Champion of the Veil

Kieran barely had time to catch his breath before the ground beneath him shifted. The archway behind him disintegrated into glowing embers, and a new path revealed itself—an obsidian bridge stretching over a vast, molten abyss. The air shimmered with heat, and the ground trembled with each distant eruption of lava.

"Your fourth trial," the voice intoned, emotionless as ever. "The Gauntlet of Ash."

Kieran groaned. "Yeah, because the last one was a walk in the park."

"This will test your endurance, speed, and wit," the voice continued, ignoring him. "Reach the other side before the flames consume you."

As if on cue, the bridge began to crack and splinter, chunks of it falling into the molten river below. Kieran's heart pounded. "Oh, fantastic. Let's do this."

He took off at a sprint, his boots pounding against the unstable surface. The Veil's energy pulsed within him, but he knew he had to use it sparingly. The bridge was collapsing faster than he anticipated—gaps appearing between sections, fire erupting from the chasms below.

A massive geyser of flame shot up ahead, cutting off his path. Kieran skidded to a halt, eyes darting for an alternative. The only option was a series of crumbling pillars to his left.

"This is going to hurt," he muttered, before leaping toward the first one.

The impact sent a shock through his legs, but he had no time to dwell on it. The second pillar was already tilting, and the third was barely intact. He pushed off, landing just as the second crumbled into the abyss.

The third was worse. Flames licked up its sides, heat searing his skin as he landed. The stone beneath him cracked, and he knew he had seconds before it collapsed completely.

"Come on, come on," he growled, focusing on the energy within. Silver light flared around his legs as he channeled the Veil, pushing off with an extra burst of speed. He soared through the air, barely clearing the flames, and hit the next platform with a roll.

Pain flared in his shoulder, but he shoved it aside. There was no time for pain.

The path ahead was even worse—swinging chains tipped with burning blades, platforms that crumbled the moment his weight touched them, and bursts of flame shooting in unpredictable patterns.

"Seriously, who designs these trials?" Kieran panted.

He dashed forward, weaving through the first set of chains. One nearly took his head off, but he ducked just in time. Another came from his right—he twisted mid-stride, barely avoiding the searing heat of its blade.

The next obstacle was a series of floating platforms, each one only stable for a second before they dropped into the inferno below. Kieran clenched his fists.

"No room for error," he muttered. Then he ran.

He landed on the first platform, and immediately it began to sink. He lunged for the next, barely catching his footing before jumping again. The Veil's energy surged within him, sharpening his reactions. Time seemed to slow as he leapt from platform to platform, fire roaring beneath him.

He was almost there.

The final jump was the longest yet. He gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of energy left in his body. His muscles screamed as he pushed off, flying through the air toward the last platform.

Mid-air, a massive eruption of flame shot up from below.

Kieran had no time to react. The heat engulfed him, his skin burning as he crashed onto the final platform. Pain surged through him, but he forced himself up. He was alive. Barely.

The flames around the path died down, and a new set of glowing text appeared before him.

"Congratulations, initiate. You have passed the fourth trial."

Kieran groaned, rolling onto his back. "I hate this place."

Because if this one was bad, he could only imagine what fresh nightmare awaited him next.