Veylan spoke.

"We do not have the luxury of time," he began. "The currents of this world shift quickly. You have taken your first step, Ren, but now we must decide where you go next."

Ren studied the map. Solara, orderly and sunlit. Noctis, shadowed and secretive. Ventara, drifting above the clouds. Terranox, vast and wild. His eyes lingered where a small mark glowed faintly near Solara.

Veylan followed his gaze. "The first disturbance has already appeared near the Veron Kingdom. My sources confirm it. If you are to seek the first key, that is where you must begin."

Ervin leaned forward. "Veron lies in Solara, surrounded by academies and watchtowers. The state keeps strict control. If a calamity has risen there, it will not remain hidden for long. They will send armies to contain it."

"Which means you must move before they realize what it truly is," Veylan said.

Kairn spoke for the first time. "And if the armies stand in the way?"

"Then I will move through them," Ren answered quietly.

Veylan studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "You will not go unprepared. Supplies are ready, and a vessel will take you to Solara's coast. From there, my agents will see you as far as Veron's border. Beyond that, however, you must prove yourself before entering the land tied to the calamity."

Ren raised his gaze. "Prove myself?"

Veylan pressed his fingers against the map, tracing the silver lines that marked mana currents and border posts. "Veron does not allow outsiders to approach forbidden lands freely. The council of guardians there will not open the path unless they see that you are capable. You must face a trial before the first calamity itself. It will test your strength, your mind, and your ability to survive."

Ervin exhaled slowly. "So it is more than just reaching the land. He must pass their challenge first."

Veylan nodded. "Yes. The trial is a measure, not a punishment. It ensures that those who enter the calamity are worthy. Fail, and the path will close."

Ren's eyes did not leave the mark on the map. "And if I succeed?"

"Then the way will open," Veylan said. "The forbidden land will not lie idle, and the first calamity will recognize your presence."

Kairn tilted his head slightly. "And the armies?"

"Will still try to stop me," Ren said. "I know the risks."

Veylan placed his hand firmly on the table. "Ren, remember this. Every continent watches the others. If you claim power in Veron, the balance will shift. Be ready for all who turn their eyes toward you."

Ren nodded. "I understand."

The council ended. Attendants returned to guide them back. The path ahead was set, and for the first time since arriving in the Archive, Ren felt the weight of movement pressing against his shoulders.

Ren was shown into a modest room compared to the banquet hall, yet still more luxurious than any place he had stayed. A crystal lantern burned with steady light. A wide bed was set against the wall, its sheets smooth as woven silk. A writing desk stood near the window, and beyond it the faint shimmer of mana fields marked the Archive's outer barrier.

Ervin's room was across the corridor, and Kairn's further down the hall. Veylan's quarters remained apart, deeper inside the wing.

An attendant bowed. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow the ship will be ready. All supplies are already loaded."

Ren thanked him, though the words felt strange in his mouth. Once the door closed, silence filled the room.

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the silver ring on his hand. It pulsed once, faintly, before settling into stillness.

A voice brushed against his thoughts, quiet and familiar. "You seem restless."

Ren closed his eyes. "Nyxa."

Her presence stirred within him, like a shadow shifting beneath water. "You have agreed to begin. I did not expect hesitation from you."

"I am not hesitating," Ren replied. "I am preparing myself."

"Preparing is good," she said, her tone even. "But do not mistake thought for action. The trial will not wait for you. Neither will the calamity, nor those who watch from the dark."

Ren leaned back against the bedframe. "Do you know what waits in Veron?"

There was a pause, then her voice returned, quieter. "Only fragments. I sense a storm of memory and blood. If the first key lies there, it will not yield easily. And before the calamity, you will face those who guard it. Their tests are harsh, but fair."

Ren let the silence stretch before answering. "Then we face it together."

Her tone softened. "Yes. Together."

The room settled into stillness. Beyond the barrier, faint winds howled against the stone walls of the Archive. Ren lay back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. Sleep came slowly, but when it did, Nyxa's presence lingered, steady as a shadow at his side.

★★★

The morning came quietly. The sun's first light spilled through the crystal windows of the Archive, casting long shadows across Ren's room. He rose without hesitation, his body steady though his mind remained sharp with the memory of Nyxa's voice. He took bath and ready for going.

When he stepped into the corridor, Ervin was already waiting. Kairn leaned against the far wall, silent as ever. Veylan joined them last, dressed simply yet carrying the weight of command in every movement.

"The vessel is ready," Veylan said. "It will take you to Solara's coast. My agents will guide you to Veron, but beyond the border, the trial awaits. You must face it alone."

Ren nodded. "What kind of trial is it?"

Veylan's gaze was unreadable. "Each candidate faces something different. The guardians of Veron weave their trials from fragments of mana and memory. What you see will be shaped by who you are. It will test both strength and resolve."

Ervin added, "The council there does not bend easily. If you pass, the forbidden land will open to you. If you fail, you will be turned away, and the calamity will consume others until another is chosen. They use candidates as a sacrifice to stop calamity. I know it's mercyless but it's their superstition. I don't understand, how this things works? I did study about it at yesterday's night. So take care of yourself."

Ren listened without speaking further. The weight of it was already clear.

They left the Archive together, walking across the wide stone bridge that arched above the mana fields. The ship waited at the far end, sleek and narrow, its surface glowing faintly with enchantments. Attendants bowed as Ren stepped aboard.

The journey across the sea was quiet. Hours passed with only the sound of waves striking the vessel's hull. Ervin spoke at times, offering quiet counsel about Solara's order and its strict rulers, but Ren said little. His thoughts remained fixed on the trial to come.

By the second day, the coast of Solara appeared on the horizon. White towers rose above the shoreline, watchtowers gleaming under the sun. Soldiers patrolled the docks below, their armor catching the light.

One of Veylan's agents met them as they disembarked, a tall woman in a cloak of dark blue. She bowed quickly. "You must come with me. The council has already been informed. They will not wait long."

Ren followed without hesitation. The streets of Veron were paved in polished stone, lined with banners bearing the sun sigil of Solara. Citizens stepped aside as the cloaked woman passed, their eyes curious yet cautious.

At last, they reached the gates of the inner sanctum. Carved pillars towered above them, and beyond, a courtyard spread wide, empty but for a circle of white stone in its center. The guardians of Veron stood around it, cloaked figures with eyes hidden beneath silver hoods.

One of them spoke. His voice was calm, but heavy with authority. "Ren of the dark line. You seek to enter the forbidden land. To step beyond our gates, you must first endure the Trial of Veron. We know everything about you. Anyway, do you accept this?"

Ren stepped forward. His voice was steady. "I accept."

The guardians raised their hands as one. The circle of stone lit with blinding light, runes spiraling outward. The ground shifted beneath Ren's feet, and the world dissolved into shadow.

When the light faded, he stood in silence. The courtyard was gone. The air was heavy, the ground cracked and lifeless. A broken battlefield stretched before him, echoes of screams lingering in the wind.

Nyxa's voice stirred faintly within him. "This is no illusion. They have drawn your trial from memory. You must walk it until the end."

Ren clenched his fists. He recognized the place. It was the field where his past and his power had first awakened.

A figure rose from the dust ahead—shrouded, faceless, yet carrying the weight of all he had destroyed. Its voice was cold. "You cannot claim the future until you face the sins of your past."

Ren drew a slow breath, his eyes hard. "Then I will face them now."

The trial had begun.

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