MTLNOVEL Chapter 126: Chapter 125: The Trial of Unity
Chapter 125: The Trial of Unity
The Final Threshold
The massive crystalline Core pulsed with raw mana energy, filling the chamber with a golden light so intense it felt alive. The air shimmered, thick with power, and even the slightest movement seemed to ripple through the space. Jack stood at the forefront, the hum of the Core resonating deep in his chest.
Astraeus, the golden humanoid custodian, hovered in the center of the room. Its form flickered faintly, its presence commanding yet weary. "The time has come. The Trial of Unity will decide if you are worthy to wield the Aetherials' knowledge—or if you will fall as they did."
Eryndra stepped forward, her silver eyes narrowing. "What happened to them? You've hinted at their failure, but you've never explained why they fell."
Astraeus turned its glowing gaze to her, its voice heavy with regret. "The Aetherials were the most advanced civilization to ever exist. They united worlds, spreading life and mana to barren lands. But their ambition blinded them. When they sought to manipulate mana itself—to bend the laws of creation—they tore a rift that unleashed chaos. The demons were only the beginning."
Jack's expression darkened. "And they couldn't stop it?"
"They tried," Astraeus said, its voice softening. "They sacrificed their worlds, their people, everything to contain the rift. But in their desperation, they turned on each other. Divisions formed, alliances shattered, and unity gave way to ruin. This trial will test if you can succeed where they failed."
The Trial Begins
The chamber shifted suddenly, the crystalline floor beneath them rippling like liquid. The golden light dimmed, and the walls seemed to melt away, leaving the team suspended in a vast, endless void. Jack, Eryndra, and the others stood on a circular platform, its edges glowing faintly.
Private Kara Lin clutched her rifle, her eyes wide. "What is this? Where are we?"
Astraeus's voice echoed through the void. "The Trial of Unity does not test strength or clarity—it tests trust. Only by standing together can you succeed. If your bonds falter, so too will your foundation."
As the words faded, the platform trembled, and ghostly figures began to materialize around the edges. At first, they were indistinct shadows, but as they moved closer, their forms sharpened into something horrifyingly familiar: the faces of lost comrades, loved ones, and enemies.
The whispers began—soft at first, then growing louder.
"You could have saved us."
"This is your fault."
"They'll never trust you."
The Illusions Divide
The platform fractured, splitting into smaller, floating pieces. Jack found himself isolated on one section, the others scattered across the void. The ghostly figures moved closer, their whispers growing louder.
One figure, a man Jack recognized from his past life, stepped forward. His face was calm, but his voice carried an edge. "You think you can save this world, but you couldn't even save your own. What makes you think you're different now?"
Jack's jaw tightened. "I made my choices, and I'll live with them."
The figure smirked. "Will they?"
Jack glanced toward Eryndra. She stood on another fragment, facing her own illusions. The spectral figures surrounding her were elven, their voices filled with bitterness.
"You've betrayed your people," one whispered.
"You trust a human who will discard you the moment he doesn't need you," another hissed.
Eryndra raised her bow, her voice steady but laced with tension. "You don't know him. Jack isn't like that."
The figure laughed, a hollow sound that seemed to echo endlessly. "And if you're wrong? What then?"
Breaking the Illusions
The voices grew louder, the illusions more aggressive. Kara Lin dropped to her knees, clutching her head as ghostly figures loomed over her. "I can't... I can't do this," she whispered.
Sergeant Jorin, on another fragment, growled in frustration. "Lin! Pull yourself together! This isn't real!"
Jack stepped to the edge of his platform, his voice cutting through the chaos. "They're testing us! They want us to turn on each other!"
Eryndra fired an arrow of mana into one of the illusions, but it passed through harmlessly. "We can't fight this," she shouted. "We have to trust each other!"
Jack extended a hand toward her. "Eryndra, jump!"
Her eyes met his, and for a brief moment, doubt flickered. But she leaped, her form illuminated by the faint glow of the void, and Jack caught her hand, pulling her onto his platform.
Kara, still trembling, looked toward Jack. "How do we stop this?"
Jack's voice was calm but firm. "We stop letting them divide us. Stay with me. Stay with each other."
The soldiers, inspired by Jack's steadiness, began moving toward the center, jumping between fragments as the platform slowly reassembled. The whispers grew more frantic, the illusions becoming more desperate.
"You're doomed to fail!"
"They'll betray you!"
"You are alone!"
But as the team regrouped, the voices began to fade. The illusions flickered and dissolved, leaving only silence.
The Core Awakens
The void receded, and the chamber reformed around them. The crystalline Core pulsed brighter than ever, its energy washing over the team in waves. Astraeus appeared before them, its golden light steady and unwavering.
"You have passed the Trial of Unity," it said. "You were tested, and you endured. The bonds you share are stronger than your fears. You are worthy of the Aetherials' legacy."
Jack stepped forward, his expression serious. "And what exactly is this legacy?"
Astraeus gestured toward the Core. "The knowledge to reshape your world. The Aetherials' understanding of mana, creation, and even the stars themselves lies within. But be warned: knowledge is a double-edged sword. How you wield it will determine the future of this world."
The Core flared with light, and images began to form within its crystalline surface. Cities of light floating among the stars. Vast ships powered by mana, traveling between worlds. The rise and fall of a civilization that had once thought itself invincible.
Eryndra watched in awe, her voice barely a whisper. "They were... interstellar?"
Astraeus nodded. "The Aetherials spread mana across the cosmos, bringing life to barren worlds. But their ambition unleashed chaos, and their unity fractured. Learn from their mistakes, or repeat them."
A Glimpse of the Future
As the team left the sanctuary, Astraeus's voice lingered in Jack's mind. "You have the potential to succeed where my creators failed. But unity must extend beyond your small circle. Your greatest challenge lies not in defeating the demons, but in uniting a fractured world."
Jack's jaw tightened as he glanced at Eryndra. "One step at a time."
Far away, in the Abyssal Wastes, the Demon King stood before his gathered generals, his burning eyes fixed on the distant glow of the sanctuary. "They think they've won. They've only awakened what they cannot control. Prepare the legions. Their unity will crumble beneath the weight of chaos."
End of Chapter 125