Kenzo's feet hit the broken stone courtyard for the second time.
The first night had passed.
His body still ached from the last wave of astral siege beasts, but his mind was sharper now. Clearer. He had survived, awakened the first star, and endured the first of nine nights.
Now, he faced the next test.
"The siege never ends," Ferrion's echo rumbled from within. "You hold. Or you break."
Across the battlefield, the fortress trembled. The cracks in the outer walls had deepened. The black sky above his spirit domain pulsed with hostile energy, and the horizon was darker than before.
The second wave had begun.
Kenzo clenched his fists.
He still had just one active star. [Steelveil Skin] gave him Astral Armor, but it couldn't hold against stronger impacts forever. He needed more. He needed his second star. He needed to pass the first trial—Starlit Initiate—and step into the next stage.
But the trial was clear: survive, endure, and unlock a deeper bond with your constellation.
He felt the familiar pressure rising again.
The beasts came without warning.
Four this time. Faster. Sharper. Smarter.
They were shaped like armored wolves, but twisted, with limbs of jagged light and armor-like plates of corrupted astral crystal. Their eyes burned violet.
Kenzo stepped forward.
One lunged. He ducked and smashed a gauntlet into its ribs, only to be blindsided by another from the right. The impact flung him into a wall. He grunted, but rolled back to his feet.
Sparks flew from his armor—fractures forming along the shoulder plates.
"Too fast," he muttered. "Can't trade hits like before."
He moved, forcing the beasts to come at him one at a time—using broken columns and staircases to control the field. But they learned quickly. Two split off to flank. One lunged high while another swept low.
Kenzo barely dodged, only to take a hit across the chest that sent him sliding across the floor.
Pain flared.
The Astral Armor flickered—then reformed. He pushed himself up, breathing hard.
"Still standing."
But barely.
He reached inward, toward the burning constellation inside him. The sigil of Ferrion—the Iron Bastion—glowed faintly. The second star flickered.
Anchor Core.
He remembered the requirement now. Ferrion didn't reward speed or aggression.
He demanded stability.
He had to take a hit—fully braced, without dodging. Only by showing unshakable defense would the second star awaken.
Another beast charged.
Kenzo planted his feet.
The blow hit like a war hammer.
Claws scraped against his chestplate. A second impact hit from the side. The two beasts struck together, trying to knock him down.
His legs trembled. But he didn't fall.
[Second Star Activation Condition Met.]
[Anchor Core – Unlocked.]
Power surged.
His armor solidified. Weight filled his limbs—not heavy, but rooted. Immovable.
The beast tried again.
Kenzo didn't move.
This time, the creature bounced off him, as if hitting an iron wall.
Kenzo inhaled slowly.
[Anchor Core Effect: Immune to knockback, grapples, and forced displacement. Astral stance stabilized.]
He stepped forward once.
The ground cracked.
He grabbed the beast's head and drove it into the floor with one clean motion. A second beast pounced, but now, Kenzo's stance didn't shift. He ducked low and slammed a fist into its chest, sending it flying into a broken tower.
The others hesitated.
The tide had turned.
He wasn't a fragile Initiate anymore.
The second wave ended thirty minutes later.
Kenzo stood in the courtyard, alone, surrounded by fallen beasts of light and smoke. His armor was scratched, but intact. His stance was firm.
Then, a pulse echoed through the air.
The sigil on his chest glowed bright, and a low, distant chime rang out across the Spirit Domain.
[Constellation Trial Complete: Starlit Initiate]
[Rank Up: Celestial Attuned Achieved]
A warm surge of energy spread through his core. His breathing steadied. His pain faded slightly.
And above, a second star permanently ignited on his soul.
Kenzo had passed his first Awakening Trial.
Back in the real world, the Astral Gate shimmered slightly.
The symbol above it—Ferrion's tower-shield sigil—glowed with two stars instead of one.
Daelor Terron watched quietly.
A younger officer approached. "Your son's ascended to Celestial Attuned. Two stars in two nights. At his age... that's rare."
Daelor gave no reply.
But for a brief moment, his expression softened.
Meanwhile, far to the south, in the volcanic capital of Pyrelis, a sparring match had just ended in a circle of flames.
Talia Valtrix twirled her training blade, sweat steaming off her crimson armor.
A servant approached. "My lady. News from Terron lands. The heir has passed his first trial."
Talia raised an eyebrow. "He unlocked two stars already?"
"Yes. He's officially Celestial Attuned."
A slow grin spread across her face.
"Finally. He might actually be worth my time."
Kenzo sat at the edge of a ruined wall, overlooking the battlefield below.
His armor had faded, but the constellation within him still glowed. Two stars. One trial completed.
He knew it wasn't over.
The nights would grow harder.
But now, he had proof.
He could endure.
He could fight.
He could stand.
"Ferrion," he whispered. "I'll carry your armor all the way to the end."
And somewhere deep in the Spirit Domain, the old god's echo rumbled back.
"Then hold fast, Kenzo Terron. For the real siege has only just begun."