The ssage burned itself into the earth—a circle of blackened ash and crimson symbols that pulsed like a heartbeat.
Selene stood behind Cain, her hand tightly gripping the edge of his sleeve. "This isn't just a summons," she said softly. "It's a challenge."
Cain nodded. "A trial. One only blood heirs can answer."
Behind them, Leo stared at the circle with narrowed eyes. "He finally wants us close enough to kill... or crown."
Eren kicked at a stone, frustration radiating off him. "Why now? After everything—Eira's death, the attacks—why lure us in now?"
Cain didn't answer right away. His eyes were locked on the glyphs, watching as they pulsed with a slow, malicious rhythm. "Because we've changed. He feels it."
Leo frowned. "Changed?"
"We're not afraid anymore," Cain murmured. "We've buried. We've bled. And we're still standing."
The wind shifted. The circle flashed.
Then, the world tilted.
They were no longer standing in the forest—but in a throne room carved from volcanic glass. Pillars of bone. Ceiling vanishing into black smoke. The floor beneath their feet shimred with magic, and at the end of the long hall sat a throne of obsidian fire.
Empty.
Cain, Leo, and Eren stood together, shoulders squared. Selene, slightly behind them, gripped the dagger at her belt.
The voice ca from everywhere and nowhere—deep, elegant, venomous.
> "Sons of my blood... welco ho."
The shadows peeled away from the walls, and their father erged, tall and imposing. A figure robed in darkness, with eyes like frozen fire. He didn't walk—he glided. His presence bent the air, made it heavy.
Eren stiffened, jaw tight. "He doesn't look like a monster."
"He is one," Cain said under his breath. "And he knows it."
Their father stopped before them. "You've survived long enough to impress ."
Leo sneered. "Glad we could be your entertainnt."
"I expected one of you to fall," the Devil said coldly. "But even Eira's death was not the breaking point. Curious."
Cain stepped forward. "We're not here for your complints. You called for us."
"I did." He raised a hand—and the ground split open, revealing a pit of glowing red magic. "A trial. You will enter. Face what you fear most. If you survive, you earn my recognition."
"And if we fail?" Eren asked, already knowing the answer.
"You die," their father said simply. "Screaming."
Selene hissed under her breath. "That's not a trial. That's torture."
Their father tilted his head, as if amused. "You are not the one being tested... though your presence will be a useful distraction."
Before they could react, the ground shuddered. The floor beneath Cain, Leo, and Eren cracked—and they plumted into the abyss.
Cain's Trial – The Chains of Rage
Cain opened his eyes to a white room. Silent. Empty. He stood alone, barefoot, staring into a mirror. But the reflection wasn't him.
It was Eira, alive—bleeding, crying, afraid.
"You let die."
Cain's heart pounded. "No—no, I—"
"You chose her over ," she whispered. "You abandoned your blood."
The mirror cracked.
Then his reflection stepped forward—eyes black, fangs out.
"I am the part of you that liked watching people burn."
Cain scread—and the chains rose from the floor, wrapping around his limbs. The room burned with the heat of his own rage.
But then... Selene's voice echoed in his mind. Soft. Real.
> "You are more than your blood."
With a roar, Cain broke the chains.
Leo's Trial – The Mirror of Betrayal
Leo found himself in a library—a place he hadn't seen since childhood. Books burned in slow motion. And sitting at the desk, smirking, was a copy of himself.
"I've always hated you," his reflection said, eyes glowing red. "You think you're smarter than everyone, but you're scared. Weak."
Leo gritted his teeth. "I am scared. But I still fight."
His reflection laughed. "Fight what? The truth? You love the chaos. You want the throne."
"I want peace," Leo growled. "Even if I have to lie, cheat, and kill for it."
The mirror shattered—and Leo stood taller, fire licking at his fingertips.
Eren's Trial – The Loneliness Within
Eren was surrounded by silence. The sky was gray. Rain fell endlessly. He was on a battlefield—but no one was there. No Cain. No Leo. No Selene.
Just him.
"Where is everyone?" he whispered.
"You were always the least," a voice said. "Not strong enough. Not smart enough. Just a joke."
Eren fell to his knees. The emptiness closed in.
But then... a mory. Leo laughing. Cain slapping the back of his head. Selene hugging him after a nightmare.
"I'm not alone," Eren whispered.
He stood—and shadowfire burst from his fists, scattering the storm.
Back in the Throne Room
Their bodies slamd back into the throne room, gasping, bleeding, but alive.
Selene ran to Cain, cupping his face. "Cain!"
He gripped her hand, nodding. "I'm okay."
Their father stared at them, unreadable.
"You survived."
Cain stepped forward, eyes burning. "We're not your sons anymore. We are brothers. Warriors. And you? You're just a shadow of what we've beco."
The Devil's smile was razor-sharp. "We'll see... when the war begins."
And with a wave of his hand—he vanished.
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