Nakao finds herself in a realm of darkness, an oppressive void that seems to stretch endlessly. In the distance, she spots Conor. Her heart leaps, and she immediately starts running toward him. "Conor!" she calls out, her voice echoing through the emptiness.
But no matter how fast she runs, he only seems to get further away. Suddenly, dark vines emerge from the shadows, wrapping around her legs and arms, pulling her back. Nakao struggles against them, screaming in fear, "No! I can't lose him again!" Tears stream down her face as she watches Conor grow smaller and smaller in the distance.
The darkness begins to close in around her, threatening to consume her entirely. But then, in the midst of her panic, she takes a deep breath. "Wait", she thinks to herself, her mind beginning to clear. "Getting this close to Conor is already more than I ever dreamed. And the Conor I know... he wouldn't let this distance stay between us."
She realizes the truth. "This isn't real," she whispers to herself, her voice steadying. "It's all in my head. I have to conquer my fear."
With newfound determination, Nakao calms her racing thoughts and focuses deeply. The dark vines begin to loosen and dissolve, fading back into the shadows. She takes a cautious step forward, then another, her eyes fixed on the distant figure of Conor.
"Conor!" she calls out again, louder this time. He stops and turns, a warm smile spreading across his face. He begins running toward her, just as she runs to him.
But suddenly, more dark vines strike out from the shadows, lashing at Conor and killing him. Nakao gasps as she watches the darkness consume him, leaving his body motionless on the ground.
"No!" she cries, her hands trembling. But then she steadies herself, her mind racing. "Conor isn't that weak", she tells herself firmly. "He wouldn't fall so easily. This is just another trick—a mental game. I have to see him as he truly is: strong and unshakable!"
She closes her eyes, imagining Conor rising to his feet, his strength undiminished. When she opens her eyes again, Conor is standing, just as she pictured, his resolve as fierce as ever.
With tears in her eyes, Nakao runs fearlessly toward him, breaking through the remaining darkness. She throws her arms around him, hugging him tightly. The oppressive darkness around them fades, replaced by a warm, golden light.
"I did it," Nakao whispers, her voice trembling with emotion. "I conquered my fear."
As she embraces Conor, her body begins to glow. The realm fades away, and Nakao reappears on the board, her feet landing softly on the platform. She looks around, realizing she's the first one to return.
Kiren finds himself magically transported into the heart of a bustling city. He hears screams and sees a burning building nearby, with terrified children trapped inside. Without hesitation, he rushes in, braving the flames and smoke. One by one, he saves the children, guiding them to safety and reuniting them with their families.
As the last child is safely returned to their parents, Kiren smiles, expecting gratitude and cheers. But to his confusion, the families ignore him, turning their backs and walking away without so much as a thank-you.
"Wait..." Kiren mutters, his smile fading. He looks around, panic beginning to set in. "Why is no one saying anything? I saved them! I'm their hero!"
Suddenly, a new figure arrives: Adam, clad in a gleaming hero costume. He flies in, his magic extinguishing the fire in one grand display. The crowd erupts into applause, cheering and clapping for Adam. Some even kneel, offering prayers to him as if he were a divine savior.
Kiren, watching from the sidelines, feels his chest tighten. "What...?" he whispers, tears forming in his eyes. "But I... I was the one who saved them first!"
Unable to contain his frustration, he rushes over to Adam, shoving him hard. "You're too late! By the time you got here, everyone would've already died in that fire!"
The crowd gasps in horror. Murmurs ripple through the gathering before they turn on Kiren. Booing and jeers fill the air as they begin to throw trash at him.
"Ungrateful!"
"How dare you treat our hero like that?"
"Get out of here!"
Kiren stumbles back, clutching his head in anguish. "No, no, no!" he cries, his voice shaking. "This isn't what I wanted... I just wanted to be a hero. A hero that all kinds of people love."
The crowd lifts Adam onto their shoulders, carrying him away as they chant his name. Kiren drops to his knees, overwhelmed by despair. The world around him begins to darken, shadows creeping closer as his thoughts spiral.
But then, in the midst of his turmoil, he clenches his fists and screams, "This isn't real!"
The darkness quivers at his words. Kiren takes a deep breath, his voice steadier now. "Even if something like this did happen, Adam isn't the type to hog the spotlight for himself. He's the kind of guy who'd share it with his family. That's who he is!"
As he says this, the shadows part, and Adam steps forward, his hand extended.
"You've always been a hero, Kiren," Adam says with a reassuring smile.
Kiren hesitates, then takes Adam's hand. As he rises to his feet, the darkness around them dissolves into light.
Kiren looks up, his expression calm. "Even if I'm not in the biggest spotlight, as long as I've done my duty as a hero, that's enough for me."
The light envelops him, and in a flash of magic, he reappears on the board game. He takes a deep breath, muttering to himself, "All of that... it wasn't real after all. Conquering your fears..."
He glances around, spotting Nakao nearby.
"The others," he says, shaking his head, "they're going to struggle even more than we did."
Nakao puts her hands together. "All we can do is have faith in them," she replies, her voice steady. "Even if it feels impossible, they'll find a way to conquer their fears."
Simbad finds himself in the mystical land of Nara. In the distance, a fierce battle rages. His heart sinks as he sees Rune, his closest companion, locked in combat with the colossal wolf god, Fen.
"Rune!" Simbad shouts, gripping his weapon tightly and rushing forward.
But before he can reach him, the unthinkable happens. Fen, with a devastating swing of his massive claws, strikes Rune down. The blow is fetal, Rune collapses to the ground, lifeless.
Simbad skids to a halt, his breath caught in his throat. "No... no, this can't be true," he whispers, his body trembling. He takes a step closer, staring at Rune's lifeless form.
The towering figure of Fen looms over them, his power radiating like an unstoppable force. Simbad's knees weaken under the overwhelming pressure.
Tears stream down his face as he drops to his knees, his voice breaking. "Rune... you were everything to me. I always wanted to be a part of your life... to stand by your side. But now... without you, what am I?"
He looks up at Fen, his despair deepening. "If you fell to this monster... then what chance do I have? What chance does the world even have without you?!"
His loosen his grip on his weapon falters as his emotions spiral out of control. He sinks deeper into his anguish, consumed by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy. The air around him grows heavy as shadows begin to creep closer, coiling around his body like serpents.
The darkness overtakes him, feeding on his despair, threatening to pull him under completely.
Rune materializes in the land of Nara, the air thick with despair and the acrid scent of destruction. In front of him, the giant wolf god Fen towers over the battlefield. Rune's heart pounds in terror as he witnesses a horrifying sight—Fen striking down his family one by one.
"Adam! Megan! Mai!" Rune cries out, his voice breaking as their lifeless bodies hit the ground.
He tries to run toward them, but his legs feel like lead. He sees Nakao fall, then Jean, Michael, and Kiren. Each one collapses under Fen's devastating power. Simbad is the last to fall, his weapon dropping from his hands as he meets his fate.
Rune's breathing becomes ragged as his eyes lock onto a familiar figure. "Alice!" he screams, his voice trembling with desperation.
Fen turns his attention to her, his massive jaws opening wide. Rune reaches out, screaming her name, but it's too late. Fen devours her in a single, merciless bite.
The wolf god releases a terrifying aura, its energy pulsating outward and enveloping the entire world. The sky turns black as the ground cracks beneath its overwhelming force. Rune is thrown into the air by the sheer magnitude of Fen's power.
He spirals upward, higher and higher, until he finds himself floating in the void of space. Below him, the world of Terra is no longer the vibrant land he knows. Fen's magic spreads like a cancer, consuming everything in its path. Rune stares in helpless horror as his world is swallowed whole.
Tears stream down his face as he clenches his fists, his voice shaking. "No matter how much I try... the results will always be the same.... Me failing... and everyone dying because of me."
His despair intensifies, and a primal scream of pain erupts from him, echoing through the void. The darkness of space responds to his anguish, creeping out from the corners of the galaxy. Tendrils of shadow twist and coil, closing in around him.
Rune collapses in the endless abyss, consumed by his grief and self-loathing as the darkness swallows him whole.
Michael materializes on a devastated battlefield, the air heavy with smoke and the metallic scent of blood. In the distance, he sees Mai locked in combat with Joker. Joker's aura radiates with overwhelming malice, sending shivers down Michael's spine.
He freezes in place, fear gripping him tightly. His eyes dart between Mai and Joker as his thoughts race. Can I even save her? If I try, I'll die... but if I don't, I'll break Frank's promise.
Sweat beads on his forehead as Joker's sinister laughter echoes across the battlefield. Mai struggles valiantly, but Joker is relentless. With a swift, cruel motion, Joker drives his cane through Mai, and her body collapses to the ground.
"No... no, no, no!" Michael whispers, dropping to his knees. His heart pounds as regret consumes him. "I should have done something... anything!"
Joker turns his gaze toward Michael. Slowly, he strides toward him, his laughter growing louder and more mocking with each step.
Michael begins to tremble. "Please... please don't! I don't want to die!" he begs, his voice cracking.
Joker tilts his head, feigning sympathy, before driving his cane into Michael's back. Pain sears through him as Michael lets out a blood-curdling scream. Clutching the cane embedded in his body, he scrambles to his feet and runs, stumbling over the rubble of the battlefield.
"I just want to live! I can't die here!" he cries, his voice desperate and panicked. His chest tightens as guilt, fear, and despair spiral out of control.
The shadows on the battlefield seem to respond to his emotions, twisting and growing. They slither toward him, wrapping around his limbs and chest. Michael's mind fragments under the weight of his terror, and the darkness closes in.
Consumed by fear and self-loathing, Michael vanishes into the void, his desperate cries lost in the encroaching shadows.
Ezzy materializes in the familiar streets of Old Berry Town, surrounded by the smiling faces of her friends and family. She feels a moment of warmth, a fleeting sense of peace—until sharp, stinging pain blooms across her body. Wounds open one by one, crimson blood spilling out as her body trembles.
The heat builds within her, an inferno she cannot contain. Flames burst from her body, licking at the ground and reaching toward the sky.
"No... no, not again!" she screams, trying to suppress the blaze, but it only grows stronger. The fire roars, devouring the people she loves, their screams echoing in her ears.
Her tears evaporate before they can fall as the world around her is reduced to ash. Towns, forests, rivers, and even the skies succumb to the consuming flames. The entire world of Terra burns under the weight of her curse.
Ezzy collapses to the ground, her sobs wracked with guilt and despair. "It's all my fault... I couldn't stop it... I destroyed everything and everyone!"
The shadows that remain after the fire grow darker and larger, crawling toward her broken form. They coil around her, suffocating her spirit as she sinks into the abyss, consumed by the unbearable weight of her guilt and fear.
Jean finds himself at the campfire, surrounded by familiar faces. Everyone is laughing, listening intently to one of Simbad's legendary tales. The warmth of camaraderie fills the air, and for a moment, Jean feels at peace.
But a voice cuts through the laughter—a voice he thought he would never hear again. "Jean... you are weak!" It's Henry.
Jean's body betrays him. His arms twist and elongate into powerful, monstrous monkey limbs. Seagull wings burst from his back, flapping wildly, and his tail morphs into that of a beast. He tries to scream, to stop the transformation, but his voice is drowned by the sounds of terror around him.
He watches from outside himself, as though trapped in a nightmare, as his monstrous form tears into the camp. One by one, the people he cherishes fall to his claws and fangs. Simbad, Nakao, Mai, Megan, Adam—none are spared.
Blood drips from his hands as his beastly form recedes. Jean looks down, trembling. His friends lie lifeless around him, their faces frozen in expressions of horror and betrayal.
"No... this isn't me. I didn't mean to..." His voice breaks as he falls to his knees. The blood on his hands feels heavier with each passing second.
Tears stream down his face as he sobs, "This is what I was afraid of the most... the monster inside me. I've killed everyone that I cared about."
The darkness swells around him, seeping into his mind. It whispers his fears and failures, wrapping him in its suffocating embrace until he disappears into the void.
Megan spawns in front of her old home, a place once filled with warmth and comfort. She hesitates as she approaches the front door, hearing the soft sound of laughter coming from inside. Peering through the window, she sees Sam, her husband, sitting comfortably on the couch, smiling and sharing a moment with Lia, Adam's wife.
Her heart aches, but she forces herself to stay calm, whispering, "He's happy... that's all I've ever wanted."
Before she can step inside, a thunderous crash shakes the house. Adam appears at the door, his bat glinting with malice as he smashes it through the wooden frame. Megan's eyes widen in horror as she watches him storm in.
"No!" she cries, sprinting after him.
The scene she stumbles upon freezes her in place. Sam and Lia lie motionless on the floor, blood pooling beneath them. Adam stands over their bodies, his bat dripping with blood, his eyes cold and devoid of humanity.
Megan's legs give out, and she collapses to her knees, reaching for Sam but unable to touch him. Tears stream down her face as she whispers, "This... this can't be real..."
She shakily summons her weapon, clutching it to her chest. She stares at Sam's lifeless form, her heart shattering into pieces.
"If he's gone... if the love of my life is gone... then what's left for me?" she murmurs.
Without hesitation, she drives the weapon into her chest, the pain overshadowed by her overwhelming grief. Darkness surges around her, pulling her deeper into despair.
Adam spawns in a serene, golden grassland. The tall blades sway gently in the breeze, illuminated by an otherworldly glow. At the center of the field, he sees two familiar figures: Sam and Lia. They're holding hands, their faces radiant with peace as if the weight of the world no longer burdens them.
Adam takes a hesitant step forward, his voice trembling. "Sam... Lia?"
They turn to him, their expressions calm but distant. Before he can reach them, a brilliant beam of light descends from the heavens, enveloping their forms. The grass around them bends to the force of the light as they are lifted skyward.
"No!" Adam yells, sprinting toward them. His legs feel heavy as if the ground itself is holding him back. "How dare you!"
As they ascend, Adam collapses to his knees, his hands clutching the ground.
Their forms disappear into the heavens, leaving Adam alone in the endless field. A deep silence follows, pressing against him like a crushing weight. His heart pounds, his breaths shallow and uneven.
The golden glow fades, and the grassland begins to wither. The sky darkens, transforming into an oppressive void. Shadows slither across the ground, pooling around Adam's feet. He doesn't resist as the darkness pulls him downward, his mind fracturing under the strain of his grief.
The shadows twist and swirl, forming a dark pool that drags him deeper. The suffocating silence is broken only by his screams of mental anguish, echoing into the void.