The home

Trust.

It's the easiest thing to break, the hardest thing to rebuild, and the most dangerous thing to believe in.

That was the game.

Not truth.

Not deception.

Just trust.

The second Xyro watched him closely.

Not with hostility.

Not with amusement.

Just… waiting.

Then, he spoke.

"Tell me, do you trust yourself?"

Xyro's breath hitched.

He didn't answer.

Because the moment the words were spoke.

He realized he didn't know the answer.

The second Xyro smiled.

Not cruel.

Not sharp.

Just… knowing.

"That's what I thought."

Then, the world changed again.

______________________

Veynn, Zkarn, and Orris

The door before them was still open.

Waiting.

For every member.

Zkarn sighed. "Alright, let's get this over with."

He stepped forward—but the moment his foot crossed the threshold, the ground beneath him vanished.

A heartbeat later, he was gone.

Orris's hands clenched.

Where did he go??

Veynn didn't react.

She simply stepped through next without even thinking twice.

And again

Vanished.

Orris hesitated.

He was scared or might be confused.

Just for a moment.

Because he knew.

This wasn't just a door.

It was a decision.

And the moment he stepped through—

He wouldn't be the same.

But he stepped forward anyway.

Because that was the only way to win.

The moment they stepped through the door—

They were alone.

Yes they were alive.

Each in their own version of the game.

Each forced to play a game they didn't understand.

Veynn's world: A throne room. Empty. Waiting.

Zkarn's world: A city built from debts, whispers, and games.

Orris's world: A place that never existed at all.

The Labyrinth wasn't testing their trust in each other.

It was testing their trust in themselves.

And when they finally realized that—

It was too late.

Because they had already chosen wrong.

The Labyrinth was silent.

Not the kind of silence that came from emptiness.

The kind of silence that listens.

And in that silence, four different games had already begun.

Four different people were walking through their own truths, believing they were alone.

But the Labyrinth knew the truth.

They were never alone.

They just couldn't see the strings pulling them.

Veynn

Veynn stood before the empty throne.

It was made of obsidian glass, sharp and polished.

The seat was cold, untouched.

Waiting.

A single step forward, and the entire room shifted.

Golden banners unfurled from nowhere.

The cracked marble floor repaired itself.

The heavy, suffocating silence filled with whispers.

Not voices.

Not words.

Just… expectation.

As if something was watching.

Waiting for her to sit down.

Veynn's jaw tightened.

This isn't real.

She knew that.

And yet—she took another step forward.

The whispers grew louder.

Like a storm building in the distance.

Like the echo of a kingdom that no longer existed.

And for the first time—doubt crept into her mind.

What if this wasn't a game?

What if this was a choice?

What if the Labyrinth wasn't testing her—

But offering her exactly what she wanted?

Her fingers curled.

She was stronger than this.

She wasn't going to fall for illusions.

And yet—her feet kept moving.

One step closer.

And the moment she was close enough to touch the throne—

A voice spoke from behind her.

"You don't belong here."

Veynn turned sharply.

The guards were already standing there.

Fully armored. Swords drawn.

As if they had been there the whole time.

Veynn's breath stilled.

Because she knew how this ended.

She had lived it before.

________________________

Zkarn

Zkarn's world was built of deals and debts.

The moment he stepped forward, the streets were already shifting.

Towering buildings of black iron and golden glass.

Crowds murmuring in quiet negotiations.

He could already hear the numbers in their words.

Gold. Power. Favors.

This was a place where no one trusted anyone.

And yet—they all acted like they did.

Zkarn smirked. "Now this… this is my kind of place."

He took another step forward—

And suddenly, he was at a table.

A game board spread out before him.

His hands already resting on a deck of cards.

And sitting across from him—

Was a man he didn't recognize.

Dressed too well.

Smiling too easily.

Eyes that knew too much.

The man exhaled, tilting his head.

"Shall we begin?"

Zkarn's grin widened. "Oh, I was born for this."

And just like that—

The first card was placed.

And the first lie was told.

_________________________

Xyro

He opened his eyes.

And suddenly—he was in a town.

Not a place from memory.

Not a place he recognized.

But a place that felt real.

The streets were full of people.

Smiling. Laughing. Living.

And Xyro?

Xyro was standing in the middle of it all.

The smell of rain in the streets. The murmur of passing conversations. The feeling of warmth from a sun he couldn't see.

And yet—

No one noticed him.

Until he spoke.

"Where am I?"

A woman walking past paused.

Slowly, she turned.

And the moment she saw him—her entire expression shifted.

From apathetic to recognition.

And then—

To fear.

Xyro's stomach twisted.

Before he could react, the woman turned and ran.

Not casually.

Fled.

Like she had seen a ghost.

Or something worse.

Xyro inhaled sharply. "What the hell is going on?"

Then—another voice.

"Welcome home, Xyro."

He turned sharply.

The second Xyro stood just behind him, watching with a knowing expression.

Like he had been waiting.

Xyro's breath came sharp. "What is this place?"

The second Xyro tilted his head slightly. "I already told you."

A pause.

Then—his smile widened.

"It's home."