The golden sun rose gently over the Ancient Sky Temple, bathing the entire world in a soft light that seemed to sing with power. Zayn stood at the very peak of the floating temple, his eyes calm, his presence unshakable. The skies above him weren't normal skies—they shimmered like mirrors, layered with worlds within worlds. This was the realm of the Divine Skies—a forbidden place even for deities. Yet, here stood Zayn, alone but fearless.
Today was the day of the Divine Trial, a test meant only for gods… and yet, Zayn had qualified.
He walked toward the trial gate, a floating crystal arch wrapped in blue lightning and golden runes. Behind it, a thousand paths floated in the void—each one a different trial. These weren't physical challenges. These were trials of fate, memory, will, soul, and truth. Failing even one could break a lesser being.
A voice echoed from the void, ancient and cold, "Zayn, Mortal Who Defies Heavens… Choose."
Zayn didn't hesitate. He stepped through the arch and entered the first trial.
—First Trial: The Weight of Past
Zayn found himself in a ruined village. Fire. Screams. His mother's soft hands trembling. His younger self stood frozen, eyes wide with fear. This was his memory—the day he lost everything. But this time, the trial forced him to feel every scream, every tear, every helpless second.
The voice echoed again. "Will you carry your past or be crushed beneath it?"
Zayn knelt beside his younger self, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I carry it all," he whispered. "But it makes me stronger."
The village faded. He passed.
—Second Trial: The Mirror of Desire
Zayn stood before a mirror that showed him with everything—thousands of loyal followers, infinite power, a throne built of galaxies, and his harem of goddesses all smiling beside him.
The temptation was unreal. This was not a future. It was a perfect dream.
But Zayn narrowed his eyes.
"Perfection without struggle is a lie."
He shattered the mirror with a single punch. The illusion bled gold, then vanished.
Passed again.
—Third Trial: The Soul Furnace
Now, Zayn was bound in chains of soulfire. The sky turned red. Voices screamed in his head—his fears, regrets, doubts. They tried to tear his soul apart.
But his eyes shone with unwavering will.
"I have no room for weakness."
His soul blazed like a star, burning the chains. He broke free, glowing with ethereal power.
—Fourth Trial: The Truth of Origin
A strange light surrounded him. Now, he stood before a being made entirely of stars. It had no name—only presence.
"You are not meant to exist," it said. "You defy fate. You stole power not yours."
Zayn smiled.
"Wrong. I earned everything."
He walked forward, unshaken, and placed his hand on the being. It faded, leaving only silence.
—Fifth Trial: The Choice of Eternity
Finally, Zayn stood before a throne made of light. A voice offered him godhood—the power to erase all pain, all sorrow, for himself and his people. But it came at a cost: his emotions, his identity, his freedom.
He stood silent for a moment.
Then turned away.
"I will become god… but on my terms."
The throne shattered. A beam of light surged into him. His body transformed. His eyes now held galaxies.
He had passed the Divine Trial.
—When Zayn returned, the skies trembled. Even the gods watched in awe. In one hand, he now held a new artifact—The Celestial Crest, a divine token that could command reality within the Upper Realms.
The Nameless One, watching from the shadows, narrowed his eyes.
"He grows… faster than expected," the ancient being murmured.
Zayn, unaware of the shadow watching, simply walked down the temple steps, his cloak fluttering, his divine presence hidden. He had passed another gate. But the real war had yet to begin.
The skies had opened. The Sovereign was rising.