Chapter 7 Constellation trial (2)

Without waiting, the clones with swords charged at Tilus. Compared to the real one, they were slower, making it easier to avoid their attacks, but it didn't make the situation any less overwhelming when he was faced with ten of them. 

All he could do was try to fend them off, blocking multiple slashes aimed at him. Several cuts were visible on his body, and he was panting heavily, feeling as though his body could collapse at any moment. 

Was it just him, or were their attacks becoming faster and stronger?

Just as Tilus felt like he couldn't hold out any longer, one of the clone's swords smashed into the ground with such force that dirt and rocks flew into the air. If that had hit him, it would have been fatal. 

"Well then, time to run," Tilus thought. "A wise man once said, when in a pinch, the best course of action is to flee."

There were 20 minutes left. As the sword swung above his head, Tilus thought it was the end. But then, something came to him, like a vision. In it, he saw a version of himself dodging the enemy's attack and striking back with precise force, cutting off the clone's head.

He snapped back to reality just as the sword came down against him. He repeated what he saw in the vision, and to his surprise, successfully cut down the clone. The visions repeated a few more times until he had cut down the last clone. But as he defeated the final one, his eyes experienced a pain unlike anything he had ever felt before—an intense burning sensation, and blood began to drip from his eyes.

"So this is the price of having foresight, huh?" Tilus muttered, as a shadowy figure that had been watching from afar moved closer to him.

"Damn it, I can barely open my eyes now," Tilus thought, raising a hand to signal for the figure to stop. To his surprise, it did.

"Or not," Tilus cursed, as the figure grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up. "I'm not a ragdoll, you bastard!"

He tried to raise his sword, but the figure looked directly into his eyes. Suddenly, everything went white.

"Huh? What happened?"

"What, did you doze off during the meal?" asked a warm, familiar voice.

Tilus blinked. "Mom?" he murmured, stunned to see her cooking.

"Yes, Tilus?" she asked, turning around with a smile.

"No, nothing," Tilus stammered. What could he even say?

"What? We've got your favorite meal today—the family's famous steak."

"Steak?" Tilus asked, bewildered.

"Yep, go get your dad; he's probably watching TV in the karaoke room."

"Okay," he responded, taking a few steps toward the room. Everything felt strange. He had just had the weirdest dream: fighting clones and an older version of himself. "Maybe I should stop reading those novels," he thought.

"Dad, dinner's ready," Tilus called, shaking his father awake. The TV was still playing in the background.

"Huh, okay. That was a good nap," his father said, sitting up.

As Tilus turned to leave, he heard footsteps from upstairs—his older brother, just awake from his nap.

"What's up, chumpy Tilus?" his brother teased.

"Cut it out," Tilus muttered, annoyed.

"Tilus, what are you standing there for? Sit down at the table," his mother called.

"Oh, right." Tilus sat down, and his mother placed a plate of steak, a sunny-side-up egg, pork paste, cucumber, and bread in front of him.

As they ate together, tears started to roll down Tilus' cheeks. The familiar taste, the atmosphere of a family meal... 

"What's wrong?" his mother asked, concerned.

"Nothing... but this is something I wished for, something that disappeared a long time ago," Tilus said, his voice thick with emotion. "This fake reality of a family... you really know how to play with emotions, don't you, 'The One Who Defies Fate?'"

"You recreated everything—the atmosphere, the food, the happy family—exactly as I wished for. A place where I could throw off my burdens and be a kid again. But too bad... I know this is fake. My brother moved out, and we rarely sit at one table. Even without that, my family was never this affectionate, never this peaceful. The arguing, the money problems... that's what I remember. This... this is just an illusion of what I never had."

Those happy days were long gone.

"I'm not coming home, Dad," Tilus said firmly, remembering the last conversation he had before everything went to hell.

"Why? What's keeping you there? What trouble did you get into?"

"I'm fine. I've got to go," Tilus had said. He hung up, and that was the last time he heard his father's voice before the disaster called "Stage" began.

"Mom, how is Dad doing?"

"He's... managing. But he's not doing well. The finances..." she trailed off. "Never mind. Just focus on what you need to do, son."

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll figure something out. I promise."

Tilus clenched his fists. "That's why I won't get stuck here. I've got somewhere to go, damn it." As he spoke, the illusion around him burned away, and his eyes opened to see the sword at his neck.

"You should have stayed in that dream forever," the shadow figure said.

"Hah, so you can talk after all," Tilus retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "That was a sweet dream, but too bad—I'm awake."

"If you refuse the dream, then how about experiencing fear instead?"

Five minutes left. Just five more minutes, Tilus thought. He raised his sword against the figure, but in a flash, his right arm was severed, the sword falling to the ground.

Panic flooded Tilus. Pain—unbearable pain. "Why? Why do I have to go through this?" he screamed internally. "X, what are you planning? What do you want from me?"

He ran, but the shadow figure was relentless, slicing off his legs next.

Four minutes left.

"I'm going to die here, aren't I?" Tilus thought, crawling desperately toward his fallen sword, even though he knew it was pointless. But he had to hold onto something, anything. Grasping the sword with his left hand, he turned just in time to see the figure's blade plunge into his chest.

"So... this is the end? This is how I die?" Tilus's thoughts raced as memories flooded in, regret, shame, every negative emotion washing over him like a wave.

"You are a disgrace, cant even have a proper job, where do you think your life would go ?"

"You are failure you had no hope"

"Look at you who would want to love you" 

"Other had established their life and settle down and yet you just struggling to stay alive"

"So eqsy to give up, just give up already why bother holding on"

"You hide so much from your family that you ashame to go home"

"hahahaha"

The timer counted down.

10...9...8...

"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad... I'm sorry I couldn't make you proud."

6...5...4...

Everything was cold and numb.

3...2...1...

Tilus's consciousness faded, as a voice echoed in his mind: 

**"You have failed the bonus Stage: 'Constellation Trial.' All injuries will be reversed back to normal."**