The landscape had shifted.
Gone were the cracked floors and blood-stained halls—Unit 9 now stood at the edge of Silver Lake, a glowing body of water so calm it looked like polished glass.
Moonlight reflected off its surface even though it was noon.
"It's… beautiful," Mira whispered.
"No birds. No wind. Just silence," Teaha muttered, scanning the trees.
Kevin flopped beside the water. "Let's just admit this is the first trial that looks like a vacation."
Lara didn't smile. "It's too quiet. Something's hiding."
Nisa stepped closer to the lake's edge. Her jade was pulsing again—softly.
Bihoo stood beside her, hands in his pockets.
"You okay?" he asked gently.
She nodded. "...I've been remembering things. From another life. From us."
He looked at her then—really looked.
"Me too."
There was a pause.
Then Nisa softly asked, "Was it real?"
Bihoo hesitated.
And then—
> "Yes. You were always real to me."
Their eyes locked, soft ripples dancing at their feet.
But before the moment could deepen, a scream shattered the calm.
Kevin had vanished.
Water surged from the lake, wrapping around Mira's leg—dragging her toward the center.
Lara screamed her name. Teaha leapt forward and slashed the water with his blade, freeing her.
Bihoo pulled Nisa back. "The lake's alive!"
From the center of the water, a figure rose—a girl, with silver eyes and hair like mist.
She wore Unit 9's uniform.
But none of them knew her.
> "You've forgotten me," she said, her voice echoing. "You left me behind."
"Who are you!?" Mira yelled.
The girl smiled softly. "A shadow... of your choices."
Suddenly, six pillars rose from the lake, each glowing with a different color. The silver girl pointed at them:
> "To pass, you must each face the version of yourself you fear the most. The version that was never chosen. The one that failed."
The lake reflected twisted versions of them—darker, crueler, broken.
Everyone stared in silence.
Even Kevin—who had been dragged back—stood frozen.
"I don't like this place anymore," he muttered.
Bihoo looked at his reflection. It was him—but corrupted by rage, standing over Nisa's fallen form.
His fists clenched.
He whispered, "I will never become that."
Nisa looked at hers—cold, expressionless, alone on a throne of bones.
"I'm not meant to rule," she whispered. "I'm meant to protect."
The group stepped forward—one by one—toward their pillars.
Trial of Shadows had begun.
Above them, the girl slowly disappeared into silver mist, her voice lingering:
> "Remember me... I was part of your story too…"
To be continued…