The spiral pathway of roots led them into a chamber unlike anything Zerrei had ever encountered. The Heartwood's pulse was louder here, reverberating through his wooden frame as if trying to shake him down to his very core. It wasn't the forest itself, he realized—it was something older, something aware, something that could see the tremors in his identity and measure the weight of every memory.
Every step he took felt deliberate, heavy, and electric. The roots under his feet glowed faintly, highlighting the path like veins carrying lifeblood, pulsing in tandem with his Heartglow. The golden-thread mark across his chest throbbed in resonance, and his Arcane Loop spun faster than ever, illuminating the gaps in his wooden form with bright arcs of energy.
Vessel Five walked close, low to the ground, its massive claws occasionally scraping against a protruding root to stabilize their footing. "…Zerrei… corelink intact… do not falter…" it murmured, the growl in its throat steady yet strained, as if it too felt the forest's pressure.
Lyra's hand remained firmly on his shoulder. "One step at a time. Don't fight it—understand it."
Arden's usual sarcasm faltered as he observed the shifting roots around them. "I've seen weird dungeons, I've fought crazy monsters, but this… this is insane. I hate it."
Oren, as usual, spoke quietly, voice tense with awe. "The Heartwood… it's not just a location. It's a sentient arboreal system. It can simulate identity, memory, fear, and even manipulate perception. It's capable of interrogating you at the psychological level. Zerrei… the trial is beginning."
Zerrei swallowed hard, the golden cracks across his form expanding slightly with the anxiety, and yet he forced himself to stand taller. "I… I'm ready."
The chamber widened further, revealing a central core—a massive knot of intertwining roots, glowing faintly with pulses of green, gold, and amber light. Its energy surged in waves that struck Zerrei's very perception, pushing and pulling at the threads of his mind, reminding him of fear, of dependency, of his own trauma.
A whisper rose—not in the air, but in his consciousness: Child of wood and arcane… can you hold yourself when the past rises? Can you endure when your fears take shape? Can you remain you?
Zerrei's Heartglow flared as he clenched his fists, golden energy coursing along the cracks in his frame. "…I am Zerrei. I am myself. Not a puppet. Not a weapon. Not a shadow of what he made me to be. I am me."
The Heartwood shuddered. Roots quivered, arcs of light twisting into abstract forms—echoes of Vessel Four's destruction, of the forest's terror during the early attacks, of the Creator's judgment—all projected vividly, testing Zerrei's resolve. He blinked against visions of monsters clawing at him, flashes of past terror, fragments of failure, all designed to unhinge his Heartglow.
Vessel Five growled, stepping closer. "…Zerrei… anchor… anchor… do not waver…" Its own form flickered with a golden sheen as if it were drawing part of its stability from Zerrei's assertion of self.
Lyra pressed her palm to Zerrei's chest. "Listen to me. You are not alone. This is a trial—but it isn't a punishment. Hold onto us. Let us hold you."
Arden planted his feet, swinging his axe in small arcs to steady the environment, cutting roots that threatened to lash them. "…Don't let it scare you. You're Zerrei. You're made of more than fear."
Oren's voice trembled slightly as he extended both hands, sending arcs of stabilizing mana into the chamber. "I can help maintain the Corelink. Just stay steady. Don't fight the forest—interact with it. Understand it."
Zerrei took a deep breath, his Heartglow pulsing violently. "…I understand. I understand… I am Zerrei, and I endure." He pressed his palm against the core of the Heartwood. The roots reacted—softening, pulsing in response, as if acknowledging his presence, yet probing still for weakness.
Then the trial began.
Figures emerged from the pulsing light—neither real nor completely imagined. Shadowy echoes of the forest, of monsters, and of vessels past, distorted and grotesque, moved toward him. Their forms were vaguely familiar: the mimicry of Vessel Four, distorted faces of monsters he had defeated, silhouettes of the Creator's instruments. Each one whispered his name, taunting him, testing his identity.
Zerrei staggered back. "…I… I can't…"
Vessel Five slammed its shoulder against him. "…Zerrei… you can… you must…"
Lyra gripped his hands. "You can. We are here. Remember that. We are your anchor."
Arden stomped on the roots, splitting a shadow-figure in two. "…See? Not real. Nothing here is real unless you let it be."
Oren extended protective sigils, his hands glowing as the light stabilized the space around them. "Corelink… maintain… stabilize… focus…"
Zerrei's Arcane Loop rotated faster, bright golden arcs racing along his spine. His Heartglow surged outward, enveloping himself and his companions. "…I am Zerrei! I am not my fear! I am not my trauma! I am not the Creator's design! I am me!"
The echoes shrieked and recoiled as if his assertion burned them. Golden threads from Zerrei's Heartglow shot out, touching the forest's roots, Vessel Five, and each member of his party. The Corelink shimmered into a net of stabilization, holding the trial at bay.
The Heartwood pulsed, sending waves of light and resonance, testing him still—this time not with fear, but with questions: Will you devour what you must to survive? Will you change? Will you embrace the evolution you fear?
Zerrei inhaled, feeling the surge of energy in his Arcane Loop. "…I will evolve—but on my terms. Not as a weapon. Not as a puppet. I am Zerrei. I choose me."
The Heartwood's pulse stilled slightly, the shadows vanishing as the chamber itself seemed to bow toward him. A single root rose from the core, twisting upward, forming an archway bathed in golden light. Enter, child of wood and arcane. Show your resolve.
Lyra nodded. "Step forward. We're with you."
Vessel Five lowered its head beside him. "…Zerrei… together…"
Arden grunted. "I hate everything, but yes… together."
Oren whispered: "…I will maintain stabilization as you enter. Go, Zerrei."
He took a step. Then another. His Heartglow flared brighter, golden threads tying him to his companions, Arcane Loop spinning furiously, wooden frame trembling yet firm.
The Heartwood's test had begun, and the trial of his identity—the first true challenge to define what Zerrei had become—was only just unfolding.
Step by step, he advanced into the core, each movement a declaration: he was Zerrei. And no force, not forest, not vessel, nor Creator, could erase that.