Dalin and Lucas' bodies seemed to be pushed into the abyss by an invisible force. The surrounding space kept changing, and gradually they returned from the darkness in front of them to an illusory light. The ceiling above their heads was blurred, and the ground beneath their feet no longer seemed real, and yet they still couldn't find any exit. The radiance of those runes still floated in the air, flickering with an eerie rhythm, giving people an indescribable sense of oppression.
"Where is this?" Dalin tightly grasped Lucas' hand, her face pale. Her heart was filled with unease. It seemed that no matter where they went, this place was full of suffocating danger.
Lucas looked down at the surroundings. There was still determination shining in his eyes, but he couldn't hide the fear deep in his heart. "It seems that we... are back to the starting point." His furrowed brows gradually relaxed. "But this place is not right. It feels... this is no longer the world we are familiar with."
Suddenly, a slight low sound came from the space. Then, a huge mirror slowly descended from the air. The frame of the mirror was old and twisted, as if it contained some unknown power.
"A mirror?" Dalin's voice trembled a little. "Could this be... the illusion realm of the Shadow Lord?"
Lucas frowned. He stared at the mirror, and complex emotions flickered in his eyes. "No matter what it is, we have to face it." He stepped forward and reached out his hand to touch the mirror surface.
Just as Lucas' finger was about to touch the mirror surface, a strong light suddenly flashed on the mirror surface, illuminating the entire space as bright as day. In the light, Dalin and Lucas seemed to feel that they were sucked into the mirror, and their bodies began to float rapidly. Everything around them became blurred in an instant.
When they opened their eyes again, the scene in front of them had completely changed. This was an ancient palace. The magnificent hall was resplendent with gold and jade. Mysterious paintings were hung on the surrounding walls, and a rotten smell filled the air. From the depths of the palace, faint whispering sounds came, as if something was quietly watching them.
"What place is this?" Dalin asked in a low voice, and the unease in her heart kept increasing.
Lucas took a deep breath and looked around warily. "I don't know, but we'd better be careful."
At this moment, suddenly, a deep voice came from the depths of the palace: "Welcome to your ultimate test."
The voice was full of coldness and mockery, making Dalin and Lucas shiver involuntarily. The two quickly turned around and looked in the direction of the voice, but they only saw a deep darkness.
"Who are you?" Lucas asked loudly, his tone full of alertness.
"It doesn't matter who I am." The voice sounded again, seemingly with a hint of mockery. "What matters is that you will finally understand that everything you have done is in vain."
Just as they were about to ask something more, suddenly, a figure appeared in the hall of the
palace. It was a woman wearing a magnificent robe. Her face was covered by a mysterious mask, and the part of her eyes was occupied by an empty blackness. Her steps were graceful, but the sound of each step landing seemed to be hitting their hearts.
"You've finally come." The woman's voice was low and full of temptation. "You have reached the end of this game."
Dalin and Lucas looked at each other, full of doubts and vigilance in their hearts. It seemed that all of this had long been planned in some hidden corner, and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't escape the teasing of fate.
"What is our purpose for coming here?" Dalin couldn't help asking, with eagerness shining in her eyes. "What on earth do you want?"
The woman's smile became even more strange. She gently raised her hand, and her fingertips ran through the air, as if playing an invisible movement. "Purpose?" She said softly. "You didn't come here for a purpose, but to make you see your own hearts more clearly, to see those things that you have always ignored."
Dalin's heart shook violently. She seemed to understand something, but couldn't fully comprehend it. "What are you talking about?"
The woman didn't answer. Instead, she waved her robe. Then, countless illusions began to emerge on the walls of the hall. Each picture was full of distortion and pain, as if the darkest fears in their hearts were being revealed.
Lucas' eyes became even more determined. He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "These are all... the fears in our hearts."
"Exactly." The woman's voice sounded, as if coming from all directions. "This is the truth you can't escape." There was a sneer in her tone. "What you have been trying to escape is exactly the most vulnerable part of your hearts. And now, all of this will be exposed without reservation."
As her words fell, the surrounding illusions became even more blurred. Then, a huge mask appeared in front of the two of them. It was Lucas' face, but it was twisted in a sick way, and his eyes were full of regret and despair.
"Your crimes," a deep voice came from the mask, "the root of everything is yourselves."
Dalin took a step back abruptly, and a trace of pain flashed in her eyes. She looked at Lucas, and that twisted face seemed to be a mockery of all the pain they had experienced together.
"We didn't do this!" Dalin's voice trembled. "This isn't true!"
"Yes, it is true." The woman's voice sounded again. "You have always lived in the lies you wove. In the end, your souls will be devoured, and you can't escape."
Suddenly, a new picture emerged in the mirror. It was a photo that Dalin had once seen. In the photo, she stood with a strange man, their gazes intertwined, and their expressions intimate. She had once thought that this was her love, the sustenance of all her hopes, but now, all of this looked so false and absurd.
"Deep in your hearts, there is always a shadow that can't be erased." The woman's voice echoed in the air. "That is the truth you can't face."
Dalin took a deep breath. Her heart seemed to be struck heavily. Her vision suddenly blurred, and various past memories welled up in her eyes. Pain, regret, helplessness, all the negative emotions poured out like a flood.
Lucas tightly held her hand and said in a low voice, "Dalin, don't give up."
But even so, they still couldn't get rid of the illusions in front of them. The two seemed to be trapped in this palace. No matter how they struggled, they couldn't escape the approaching shadow.
And that mysterious woman still looked at them with a cold smile, as if waiting for the final judgment.