The trial did not end with that single confrontation. Once the shadow dissolved and the floor opened again, I descended further, only to find that each new hall demanded something different from me. There was no repetition, no comfort in pattern. Every chamber was designed to test a separate aspect of my foundation, as though the structure itself was examining me piece by piece.
One hall stripped everything away except my body.
The moment I entered, I felt the laws within me fall silent. I could not draw upon space, time, devour, or any elemental control. Even my domain remained unresponsive. A shadow emerged at the center, its presence steady and physical. There was no distortion around it, no construct forming behind it. It stepped forward and attacked with nothing but raw strength.
I smiled.
It had been a long time since I had relied purely on muscle and bone.
