Divinity's Trial

THE GRAND ENGINE

As the sun set over the towering spires of Asphe, casting long shadows across the city, Tur stood on the highest balcony of his citadel, gazing out over the expanse. The city bustled with unnatural life—undead golems, spectral figures, and silent mages moved with eerie precision, all under Tur's watchful eye. He had orchestrated this, bending death itself to his will to aid in the restoration of the World Engine, his ultimate plan to rewrite the fabric of Elarion.

The moon, full and bright, reflected off the gleaming parts of the World Engine that were laid out meticulously in the courtyard below. Massive gears, energy conduits, and runic stones, each part infused with ancient magics, were ready to be assembled. Tur knew the day was fast approaching—the day when the World Engine would be completed, but first, he needed the final key: the Core of Elarion's approval.

The leaders of the cities—Luminous, Rama, and others—had been distant lately, preoccupied with strengthening their defenses. Tabrees was silent, and the city itself felt like a ghost of its former self, now filled with his summoned creations. Tur hadn't met with them in what felt like an eternity. He wondered how they would react when they discovered the true extent of his plans.

As the night deepened, a figure approached him from behind—a shadow, one of his spies, silent and efficient as ever. It bowed before speaking in a low, gravelly voice.

**Shadow (quietly):** "My lord, the final preparations are underway. The parts are in place, and the mages have confirmed the convergence will be ready within two days."

Tur nodded, his gaze still fixed on the horizon where the first light of dawn would soon break.

**Tur (distant, thoughtful):** "Good. The time is almost upon us. But we are still missing the most important piece. Without the Core's approval, all of this is meaningless."

The shadow tilted its head, waiting for instructions.

**Shadow:** "Should I send word to the leaders? Force their hand if necessary?"

Tur's lips curled into a faint smile. He was never one for brute force unless absolutely necessary. The Core of Elarion wasn't something to be taken by force; it had to be persuaded, lured, controlled in a way that only he understood.

**Tur (calmly):** "No. They will come to us, in time. Luminous and Rama cannot afford to ignore what I've built here. Once they see what the World Engine is capable of, they'll have no choice but to fall in line."

The shadow nodded, vanishing back into the night. Tur remained, his mind spinning with calculations and contingencies. He had studied the Core of Elarion for years, its enigmatic power source that kept the balance of the world in check. His plan wasn't to destroy it but to harness it, merge it with the World Engine, and create something beyond imagination.

He turned away from the balcony, his footsteps echoing as he descended the staircase back into the heart of the citadel. As he passed through the corridors, the mages and golems parted in reverence. Their lifeless, hollow eyes never met his; they were mere tools, extensions of his will. Yet, even these creations, bound to him by magic, stirred something within him—a reminder of what he had sacrificed.

The door to the chamber opened before him, revealing the massive components of the World Engine laid out like a puzzle. Mages were chanting softly as runes glowed on the floor, stabilizing the energy surges emanating from the core components.

Tur stepped into the center, his hand resting on one of the ancient gears, feeling the raw power thrumming beneath his fingertips. This was it. The culmination of all his years of knowledge and ambition. But still, one final step awaited him.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind him.

**Rama (stern, familiar):** "You're playing with fire, Tur."