The vortex deposited the survivors into a vast, featureless expanse. The air was heavy, thick with an unplaceable tension that seemed to hum just beyond their hearing. The ground beneath them was cold and polished, a seamless stone surface that stretched out infinitely in all directions. Above, the sky churned with chaotic swirls of crimson and black, streaked with flashes of eerie light. In the center of the space stood a towering monolith, jet-black and covered in glowing runes that pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.

  Dan felt the weight of the relic in his hands as it grew warmer, the pulsing glow syncing with the rhythm of the runes on the monolith. He stared at it, knowing deep in his gut that everything they had endured had led them here.

  Rachel's voice broke the silence. "This... feels different." Her tone was laced with unease as her gaze swept over the endless expanse.

  "This is it," Rachel said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked at the monolith, her jaw tightening. "The last trial."

  "What do you think it'll ask of us?" Caleb asked, his voice trembling.

  Rachel shook her head. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."

  As they approached the monolith, a low, resonant hum filled the air, growing louder with each step. The relic grew heavier in Dan's hands, its glow intensifying to a blinding light. He stopped just short of the monolith, feeling a strange pull emanating from it.

  Suddenly, a booming voice echoed across the expanse, deep and ancient, as if it came from the island itself.

  "The final trial is a choice. The sacrifice of one for the salvation of many. The relic holds the key to unlocking paradise, but only at the cost of its bearer's life."

  The group froze, the weight of the words settling over them like a shroud.

  "Sacrifice?" Owen whispered, his face pale.

  Rachel stepped forward, her fists clenched. "There has to be another way. We've come too far to lose anyone now."

  The voice responded, emotionless and unyielding. "There is no other way. The balance must be restored. The relic's power demands a life to fulfill its purpose. Choose. Or remain here in this wasteland forever."

  The light dimmed, and silence fell over the group. The weight of the words hung in the air, suffocating and undeniable.

  Rachel was the first to speak, her voice trembling with defiance. "No. There has to be another way."

  "Did you hear what it said?" Caleb asked, panic creeping into his tone. "One of us has to die for the rest to live?"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "This is insane," Owen muttered, his hands tugging at his hair. "We've come so far. There has to be another way. There has to be."

  "There isn't," Dan said quietly, his voice cutting through their rising panic. He looked down at the relic in his hands, its glow steady and resolute, as if it already knew its purpose.

  Rachel stepped toward Dan, her eyes locked onto his. "No," she said firmly, her voice filled with conviction. "You're not doing this." "You can't leave me, Dan"

  Dan met her gaze, his expression calm but determined. "It has to be me, I'm not leaving you Rachel. You heard the voice. The relic chose me."

  "You don't know that," she argued, desperation creeping into her tone. "We've always found a way out of these trials. We'll find one now. I Love you Dan"

  "This isn't like the other trials," Dan said, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. "This isn't something we can fight or outsmart. This is the cost of everything we've been given. I love you too but I have to do it for everyone else and for my wife and daughter, they would want me to help everyone"

  Rachel's hands balled into fists at her sides. "Then we'll pay it together. We'll share the burden."

  Dan shook his head. "That's not how it works." He took a deep breath, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "You're the leader this group needs. You'll make sure they survive. You'll make sure they thrive."

  Her jaw tightened, tears welling in her eyes. "You can't just decide this for us."

  "I'm not deciding for you," Dan said. "I'm deciding for me."

  Malik stepped forward, his expression fierce. "If someone has to go, it should be me. I've been trained for this kind of thing. I can handle it."

  "No," Dan said firmly, shaking his head. "This isn't about strength or training. The relic chose me for a reason. This is my responsibility."

  "It's not fair," Caleb said, his voice cracking. "Why does it have to be you?"

  "It's not about fairness," Dan replied. "It's about what's right. You all have a chance to build something here. A future. I've already had my life."

  Owen looked at him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You can't just give up like this. There has to be another way."

  Dan smiled faintly. "I'm not giving up, Owen. I'm making sure you all get to live."

  As the group argued, Dan's thoughts drifted to his wife and daughter. He could see them so clearly in his mind—his wife's laughter, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. His daughter's small hand in his, her voice full of wonder as she asked endless questions about the world.

  He closed his eyes, letting the memories wash over him. For the first time in a long while, he felt at peace.

  When he opened his eyes, he saw Rachel staring at him, her expression a mix of anger and sorrow.

  "You don't have to do this," she said softly, her voice trembling.

  "Yes, I do," he replied.

  Dan stepped toward the monolith, the relic glowing brighter with each step. The ground trembled, and the air grew thick with energy.

  "Wait!" Rachel called out, but Dan didn't stop.

  He placed the relic into the carved indentation on the monolith. The symbols flared to life, glowing with an intense golden light. The ground beneath him began to crack and splinter, and the energy surged through him, lifting him off the ground.

  As his body began to dissolve into light, he felt a profound sense of calm.

  He saw them again—his wife and daughter, their faces radiant with joy.

  "We've been waiting for you," his wife said, her voice like music.

  "I missed you so much," Dan whispered, tears streaming down his face.

  "Daddy!" his daughter cried, running into his arms.

  Dan held her tightly, his heart full for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

  The monolith shattered, and Dan's light spread across the expanse, transforming everything it touched. Grass sprouted from the barren ground, rivers flowed, and trees rose skyward, their leaves shimmering in the golden light.

  The sky cleared, revealing a brilliant blue expanse dotted with fluffy white clouds. The oppressive weight of the air lifted, replaced by a gentle breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers.

  Rachel and the others watched in awe as the island transformed into a tropical paradise, vibrant and full of life.

  At the center of the new paradise, where the monolith once stood, a single golden tree grew. Its branches were heavy with glowing fruit, and its roots spread out like veins of light across the ground.

  Rachel approached the tree, placing a hand on its trunk. "This was him," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "This is Dan."

  The group gathered around the tree, their grief mingling with gratitude.

  "He saved us," Malik said quietly.

  Rachel nodded, her jaw set. "We'll honor his sacrifice. We'll make this place everything he wanted it to be."

  In the days that followed, the survivors began to build their new homes. They planted crops, constructed shelters, and explored the paradise that had been gifted to them.

  Rachel often found herself at the golden tree, sitting beneath its branches and speaking to Dan as if he could still hear her.

  "You did it," she whispered one evening, as the sun set in a blaze of color. "You saved us all."

  The island, once a place of trials and hardship, had become a sanctuary—a testament to Dan's sacrifice and the unyielding strength of the human spirit.