The air grew thick, charged with electricity and anticipation, as Jaswant stepped into the final corridor. The Temple of Lost Memories seemed to stretch infinitely, shadows converging into shapes that whispered secrets only the gods could understand. Every heartbeat echoed like a drum of war.
At the end of the corridor, a colossal gateway emerged, carved from obsidian and pulsating with ancient runes. Above it, glowing letters spelled in the unknown language:
"Final Guardian Awaits. Only the Worthy Shall Ascend."
Jaswant felt the weight of all he had endured—the betrayals, the near-death, the Soul Essences already acquired. He tightened his grip on the Fourth Soul Essence, feeling its energy merge with his own.
As the gates opened, a blinding light shot out, then retreated to reveal the Final Guardian: a towering entity, half-machine, half-shadow, with wings of fragmented glass and eyes that seemed to pierce through time itself. Its voice rumbled, echoing in every corner of the chamber:
"Nameless God… do you claim mastery, or will you crumble beneath the truth?"
Jaswant stepped forward, calm but alert. He activated Transcendent Insight and Crushing Index Finger, merging power, intellect, and intuition.
All of sudden the trial started as soon as Jaswant did this.
Trial 5 The Ultimate trail:[1]
Stage 1: The Trial of the Flesh
The Chamber of Eternal Pain — a cavernous, dark expanse, walls glistening with veins of crimson energy. The air is thick, almost tangible, pressing against Jaswant's chest. Flickering lights reveal shadows that twist into distorted, human-like forms.
Objective: Survive the chamber and endure relentless physical and mental torment to obtain the Soul Essence of Endurance.
----
Jaswant steps into the chamber. The system immediately activates:
Trial Initiation: Trial of the Flesh
Objective: Endure pain and survive
Time Limit: Until Flesh Reconciles with Will
Immediately, the floor beneath him ripples like liquid fire. Jagged spikes erupt sporadically, forcing him to dodge while the heat burns his feet. Shadows writhe across the walls, lashing at him like spectral whips.
Each strike of the shadows leaves not just a physical wound but pain amplified tenfold in his nervous system, as the system projects his fears and trauma into raw sensation.
Blood stains the floor, yet Jaswant feels no fear — only determination. Every instinct urges him to retreat, but he knows retreat is failure.
System Warnings:
[Pain Threshold Exceeded: 78%
Adaptive Environment Engaged
[Reminder: Flesh is your prison; Endurance is your key]
----
Spectral figures rise from the walls — phantoms of past failures and near-death moments, including Vihaan's deceit and Mandira's manipulations.
They mimic his movements, forcing him to confront his own physical limits.
He swings Crushing Index Finger blindly, only to find his strikes reflected back, testing his coordination, patience, and control under pain.
---
Jaswant collapses as spikes pierce his legs, shadows bind his arms. The system taunts:
[Warning: Will Collapse Imminent
Endurance test failing at 43%]
[Hint: Survival requires harmony of body and mind, not force alone.]
At that moment, Jaswant remembers the first Soul Essence he acquired — he channels its energy to numb his pain slightly, but the shadows adapt instantly.
---
Jaswant stops fighting blindly. He studies the pattern of the shadows and spikes, noticing that the attacks are timed to his heartbeat and fear responses.
He synchronizes his breathing, activates Transcendent Insight, and lets Crushing Index Finger flow through the air, striking strategically rather than with brute force.
---
The shadows scream, twisting and contorting as if in agony.
The floor splits, threatening to swallow him. Pain surges — every nerve screaming, yet he refuses to yield.
With a final burst of control and will, he uses Crushing Index Finger on the core of the chamber — a pulsating red crystal — shattering the manifestation of pain.
---
[Soul Essence of Endurance acquired]
[Physical and mental resilience enhanced]
[System Notification: Trial Complete. You may now withstand 30% more pain]
The chamber quiets. The shadows dissipate, leaving the room still but charged with energy.
Jaswant feels stronger, more attuned to his body, and aware of the next trial lurking ahead
Stage 2: Trial of the Mind
The Labyrinth of Illusions — an endless maze of floating platforms and fractured mirrors that reflect not just Jaswant's image, but distorted versions of reality.
Objective: Navigate the labyrinth, solve the puzzles, and overcome psychological illusions to acquire the Soul Essence of Wisdom.
---
As Jaswant steps into the labyrinth, the system announces:
[Trial Initiation: Trial of the Mind]
[Objective: Navigate illusions, solve riddles, and maintain mental clarity]
[Time Limit: Undefined; failure leads to permanent memory corruption]
---
The mirrors shift constantly, showing alternate versions of Jaswant:
One version screams in pain, claiming betrayal by allies.
Another version laughs, mocking him for his past failures and weakness.
In some mirrors, Vihaan and Mandira appear as saviors, then twist into sinister threats.
---
Every step forward triggers psychological attacks: hallucinations, past regrets, fear of death.
Decisions become paralyzing, as wrong choices can loop him back to the labyrinth entrance.
---
Jaswant attempts to move logically, but the mirrors respond to his thoughts, distorting solutions and hiding the correct paths.
A distorted Vihaan confronts him, accusing him of being powerless, attempting to trap him in self-doubt.
Jaswant's mind teeters on the edge of collapse; the system warns:
[Cognitive Load: 95%]
[Warning: Illusions feeding on your fear and memory gaps]
[Hint: Trust in acquired Soul Essences and intuition]
---
Jaswant closes his eyes, using the Transcendent Insight skill to perceive the true path hidden in chaos.
He visualizes the correct sequence of mirrors and floating platforms.
Each step is calculated, avoiding false reflections and mental traps.
---
The labyrinth manifests a colossal reflection of Jaswant himself, twisted, armored, and wielding a dark version of Crushing Index Finger.
This shadow-Jaswant attacks with mirrored logic, predicting his moves.
Jaswant counters by combining Crushing Index Finger with Transcendent Insight, shattering the shadow and revealing the central platform.
---
After that system make an announcement:
[Soul Essence of Wisdom acquired]
[Mental acuity enhanced; ability to detect illusions increased by 50%]
[System Notification: Trial Complete. You may now see through deception and falsehood.]
The labyrinth dissolves, leaving only a glowing path to the next trial.
The next trial begins,
Stage 3: Trial of the Spirit
The Abyss of Reflection — a vast void suspended in darkness, with a mirror-like surface of water reflecting not just Jaswant, but his deepest fears, regrets, and unhealed wounds. The air vibrates with whispers of the past, and the temperature shifts with his emotional state.
Objective: Confront inner demons, overcome fear and guilt, and prove spiritual resilience to acquire the Soul Essence of Courage.
---
As Jaswant steps onto the reflective surface, the system activates again with a information pannel:
[Trial Initiation: Trial of the Spirit]
[Objective: Confront inner fears and unresolved guilt; survive spiritual attacks]
[Time Limit: Until Spirit Reconciles with Will]
---
The mirror water ripples, and from it rise manifestations of his most painful memories:
The near-death incident from a year ago.
The betrayal by Vihaan and Mandira.
The moments when he felt powerless to protect loved ones.
These phantoms move with supernatural speed, mocking, threatening, and taunting him, forcing Jaswant to relive every moment of despair.
---
The Abyss doesn't attack physically; instead, it attacks his willpower.
Each memory manifests as a shadowy entity that strikes not his body, but his mind and soul.
The water beneath him responds to his fear, turning into black, inky waves that threaten to swallow him whole.
---
Jaswant initially attempts to strike the illusions with Crushing Index Finger, but the attacks pass through them.
The system warns:
[Attack Ineffective: Spirit cannot be destroyed by force alone]
[Hint: Harmony between mind, body, and soul is required]
He realizes brute strength won't work — he must face his guilt, forgive himself, and control his fear.
---
Jaswant kneels on the reflective water and meditates, channeling Transcendent Insight to map the emotional and spiritual patterns of the illusions.
He recites affirmations of resilience, acknowledging his past mistakes without letting them dominate him.
The water begins to calm, and the shadows falter, showing fragments of truth instead of fear.
The Abyss manifests a colossal version of himself, shadowed and monstrous, representing all the self-doubt and fear he has buried.
This Shadow-Jaswant hurls torrents of dark energy, each blast forcing him to relive his deepest regrets.
Jaswant combines Crushing Index Finger and the Essence of Endurance, channeling courage into every strike, shattering the shadow into fragments.
---
As the third trial completed, all of sudden a pannel appears in front of him:
[Soul Essence of Courage acquired
[Spiritual resilience enhanced; fear response reduced by 70%]
[System Notification: Trial Complete. You may now resist manipulation and spiritual attacks]
The Abyss calms, revealing a glowing bridge to the next trial, bathed in ethereal light.
"Jaswant feels a profound connection to his inner self, prepared for the more physically and mentally demanding trials ahead."
[1] The ultimate/final trial contains eight trials. The trial of flesh, The trial of mind, The trial of spirit