The gate to the sixth trial opened silently, almost seductively, a soft violet haze swirling in the void-like air. Kairis stepped through, boots landing on a polished obsidian floor that reflected his tired but determined figure. Every step echoed, and the faint hum of energy vibrated through his bones.
Ahead of him, the arena stretched infinitely—walls shimmering with prismatic illusions, ceilings lost in darkness, and pillars that bent reality, twisting reflections in impossible ways.
And there she was.
Seraphyx.
The second-in-command of the Ecliptic Citadel, Lucien Dreamveil's true lieutenant. Her presence was intoxicating, dangerous—her violet hair flowed like liquid, and her eyes burned with a manic fire. She was grinning, the kind of grin that sent shivers down the spine because you knew she wasn't smiling at kindness, but at the thrill of violence.
"Well, well," she purred, her voice melodic, taunting. "Another child of gravity has come crawling. I've been so bored waiting for someone to entertain me. I hope you fight well… or I'll make this fun."
Kairis raised an eyebrow, his sword already in hand. Gravity rippled subtly around him, ready to spring into action.
"I fight to survive," he replied flatly. "Not to entertain anyone."
Her laughter rang like bells clashing violently. "Oh, I like that answer. A man who knows his limits? Let's see if you really do."
The battle began instantly.
She lunged forward with a blade that glowed faintly with violet energy, slicing through the air like it was alive. Kairis countered with a swing of his own, gravity subtly augmenting his speed. The clash sent shockwaves across the obsidian floor, shards of reflective stone erupting around them.
Seraphyx was a storm in human form. Her movements were erratic, almost whimsical, yet every strike carried lethal precision. Kairis realized immediately that this was a woman who lived for combat—the chaos of it, the beauty of every attack.
He dodged a flurry of slashes, feeling the wind cut across his cheek. Gravity pushed him forward, sideways, down, allowing him to evade strikes that would have otherwise torn him in two. Each swing of his blade left a faint ripple in the air—a visible distortion, a signature of his mastery over gravity.
"You're fast," she noted, spinning midair and slashing diagonally. "But are you clever?"
Kairis smirked, rolling under the strike, feeling the gravity around him pulse as he launched upward, flipping and landing atop a shattered pillar. The reflection-laden arena amplified her presence, multiplying the number of swords he had to anticipate. Every reflection, every shadow, could be her—or a trap.
He narrowed his senses. Gravity didn't just move him; it tethered him to her subtle distortions. A minuscule air ripple, a faint energy spike… he could feel where the real Seraphyx was.
Then she moved. Faster than thought.
A slash at his side, barely blocked by his blade, sent him spinning backward. Pain lanced through his ribs, but he held. His mind raced, calculating trajectories, angles, and gravitational fields in real-time.
Her style is chaotic—but it has rhythm.
The battle escalated.
Kairis used his Gyro-Telekinesis to manipulate the battlefield subtly—moving shards of obsidian to block paths, altering gravity to slow her midair lunges. Yet Seraphyx adapted instantly. She laughed, a sound that cut through the tension like a knife.
"You're clever, I'll give you that. But cleverness alone won't save you!"
She flipped backward, leaving behind afterimages that lunged at him. He slashed, but each attack dispersed into violet light, and he could feel the real one closing in from behind. His muscles burned, sweat dripping into his eyes.
Gravity pulsed again, and he accelerated, closing the distance. For the first time, he attacked not just to defend, but to strike. His fist met her jaw, knocking her back. She landed on the mirrored floor, eyes wide in delight.
"Ohhh! That felt good!" she exclaimed, staggering to her feet. "Finally! A fight that scratches my soul!"
Kairis could only grit his teeth. This woman… she's insane.
The next ten minutes—or maybe hours—became a dance of death.
Every strike from Seraphyx tested Kairis's agility, perception, and stamina. Each of his counters pushed the limits of his gravity mastery, enhancing speed, strength, and maneuverability. He threw shards, twisted gravity fields, and shifted the floor beneath her feet, all while keeping one eye on the illusory duplicates she conjured.
Veloria had been a test of cunning. Kaelthar had been a test of intellect. Seraphyx was a test of endurance and instinct.
He began to notice a pattern in her attacks—slight hesitations, a rhythm buried beneath chaos. Exploiting it, he jumped high, spinning in midair. With a precise gravitational pull, he yanked the air around her blade, redirecting the swing upward.
Then came the strike that counted.
His blade connected with her shoulder—not fatal, but enough to stagger her. She laughed, a manic, uncontrollable sound. "Finally! Someone who makes me feel alive!"
And she charged again.
Hours—or what felt like hours—passed in a blur of steel, flesh, and gravitational distortions. Kairis's body was battered, his face streaked with blood, sweat, and grime. Every strike took more out of him. Every dodge burned his muscles. Yet he adapted, mastering micro-adjustments to gravity fields to anticipate, accelerate, or evade.
He realized something crucial: her madness was predictable in its unpredictability. The energy she radiated, the way she wanted a fight—it had a pulse, a heartbeat he could sync with.
He began to flow with it, matching her speed, countering her madness with controlled chaos. A flurry of strikes—fist, sword, gravity-assisted spin—culminated in a final, decisive moment.
Seraphyx lunged, aiming a blow at his chest. Kairis shifted gravity beneath him, pulling her forward and downward. The weight of her attack carried her past him, off-balance. With a sharp step and a gravitational push, he slammed her into a pillar, shattering it.
She slid to the ground, laughing breathlessly. Her eyes, wide and shining, met his.
"You… you survived me."
Kairis raised his sword, blade glowing faintly. "And I will survive the rest."
Her laughter faded into a soft, almost respectful smile. "I hope so, child of gravity. I hope so."
The arena shifted again, melting into darkness. A faint chime echoed:
[Trial Complete: Seraphyx — Angel of Mirrors and Flame]
[Synchronization: 43%]
[System Assistance: Null]
[Reward: Hidden.]
Kairis fell to one knee, chest heaving. Every muscle screamed. Every breath burned. Yet beneath the exhaustion, he felt… exhilaration.
This was what it meant to fight. Not for survival alone, but for mastery, for challenge, for life itself.
The final trial awaited.
Malthior.
And Kairis—bloodied, bruised, and unbowed—stood up.
"Let's finish this."