Elara's POV
The Tower of Origins had always been a place of mystery, but now, with the weight of the Inkbearer's legacy pressing on my shoulders, it felt like a cage. The walls seemed to close in around me with every passing second, suffocating me in the echoes of words I couldn't yet fully understand.
The book still hummed with power in my hands, the pages now glowing faintly, as though they had absorbed every bit of my fear and doubt. The words inside weren't just ink—they were alive. They pulsed, they breathed, they whispered. And with each whispered word, I could feel the pull of something ancient, something vast, and something terrifying.
The figure's words echoed in my mind:
"The masks were never meant to be broken."
I shivered, closing my eyes, trying to push the haunting words away. But they lingered, stubbornly pressing at the back of my mind, gnawing at me like a constant reminder of the danger that awaited.
I had to understand. I had to break free from this web of lies and manipulation.
But the questions kept piling up. Why me? Why was I chosen to be the Inkbearer? What did the masks represent, and why were they so important?
I gripped the book tighter, feeling a strange compulsion to open it once again, to find the answers hidden within its pages. And as if answering my silent call, the pages flipped open on their own, stopping at a section I hadn't seen before.
I leaned in, the ink drawing me in like a magnet.
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"The Trial of Words."
The words seemed to glow, practically vibrating off the page.
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A test awaits the Inkbearer.
A trial of words—truth and lies, power and weakness.
The Inkbearer will write the fate of those who wear the masks.
Choose wisely. Choose carefully.
The consequences are eternal.
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I stared at the words, my heart pounding. A trial? Was this a test of some kind? Was this what the figure had meant by breaking the masks?
"Choose wisely. Choose carefully."
The warning felt too real. I could feel the weight of the words, the responsibility. Every choice I made would have consequences, and I was still so unsure. Could I really rewrite fate? Could I truly control the power of the Inkbearer?
A sudden noise broke through my thoughts, and I turned, startled. The air shimmered before me, and from the shadows, a figure emerged—draped in a long, dark cloak, their mask almost glowing in the dim light.
It was him. The shadowed figure. The one who had first spoken of the Court, of the Inkbearer.
"You've seen the trial," he said, his voice colder than before. His eyes, hidden beneath the mask, seemed to glow, like two burning coals. "Now you must face it."
"What trial?" I demanded, clutching the book tighter in my hands. "What is this? What do you want from me?"
He stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. "The trial of words is the only way to move forward, Elara." His words hung in the air like a threat. "You are the Inkbearer. You hold the power to shape stories, to alter fates. But every word has weight. Every decision comes with a price. The masks are only the beginning. You have yet to see what lies beyond them."
I could feel the energy in the room shift, heavy with the weight of his words. He wasn't just speaking in riddles now—he was challenging me, testing me.
"What is the trial?" I asked again, more desperate this time. "What do I need to do?"
He gave a small, almost imperceptible smile, his mask shifting slightly. "You will face three trials. Each one will test your control over words, your understanding of power. You will decide the fate of the masks, of the Court, and of the world beyond."
The room grew colder still, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. The gravity of the situation was sinking in. The stakes were higher than I'd ever imagined.
"You'll face three trials," the figure continued. "The trial of truth, the trial of lies, and the trial of power. You will choose."
He stepped back, his figure receding into the shadows once again. "Make your decision, Inkbearer. The trial begins now."
Before I could respond, the book in my hands flipped open on its own again. The pages turned, stopping at a new section. The trial had begun.
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Trial One: The Trial of Truth
The first trial would test my ability to see beyond lies and deceit. The trial would force me to confront my deepest truths—the ones I had buried, the ones I feared to face.
I had to choose. What was my truth? And what would I sacrifice to reveal it?
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End of Chapter 16
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