The temple's vast stone doors groaned as they opened, the sound reverberating through the still air. Elara felt an immediate sense of unease as she crossed the threshold, the weight of the place pressing down on her. It wasn't just the ancient architecture or the mysterious symbols carved into every surface—it was the feeling of being watched, not by mortal eyes but by the very walls themselves.
The Unnameable led her through the dimly lit corridors, his stride steady and purposeful. He seemed to know this place well, as though he had walked these halls countless times before. As they delved deeper into the heart of the temple, Elara couldn't help but notice the sensation of reality shifting around them. The walls shimmered, and sometimes, for just a moment, she caught glimpses of other worlds through the cracks—flashes of distant realms, alien landscapes, and strange, shadowy figures.
"Where are we?" she asked, her voice echoing faintly.
"The Nexus of Creation," the Unnameable replied. "This is where reality itself was first shaped. Where the first Primordials learned to manipulate the multiverse. And where you will begin to understand your own abilities."
They arrived at a circular chamber, its ceiling soaring high above them. The walls were lined with intricate carvings, depicting scenes of creation and destruction, of worlds being born and worlds dying in flames. At the center of the room stood a raised platform, upon which rested an ornate mirror framed in silver and gold.
The Unnameable gestured toward the mirror. "Step forward."
Elara hesitated. The mirror gleamed with a strange light, and as she approached it, she felt the air around it shimmer with energy. Slowly, she stepped onto the platform and stood before the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with wide, uncertain eyes.
"What do I do?" she asked.
"Look deeper."
Elara frowned but did as he said. She focused on her reflection, trying to see beyond the surface. And then, slowly, something began to change. The reflection in the mirror shifted, her image warping and distorting. Her eyes glowed with the same blue light she had summoned in battle, and her skin seemed to shimmer with the energy of creation itself.
Suddenly, the mirror cracked, spiderwebbing from the center outward. Elara stumbled back, her heart racing.
The Unnameable's voice was calm, even as the mirror shattered completely. "You've begun the process. Now, you must face the trials."
Before Elara could ask what he meant, the ground beneath her feet vanished, and she plunged into darkness.