As soon as MC made his decision, the dim light at the center of the room began to pulse brighter, emitting a gentle glow that cut through the darkness. But soon after, the surrounding shadows twisted into eerie, formless figures, slowly closing in around them.
Oyen immediately released a flicker of flame, trying to drive the shadows back with his small but fierce fire. Yet the dark forms seemed unaffected by ordinary flames. Hitam and Abu joined in, using their speed and elasticity to dodge and confuse the shadowy movements.
Meanwhile, Putih exhaled a chilling mist, freezing part of the darkness and slowing them down. But then, a large shadow appeared at the center of the room—a figure far more terrifying than the rest, radiating an aura of despair and sorrow.
MC realized this was the heart of the trial. It wasn't just about defeating an enemy. It was about facing the fear and doubt within themselves.
Cimut let out a trembling hum, her vibrations creating disorienting waves that threw off the shadows' concentration. Belang and Lurik worked together, casting camouflage and illusions to make it impossible for the large shadow to tell real from fake.
As the atmosphere grew tense, MC activated his thorn disk and launched an attack that absorbed a portion of the shadow's energy.
The glowing light at the center responded to their struggle, growing brighter with every coordinated effort—as if acknowledging their unity. The element was beginning to open itself for claiming.
But MC knew this was just the beginning of the true test. They had to stay united and trust each other to overcome the darkness.
—Until suddenly—
The giant shadow paused mid-lunge, tilted its head... and sneezed.
*ACHOO!*
Everyone froze. Even the shadows stopped moving.
"…Did it just sneeze?" Abu whispered.
"I-I think Cimut's vibrations tickled its… uh… nose?" Putih guessed uncertainly.
"That thing has a nose?!" MC exclaimed, still in battle stance.
The shadow slowly turned toward Cimut, sniffled once, and then sneezed again—this time blasting one of its own minions into the wall like a rag doll.
*POM!*
Cimut blinked. "Oops."
MC shook his shell. "New strategy: make it allergic to our noise!"
"Noted," said Oyen. "I'll warm up the shadow's tea."
"I have mushrooms!" added MC proudly, pulling one out from his storage.
"No! We're not feeding it!" Putih groaned.
Even as the moment eased the tension slightly, the challenge still remained. The shadow steadied itself again, now warier than before.
MC narrowed his gaze. "Let's finish this, before it starts sneezing fire or something."
The trial of light and shadow had begun—and in true eggling fashion, it would be faced with courage, teamwork… and accidental comedy.