Chapter 55: The Trial of Illusions

Orion took a step back. Seraphina stood before him, her silver hair flowing like strands of moonlight. But her eyes—they were empty.

"This isn't real," Orion murmured.

Seraphina tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Are you sure?"

The Forgotten One's voice echoed through the void.

"Trial Two: The Labyrinth of the Heart."

The world around Orion shifted.

One moment, he stood in a wasteland. The next—

He was in a place he never thought he'd see again.

The floating city of Astralis.

It was whole, untouched by war. The golden spires gleamed under twin suns. The streets bustled with familiar faces—people who had been lost, people who should not exist anymore.

His chest tightened.

A hand slipped into his.

Orion turned, and his breath caught.

Lyra.

She smiled at him, warmth in her golden eyes. "Orion, why do you look so sad?"

He took a step back. This wasn't real.

"It could be," Lyra whispered.

The air thickened around him. A thousand memories flashed in his mind—moments of love, of laughter, of a life that could have been.

And then—

A scream.

Orion spun. Across the city square, Seraphina was burning.

Her body was engulfed in astral fire, her eyes pleading. "Orion, help me!"

His heart pounded.

Lyra squeezed his hand. "You can't save her. Stay here, with me."

The world around him blurred. The voices of the people merged into a soothing lullaby. The warmth of the sun felt real.

A quiet life. A peaceful ending.

Orion clenched his fists.

"None of this is real," he said, stepping away from Lyra. "This is just another trick."

Lyra's smile faded.

And then—her form shattered like glass.

The entire city collapsed.

The sky cracked open, revealing Seraphina—standing unharmed. But her eyes… they glowed with a power he had never seen before.

"You rejected the illusion," she said. "But do you have the strength to face the truth?"

The world around Orion twisted again.

This time—he was standing before a massive, cracked mirror.

And inside it—

Was himself.

But his reflection was smiling.

"You still don't understand, do you?" the reflection said. "This isn't a trial to see if you're strong enough."

Orion frowned. "Then what is it?"

The reflection grinned wider.

"It's a trial to see if you're worthy of the truth."

And then—the mirror shattered.

And Orion fell into darkness.

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