"What kind of trials?" Kael asked, his gaze fixed on the pulsating blue lines of the ovoid device.
"What will I have to do in there?"
Erick offered a cryptic smile. "You'll see, my boy. The specifics are best experienced firsthand. It's designed to test your instincts and your ability to adapt to the unexpected. Actually, if you really know what to do, you'll be out of there in less than a day." He gestured towards the Gateway. "Now then, no time like the present. Why don't you step on?"
Kael looked at the device, then back at Erick, a surprised expression on his face. "Like… right now?"
"Do you have somewhere else to be?" Erick replied, his tone suggesting that Kael's schedule was entirely at his discretion.
Kael hesitated for a moment, a mix of apprehension and curiosity swirling within him. He then turned his attention back to the Cognitive Gateway, examining it more closely.
The ovoid structure was seamless, without any visible doors or openings. The obsidian-like material was cool and smooth to the touch where the glowing cerulean lines intersected, creating intricate geometric patterns that seemed to subtly shift and flow. The humming sound was more noticeable up close, a low thrumming that resonated in the air and seemed to vibrate slightly beneath his fingertips. There was a faint scent of ozone, clean and almost electric.
Around the base of the ovoid, thin tendrils of the same glowing blue energy snaked across the stone floor, converging at a circular platform directly in front of the device. This platform was slightly raised and seemed to be made of a similar dark material. Etched into its surface were more of the shifting Elven glyphs.
Above the main ovoid, a delicate lattice of the same obsidian material formed a canopy-like structure, from which more of the cerulean light emanated, casting soft, ethereal shadows on the walls of the circular chamber. The overall impression was one of advanced, almost organic technology, both alien and strangely inviting.
"How do I… get in?" Kael asked, still a little unsure.
"Simply step onto the platform," Erick instructed, gesturing towards the circular area. "The Gateway will take care of the rest."
Kael eyed the platform warily. It didn't look like it moved or had any visible mechanisms. Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the smooth, cool surface. As his feet settled on the etched glyphs, the cerulean light beneath them pulsed brighter. The humming intensified, and a gentle warmth enveloped him. The air around the Cognitive Gateway seemed to shimmer, and the glowing lines on its surface pulsed in sync with a soft, resonant tone that filled the chamber.
As the warmth intensified, Kael felt a strange tingling sensation spread through his body, starting from his feet on the platform and moving upwards. The humming sound resonated deeper within him, almost as if it were vibrating his very bones. The cerulean light around the Gateway pulsed faster, and the geometric patterns on its surface seemed to spin and coalesce.
Then, the sensation shifted. It was as if a gentle hand was reaching into his mind, a soft pulling sensation at the edges of his consciousness. His vision blurred slightly, and a feeling of lightness washed over him, as if his body was becoming less substantial. The room around him seemed to fade at the edges, the sounds of the chamber receding into a distant hum.
The pulling intensified, and Kael felt a distinct separation, a strange and unsettling sensation of his awareness detaching from his physical form. It was like floating, drifting away from the anchor of his body, his thoughts becoming fluid and unmoored. The last thing he registered was the fading blue light and the receding image of Erick standing beside the Cognitive Gateway.
Erick watched as Kael's body, now seemingly weightless, gently floated a few inches above the platform. His eyes were closed, his expression serene, almost peaceful. The cerulean light surrounding the Gateway pulsed steadily, a silent testament to the journey Kael's mind had just begun.
Erick stared at Kael's still form for a long moment, a complex mix of anticipation and a hint of unease in his gaze. He then murmured, his voice barely audible above the lingering hum of the device, "Let's see what you truly are capable of." He paused, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "See you on the other side."
Turning sharply, Erick walked away from the Cognitive Gateway and the floating figure of Kael, the heavy oak door closing silently behind him, leaving the chamber bathed in the soft, ethereal blue light.