The world around Lior vanished. The forest, the flames, the stone—everything dissolved in a seismic breath. His body slipped into a crevice of stone, and his mind entered a suspended space: his own inner sanctum.
At the heart of this cathedral of black marble, veils of silver smoke swirled. The walls were covered in warped mirrors, reflecting his worst memories. A neutral, mechanical voice echoed in his head:
> [Entering the Theater of Masks]
Objective: Confront your guilt and your loss.
Time limit: 45 minutes.
Reward: Double XP / Unlock Skill: "Unshakable Soul".
Lior inhaled. Though his eyes were still covered, they fluttered open in the void. He was alone… but not quite. A familiar figure appeared beyond a curtain of smoke.
YU, his five-year-old daughter, wearing her pink pajamas, held a blood-stained doll.
She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.
"Daddy? Why did you leave me?"
A pain sharper than any blade pierced through him. The ground trembled beneath his feet.
> [Telluric Condition – Level 3: Emotional surge detected.]
Lior stepped forward slowly.
"YU, I… I'm protecting you!"
She vanished. In her place stood Dean, his silhouette veiled in anger.
"You abandoned me, brother… you left me alone.
The shadows devoured me. I'm not the same anymore…"
Their eyes met. Lior felt the weight of broken promises crushing down on him—he had sworn to never let Dean fall.
"Dean… I…"
But Dean stepped closer. His shadow split, forming an army of vengeful silhouettes.
"Your promises are pebbles—dropped into deep water. Useless."
Lior's voice shook.
"I had to… choose."
The mirrors exploded, scattering shards of light. Hundreds of versions of himself screamed accusations: "Too weak!", "Naïve fool!", "Inheritor of a war you never asked for!"
> [Warning: Emotional overload imminent.]
Lior clenched his fists. The system whispered:
> [Healer – Level 3: Mental activation authorized.]
A green glow surrounded his inner self. The pain slipped from his heart, taking shape as black mist. He stared it down.
"It ends here!"
He struck the ground. The tide of shadows scattered like dead leaves in the wind.
A final mask dropped—YU, smiling, holding out her hand.
"Daddy… stay with me…"
Lior felt tears fall despite the blindfold. He embraced her gently:
"I'm here. I'll never forget you. Never…"
The veils of smoke dissolved. The mental palace shook, then collapsed into nothing.
> [Trial completed. XP doubled! New skill unlocked: "Unshakable Soul" (Passive).]
"Unshakable Soul": Reduces fear and mental illusion effects by 50%.
Lior opened his eyes. He was back in the charred clearing. The wind stirred the scorched grass. Moji, ever loyal, was still waiting.
His heart felt lighter—he had overcome his greatest nightmare.
He stepped forward, toward the distant screams of the chaman.
"The real battle begins now."
---
Would you like the next chapter to switch focus to Dean or continue right here with Lior versus the Chaman Ogre?