Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

Every light in Asterion vanished.

The city disappeared beneath absolute darkness.

Only the tiny black star beneath the palace remained visible.

Victoria Kane stood before it, Dawnblade raised.

"What is the test?"

The First Void answered.

"Choice."

A pulse of darkness crossed the chamber.

Suddenly, everyone saw a different world.

Victoria saw Asterion burning.

Thousands of people screamed.

Lyra stood alone beneath a black sky.

A voice whispered inside Victoria’s mind.

"Save the city, or save the girl."

Victoria’s grip tightened.

Lyra looked at her.

"Don’t listen."

Another vision appeared.

Cole saw Victoria surrounded by enemies.

Only one bullet remained in his rifle.

He could save Victoria or protect the civilians behind him.

Evelyn saw two paths.

On one stood knowledge.

On the other stood compassion.

The First Void spoke again.

"Every choice destroys another possibility."

Father Gabriel closed his eyes.

"That is not a test."

The Void turned toward him.

"Then what is it?"

"A temptation to believe that every choice must have a perfect answer."

The darkness trembled.

Victoria looked toward Lyra.

The girl was surrounded by black flames.

Victoria stepped forward.

"I choose Lyra."

The Void responded immediately.

"Then Asterion dies."

Victoria shook her head.

"No."

She raised the Dawnblade.

"I choose Lyra."

The seven successors moved beside her.

"And we choose Asterion too."

Golden light spread through the chamber.

The Void recoiled.

"Impossible."

Malachor lifted his staff.

"Only if you believe choices must be made alone."

Seraphine’s crystal bowl released silver light.

"Compassion connects choices."

Thalen raised his bow.

"Hope creates another path."

Ordan planted his shield.

"Sacrifice protects that path."

Elara smiled.

"Freedom allows us to choose it."

Malachor continued,

"Wisdom shows us what we cannot see."

Nox’Rath stepped forward.

"And memory teaches us not to repeat our mistakes."

The First Hunger appeared behind them.

"Then I will add hunger."

Victoria glanced at it.

"For what?"

The creature’s star-filled eyes softened.

"To become better than what I was."

Valerius raised his crimson spear.

"And I will add responsibility."

Dawn stood beside Victoria.

"And I will add possibility."

The black star began cracking.

The First Void screamed.

"You were supposed to choose one!"

Victoria smiled.

"We chose to create another."

She struck the floor with the Dawnblade.

A golden circle erupted beneath everyone.

The visions shattered.

Across Asterion, lights began returning.

Citizens looked around in confusion.

The Heart of Harmony slowly reignited.

But the black star did not disappear.

Instead, it transformed.

Its darkness became transparent.

Inside it appeared countless possible futures.

Victoria stared.

"The test wasn’t about choosing between two lives."

Evelyn nodded.

"It was about refusing a false choice."

The First Void became silent.

Then its voice softened.

"Accepted."

The black star shrank into a small crystal.

It floated toward Victoria.

She caught it.

"What happens now?"

The crystal answered.

"The First Test is complete."

Then the chamber shook violently.

A crack opened beneath the crystal sphere.

Dawn looked downward.

"That wasn’t part of the test."

A deep roar emerged from the darkness below.

Nox’Rath’s expression changed.

"Something else is waking."

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

The crack widened.

A massive golden eye opened beneath them.

And a voice older than the First Void whispered:

"You passed the test."

"Now face the consequence."

The entire chamber began collapsing.

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