Elara's POV
I blinked, my heart pounding in my chest, as the figure stood before me, holding the mask in their hand. The silence between us was thick—almost suffocating. For a moment, I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. It was as though time had frozen, and the only thing that existed was the strange face before me. My own face, yet so different.
"I—" My voice faltered. "Who are you?"
The figure didn't speak. Instead, they raised a hand, and the sand beneath our feet began to shift. The ground cracked, splitting open like paper, revealing something beneath—a glowing symbol, etched into the earth. It was a sigil I had never seen before, but its shape felt familiar. I could almost hear the whispers of ancient voices, beckoning me to understand.
I took a step closer, my eyes never leaving the figure's face. "Why do you look like me?" I asked, a tremor in my voice.
The figure's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "I am the truth you've been running from," they whispered.
I felt a chill run down my spine as the words settled in. The truth I've been running from? What did that mean? The questions piled up, but I couldn't find the answers.
The figure took a step forward, holding out the mask. "This is the last piece you need to see yourself clearly," they said softly.
I reached out instinctively, my hand trembling as it brushed against the smooth surface of the mask. The instant I touched it, I felt a surge of energy—something ancient and powerful coursing through me, like the weight of forgotten memories pressing against the edges of my mind.
I pulled my hand back. The mask felt... heavy. As if it carried the weight of someone else's life. Someone else's choices.
"Take it," the figure insisted. "This is the price for the truth. The truth about who you really are."
I shook my head, a sense of unease building within me. "I don't understand. What do you want from me?"
The figure's gaze softened, almost pitying. "I don't want anything from you, Elara. I am only a reflection. A shadow of what you have yet to confront."
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath my feet. The sand rose into the air, swirling around us like a storm. I felt myself being pulled toward the center of the sigil, as though the world itself was trying to drag me into its depths.
"No!" I screamed, but the force of the pull was too strong. My feet left the ground, and I was surrounded by darkness.
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[SYSTEM NOTICE: OBJECTIVE FAILED]
> Trial of the Masked Court - Loss of Memory Fragment.
Current Location: The Void.
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I gasped as I found myself back in the Masked Court, the swirling shadows around me dissolving into the familiar, eerie light of the ballroom. The figures around me had not moved. They continued their dance, oblivious to my struggle.
But something was different.
The man in the fox mask was there, watching me with a knowing smile. "So, you've seen the truth," he said. "How does it feel?"
I clenched my fists, a bitter taste in my mouth. I had failed. The system had warned me, but I hadn't been ready. I hadn't understood.
"The truth…" I whispered to myself. I could still feel the presence of the other Elara, the one in the barren land, the one who had shown me the mask. It was as if she was still there, lingering in the corners of my mind.
The fox-masked man stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "It's always the hardest to face what lies within, isn't it? But now you know the price of seeking the truth." He tilted his head. "Are you ready to continue, or are you content with the lies you've told yourself?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Continue," I said, my voice steady. "I'm not giving up."
The fox-masked man's smile deepened, almost cruelly. "Very well. But remember, Elara, the game has only just begun. There's much more to discover in this place. And much more you'll lose."
With that, he turned away, and the court resumed its dance, the music filling the air once again.
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End of Chapter 11