"It's my turn."
He whispered the name.
"Nyramith."
The room rippled again. The letters etched themselves once more into the air. But this time, even Adelasta was shocked by this.
-----
[The First Sacred Trial Nyramith of Vastarael Richinaria, Split of Reconstruction.]
[Objective: Eliminate the Tenth Oceanic Beast, the Alpha Mutated Siren, along with its entire sea-bound clan.]
[Location: Abyss of No Return.]
[Parameters: You may as for assistance from other Divines. However, only you have to slay the Tenth Beast without any form of support or assistance.]
[Warning: The Mutated Siren is a Divine Aberration. its presence distorts the Laws of Mortality. Killing it is a sacred task only eligible to immortal beings. The creature's domain has devoured entire fleets of Hydroborn.]
[Time Limit: One Spherian year from the moment of Gecisia Designation.]
[Failure Condition: Trial is bound by Absolute Clause. Inability to defeat the Tenth Oceanic Beast within the designated period results in the termination of your soul.]
-----
Adelasta's breath caught in her throat.
"Veneri..."
But Vastarael just read the text with a distant, icy stare.
"The Tenth Oceanic Beast. I've read about it in restricted records. It's not just mutated. It's corrupted by two different Divine failsafes. It's something that was never meant to exist. It's a bastard creation of ancient war."
"You'll need help," she said quickly, sitting upright now, ignoring the aching weight of her own trial. "You can't do this alone."
He looked at her and gave her a small, calm smile.
"Of course I won't be alone. But I have to be the one to finish it."
Then, quieter, more to himself than her, he whispered.
"Failure means death..."
He closed his eyes, clenched his fist once. They both stared ahead in silence.
The doors opened as Narisva entered. She looked around.
"How are all of you doing?"
No one replied immediately. The silence was dense with questions no one wanted to ask. Her gaze shifted and then she saw it. Hovering just in front of the center pillar, spinning slowly in divine script for all those with the right perception to read, was the Trial. Vastarael's Sacred Trial. Narisva's eyes locked on the words. The moment she finished reading it, her body twitched slightly. Her head jerked once to the right, then once more but more violently. And then her eyes turned void again.
It was like looking into two chasms filled with broken stars. Static filled the air, crackling softly at first then growing louder as her form shimmered glitching in a series of distorted images overlaying her real self. The two saw a broken smile, a screaming silhouette and a shaking girl clutching her head. Her voice, when it emerged, was warped.
"You can't win… against that thing. You can't. Not alone. Even if all of Sentina Erideae helped with the rest of the clan and every goddamn monster it commands, that creature…"
Her mouth twitched in a broken smile, her head snapping slightly to the side like her neck was resisting the words,
"That creature isn't a beast. It's a divine mistake. A cosmic infection."
The room stayed frozen. Even Vastarael had gone completely still.
"I've fought monsters, Veneri. But that? That's not something you kill. That's something you survive long enough to run from. If I went all out, if we both went all out... sure, we could maybe kill it. Maybe. And we wouldn't come out whole."
She glitched again, her body flickering between frames of herself like reality couldn't hold her still anymore. Her form was breaking again. It always did when the void eyes came. Before she could spiral deeper into whatever unraveling her soul was slipping into, strong arms wrapped around her tightly.
Narisva's glitching slowed. The static dimmed.
Her body stopped twitching. The void eyes shifted. Soft star constellations bloomed in her gaze again. Her arms rose, slow at first, then hugged him back tightly, her forehead pressing into his chest.
Across the room, Adelasta watched.
'She's a walking bomb. And he's the only one who knows how to defuse her.'
Vastarael stepped back slightly, his hands still on Narisva's shoulders, and looked into her eyes with that calm, never-wavering gaze of his.
"I'll be fine, Narisva. I've got a whole year to prepare and plan every inch of what I am. And it's not like I'll go in unarmed or blind."
He tilted his head, smiling gently.
"I may have to kill it alone. But I'm not walking this path alone."
Narisva didn't respond at first but her expression softened.
"Okay. Lemme see my test. Nyramith."
------
[The First Sacred Trial Nyramith of Narisva Starisnova, Split of Space.]
[Objective: Forge and stabilize a miniature sun infused with Spatial Energy, sustain it for six continuous hours, then condense it safely into a stable core without triggering collapse.]
[Location: Anywhere within Nyramith Island.]
[Parameters: Trial must be executed alone. No external interference or aid permitted during sun-creation, stabilization, or spatial infusion. Divinity and Tethers permitted. Collapse or loss of containment will be considered critical failure.]
[Warning: Creation of a miniature sun in real space is a cosmic-level undertaking. Instability or failure to condense the star results in gravitational collapse, catalyzing an artificial singularity. This technique is the foundation of your signature black holes.]
[Time Limit: One Spherian year from moment of Gecisia Designation.]
[Failure Condition: Activation of the Penalty Cycle.]
---
"Okay, this isn't easy," Narisva muttered. "If I don't condense it properly, it will collapse and form a black hole."
Adelasta shifted slightly beneath the sheets, her amber eyes half-lidded.
"That's how you make your black holes, isn't it?"
Narisva smirked weakly. "Yeah, but I usually don't keep a miniature star active. Now I have to keep the star stable for six hours straight. And infused with Spatial Energy too? That's like asking a volcano to stay molten but not erupt while infusing it with more pressure."
"You'll handle it. You're Narisva after all."
She raised both hands in mock prayer. "Thank you, Veneri. What would I ever do without you casually reminding me I'm about to babysit a six-billion-degree plasma bomb for six hours?"
He chuckled. Adelasta's voice was soft now, almost distracted.
"What's the punishment if you fail?"
"Penalty Cycle."
Vastarael stopped polishing his glaive. Adelasta turned her full gaze on her friend.
"No soul death," Narisva said, tone a little more solemn now. "Im amazed you both have consequences but I don't."
"Lucky you," Adelasta murmured.
"That's the point, isn't it? It's a Sacred Trial."
She crossed the door and flopped herself face-down onto the bed beside Adelasta, groaning into the covers.
"This is messed up."
There was a silence between the three of them again. Then Narisva turned her head to the side, her eyes locking onto Adelasta.
"So? What was yours, Your Grace of Causality?"
"Hm?"
"Your Nyramith. What's your impossible, nonsensical, probably unfair Trial?"
Adelasta gave a breathy chuckle. She closed her eyes for a moment. "I have to bathe in lava for six hours.."
Vastarael straightened up. "Wait. Seriously?"
"Yes," Adelasta interrupted. "And I have to stay in it for six hours."
"That's…" Narisva slowly sat up. "Insane."
"Fitting," Vastarael said. "You're the Split of Existence."
Adelasta's eyes flickered with a tired gleam. They both turned toward Vastarael. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Mine's just killing a Mutated Siren."
Narisva gave a dramatic sigh. "Why are our lives like this? A year ago I was in misery and crying. Now I'm over here being told to not let a sun explode in my face."
"I don't feel sorry for you," Adelasta whispered.
"Don't even joke about it. It's your fault you know. Anyways, we have a year and we can't do the second trial if we don't get to the Second Enlightenment. We need to know how to advance to the next stage first."