Chapter 22 — Steps of the Test
Kael moved first.
Each step on the glowing lines felt heavier than the last, like the floor measured not his weight, but his intent. Lira followed, careful, watching the light pulse under their feet with every motion.
MOVEMENT REGISTERED
The chamber responded. Walls bent inward slightly, then stretched back, adjusting to their presence. Dust and small stones shifted around them, not falling, but floating briefly before settling again.
Kael's blade vibrated faintly. He could feel the pulse in the stone, the air, even in Lira's hurried breaths.
SECONDARY ENTITY SYNC: ACTIVE
A soft hum filled the chamber. Not loud, not music. Just resonance. The lines under their feet glowed brighter in rhythm with it, connecting Kael and Lira without touching them physically.
Lira glanced at him. "What's it doing?"
Kael shook his head. "Testing… connection, maybe. Or patience."
Ahead, the chamber opened wider. Light poured from cracks above, forming thin pillars that reached down to the floor. They didn't touch, just hovered, silent and still.
ALIGNMENT PROGRESS: 34%
Kael stepped into one of the pillars' shadows. The light didn't react at first. Then it pulsed, faintly, like it noticed the intrusion. He moved forward. Another pulse. The lines underfoot adjusted, flowing around the shadows as if the chamber itself guided them.
The hum intensified. Kael realized it wasn't coming from the chamber—it was coming from the floor, from them, from the lines themselves.
Lira's hand touched his arm. "It's… alive," she whispered.
Kael didn't answer. He only kept moving, eyes forward, senses taut. Every step mattered. Every hesitation was noticed.
FINAL ALIGNMENT: APPROACHING
The chamber seemed to lean slightly forward as if it wanted them closer to the center. The light above stretched, reaching toward Kael, waiting for him to complete whatever pattern it had set.
He swallowed. "Almost there."
And in the distance, the floor began to rise—forming a platform. One final step. One final choice.
The pulse in the lines quickened. The chamber held its breath.
Kael and Lira froze for a second, realizing this was the real test.