Ethan walked cautiously along the narrow stone corridor, the dim bluish glow of the floating crystals guiding his steps. The Sanctuary of Origins was far quieter than he expected—too quiet. Even his own breathing felt out of place in that oppressive silence.
Behind him, Lyra advanced with her staff raised, alert. Selene followed last, one hand resting on her dagger as her feline ears flicked at every sound, or lack thereof.
"This place gives me the creeps," Selene muttered, her tail twitching nervously.
Lyra nodded. "These sanctuaries were built to test heroes. They are alive in some ways… always watching."
Ethan swallowed. "Watching how exactly?"
Before Lyra could respond, the corridor opened into a massive circular chamber. Ancient runes glowed on the floor, forming a radiant pattern that pulsed like a heartbeat. At the center floated a crystalline obelisk.
The System reacted immediately.
[Quest Triggered: Trial of the Sanctuary]Objective: Prove your worth before the Guardian.Reward: Class Upgrade — Apprentice to Novice Warrior-Magus
Ethan exhaled sharply. "A class upgrade, huh? I guess this is going to be tough."
A deep rumble answered him. The runes ignited, and from the center of the room materialized a towering construct of stone and magic. A golem with a single glaring eye of molten gold.
Selene hissed and backed up. "Yeah, no. You fight it, I'll cheer you on."
The golem swung its massive arm forward with surprising speed. Ethan barely rolled aside, the impact splitting the ground where he'd stood. Lyra countered with a burst of blue flames, but the golem's stone body only glowed faintly before reforming.
"It regenerates!" Lyra warned.
Ethan clenched his fists. "System, analysis!"
[Analyzing...]Weak point detected: Core Eye — vulnerable to mixed physical–magical impact.
Mixed impact… Ethan looked at his sword, then at Lyra's magical aura.
"Lyra! I need you to channel magic into my blade!"
She hesitated. "That's advanced—"
"We don't have time!"
Selene dodged another colossal strike and shrieked, "Hurry up before it decides I'm the easier target!"
Lyra rushed to Ethan and placed her hand on the blade. Arcane energy surged through the metal, causing the sword to glow with swirling blue patterns. Ethan felt the power vibrate through his arm.
The golem turned toward him, its golden eye glowing brighter.
"It's coming!" Lyra shouted.
Ethan sprinted forward, the enhanced sword humming. The golem brought down its fist, but Ethan leapt, channeling all his strength into one decisive strike.
The blade met the creature's eye—A flash of blinding light—A shattering crack echoed through the chamber—
The golem froze, its body crumbling into fragments of inert stone before collapsing completely.
A chime rang within Ethan's mind.
[Trial Completed][Reward Granted: Class Upgrade — Novice Warrior-Magus][New Skills Unlocked: Mana Edge, Combat Insight Lv.1]
Ethan dropped to one knee, panting. The surge of new strength felt almost overwhelming.
Selene approached, arms crossed but tail swishing with excitement. "Okay… that was actually impressive. For a human."
Lyra helped Ethan up, smiling warmly. "You've grown a lot. Your aura feels stronger, more stable."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Guess the System helps."
As if responding, the crystalline obelisk released a sphere of soft light that floated toward them. When it touched the ground, it formed a stone tablet engraved with ancient runes.
Lyra gasped. "This… this is a Travel Sigil. It can teleport us to other regions of the continent."
Selene grinned mischievously. "Great! More places for Ethan to almost die. Our adventure is officially leveling up."
Ethan laughed, though exhaustion made the sound rough. The sanctuary's door opened ahead, revealing a path bathed in sunlight.
A new world waited beyond it.
And Ethan felt ready.
More ready than ever.