The Alphas Reincarnation Stats of a Wolf

The Depths of Resolve

The obsidian staircase spiraled upward, vanishing into the oppressive darkness above. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of the Citadel pressing down on them like an unseen hand. The air grew colder, dense with the suffocating promise of something waiting beyond.

Zephyr led the way, the crystal's faint glow barely enough to light their path. Behind him, Kierra moved silently, her eyes scanning every shadow, her daggers glinting faintly. Ryu trailed at the rear, his claws still stained with remnants of shadow from their battle with the Warden.

The word etched on the obelisk—Ascend—echoed in Zephyr's mind. It wasn't just an instruction. It was a warning.

"Do you feel that?" Kierra whispered, her voice slicing through the silence.

Zephyr nodded. He didn't need to ask what she meant. The Citadel's presence wasn't just external—it was inside them now, threading through their thoughts, testing their resolve. Every step felt like a question: Do you deserve to continue?

Ryu let out a low growl, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I hate this place. It's like it's trying to crawl into my head."

"It is," Zephyr said flatly. "Don't let it. The moment you start doubting yourself, it'll use that against you."

Ryu scoffed, but there was an edge of unease in his tone. "Great. So now we're fighting the Citadel and our own minds."

The staircase ended abruptly, depositing them in another chamber. This one was smaller than the last, but no less menacing. The walls were lined with jagged obsidian spikes, and the floor was etched with intricate runes that pulsed faintly with a sickly green light.

At the center of the room stood a pedestal, upon which rested a small, ornate box. It was unassuming, almost delicate, but the air around it crackled with energy.

"Another trial," Kierra muttered, her eyes narrowing.

Zephyr stepped forward cautiously, the crystal in his hand pulsing in time with the runes on the floor. He could feel the Citadel watching them, its presence pressing against his thoughts, probing for weakness.

"What's the catch?" Ryu asked, his claws flexing.

As if in answer, the runes on the floor flared to life, and the shadows in the room began to stir. They didn't coalesce into a single entity this time. Instead, they split, forming three figures—each one identical to Zephyr, Kierra, and Ryu.

Their shadowy doppelgängers moved with an unnatural fluidity, their forms flickering like smoke. They stepped forward in unison, their eyes glowing with the same sickly green light as the runes.

"Of course," Ryu muttered. "It's us."

Zephyr's shadow stepped forward, its hand gripping a dark version of the crystal. It raised the artifact, and the room was suddenly filled with an oppressive, crushing weight.

"Don't break formation!" Zephyr barked, his voice cutting through the rising tension. "They're not just imitating us—they're feeding off us!"

Kierra didn't need to be told twice. She darted to the side, her movements quick and precise, engaging her shadow. Her daggers flashed as she struck, but the shadow matched her blow for blow, its movements a perfect mirror of her own.

Ryu roared, launching himself at his doppelgänger. Claws met claws in a brutal clash, each strike sending sparks of energy crackling through the air.

Zephyr, meanwhile, faced off against his own shadow. It was unnerving—like looking into a dark, distorted mirror. Every movement he made, it anticipated. Every strike, it countered.

The room descended into chaos, the air filled with the sound of clashing steel and snarling shadows.

"They're not just imitating us," Kierra shouted, her voice tight with effort. "They're learning."

She was right. Zephyr could see it—the way his shadow's movements became sharper, more efficient, as though it were refining itself with every exchange.

"This isn't a fight we can win with brute force," Zephyr said through gritted teeth.

"Then what do you suggest?" Ryu growled, his strikes growing more desperate as his shadow began to overpower him.

Zephyr's mind raced. The crystal pulsed in his hand, its light flickering weakly. He could feel its connection to the Citadel, to the trial they were trapped in. The Citadel wasn't testing their strength. It was testing their resolve, their ability to think beyond the obvious.

"It's a reflection," Zephyr said, the realization hitting him like a bolt of lightning. "They're us. But they're tied to this room—to the Citadel's rules."

"So what?" Ryu snapped, barely dodging a strike that would have taken his head off.

"So we change the rules," Zephyr said.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the crystal. Its light flared briefly, then dimmed, as though resisting him. But he pushed harder, reaching out with his will, forcing the artifact to respond.

The runes on the floor pulsed brighter, their rhythm shifting. The shadows faltered, their movements growing sluggish and erratic.

"What are you doing?" Kierra asked, her voice sharp.

"Breaking the connection," Zephyr said, his voice strained. "They're tied to the Citadel—to the runes. If we disrupt the pattern, they can't hold their form."

The shadows hissed, their forms flickering violently as the runes began to destabilize.

"Keep them busy!" Zephyr shouted.

Kierra and Ryu threw themselves back into the fight, their movements becoming more coordinated as the shadows weakened.

Zephyr focused all his energy on the crystal, channeling every ounce of willpower he had. The runes pulsed faster and faster, their glow becoming blinding.

And then, with a deafening crack, the room was plunged into darkness.

When the light returned, the shadows were gone. The room was silent, save for the ragged breathing of the three companions.

The pedestal stood untouched, the ornate box still resting atop it.

Zephyr staggered forward, his legs trembling. He reached out, his hand closing around the box.

As soon as he touched it, the Citadel shifted again.

The doorway at the far end of the room opened, revealing another staircase descending into the depths.

"This isn't over," Zephyr said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It never is," Kierra replied, her daggers still in her hands.

Ryu cracked his knuckles, a grim smile on his face. "Good. I'm just getting started."

They descended into the darkness once more, the Citadel's trials far from finished.