CHAPTER 54: PARAGONS OF INNER SANCTUM 2

Darius’s soulstone staggered it the third time while Rhoam’s claws finished it. Kelvin’s wounds ached, but his bond with Xerion reduced the pain, and Torren’s nod was clear. "Control is power and I feel that you are ready."

In the morning the trio stood at the Crystal Nexus, ready for the trial and the Crystal Nexus is a radiant arena at the top of the Sanctum’s highest spire, its walls shimmered with prismatic light and etched with runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.

The air was warm and thick with wild magic, the floor glowed and radiated with soulstream energy. Students were packed in the stands with their murmurs a tide of awe, while Masters Kaelus, Veyne, and Torren stood at the nexus’s heart, their beasts were silent and imposing.

Kaelus’s voice boomed, as resonant as the soulstream. "The Echoes of Triumph test your bonds against the forces of glory and perseverance, the soul of a tamer’s legacy. Three trials await: Pride, Endurance, and Unity. Conquer them, and you will stand as paragons of the Inner Sanctum."

Veyne raised a hand while her serpent hissed as she said..... "Begin."

A portal, which was adorned sapphire light opened and the trio stepped in with their beasts and the world dissolved into a storm of light and crystal.

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Trial of Pride

The portal opened and brought them into a realm where of golden plains and their grasses shimmered under a sky of radiant clouds. The air was thick with the scent of sunlight and glory, and the ground thrummed with prideful energy.

Kaelus’s voice resonated: "Embrace your pride, defeat the Glory Warden and claim its crest."

Kelvin felt Xerion’s fire surge with his bond a blazing anchor. "Stay focused," he said, his gauntlet glowed and his shoulder ached but manageable. "This place amplifies our ego."

Lyra nodded, her amulet pulsed as Salaris took flight with her wings steady. Darius gripped a soulstone, Rhoam’s plates were clinking.

A pack of Solar Hounds, Level 5 beasts with molten fur and radiant jaws emerged, their howls were shaking the plains. Kelvin and Xerion charged, their Convergence was a tempest of flame and soullight.

Kelvin’s blade sliced a hound’s flank, Xerion’s flames countered their radiance. A hound’s jaw grazed his arm, a sharp sting, but his bond dulled the pain and his pride in Eryndor fueled him.

Lyra and Salaris darted through the pack, the raptor’s talons stroke its eyes as Lyra’s shadow runes bound their legs. A hound’s claw nicked Salaris, but Lyra’s amulet healed her, and they cleared the pack.

Darius and Rhoam barreled through, the panther’s armor deflected the radiance as Darius’s soulstone scattered the hounds. Rhoam’s claws tore through a beast’s core, and the pack dissolved.

The Glory Warden appeared, a Level 7 colossus of light and flame, its crest glowed at its heart. The trio attacked as one. Xerion’s flames weakened its light, Salaris’s talons struck its joints, and Rhoam’s charge cracked its form. Kelvin leaped with his blade and pierced the crest and Lyra claimed it, its heat pulsed in her hand.

The plains faded, and the arena returned them to the crowd roaring. Kaelus nodded. "Pride mastered. Prepare for Endurance."

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Trial of Endurance

The portal opened into a cavern of jagged crystal with its walls pulsing with pain and perseverance. The air was heavy, pressing against their hearts and testing their will.

Master Kaelus’s voice echoed: "Prove your endurance. Face the Keeper of Resolve and claim its stone."

The keeper emerged, a Level 6 spectral beast with eyes of starlight, its form shifted, demanding a test of stamina. Kelvin faced a vision of endless battles, Lyra saw Salaris faltering, and Darius saw Rhoam broken.

Kelvin dove into his soulstream, his wounds ached him but his bond was steady. "We endure," he growled, offering his pain and his gauntlet blazed as he struck the keeper. Xerion’s flames burned away the vision, and the stone glowed.

Lyra wove shadow runes, her amulet glowed as she offered her fatigue and her bond steadied her strike. Salaris’s talons dispersed the vision, and the stone pulsed brighter.

Darius offered his doubt, his soulstone cracked the keeper’s form as Rhoam’s roar anchored him. The vision shattered, and Darius claimed the stone.

The cavern faded and the arena returned them with cheers. Veyne’s serpent hissed. "Endurance proven. Unity awaits."

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Trial of Unity

The final portal took them into a realm of merged forces, light, shadow, earth, and flame which swirled into a primal storm. Floating platforms which are connected by bridges of soulstream energy drifted. Kaelus’s voice boomed as he said: "Forge unity with your bonds, defeat the beast of Triumph and claim its essence."

The beast appeared which was a Level 8 beast with four forms, a lion of fire, a serpent of shadow, a stag of earth, and a hawk of light. Its presence shook the realm, and the platforms quaked. Kelvin signaled his friends, though his wounds throbbed, his resolve was as strong as iron.

Kelvin and Xerion faced the lion, their flames clashed. Kelvin’s gauntlet amplified their Convergence, his blade sliced its mane despite his shoulder’s pain.

Lyra and Salaris tackled the serpent, her shadow runes binded its coils as Salaris’s talons struck its core.

Darius and Rhoam faced the stag, Rhoam’s armor deflected its earth as Darius’s soulstone cracked its antlers. The hawk dove, but their synergy rune linked their Convergences and countered its light.

The sovereign’s true form emerged which was a fusion of all four, its essence pulsed. The trio united and their bonds was a symphony.

Kelvin’s gauntlet, Lyra’s amulet, and Darius’s soulstones flared and their Convergences merged in a blinding blast that shattered the essence. Its light flowed into a runic crystal which was claimed by Kelvin.

The realm faded, and the arena roared. Kaelus raised a hand. "You have forged the Echoes of Triumph. You are now paragons of the Inner Sanctum."

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After the trial the trip went to the library to read and while in the library, the trio collapsed into a seat with their beasts sprawled nearby.

The crest, stone, and crystal glowed and split evenly. Kelvin touched his gauntlet and filled Xerion’s fire but his wounds were a badge of his journey. "Paragons," he said with a steady voice are alive with pride.

Darius grinned, tossing a soulstone. "I told you that we had crush it."

Lyra smiled and stroke Salaris’s feathers as she said. "Together we are unstoppable in this journey."