Nyxia blinked. "Now?"
"It's ready. But only the first floor. Think of it like… a send-off. One last test before the world starts testing you."
Without hesitation, she stepped through its arched entrance.
The space inside bent around her—light folding into light—until she stood on a floating platform in a void of endless twilight. Two glowing orbs hovered before her: one red, one blue.
Above them, golden text shimmered in the air:
Choose your path:
— Physical Strength
— Spiritual Power
Nyxia's hand hovered over both.
She'd been focusing so much on energy, but her body still bore the scars of her struggles. Her survival wasn't just due to spiritual insight—it was grit. Muscle. Will.
"I choose Physical Strength."
The moment her fingers touched the red orb, the space cracked with light—and across from her, a figure appeared.
She froze.
It was… her.
Or rather, a version of her.
Fierce. Sharp-eyed. Radiating control.
Her mirror self gave a cold smirk. "So this is what I used to be."
Before Nyxia could respond, her mirror self lunged. Fast. Brutal.
She barely dodged in time. Her heart hammered. Every move this illusion made felt real—calculated. Personal.
"She's you without your fear," Miko's voice echoed. "No hesitation. No doubt."
And then it clicked.
"If she's me," Nyxia whispered, "she has my weaknesses too."
Nyxia feinted left, baited the mirror into overextending—and struck hard.
Light cracked.
Her other self shattered into glowing fragments, dissolving like stardust.
A soft red crystal descended from above.
She caught it, hand trembling.
Miko zipped to her side. "You did it! First floor clear. You crushed yourself. In a good way!"
Nyxia let out a breathless laugh. "Can we not make that sound so weird?"
The Valley of Illusions
Before dawn, Nyxia stood at the edge of the southern valley.
Her simple robe was hidden under a dark cloak. Her hair was tied back, her pendant warm at her chest. Around her, nearly a hundred young men and women gathered, weapons gleaming, eyes burning with ambition.
Some chanted quietly. Others kept still.
One girl floated, glowing with blue light.
Miko peeked from her collar.
"Ooh, a floater. Classic show-off move," he muttered. "You could totally float, too, you know. If you weren't so mysterious and dramatic."
"I like walking," Nyxia replied, deadpan.
"Of course you do. Very ancient-warrior-chic."
A bell rang—deep, cold.
Everyone turned.
Five elders stood on a platform ahead, robes billowing like banners. One stepped forward.
"The Spring Wind Trial begins," he said. "Only ten shall pass. Cross the Valley of Illusions. Survive. Prove your worth."
The mist grew thicker. The valley shimmered with strange light.
Nyxia's skin prickled with tension.
"Fun fact," Miko whispered. "The valley shows you illusions of your deepest fears or desires. Hopefully not kittens."
"I'm not afraid of kittens," she murmured.
"Oh good. Because I am. Little paws. So much hidden judgment."
She stepped forward, breath steady.
The fog welcomed her.
And so began the test—not of power, but of the heart.
The mist swallowed everything.
One step in, and the world behind Nyxia vanished.
No sky. No valley. No fellow competitors. Just a thick, swirling fog that muffled sound and bent reality.
Even Miko, usually chattering nonstop, was silent.
"...Miko?" Nyxia whispered.
No response.
She glanced at her shoulder. He was gone.
Great. Either the mist ate him, or he saw something shiny and wandered off.
She pressed on, careful and focused. Her steps were light but deliberate.
The ground felt solid—too solid. Like walking on glass that wasn't quite sure if it wanted to shatter yet.
Then, a voice.
Familiar. Warm.
"Nyxia... come inside, sweetie. It's getting late."
She froze.
That voice—
Her heart stuttered.
She turned.
There, standing in the mist, was her mother.
Not as she remembered during the attack… but calm, alive, brushing her hands clean on an apron, just like on ordinary evenings back home.
"Dinner's ready," her mother smiled. "Your father's waiting."
Nyxia stared, her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers trembled.
It looked real.
Too real.
The scent of her mother's cooking floated in the air—spiced stew with forest herbs. The flicker of a small fire danced behind her.
And that house behind her… it was their home. The one that burned down.
Nyxia blinked. "You're not real."
Her mother tilted her head, smiling softly. "Why do you always say that? You're home, darling."
Nyxia's hands clenched. "You died. I saw the flames. I saw—"
She bit her lip. Her voice cracked.
Her mother's face flickered.
Just slightly.
"I didn't want to leave you," the illusion whispered, stepping closer. "You were so small. So scared."
Nyxia took a step back.
The fog twisted. Her surroundings shifted.
Suddenly—
She was back in the burning village. Screams echoed. Ash fell like snow. The night sky glowed with fire.
And there—her younger self, barely six years old, hiding behind a crumbling wall.
Her tiny hands covered her ears.
She was crying.
"Mama... Papa... please... come back..."
Nyxia's chest ached. She reached out.
And then—
"Meow."
A kitten trotted into view. Pure black, with bright green eyes, tail flicking.
It looked at her.
And it winked.
Nyxia blinked. "You've got to be kidding me."
Then it grew.
In half a breath, the kitten stretched into a monstrous illusion-beast. Still cute. Still fuzzy. But now the size of a horse, and purring like a chainsaw.
"I KNEW IT," Miko's voice came from somewhere. "EVIL. They're evil, I tell you!"
The fog ripped apart like curtains drawn open by drama-loving ghosts.
Suddenly, Miko tumbled out of the air and landed with a bounce on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I escaped the hallucination of a giant fruit salad trying to adopt me."
Nyxia didn't ask.
The kitten-beast pounced.
Nyxia's hands lit up with spiritual energy—cool, focused. She ducked, rolled, and slammed her palm into the creature's side. It yowled like an offended diva and dissolved into mist.
The memory fragments faded. The village vanished. Her child-self flickered and disappeared.
Silence.
Then—
A soft chime rang in the air.
The fog cleared.
Nyxia stood alone in a small clearing. Ten stone platforms rose from the ground, each glowing faintly. Two were already occupied—by other participants who had clearly survived their own private nightmares.
Nyxia stepped forward, unshaken but not unchanged.
She took her place on the third stone.
Miko floated beside her again, unusually quiet. "...That was intense."
She nodded.
He glanced at her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied.
Pause.
"I mean, emotionally shattered but spiritually sharper."
He smiled gently. "You're stronger than you think."
A long breath escaped her lips. "And you're weirder than I thought."
"Compliment accepted!"
More figures emerged from the mist. One by one, survivors of the illusion trial found their platforms.
And then the elders appeared again—hovering above the clearing like judges with way too many secrets.
"The first stage is complete," one of them announced. "The next begins at sunset."
Nyxia looked up at the sky, already burning orange.
She'd passed the first trial.
But this was just the beginning.