There were several possible answers, and yet there could only be one true solution. Among the reflections that surrounded them, there could only be one true self. The wrong answer would mean death, but what kind of death Would it only kill the one who made the mistake, or would it annihilate the entire room?
That distinction was important. If the entire chamber were destroyed, Ashar would need a way to protect himself in that instant. Which meant that even now he might be forced to use his final trump card.
He could feel the Faceless Soldiers watching him.
"I've figured it out," he said. "The correct mirror is the one showing nothing."
"That is of no interest to us."
"I don't see why it wouldn't be. This place was clearly built by an Alchemist. Judging by the location and the inscriptions, it suggests that the Alchemist went rogue. Why wouldn't you be interested in what lies at the centre of such a place?"
Reading the thoughts of these Soldiers was difficult. Even if their masks were removed, there would be nothing to study, nothing to interpret. And yet they were always calculating.
Ashar had an idea, but he still needed to confirm it.
"The correct mirror is the one showing nothing," he repeated. "The only true self is the void, isn't it? Go ahead and try it."
The Soldiers did not respond.
"Come on," Ashar continued lightly. "We all want to see what lies beyond this room, don't we?"
At last, one Soldier turned his head slowly, studying each member of the captured group.
"Whoever reveals the user of the Eye of Sophia right now, and tells us where the Eye is hidden, will be set free. This is a genuine offer."
"That's a lie," Issen said with a smirk.
"We understand your skepticism. To ensure that you pose no future threat, we will erase your memories. You will leave here with no knowledge of this encounter."
The captives remained silent. Some were assessing the threat. Others simply hesitated.
The Soldiers turned their attention toward Maereth.
"We can also ensure that you begin new lives in the Golden City," one of them said. "You will be given employment and accommodation. This is the best offer you will receive. If you refuse to cooperate, then according to our legislation you will lose the right to avoid interrogation. There is only one rational choice here."
The Soldier leaned forward slightly.
"So tell us—where is the user of the Eye of Sophia?"
So they had chosen to engage in a mental battle as well, Ashar thought.
Just as he had expected.
From the very beginning, he had suspected something about these Soldiers. They were too clever.
The Faceless Soldiers could act with a kind of hive instinct, but their strategies always followed the design of someone above them. On their own, they rarely possessed the freedom to think beyond pursuit, capture, and execution.
This dilemma confirmed his suspicion.
Someone else was directing them.
Someone in this very room.
It could not be the Supreme Leader. He had attacked earlier, but he was still too far away.
And yet the strategist had to be a Faceless being.
Which meant that somewhere among the Soldiers stood one of the regional Faceless Leaders—the beings who commanded entire divisions.
It became clear to Ashar who it must be.
The new Eastern Leader.
The one created to replace him.
The Eastern Leader was standing in this room.
Ashar simply needed to determine which one.
The plan was obvious. They had constructed a scenario in which betraying Ashar offered far greater benefit than remaining loyal. The Leader assumed that this group would act rationally and choose the path of survival.
But that was the mistake.
Ashar smiled.
The Soldiers studied Ashar and found no sign of betrayal.
They turned to Maereth and saw the same stone expression.
Finally they looked at Issen.
He smiled back at them.
But they sensed it—Ashar sensed it as well—that for a brief moment Issen faltered. Beneath the expression he wore, he had begun weighing the options.
Ashar watched him closely.
And prepared himself.
This might be the moment when he would need to use his final trump card.
Issen stared at the ground.
He could see no rational reason to remain loyal to Ashar. The argument the Soldiers had presented was impossible to refute.
Just as Maereth had once said, they would eventually reach the cities and leave this wandering life behind. They would forget about all of this and go their separate ways.
Any sensible person would accept the offer.
Otherwise, why had he come here at all? Why had he chosen to follow Kareth and the others from the very beginning, instead of disappearing into the wasteland? Why had he left his first home in the Underground Dwellings, where he could have lived quietly for the rest of his days?
All of his life had been building toward something different. It all made perfect sense. He would leave these wandering days behind, he would start a new life in the city, He would marry, have children, grow old, and one day be surrounded by grandchildren. In his final days he would sit among friends and family, surrounded by memories.
He turned his head and looked at Maereth.
"Do you have anything to say to us?" a Soldier asked.
Issen smiled.
"Nope," he said.
The Eastern Leader had miscalculated.
This group was more alike than it appeared. Their ways of thinking were closer than the Soldiers understood. Yes, they relied on one another for survival, but there was something deeper. Maereth was clearly driven by something beyond pure logic. And Issen… it was as if he rejected logic itself.
Every sign pointed toward Ashar being the one they sought. He was the most rational among them. And yet something about the situation remained unresolved, something the Eastern Leader had failed to account for.
Ashar glanced at Maereth and Issen and allowed himself to relax.He knew now that he had made the correct decision. Back when they had confronted Vaelor, Ashar had the opportunity to kill them all, along with the rest of the Granite Compact. But he had chosen to spare them. And now he was satisfied with that choice.
This group was truly reliable.
"Why don't we stop wasting time and continue forward?" Ashar said calmly. "I've already told you the answer to the puzzle."
One of the Soldiers approached the mirrors.
He extended his hand toward the mirror that showed nothing.
Ashar tensed.
He might need to reveal his hidden weapon after all.
The Soldier moved closer.
Then he stopped.
He stepped back and studied the seven mirrors carefully.
And instead he selected the mirror that showed them as children.
The sphere above the pedestal flared to life and transformed into a key that unlocked the doorway ahead.
"I wonder," the Soldier said, "if it was deliberate that you gave us the wrong answer."
Ashar's suspicion was confirmed.
"There are only two trials remaining," the Soldier continued. "From this point onward, we will proceed alone. Furthermore, your allies in the Shadow Clan outside will soon be dealt with. They will all be eliminated."
This one was the Eastern Leader.
"It is true that we may not recover the Eye of Sophia today. But that is acceptable. When the Leader arrives, he will confirm it."
"The Supreme Leader is coming here?" Ashar asked.
Ashar grinned.