The pathway twisted like a serpent, its walls glowing faint blue, veins of crystal pulsing as though the cavern itself were alive. Rihan walked slowly, his hand brushing against the uneven stone, his heartbeat still unsteady from the last fight.
Every step echoed. But after a while, he noticed something strange—his echoes no longer matched his steps.
Step. Step. Step.
And then an extra step.
Rihan froze. "…Hello?"
The cavern didn't answer. The air was heavy, silence pressing in. He swallowed hard and forced himself forward.
Then—
A voice. Gentle. Familiar.
"Rihan."
He turned sharply. His breath caught in his throat.
Lyra stood there. Her pale hair glowing faintly in the cavern's light, her soft eyes fixed on him.
"Lyra?" Rihan blinked, stepping closer. "What are you doing here? I thought I had to go alone—"
But then Elira's voice rang out from the shadows. "Fool. Do not be deceived."
Rihan's eyes widened. Elira stepped into view, armor glinting faintly with her aura. "This is not us. The cavern bends truth into lies. Don't trust what you see."
Rihan's heart twisted. His head darted between the two figures — Lyra's warm gaze, Elira's sharp certainty.
Lyra stepped forward, reaching for his hand. "Don't listen to her, Rihan. I came because I was worried. You don't have to face this alone. Trust me."
Elira drew her blade, pointing it at Lyra. "That is not Lyra. It's an echo. Strike it down before it consumes you."
Rihan stumbled back. His chest felt like it was being ripped apart.
"Wait—how am I supposed to know who's real?!"
Both of them spoke at once, their voices overlapping:
"Trust me."
"Trust me."
The cavern laughed. Not with a voice, but with vibrations in the air. "Can you trust anyone? Or are they all illusions waiting to betray you?"
Rihan's skull throbbed. His vision blurred. He saw flashes — Elira turning her blade against him, Lyra walking away with cold eyes, everyone abandoning him just like in his old world.
"No… stop it!" Rihan clutched his head.
The two figures moved closer, both insisting they were real, both reaching for him.
His System flickered:
[Warning: Cognitive corruption rising.]
[Purity instability detected.]
Sweat ran down his temple. He raised his glowing hand, unsure where to point it.
"Damn it… what if I choose wrong?"
---
And then, suddenly, he remembered Elira's words outside the cavern: "Once you enter, you walk the path alone."
Rihan's eyes widened. His trembling hands steadied.
He lowered his blade, glaring at both figures. "…Neither of you are real."
The fake Lyra gasped, her soft expression twisting into a monstrous grin. The fake Elira snarled, her body cracking like shattered glass.
The illusions screamed in unison, their forms melting into black sludge that lunged at him.
Rihan raised his glowing blade. "Nice try. But I'm done being tricked."
With one swing, light surged, cutting through the sludge. The cavern shook, and the illusions dissolved into ash.
Silence returned.
Rihan stood panting, his blade flickering weakly. His chest was still heavy, but his heart… steadier.
The System chimed:
[Trial Phase Two Complete.]
[Purity stabilized. Corruption resistance increased.]
[New Passive Ability Unlocked: Heart of Clarity.]
Rihan wiped his forehead, muttering, "Heart of Clarity, huh? Finally, something that might stop this place from messing with my brain every five seconds."
But just as relief touched him, the ground cracked.
From the darkness ahead, a roar thundered — deep, ancient, hungry.
The cavern trembled, dust falling from the ceiling. Rihan staggered back, eyes wide as two enormous red eyes opened in the abyss ahead.
"…Okay," he whispered, gripping his blade tighter. "So illusions weren't bad enough. Now it's time for the boss fight."
The cavern growled, a massive silhouette rising from the shadows, wings scraping against the stone.
And for the first time, Rihan wondered if he had truly been prepared for what came next.