The silence that followed Discordia's revelation seemed heavier than the void around them. The distant stars cast pale, cold light on the group, but it did little to warm the chill that had settled over them. The weight of her words, the risk of what lay ahead, pressed down on each of them, but now, an even more immediate concern began to emerge.

Discordia's playful grin returned, though it carried a sharper edge this time. "Ah, but before you grow too comfortable with your newfound courage, there is one detail I must clarify." Her blindfolded eyes seemed to glint in the starlight. "Not all of you will be able to step into the Hall of Judgment, even if you wish to."

Leo's brow furrowed, his jaw tightening as he leaned forward. "What do you mean, not all of us?"

Discordia lifted one delicate hand, waving it as though brushing away a trivial concern. "If I were to let all of you cross together, there would be no anchor. No tether to ensure your safe return. The threads binding you to the divine must be stabilized. Otherwise, the flow of time, cause, and consequence could swallow you whole. At most…" she let her words trail for effect, "…five of you may go."

The words hit like a hammer. Greg's fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles white, but before he could voice his frustration, Adam's deep voice cut through the tension.

"Then I go alone." His tone was grim, unyielding. "If only five may go, I will ensure the mission continues, no matter what."

For a heartbeat, the group seemed frozen, as though weighing the futility of arguing against Adam's determination. Then, one by one, others stepped forward. Leo was first, his gaze locked on Discordia, unflinching. Luna followed, calm but unwavering. Lily's green eyes glimmered with quiet resolve, and Aria's hands trembled slightly, but the decision was clear in her voice when she spoke. "I'm coming."

Finally, Penny stepped forward, a spark of determination lighting her features despite the apprehension in her eyes. "I'll go too," she said firmly.

Discordia's head tilted slightly, the blindfolded gaze shifting toward Penny. Her smile softened just enough to betray a trace of regret. "Ah… Penny." Her voice was almost gentle. "I am afraid you cannot accompany them."

Penny froze, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What? That's… that's discrimination! Why me?"

Discordia shook her head slowly. "It is not a matter of preference. Your bond with Leo… is not yet solidified. It is incomplete. I cannot guarantee that amplifying your status will succeed, nor can I predict what might happen if the connection falters, even for a moment."

A palpable silence followed, broken only by Penny's audible gulp. "If… if it slipped…" Her voice faltered, small and uncertain. "What… what would happen?"

Discordia's lips pursed as she considered her words, each syllable deliberate, heavy with truth. "You would burn. Your existence would be like an ant thrown into the sun. Not a moment of mercy, not a trace of hope. The threads connecting you would unravel, and there would be nothing left."

Penny's eyes widened, the horror of the possibility washing over her in icy waves. Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles whitening. For a moment, she looked ready to protest, to demand another chance, but the gravity of the warning settled in her chest.

Around her, the others shifted slightly. Even Greg's anger had dulled to a tense, simmering frustration. Yet, despite the dread, Aria, Lily, Luna, and Leo did not step back. Their resolve hardened, the fear in their eyes tempered by the determination to see their mission through.

Discordia's lips curved into an approving smile. "Ah… now that is bravery worth witnessing." Her voice was soft, almost reverent in its acknowledgment. "Not reckless, not naïve, but true courage. The willingness to face annihilation for a cause greater than oneself."

Adam exhaled quietly, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. He looked at his friends, the five who would step forward into the unknown, and a sense of gratitude washed over him. They had not wavered, not even when faced with the specter of total destruction.

"Then," Discordia continued, her voice smooth and commanding, "it is time."

The group turned as she raised her hands in a sweeping gesture. From the darkness of the void, her magic began to ripple outward, faint sparks of light tracing threads that wound themselves around each of the five chosen. Leo, Luna, Lily, Aria, and Penny felt it immediately—a strange, electric hum vibrating through their veins, tugging at the core of their being.

Discordia's gaze swept over the group, her expression unreadable beneath the blindfold. "Step atop the table," she instructed, her tone soft but undeniable. "You will need elevation, both literal and figurative, to cross the threshold into the Hall. It is not a step to be taken from the ground, lest you falter before the climb even begins."

Without hesitation, Leo moved first, his movements precise and deliberate. Luna followed, graceful and measured, her eyes locked on some distant point beyond the void. Lily's steps were careful but steady, Aria followed, small hands brushing lightly against the table for balance, and finally, Penny hesitated only for a heartbeat before climbing, a mixture of determination and lingering fear etched across her face.

Discordia's hands moved in a subtle, intricate dance, weaving invisible patterns through the air. The threads of divine connection shimmered as they anchored themselves to each of the five standing atop the table. "Good," she murmured. "Hold onto each other, hold onto the threads. You will feel the pull, the resonance of the gods. It will guide you through the threshold, but you must walk carefully. One false step and… well, the consequences are already known."

The air around them thickened, the distant stars seeming to flare and fade as though reacting to the presence of something far greater than mere mortals. A hum of energy thrummed through the void, vibrating against their bones and making their hearts pound with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

Leo glanced at his friends, his eyes sharp beneath his furrowed brow. "No hesitation," he said quietly. "Whatever happens, we move together. Understood?"

Each of them nodded, their resolve unspoken but solid. Discordia tilted her head, as though examining the threads that now bound them. "Very well," she said, her voice soft but carrying through the void with clarity. "Little mortals… your courage will be tested beyond measure, and the path ahead is fraught with peril. But for now, stand tall. The Hall awaits, and it does not care for hesitation."

The table seemed to hum beneath their feet, a subtle vibration that spoke of immense power flowing beneath it. Discordia extended her hand toward the center, a slow, deliberate gesture that seemed to call the void itself into motion. "When I count to three," she instructed, "you will step forward and the threshold will open. One. Two. Three."

A sudden surge of light erupted around them, threads of divine energy intertwining and spiraling upward, and the table seemed to dissolve beneath their feet. The sensation was disorienting, as if gravity, time, and reality themselves had shifted. But the five remained firm, clinging to each other and to the threads that tied them to the divine.

As the light consumed them, Discordia's voice echoed in their minds, calm and measured. "Go forth, brave mortals. Walk the path of gods. Return if you can, and remember… the threads of fate are fragile. Do not let them snap."

In an instant, the void swallowed them, leaving the others behind, hearts pounding and breath caught, staring at the empty table where their friends had stood. The resonance of the divine lingered faintly, a reminder that their journey into eternity had begun.

And for those five stepping into the unknown, the Hall of Judgment awaited, vast, incomprehensible, and indifferent to mortal courage or fear.