The path through the abyss twisted like a serpent, pulsing with strange energy. Thandi walked close behind Nkosana, her steps cautious, her eyes sharp. Neither of them spoke—the silence was too dense, too sacred to break.
At the end of the path stood a massive obsidian gate, inscribed with ancient runes that glowed with blood-red light. As Nkosana approached, the gate trembled and creaked open without touch.
Beyond it lay a chamber of mirrors—endless reflections stretching into eternity. But these mirrors didn't show their physical forms. Instead, they displayed fears… desires… regrets.
Nkosana saw himself—his eyes blackened, drenched in blood, surrounded by corpses. He staggered back. "This… this isn't me."
But one reflection stepped out of the mirror.
It was Nkosana… twisted. Smiling with cruelty. The Demon within, given form.
"You think you control me?" the mirrored version spat. "I am you. I am every dark thought you've buried. Every rage you've silenced."
They clashed, shadow against light. Power exploded around them as the real Nkosana fought not just his reflection—but the part of himself he'd always feared.Blood pounded in his ears. His fists blazed with energy. Every strike he landed was a choice: to reject darkness or wield it.
Finally, with a roar, he seized his darker self by the throat.
"I'm not afraid of you anymore."
The mirror self shattered into smoke, and the chamber pulsed with approval. A new mark burned across his chest—one that merged shadow and light.
He had passed the test.
The true awakening had begun.