Page 19 of Favored By the Stars

As the figure drew closer, I gasped in recognition. It was Eldric. But here, in this strange place, Eldric's mask was gone.

What I saw beneath it made my blood run cold.

As Eldric approached, the mist parted, revealing his true form. My breath caught in my throat as I beheld the impossible sight before me. Eldric's face was a mesmerizing blend of human and dragon features. Iridescent scales shimmered along his cheekbones and jaw, catching the ethereal light and throwing off prismatic reflections. His eyes, once cold and calculating, now blazed with an inner fire, pupils elongated like a reptile's.

But it wasn't just his face that had changed. As he drew closer, I saw that something had transformed his entire body. Magnificent wings unfurled from his back, their membranous surface a tapestry of midnight blue and starlight silver, all of which were shot through with veins of gold. Claws tipped his fingers, gleaming like polished onyx. And when he spoke, a wisp of smoke curled from between lips.

"Senara," Eldric's voice rumbled, deeper and more resonant than it had been earlier. "You've come far, but your journey is far from over."

I wanted to retreat, to run from this impossible creature, but I stood my ground. "What are you?" I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt.

Eldric's laugh was like rolling thunder. "I am what you fear most. Power. Power beyond your comprehension. I am magic that defies the laws of nature itself."

As he spoke, the surrounding mist began to shift and change. It coalesced into shapes. Everything from dragons soaring through storm-tossed skies to mages wielding forces that could reshape mountains. And at the center of it all was Eldric, his draconic form growing larger, more imposing with each passing moment.

It was intoxicating, terrifying, and for a moment, I felt myself being drawn in by the promise of such power. But then, like a splash of cold water, I remembered that this was a test. The grove was challenging me, pushing me to my limits.

I closed my eyes, centering myself amidst the chaos. When I opened them again, I met Eldric's fiery gaze with steely determination.

"No," I said, my voice ringing out clear and strong. "This isn't real. And even if it were real, power alone won't define me. My choices, my actions, what's in my heart, that's what truly matters."

As the words left my lips, the world around me fractured. Eldric's draconian form wavered like a mirage, the swirling visions dissolving as the illusion shattered like glass, fragments of the false reality dissolving into mist. As the last wisps faded away, I found myself back in the chamber of mirrors. My heart was pounding, but a sense of clarity washed over me. I had faced my fears and emerged stronger.

But my trial wasn't over yet. The surrounding mirrors glowed, their surfaces rippling like liquid silver. Images flashed across them in rapid succession, glimpses not just of different versions of myself but of possible futures, paths not taken. I saw myself leading armies, brokering peace between warring factions, wielding magic beyond imagination.

And then, in one mirror, I saw something that made my blood run cold. It was Thorn, his face contorted in agony as dark tendrils of corrupted magic consumed him. Beside him lay Kaelyn, her eyes lifeless and empty.

"No!" I cried out, reaching toward the mirror. But as my fingers touched the surface, the image changed. Now I saw myself standing over their bodies, Moon Blades dripping with blood, a cruel smile twisting my lips.

I recoiled in horror, but the mirrors kept shifting, showing me more and more terrible possibilities. In each one, I saw the consequences of my choices, the devastation that could result if I lost control of my power or made the wrong decision.

"Enough!" I called, my voice echoing through the chamber as power exploded out of me, but nothing happened. Finally I shouted, putting my will and resolve into each syllable, "These visions won't define me. My future is my own to shape."

As if in response to my words, the mirrors cracked. Fissures spread across their surfaces, spider webbing outward until, with a deafening crash, they all shattered at once.

I braced myself for the impact of flying glass, but I felt a warm breeze wash over me. Opening my eyes, I stood in a sun-dappled clearing. The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers, and in the distance, I could hear the gentle burbling of a stream.

Relief flooded through me. I had passed the trial. I had faced my fears and emerged victorious.

But as I took a step forward, ready to seek Thorn and Kaelyn, a shadow fell across the clearing. The temperature dropped, and an icy chill ran down my spine.

I turned slowly, dreading what I might see. There, at the edge of the clearing, stood a figure cloaked in darkness. As it stepped into the light, I gasped.

It was me. But not as I was now. This version of myself was older, battle-hardened, with eyes that held unfathomable power and unimaginable sorrow.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" my doppelgänger asked, her voice echoing with otherworldly resonance. "Or did you forget how to count while talking with Scales?"

She raised her hand, and the world began to warp and twist. The peaceful clearing dissolved, replaced by a nightmarish landscape.

Finally, I realized what was going on. This was the Trial of Celestial Blades. Or at least that's what I was hoping because if it wasn't, then I had no idea what was going on.

ChapterEight

Senara

The surrounding landscape shifted, morphing into a desolate wasteland. Cracked earth stretched as far as the eye could see, punctuated by jagged spires of obsidian that thrust towards a blood-red sky. The air crackled with arcane energy, making the hair on my arms stand on end.

My shadow self stood before me, a twisted mirror image. Her hair, once vibrant as starlight, now writhed like living shadows. The Moon Mark on her skin pulsed with an eerie, corrupted light. In her hands, she wielded twin blades that seemed to drink in the very essence of our surroundings, leaving trails of nothingness in their wake.

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