences. Only by working together will you find the path forward."
The white space shimmered, and the trio was suddenly separated. Tara found herself standing on a small platform, suspended in an endless void. To her left and right, other platforms floated, some tilting precariously as glowing runes shifted across their surfaces.
"Great," she muttered under her breath.
"Everyone alright?" Samudra's voice echoed faintly, and Tara spotted him on a distant platform. Aryan was farther away, balancing with surprising grace on the edge of a tilting platform.
"Peachy!" Aryan called back, throwing her a wave. "Now, how about we figure out how to not fall to our doom?"
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The First Challenge: The Platform Puzzle
Tara's platform began to tilt, forcing her to adjust her stance. She noticed that stepping on certain runes caused the platform to stabilize momentarily, while others made it sway more violently.
"Step on the glowing rune with the three lines," Samudra instructed calmly. "It should stabilize the platform."
Tara hesitated. The memory of her best friend's betrayal during the dungeon raid flashed in her mind. She clenched her fists. Trust didn't come easily.
"Anytime now, Tara!" Aryan shouted, struggling to maintain his balance.
With a deep breath, she stepped onto the rune Samudra had indicated. The platform steadied. Relief flooded her, but there was no time to dwell on it as the next platform appeared, its surface covered in runes glowing in a different pattern.
The trio began coordinating their movements, calling out instructions and deciphering symbols together. Tara found herself relying on Aryan's sharp eye for detail and Samudra's steady logic. Despite her initial reluctance, their guidance proved invaluable.
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The Second Challenge: The Maze
After navigating the platforms, the trio regrouped on a larger stone slab. The space shifted again, and they found themselves in a twisting maze of shimmering walls. Strange symbols lined the paths, some glowing brightly while others pulsed faintly.
"It's like the temple doesn't want us to leave," Aryan quipped, running his fingers along the glowing walls. "Charming."
Samudra examined the symbols. "These are directional markers. If we interpret them correctly, they'll lead us out."
Tara scanned the maze, her heart pounding. The faint hum of energy in the air was unsettling, and the walls seemed to shift slightly, as if alive.
As they progressed, traps began to spring from the ground—spikes, shifting floors, and bursts of magical energy. Tara instinctively used her elemental abilities to counter them. She froze a surge of water with ice, redirected fire with wind, and used earth to steady their footing.
"Impressive," Samudra remarked as Tara crushed a falling trap with a stone wall.
Aryan grinned. "She's full of surprises, isn't she?"
Despite their progress, the maze felt endless. Tara's frustration grew with every wrong turn. She hesitated to voice her doubts, but Samudra's calm demeanor and Aryan's lighthearted comments kept her going.
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The Final Test: The Orb of Trust
At the maze's center, they found a glowing orb suspended in the air, surrounded by concentric rings etched with symbols. The voice boomed again:
"Align the rings. Only through harmony will the path be revealed."
The task seemed simple, but as Tara approached the orb, illusions began to form around her. Aryan's face twisted into a mocking grin, and Samudra's calm eyes turned cold.
"You'll never succeed without us," the illusion of Aryan sneered.
"You can't even trust yourself," Samudra's illusion added, his voice harsh.
Tara staggered back, shaking her head. "No. This isn't real."
The real Aryan called out to her. "Tara, focus! It's messing with your head. We're here!"
Closing her eyes, Tara took a deep breath. She focused on the real voices of her companions, blocking out the illusions. With trembling hands, she began aligning the rings, guided by their instructions.
As the final ring clicked into place, the orb pulsed with light, and the illusions shattered.
---
The white space returned, and the glowing symbols on the walls faded. Tara turned to find Aryan and Samudra standing beside her, both looking relieved.
"Well," Aryan said, grinning. "That was a quite the bonding experience."
Samudra nodded, his gaze steady. "You did well."
Tara felt an unfamiliar warmth in her chest. For the first time, she realized she didn't have to face everything alone.
The voice boomed one final time. "Trust has been earned. The path forward is yours."
The trio stepped toward the newly revealed door, their bond stronger than ever.