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Zar’Ryn immediately moved toward the combat side, his sharp gaze locked on the constructs. “This is mine,” he said firmly.

“Stop,” the Custodian said, its voice calm but unyielding. “This trial requires balance, not comfort. To proceed, your roles will be reversed. The strategist will face the body’s threats, and the warrior must confront the mind’s challenges.”

Elara froze, her stomach dropping. “Wait, what?” she said, her voice rising slightly. “I’m not a fighter! Ican’t—”

“You can,” Zar’Ryn interrupted, his voice steady. He turned to face her, his amethyst eyes intense. “You will do this, Elara. Iwill guide you.”

Her chest tightened, but she nodded, drawing in a shaky breath. “And you’ll handle puzzles?” she asked, her tone somewhere between incredulous and nervous.

“I will manage,” he said, his lips curving into the faintest smirk. “Don’t worry about me.”

The Custodian’s voice returned, cutting through their exchange. “The trial begins when you take your places. Your bond will guide you forward, if you allow it.”

They exchanged a final glance before stepping into their respective sides. The golden barrier shimmered between them, atangible reminder of their separation.

Elara’s breath hitched as the hulking construct stepped forward with a metallic groan, its red eyes glowing brighter with each heavy step. The sound of its footfalls echoed in her chest, each one rattling her nerves. She tightened her grip on the lightweight staff she’d been given, but her palms were already slick with sweat. How was she supposed to fightthis?

The construct let out a guttural screech and swung one massive arm, the jagged blade at its end slicing through the air. Elara barely dodged, stumbling as she sidestepped, the staff almost slipping from her grasp. Her heart thundered in her chest, and panic clawed at the edges of her thoughts.

Through the chaos, the bond pulsed sharply, like a jolt of electricity.“Focus,”Zar’Ryn’s voice cut through her panic, firm and commanding, projecting through the bond.“Trip it, then strike low.”

Elara gasped, the clarity of his presence grounding her. She sidestepped again, this time with purpose, and swung the staff at the construct’s legs. The impact landed with a metallic clang, but the hulking figure barely faltered. Its glowing eyes fixed on her, and it lunged, forcing her to leap back. She yelped as her heel caught on the uneven floor, nearly sending her sprawling.

“Too fast,” she hissed under her breath, her hands trembling as she adjusted her grip on the staff. The construct’s movements were relentless, each swing of its blade forcing her furtherback.

The bond surged again, and this time it carried more than words. She felt Zar’Ryn’s calm pressing against her fear, his steady confidence pushing back the rising tide of panic. Her breathing steadied, and her hands stopped shaking.

The construct swung again, but this time she anticipated it. She ducked low, its blade slicing through the air above her head, and swung her staff hard at its knee joint. The strike landed with a resounding crack, and the massive figure wobbled before crashing to the ground. Elara didn’t wait—she drove the staff into its glowing core, sparks flying as the light in its eyes flickered anddied.

Her chest heaved as she stumbled back, gripping the staff tightly. “It’s down,” she muttered, her voice trembling. Relief flooded her—but it was short-lived. Alow, metallic groan echoed through the chamber, and her eyes snapped to the wall as another construct stirred, its red eyes flaring tolife.

“No time to rest,”Zar’Ryn’s voice cut through the bond again. His presence was strong and steady, and she clung to it like a lifeline. She nodded to herself, adjusting her stance as the second construct advanced.

Her focus shifted briefly to the shimmering barrier that separated them. Beyond it, she could see Zar’Ryn standing before a glowing pedestal, his brow furrowed as he worked on the puzzle. The symbols on the pedestal shifted erratically, their patterns chaotic. Elara felt his frustration spike through the bond like a sharp jab, and she instinctively sent a wave of reassuranceback.

“Slow down,”she projected, surprised by the clarity of her own thoughts.“Look at the edges—they fit together like puzzle pieces.”

She didn’t know if he could hear her, but the bond pulsed in response, and she felt his frustration ease. Her attention snapped back to the second construct as it lunged, its blade slicing dangerously close. She ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the strike, and swung her staff at its arm. The impact sent a jolt up her arms, but the construct didn’tslow.

“You need to disarm it,”Zar’Ryn’s voice echoed in her mind.“Go for the joint.”

Elara gritted her teeth, her muscles burning as she dodged another swing. She feinted left, then pivoted sharply, driving the end of her staff into the joint where the construct’s arm met its body. The metal crunched under the force, and the blade dropped from its grasp. Seizing the moment, she delivered a final blow to its core, her staff sparking as it connected. The construct collapsed, its lights fading to darkness.

Elara staggered back, gasping for breath. Her arms ached, and her legs felt like jelly, but she couldn’t stop. The bond pulsed again, this time carrying a shared sense of relief and triumph. She glanced toward Zar’Ryn, seeing him step back from the pedestal as the symbols locked into place with a soft chime.

“First one’s done,” she muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. But the glow of the chamber intensified, and she knew—for both of them—this was just the beginning.

Chapter 18

THE CHAMBERshifted around Zar’Ryn, the air thickening with an oppressive weight. The golden barrier separating him from Elara dissolved into shimmering motes of light, and a new pedestal rose up from the floor with a low whine.

The Custodian’s voice resonated through the chamber, calm and unyielding. “The second challenge begins now. Greater balance must be achieved to proceed. Your bond will guide you.”

Zar’Ryn’s jaw tightened as the ground beneath his feet solidified into smooth stone, marked with glowing patterns that twisted and pulsed like living veins. Beside him, Elara stood in a separate section of the chamber, her staff clutched tightly in her hands. The metallic constructs that had been dormant during the first trial now stirred to life, their glowing red eyes fixing on her. Each step they took sent an ominous echo through theroom.

“Elara,” Zar’Ryn called, his sharp amethyst gaze locking onto hers. “You must focus. Iwill solve the puzzles. You must eliminate the constructs.”

She swallowed hard, nodding, but he could see the fear in her eyes as the first construct advanced. “I am not sure I can handle this,” she said, her voice trembling.

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