The sun had just begun to climb above the horizon of southern Nyramith. Yet unlike the rest of the island, this part of the island felt different. The terrain here flattened into a wide, ancient stone plaza. Towering at the heart of the plaza was the First Sacred Obelisk, one of the legendary seven pillars that anchored the Islands of Inexpelcae. This one shimmered in hues of deep blue, its forty-meter height stretching up the sky.
The ten members of the Sentina Erideae stood together near the edge of the plaza. They had come dressed casually but their expressions bore the subtle shift of minds that had already begun to steel themselves.
"This is it," Elyonari murmured.
"Looks like it," Xander replied.
"Feels weird," Farrynelle said, her arms crossed. "Like we're being watched."
"We are," Adelasta said flatly, her gaze locked on the towering Obelisk. "Always are, when something's sacred."
There were other people robed in pale azure robes. They were the servants of the Obelisk. They moved in different formations around the pillar, not moving or speaking. Suddenly, the air around the base of the Obelisk shimmered.
A low hum began to vibrate beneath their feet. Then without warning, the structure glowed bright and from within its surface, a figure began to step outward. It was like watching a spirit walk through water. The crystalline shell of the Obelisk rippled outward and a man emerged, first a silhouette, then muscle, color and form. He was tall, close to two meters, and draped in ornate oceanic armor made from azure scale-metal. His hair was a cascade of ocean-blue strands, curling slightly at the end. His eyes were luminous and sea-deep.
In his right hand, he held a harpoon taller than most of them, its tip carved from gold. He looked at them all. His gaze wasn't soft. It wasn't unkind either. It was… evaluating. Then he spoke.
"I am Sireth Marevas, Seventh Hydrangea and Keeper of the Southern Obelisk."
His voice was strong and deep enough to echo but precise enough to still the very wind around them.
"I oversee the First Sacred Trial of the Divine Path. And as of today, you stand among the 70,835 Divine beings across Inexpelcae who have chosen to step forward and prove themselves worthy."
Narisva's brow rose slightly. "Seventy thousand?"
"Exactly," Elyonari replied under her breath. "This is way bigger than I thought."
Sireth Marevas continued, lifting the harpoon slightly and pointing it toward the Obelisk behind him.
"This Obelisk stands not as a monument but as a gate. You will enter its domain. There, you will face the First Trial."
The ten Sentina Erideae stood silently as he spoke again.
"You are now within the Islands of Inexpelcae, the last stronghold of structured Divine cultivation. And before your sacred path begins, I must explain the laws that bind this place. For if you do not understand them, then your failure will be absolute, and unforgiving."
He paused, the wind brushing through his sea-blue hair as he turned slowly, his eyes scanning each of them.
"All newly awakened Divines, no matter their race, realm, bloodline, or even allegiance. are required to come here when they reach the First Enlightenment."
Sireth Marevas lifted his harpoon and gently pointed to the Obelisk.
"There are Six Sacred Trials in total. They are each governed by one of the Aquatic Goddesses and together, they are called the Gecisia Trials, named from the forgotten language of the deep, meaning 'Spiritual Depth.' These are not mere tests of strength. They are refinements. Each one is designed to shatter your pretenses, titles, pride and reforge them into something worthy of the name 'Divine.'"
"Each of the Six Trials contains twelve ascending levels, numbered from Level One to Level Twelve. Your essence is analyzed the moment you are registered for a trial and you are assigned a level according to your Divinity."
Xander crossed his arms. "So it's not about picking what trial you want?"
Sireth looked at him. "Correct. You do not choose the Trial. The Trial chooses you."
The Hydrangea continued.
"Some will face Level One. Others will be assigned to Level Eight or Nine, depending on your Divinity. But no matter the number, the difficulty is absolute. If you fail, your soul will regress. Your enlightenment might crack."
Farrynelle's eyes narrowed. "Wait, no retries?"
"Correct again," Sireth nodded. "You may not attempt the same Trial twice within a year. You must succeed or endure the consequences. You are allowed a year to complete a Trials. One per year. No exceptions."
Vastarael furrowed his brow. "And what happens if someone doesn't finish?"
"You will have to wait for two years before you try the rest again." He said it without emotion as if it had happened many times before.
The group fell into a grim silence Then, Sireth's tone shifted as he lifted his harpoon to the sky.
"And then… there is the Seventh Trial. Virellastia."
A faint hum rose from the Obelisk again, like it was aware.
"Virellastia is not part of your Gecisia Path. It is a calling, not a requirement. A Divine cannot request it. It is offered only by Lysameria, Mother of Oceans, the first and most ancient of the Aquatic Goddesses… and the mother of one of your own."
Everyone turned to Vastarael, who blinked and looked down slightly, trying not to make eye contact.
"She alone oversees this final Trial. It does not test your strength or soul… but your destiny. Those who survive Virellastia are elevated to Divine Pillars, immortal beacons of the Third Generation, entrusted with the defense of all of Spheraphase."
Sireth's voice deepened.
"But be warned, Virellastia is fatal to the unworthy. And even those who pass it… never come back the same."
The silence was heavy again.
Then Sireth stepped forward and looked them over one last time.
"You are among the most watched in Inexpelcae. The world is watching to see if the Sentina Erideae will rise as legends... or fall as failures. You were not chosen for this. You demanded this. Remember that."
He stepped back into the Obelisk, pausing at its edge.
"Any questions?"