Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
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Gustav shook his head. "Miss Aie is on a level so high that I can't pinpoint the center of this space manipulation. Our only option is to keep moving forward until we break through."
"How long will that take?" Stark wondered aloud.
"It's hard to say, but we have to keep pushing. Co on," Gustav said, grabbing Stark's arm.
Gustav activated Lightning Blitz again, their forms blurring and transforming into a lightning streak as they shot forward.
He activated it multiple tis, causing them to keep traveling forward at unfathomable speed.
The distance they covered was staggering, millions of miles traversed in what felt like monts. Yet, the pathway seed endless, the glowing walls never changing, never offering an end in sight.
Lightning Blitz soon went on a cool down and they had to travel at their usual speeds.
They traveled for days, pushing their speed to the limit without a mont of stopping. Stark's energy beginning to wane. He might emit the energy of an alpha but he wasn't a true alpha after all.
Gustav, despite his vast stamina, could see the toll the journey was taking on Stark.
"...How much longer?" Stark asked with a slightly weary voice.
"We keep going. There has to be an end," Gustav replied, determination hardening his tone.
Just then, a sudden chill filled the air, and a group of astral beings in dark cloaks appeared, materializing out of the walls.
Their forms were translucent and eyes glowing with an violet light. Without warning, they launched a ntal assault on Gustav and Stark.
Stark clutched his head, groaning in pain as transparent ripples originated from these beings."My mind... it feels like it's being ripped apart!"
Gustav, his own ntal defenses straining, turned to face the attackers. "Stark, focus on keeping your mind together. I'll handle them."
The astral beings pressed their attack, their combined ntal assault almost overwhelming. Gustav's high ntal fortitude allowed him to withstand their onslaught, but the continuous travel had left him a little vulnerable.
It seed like these astral beings were tid to appear when their targets guards would be down. In this case, Gustav and Stark.
They had been traveling forward for ages and it was bound to leave anyone distracted since all the saw in the last couple of days were glowing walls.
Unfortunately for them, the ripples centered on Gustav didn't do much to keep him in place.
The beings, shocked that Gustav could resist their power, pooled their strength for a final, concentrated attack. Gustav gritted his teeth, activating his ntal Manipulation ability.
"Calm rhythm..." Gustav mumbled with a calm tone as his pupils emitted a white glow.
[ ntal Manipulation: Calm Rhythm Has Been Activated ]
A certain calmness suddenly pulsated from deep within him like a calm lake rippling occasionally.
They focused more on him and now Gustav decided to fight fire with fire.
The air crackled with energy as he countered their ntal barrage.
The battle played out in the realm of the mind, where Gustav's ntal landscape clashed with the ethereal presence of the astral beings.
Their spectral forms wavered as Gustav's ntal energy surged, fighting back against their attacks. The struggle was intense, each side pushing their limits.
"You think you can defeat in my own mind?" Gustav roared, his voice echoing through the ntal plane.
The lead astral being hissed, "Your mind is powerful, but it will fall. All minds do."
Gustav focused, channeling every ounce of his willpower. He visualized a barrier, a fortress within his mind, and pushed it outward. The barrier expanded, repelling the astral beings' attacks, inching them back.
Stark, still reeling from the initial assault, watched in awe as Gustav held his ground. "I'm no longer affected..."
The astral beings recoiled, sensing the scales tipping; "Impossible... how can anyone's mind be at such a level of strength!"
Gustav seized the opportunity, launching a counterattack.
"Purification..."
His ntal projection surged forward, piercing through the lead being's defenses. The astral being shrieked, its form disintegrating under Gustav's assault.
The remaining beings faltered, their unity broken. Gustav pressed on, tearing through their ranks with sheer force of will. One by one, they fell, their ethereal forms dissipating into the void.
Finally, the last of the astral beings vanished, leaving Gustav and Stark alone in the pathway once more.
Gustav panted as he felt his ntal reserves teetering on the precipice.
'Such powerful ntal attacks...' Gustav couldn't imagine how he would have fared if he was a level weaker.
Stark approached, his expression a mix of admiration and concern. "You did it..."
Gustav nodded, taking a mont to steady himself. "Yeah... but we can't let our guard down. There might be more ahead."
Stark agreed with a nod. "What now?"
"We keep moving," Gustav said, determination rekindling in his eyes.
They resud their journey, the glowing walls seemingly endless.
Hours turned into days, the journey testing their endurance and sanity. Fortunately, even after traveling for so long, they hadn't bumped into any other astral beings. Still they had to be on guard every step of the way.
"This trial... what do you think it's really testing?" Stark asked.
"Perseverance, maybe. Or the ability to keep going despite the odds," Gustav replied.
"Why did Miss Aie make it this tough? Did you offend her or sothing?" Stark wondered.
"Haha I doubt that. She always believed in pushing limits," Gustav said with a hint of admiration in his voice.
"I don't know what the end goal is with this but trust , she ans no harm."
Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the distance. It was small, but unmistakable.
"Look! Up ahead!" Stark exclaid.
Gustav's eyes narrowed, focusing on the distant glow. "That has to be it. Co on, let's go!"
With renewed vigor, they surged forward, the light growing closer with each step. The pathway seed to shorten, the walls narrowing until they finally reached the source of the light.
Before them stood a grand archway, bathed in a soft, welcoming glow. The air felt different here, lighter and filled with a sense of peace.
"This is it," Gustav said with a sense of accomplishnt washing over him.
Stark nodded, his exhaustion montarily forgotten. "We made it."
Together, they stepped through the archway, leaving the endless pathway behind.
They imdiately found themselves in an entirely different space.
The air shimred with a mystical glow, casting a soft, dreamlike light over the surroundings.
They were in a vast, open field, dotted with luminescent flowers that glowed in hues of blue and purple. Above them, the sky was a display of swirling colors, resembling an aurora borealis, casting a srizing dance of lights across the horizon.
In the center of this serene landscape stood a massive crystal structure, its surface reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors. As they approached the structure, a projection of Miss Aie materialized before them, her form as radiant and graceful as ever.
"Congratulations, Gustav," Miss Aie's voice echoed warmly. "You have passed the second trial. But your journey is not yet complete."
Gustav looked around, absorbing the beauty of the place. "What is this place?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"A training environnt I created for you," Miss Aie explained. "A place where the essence of this Agon converges. It is here that you will face your final trial."
'Oh it's an interactive projection this ti...' Gustav took note of the fact that this was different from the previous.
Stark, still catching his breath from the previous ordeal, looked at Miss Aie's projection. "What is the purpose of these trials, Miss Aie?"
Miss Aie's expression remained serene. "The purpose of these trials is not for to reveal. It is sothing you must discover for yourself."
Gustav nodded, accepting the challenge. "What is the third trial?"
"The final trial is one of physical strength and endurance," Miss Aie said. "It will push your limits and test your resolve. Prepare yourself well, for this trial will require every ounce of your strength."
Gustav and Stark exchanged a determined look. They took a couple of hours to rest and regain their energy, knowing that they needed to be at their best for the trial ahead.
The peaceful surroundings allowed them to recuperate, and they used the ti to ntally prepare for what was to co.
Once they felt ready, they returned to the crystal structure. Miss Aie's projection reappeared, acknowledging their readiness. "The third trial begins now."
The surroundings began to shift and change. The tranquil field dissolved, replaced by a rugged, mountainous landscape.
Jagged peaks and rocky outcrops stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was crisp and thin, and the ground beneath them felt solid and unyielding.
Gustav and Stark were led down a narrow path that wound through the mountains. This ti, the journey was much shorter, and they soon found themselves in an expansive open space.
The area was surrounded by towering cliffs, creating a natural amphitheater. In the center of this space stood a massive stone platform.
Gustav stepped onto the platform. "Let's do this," he said, his voice filled with determination.
Stark nodded, his draconic eyes glinting with resolve.
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