The mist dissipated.
It didn''t fade. It didn''t dissolve.
It simply stopped existing.
Like it had never been there at all.
A rush of cold air swept through the chamber. The unnatural stillness lifted, replaced by something almost... mundane. The stone floor beneath them, the dim glow of the Titan glyphs, the faint echo of their own breathing.
They were back.
A moment ago, they had stood before a godly being, their minds torn open, their worst fears made real.
Now—
They stood upon the platform.
No fanfare. No sign of what had just happened.
Just silence.
---
Aiden staggered.
The second his boots hit the stone, his knees buckled.
"Tch—" He caught himself on one hand, fingers scraping against the rough platform. His breathing was shaky. Too fast. Too uneven.
He clenched his teeth.
"Not here."
He forced himself upright.
His legs felt like iron. His arms felt like lead. His whole body screamed at him, his mind a battlefield of memories he didn''t want to relive.
His brother''s voice still echoed in his skull.
"Aiden..."
He swallowed hard.
Elizabeth, standing beside him, exhaled softly. Her face was blank, unreadable—but her fingers twitched at her sides.
Elyria''s shoulders were rigid. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. Her breathing came in quiet, measured beats.
Franklin wiped a hand across his forehead.
Ivar—
Ivar just stared at the ground.
His lips slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something—
But nothing came out.
---
Zoren stood in the center of them.
His arms hung loosely at his sides. His breathing had slowed, but the weight in his chest remained.
He wasn''t shaking.
But he felt like he should be.
The Titan''s words still lingered.
"You think you can accept yourself?"
For a split second, he had believed it.
The doubts. The whispers. The thing inside his Core that had nearly swallowed him whole.
He shut his eyes.
No.
It didn''t matter.
They were done.
He had endured.
They all had.
Now—
They just had to move forward.
---
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
A slow clap echoed through the chamber.
Ryan.
A wide, easy-going grin stretched across his face.
"Not bad," he mused. "Could''ve been worse."
No one responded.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels. "Well, congrats! You survived the physical Trial. That makes you, let''s see..."
He tilted his head, pretending to think.
"About twenty percent of the poor bastards who try it."
Zoren exhaled through his nose.
Elyria''s eye twitched.
"Twenty percent?" she repeated flatly.
Ryan shrugged. "You know how it is. People love to act tough, but when it comes down to it..." He tapped his temple.
"They just don''t have it up here."
Franklin let out a breath. "Great. So what now?"
Ryan''s grin widened.
"Oh, I''m glad you asked."
His gaze flickered across the group—taking in their exhaustion, the slight tremors in their fingers, the way none of them could fully meet each other''s eyes just yet.
They weren''t broken.
But they were worn.
He clapped his hands together.
"The last trial starts soon."
A beat of silence.
Then:
"Rest while you can."
---
No one spoke.
For the first time since stepping onto this platform—since entering this damned place—they felt the weight of it all settle onto their shoulders.
The sweat clinging to their backs. The dull ache in their limbs. The way their bodies screamed for rest, even as their minds refused to give in.
Zoren rolled his shoulders.
They needed rest.
But he wasn''t sure any of them would be able to sleep.
Ryan smirked.
"See you soon."
And then—
He was gone.
Rest? What''s That?
Silence.
Well—almost.
The dim chamber was eerily still, broken only by the occasional groan of someone shifting or the heavy exhales of exhausted bodies. The once-tense platform now resembled a battlefield where the victors had collapsed in the aftermath.
Elyria sat with her back against a stone pillar, arms crossed, staring at nothing. Aiden was lying flat on his back, legs stretched out, letting the cold floor soothe his aching muscles.
Elizabeth sat nearby, staring at her hands like she expected them to disappear at any moment.
Franklin? Franklin had found a rock and was currently using it as a pillow, half-asleep. The slight snoring sounds made it clear he had entered a state of spiritual detachment.
And Ivar?
Ivar looked like he was in the middle of a mental breakdown.
"Guys..." he mumbled, eyes wide, voice weak. "Did we actually survive that?"
Aiden lifted his hand. Gave a lazy thumbs-up. "Unfortunately."
"...Damn."
---
Zoren sat at the edge of the platform, legs hanging off, staring at the massive towering structures that formed the dungeon''s walls.
Something wasn''t right.
This entire trial. This entire place.
Why was it here?
And more importantly—why was Ryan here?
"Oi." Zoren glanced over his shoulder. Elyria had finally spoken up, her gaze still locked forward.
"Why do you think this dungeon exists?"
That caught everyone''s attention.
Even Franklin opened one eye.
"...Isn''t it just a place to test strength?" Ivar muttered. "Y''know, classic ''only the strong survive'' kind of thing."
Aiden scoffed. "Sure, but think about it—Ryan''s not just making us fight. He''s teaching us about Ether and Cores. Why? What''s the point?"
That was the real question, wasn''t it?
Trials. Battles. Survival.
But there was something more.
---
"The Truth is Obvious!"
"I GOT IT!"
Everyone flinched as Franklin suddenly sat bolt upright, pointing dramatically at the ceiling.
"...You were literally unconscious a second ago," Elizabeth muttered.
Franklin ignored her. His eyes burned with clarity. With truth.
"The answer is obvious!" he declared.
Zoren raised an eyebrow. "...Is it?"
"YES!" Franklin slammed his fist into his palm. "This dungeon is actually..."
A pause.
A heavy, tension-filled pause.
Everyone leaned in.
Franklin grinned.
"...A RECRUITMENT TEST!"
Silence.
Then—
"...What." Elyria stared.
Franklin grinned. "Think about it! Why train us? Why teach us instead of letting us just die? Ryan is looking for warriors! Strong ones! That means this entire dungeon is actually a job interview!"
Aiden blinked. "...A job interview?"
"YES! And you know what that means?" Franklin spread his arms. "WE''RE ALL UNDERPAID INTERNS!"
"...We''re literally risking our lives."
"And yet!" Franklin shook his head solemnly. "No health benefits. No salary. Not even a lunch break."
Ivar groaned. "He''s lost it."
Elizabeth sighed. "He never had it to begin with."
---
Zoren listened, half-amused, but his mind remained focused.
Franklin''s theory was dumb. Hilariously dumb.
But—
The core idea wasn''t wrong.
This wasn''t just about testing strength.
Ryan could''ve killed them at any time. The dungeon could''ve overwhelmed them easily.
Instead, they were being trained.
Prepared for something.
Zoren exhaled.
Whatever this dungeon''s purpose was—
They weren''t at the end.
They were just getting started.
---
The moment Ryan appeared, everyone''s exhaustion tripled.
It wasn''t even that he was doing anything. He was just standing there, arms crossed, smirking like he had all the time in the world.
Zoren felt an immediate, primal urge to throw something at him.
Ivar, who had barely recovered from the last trial, groaned loudly. "No. No way. I refuse. Just—no. Whatever this is, I''m out."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Ivar pointed at him. "You don''t sleep. You don''t get tired. You don''t even breathe half the time. You don''t understand pain. You have no right to stand there looking so smug while we''re out here dying."
Ryan nodded, as if considering the argument. Then he smiled.
"That''s tough, buddy."
Ivar nearly exploded.
---
"Alright, listen up!" Ryan clapped his hands. "You''ve all done well so far—sort of. But this is the final test."
A heavy pause.
Then—
Franklin raised a hand. "...Is it a multiple choice test? Because if so, I''d like to use my lifeline."
Ryan ignored him. "This trial is unlike the others. There''s no enemy to fight. No obstacle to overcome. This one is all about your mind."
Zoren frowned. That sounded... dangerous.
Ryan grinned. "Welcome to—THE THREE DOORS OF MADNESS."
Silence.
Aiden rubbed his temple. "Of course you gave it a dramatic name."
Ryan continued as if he didn''t hear him. "Each of you will face three illusions. Your past. Your future. And your choice. If you fail any of them..."
He let the sentence hang.
Ivar gulped. "What happens?"
Ryan''s grin widened.
"You don''t wanna know."
Franklin raised a hand again. "Okay, but what if I just refuse to participate?"
Ryan patted his shoulder. "Then I''ll personally throw you into the worst one first."
"...Fair enough."
---
Ryan snapped his fingers, and suddenly, before them stood three massive doors.
Each one looked... ominous.
The first door glowed white with strange, moving symbols. The second was blackened with cracks, as if it had barely survived something. The third? The third was just a normal wooden door.
And for some reason, that one was the most terrifying.
"Alright," Ryan said. "Let''s break it down."
Ryan gestured to the first door.
"This one''s all about your future. You''ll see what happens if you never get control of your power. If you let it consume you. You''ll see yourself slaughtering the people you care about. And let''s be real, it''s gonna be nasty."
Aiden muttered, "Yeah, real fun times."
Ryan grinned. "The only way out? Reject that future. Make your own path."
Zoren felt a cold chill. That wasn''t a trial. That was a nightmare.
Ryan gestured at the second door.
This one throws you into your past. Not a memory, but a moment—one you may not even remember fully. You will see things from a different perspective, learn something you never knew before. But be careful—not all truths are meant to be known.
Ryan finally gestured at the third door.
"This one''s the easiest," he said casually. "It just gives you a choice."
Everyone immediately narrowed their eyes.
Ryan smirked. "You get the chance to seal your Core forever. Live a normal life. No pain, no struggle. Just peace. But to do it... you''d have to forget everything. Your friends. Your past. Everything."
A heavy silence followed.
Zoren felt his stomach twist.
Ryan shrugged. "Take the easy way out, or fight for freedom. Your call."
Elizabeth crossed her arms. "So let me get this straight. We either get traumatized by our future, traumatized by our past, or we erase our entire existence?"
Ryan nodded cheerfully. "Yup!"
"...And if we don''t choose?"
Ryan snapped his fingers.
The doors all creaked open.
Behind them was nothing.
A deep, endless void.
"Then you get to stay here forever."
Aiden immediately grabbed Ivar. "BRO. IF I GET STUCK IN THIS DUNGEON WITH RYAN FOREVER, I''M JUMPING INTO THE VOID."
Ivar grabbed him back. "DON''T YOU DARE LEAVE ME HERE WITH HIM!"
Elyria sighed, rubbing her temples. "I hate this place."
Franklin groaned. "Yeah, welcome to the club."
Zoren, however, remained quiet.
Could he really give it all up?
His power. His pain. His friends?
Was there truly a peaceful path?
Ryan suddenly clapped his hands. "Alright, enough talking! Time to go in."
Before anyone could protest—
The doors sucked them inside.
And just like that—
The final trial began.
---
To be continued