The four of them stood before the towering doors, their sheer size making them feel like mere specks of dust in comparison. The air was thick with tension, as if the very presence of these doors weighed down on their chests, making it harder to breathe.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Leon, shifting uncomfortably, finally broke the silence. "Well… shall we enter?"
The large man, Darius, let out a slow exhale and crossed his arms over his chest. His voice was deep, gravelly, carrying a weight that made Leon feel as though he was missing something important.
"It's not as easy as you think, boy," Darius said. "It's easy to be evil and do evil things. But to be good and do evilthings? That's impossible. And that's exactly what we have to do."
Leon frowned, his fingers twitching at his sides. He wanted to say something, anything, but no words came. Instead, he simply nodded. There was no way around this. They had to go in.
Callum, ever the one to break the mood, let out a chuckle and stretched his arms over his head. "Well, no point in standing around, then. I'll see you on the other side." He gave them all a two-fingered salute before stepping forward. The massive door in front of him groaned open, its obsidian surface parting just enough for him to slip inside. The moment he was through, the door slammed shut behind him with a deafening finality.
The silent one, Lucien, followed without a word. He gave one last unreadable glance before stepping through his own door, disappearing into whatever lay beyond.
Darius sighed, cracking his knuckles. "Damn trials," he muttered under his breath before stepping through his designated door, the darkness swallowing him whole.
Now, only Leon remained.
A lump formed in his throat as he swallowed hard. He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.
The door swung open, revealing nothing but pitch-blackness. He hesitated for only a second before stepping through.
The moment he did, the world around him shifted.
The Awakening
"Dewan! Dewan, wake up!"
The voice jolted Leon from unconsciousness.
His body felt foreign—not his own. His muscles ached as though he had been training for hours, yet he didn't remember doing anything. The scent of burning incense filled his nose, mixed with something earthy, somethingold.
He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the dim lighting. Where was he?
A bald young man stood in front of him, his face familiar yet completely unrecognizable. His clothing was strange—plain, uniform, identical to the robes worn by everyone around them. The boy frowned at him, looking both annoyed and impatient.
"It's time for training," the boy said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Leon opened his mouth to speak—but hesitated. His voice… would it even sound like his own?
Slowly, he got to his feet, his legs moving out of habit rather than will. His body knew what to do, even though his mind screamed in confusion.
As he followed the other trainees into a massive courtyard, the weight of his situation settled in.
Something was wrong.
All around him, young men—bald, dressed identically, moving in perfect unison—walked with purpose. Their expressions were a mixture of excitement, fear, and silent determination.
Leon's heart pounded. He needed to see himself.
As they passed by a puddle of water, he glanced down—and his breath hitched.
His reflection stared back at him. Bald. Dressed in the same uniform as the others. A stranger's face.
What the hell was this place?
Before he could even process it, a sudden hush fell over the courtyard.
An elderly man, completely bald but radiating an aura of power and authority, stepped forward. His presence alone commanded the attention of everyone present.
"Today," the elder announced, his voice smooth but firm, "we will determine who is Continuous with Mahatma."
A murmur ran through the group, a mix of anticipation, fear, and silent desperation.
Leon swallowed hard. He had no idea what this meant, but the tension in the air told him it was something serious.
Then, suddenly, a familiar sensation washed over him.
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes, words forming in glowing text.
Memory Retrieval Initiated.
Leon's stomach dropped.
What was about to happen?