THE ILLUSIONS CONTINUE

Back at the palace. Venus, who was the overseer of the contest along with a group of guards, stood at the front gates, growing increasingly uneasy.

The sun was sinking in the sky, and none of the contestants had returned. One of the guards, also a close friend of Venus spoke up. His voice betraying his concern. "Young master, they have been gone too long. I hope it's not what I'm thinking."

"Worry not my friend." Venus replied. "The forest's delusions are not part of the contest, and those who remain pure of heart need not fear it's power. But if any of the contestants have tampered with the forest's magic, they will surely pay the price. Only time will tell whether they emerge unscathed, or they will forever be changed by their encounter with the forest's maze of madness."

Long ago, the people of YHÀKADÉI discovered the secrets of the maze of madness, a mysterious labyrinth of illusions and fears that could be used to defeat their enemies. The maze was said to be created by the blue jaoji - who passed through the forest, opening a gateway of incredible power. This left the forest full of magic and imbalance, making it hostile towards those who wield sorcery. Those trapped within the maze must face their deepest fears and overcome them before they can escape.

The maze is sad to be ever-changing, it's illusions shifting and reforming to match the deepest fears of those trapped within. Some have emerged from the maze with their sanity intact, while others have been driven mad by the horrors they faced. Some have even died within the maze, their bodies never found. The maze was a reflection of the dark heart of the forest and those who enter, do so at their peril.

Just before the darkness completely dispersed, Leomere pictured the shadows of a man and a lady. It was his father and mother, the last time he saw them was when he was five. He didn't know how to react, he walked towards them confused and dazed.

What was happening?

He was in the castle just now, he had already won the contest.

His parents embraced him lovingly. He stared at his father, he looked exactly the same - just like he was, eighteen years ago. His mother held his face in her palms. "O my beloved Josephus. You've grown into a very handsome young man, just like your father."

Leomere's head twitched and his skin shuddered at her touch.

"No! I'm not Josephus." He pushed her away, his heart in his throat. "I can never be like him! This traitor! No!!"

Leomere's father smiled but his face looked empty.

Leomere felt like he was loosing his mind, his deceased parents were standing before him.

"I thought you were gone! Why are you still tormenting me?! I'm going mad." He cried out in desperation.

His emotions were going wild, and he began to panic as his bhabu appeared next to his parents. The figure was covered in blood, and Leomere confirmed he lost his mind. He fell to his knees. "No!" Laughing and crying at the same time.

"Isn't this what you always wanted? To be reunited with your parents? Eh bhabu was always a pain in the neck. Now he's taken care of." A voice said in the air.

Leomere looked up, his entire clothes soaked with sweat.

"Who...who said that?" His parents and bhabu stood like statues.

"Josephus I am you! You are me!!" The voice continued to ring in the air. "And you are just like your father, just like he betrayed the king all those years ago... you are also going to betray the princess. Just like him!"

"No!" He curled up like a ball weeping. "No! No, I'm going mad."

Fertio took Joz back to hezra's place and locked him up, leaving him with nothing but his never ending thoughts - that drove him even more crazy after every second.

Joz was disoriented, swinging back and forth on his bed like a mad man. He looked at himself in the mirror. His hair, always tied up neatly, was now disheveled and scattered. He felt like he was going out of his mind. He was losing his sanity. His appearance had completely changed. He looked like a mad man.

Parele appeared before him, his body covered in blood. Vines were wrapped tightly around his neck, and others were sealed around his mouth. Parele walked towards him and handed him a note written in Old Tongue. Then, he disappeared. With shaky hands, Joz unfolded the crumpled note and read the message. It said: "You don't know what it took for me to get through your portal gateways. I have given the same notes to the two others. This is not part of the contest. It is a trick of the forest, I've read about it in the books man. Everything you see are mere illusions. Nothing more, I have tampered with it's magic by performing omawoa. The only way to escape is to face your fears and fight them. If you make one wrong step, you could endanger yourself and your loved ones. Choose wisely, remember the way back only opens, but once. You guys look like shit by the way."

After reading the note, Joz looked around the dark room, his heart beating in his chest. He didn't know what to do. The note said that everything he saw was an illusion, but it all seemed so real. He felt confused and scared, but he knew he had to make a decision. Should he trust the note and continue on his path, or should he turn back and try to find another way?

He got on his feet, took a deep breath and wiped his tears. He tied his hair in a bun. "So these are all illusions, time to fight! Fertio, I hope you like to dance..."