The arena lay in a tense quiet after the first trial. Dust swirled in the dim light, settling on shattered stone and fractured runes. Kael knelt briefly, grounding himself, feeling the Hollow Veyra pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Rienne and Marin flanked him, both exhausted, both silently watching for signs that he might falter. Talyssa remained at a distance, arms crossed, eyes narrowing with sharp curiosity.
For a moment, the battlefield felt suspended in time. Then the fissure beneath the arena groaned again—a slower, deeper rhythm this time, as if something much larger stirred in response to Kael's energy.
1. The Weight of Control
Kael rose, flexing his hands. Every movement sent small ripples of energy from the Hollow Veyra into the arena floor. It was no longer subtle—it was a force that demanded his respect.
"I need more control," he murmured. "Not just over the constructs… but over myself."
Rienne placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kael… don't overdo it. That thing isn't just a tool. It's alive."
He nodded, but inside him, a thought lingered. I've spent so long being weak… invisible. Now I have this, and I can't let it run me. I have to master it—or I'll never survive what's coming.
Marin stepped closer, her auburn hair catching the dim light. "I believe in you, Kael. But… even I can't tell if it's safe."
Kael's gaze softened slightly. "It's not safe. And it never will be. That's the point."
2. Talyssa's Provocation
Talyssa's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "So the mighty Kael can bend stone giants, yet he still hesitates. Afraid of a little strain?"
Kael turned to her, expression unreadable. "I'm not afraid. I'm cautious."
She laughed softly, eyes glinting. "Cautious. Always cautious. That's why you'll never be truly exceptional… unless you stop holding back."
Her words struck him, not because they were untrue, but because she understood him in a way he didn't like to admit. The Hollow pulsed stronger, as if echoing the provocation, testing him again.
3. The Second Trial Begins
Head Examiner Vaaris stepped forward, his presence commanding silence. "Enough discussion. The second trial begins immediately. This is not just about obedience. This is about precision under strain."
From the fissure, the constructs rose again—faster, smarter, more unpredictable. They no longer responded solely to Kael's presence. Now they tested him, responding to his hesitation, his doubts.
The first construct lunged toward Kael at an impossible speed. His hands flared with silver light as he projected the Hollow's pulse outward, diverting it—but the energy shook him violently, throwing him off balance. He stumbled.
Rienne reacted instantly, blocking another colossus with her blades, sweat dripping from her brow. "Kael, focus!" she shouted.
Marin's water sigil spun in spirals, striking with perfect timing, keeping the constructs at bay—but even she struggled to anticipate the erratic movements of those tethered to Kael's unstable Hollow Veyra.
4. First Real Brush with Pain
Kael gritted his teeth. His vision blurred slightly as the Hollow Veyra surged, trying to assert control over the constructs, over the arena, over the faintly pulsing sigils embedded in the walls.
One construct reacted violently, its stone arm swinging toward him. He barely redirected it in time—but the backlash sent a shockwave through his body. Pain flared, not sharp, but deep, like the memory of centuries pressing against his veins.
He staggered, breathing heavily. The Hollow whispered—not a voice, but a pressure, a reminder: You are mine. And I am waiting.
Rienne caught him by the shoulder. "Kael! You can't keep pushing it like that!"
"I have to!" he gasped. "I need to understand it… now!"
5. Glimmer of Mastery
Despite the strain, Kael forced himself to center his focus. He felt the pulse of the Hollow, threading through the constructs like a river he could channel instead of dam. Slowly, carefully, he began to guide the closest colossus in a precise arc, redirecting the others in coordinated patterns.
For the first time, the energy didn't lash uncontrollably. It obeyed—not perfectly, but enough to prove he was learning.
Marin's eyes widened. "Kael… you're controlling it…"
Rienne's blades shimmered as she kept the constructs at bay, awe and relief warring on her face. Talyssa's lips pressed into a thin line, her pride wounded, but her eyes were sharp—observing, calculating.
Kael exhaled, sweat streaming down his face, but a small, rare smile touched his lips. The Hollow had not defeated him this time.
6. Echoes of Veylorn
As the arena settled, Kael's gaze flicked to the fissure once more. A single rune glowed brighter than the rest, pulsing in a rhythm that matched the Hollow. It stirred something deep within him—a fragment of memory he didn't yet understand.
The name whispered in the back of his mind again: Veylorn.
He shook his head slightly, refusing to give it power… for now. But the seed had been planted, and the Hollow Veyra had only begun to reveal its secrets.
The trial was over—for now. But Kael knew this: the Hollow would demand more. It would test him again and again. And each test would bring him closer… to mastery, or to a reckoning he could not yet imagine.