The reflection moved with the precision of a predator, its eyes cold and unfeeling as it stared Rainey down. It stood just across the chamber, a perfect copy in every way—same face, same body, same sword raised at the ready. But there was something off about it. The reflection exuded an eerie calm, as if it knew something Rainey didn't.
Rainey's grip tightened on his sword, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. He couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just another fight. It was something more—a trial of his will, his very identity. The tower had made him face beasts and shadowy figures before, but this was different. This wasn't a battle against some external force.
This was a battle against himself.
"How do I fight… me?" Rainey muttered under his breath, his mind racing. The reflection's sword glinted in the chamber's dim light, ready to strike at any moment. Every movement it made felt calculated, like it was waiting for Rainey to make the first mistake.
For a moment, Rainey hesitated. Was this what the tower meant by resolve? Was it testing him to see if he could stand against the person he feared most—himself? His thoughts raced, clouded with doubt and uncertainty.
I don't even know who I am. The thought flashed through his mind like a strike of lightning, and it hit him harder than any enemy could. He didn't know what he had lost or what he was fighting for. Everything felt like a blur of incomplete memories and unanswered questions.
And now, this reflection—this twisted version of himself—was standing in his way, forcing him to confront everything he didn't understand about his own existence.
The reflection moved first, its sword cutting through the air with lethal speed. Rainey barely had time to block the attack, the impact jarring his arm and sending shockwaves up his body. He stumbled back, gritting his teeth as he tried to regain his footing.
The reflection's eyes were locked on him, emotionless, calculating.
"This is… impossible," Rainey whispered, his voice trembling. How was he supposed to fight something that knew everything about him? His fighting style, his strengths, his weaknesses—everything was laid bare before this opponent. The reflection wasn't just a copy. It was him, stripped of everything but raw, ruthless skill.
The reflection lunged again, and this time, Rainey wasn't fast enough. The blade sliced across his arm, leaving a shallow but painful cut. He gasped, stumbling back, his breath coming in ragged bursts. Pain shot through him, but the wound wasn't nearly as devastating as the realization that followed.
The reflection didn't hesitate. It wasn't weighed down by doubt or uncertainty. It moved with purpose, unburdened by the questions that had plagued Rainey since the moment he stepped into the tower. It was everything Rainey wasn't in this moment—focused, decisive, and clear.
And that was the key, wasn't it?
"I'm holding myself back," Rainey muttered, his voice barely a whisper. His heart pounded in his chest as the truth settled over him like a heavy weight. Every hesitation, every second of doubt—it was making him weaker, making him vulnerable. And the reflection was feeding on it, exploiting it.
If he didn't find his resolve—if he didn't stop second-guessing himself—he was going to lose. And not just this fight. He was going to lose everything.
The reflection advanced again, its movements fluid, precise. Rainey raised his sword to block, but this time, something inside him shifted. His grip tightened, and the fear that had clouded his mind began to lift. He couldn't let the uncertainty control him. He couldn't afford to be afraid.
As the reflection's blade clashed against his own, Rainey felt a surge of energy, the same power that had carried him through the previous trials. It flowed through him, filling his veins with warmth, sharpening his focus. He wasn't just defending anymore—he was pushing back.
The reflection's expressionless face remained unchanged, but its strikes became more aggressive, more desperate. Rainey met each one with renewed strength, his movements quicker, more precise. It was as though something inside him had finally clicked into place.
He didn't need all the answers right now. He didn't need to remember everything about his past. What mattered was that he was here, alive, and fighting. The rest would come in time.
Rainey ducked under the reflection's next strike, the blade whistling through the air just inches above his head. He rolled to the side, his body moving with newfound agility, and sprang back to his feet, his sword flashing in the dim light.
This time, he went on the offensive.
He lunged forward, his sword aimed directly at the reflection's chest. The reflection tried to block, but Rainey's strike was too fast, too strong. The blade pierced through the reflection's defenses, slicing through its torso in a single, clean motion.
The reflection staggered, its body flickering like a flame about to go out. Its eyes met Rainey's, and for a brief moment, something like recognition passed between them. Then, with a final flicker of light, the reflection dissolved into nothingness, leaving only silence in its wake.
Rainey stood there, his chest heaving, his sword still raised in the air. He had won.
But instead of relief, he felt only a strange emptiness. He had defeated the reflection, but it wasn't just a physical victory. He had confronted his own doubts, his own fears, and for the first time, he had pushed through them.
But the questions still lingered.
"Who am I, really?" Rainey whispered to himself, lowering the sword. The reflection had been a test, a trial meant to force him to face the parts of himself he didn't understand. But there were still so many missing pieces, so many unanswered questions.
As he stood there, the chamber around him began to shift. The walls trembled, and a new message appeared before him, glowing faintly in the air.
"Trial of Resolve Complete. Tutorial Progress: 60%."
Rainey stared at the message, his mind racing. Sixty percent. He was making progress, but the end was still far off. How many more trials were waiting for him? How many more times would the tower force him to confront the parts of himself he didn't understand?
A new passage opened at the far end of the chamber, the stone walls parting to reveal a dimly lit corridor. Rainey took a deep breath, sheathing his sword as he prepared to move forward.
He had faced himself, his doubts, his weaknesses. But the journey was far from over.
With a final glance at the chamber, Rainey stepped into the corridor, the weight of the trial still heavy on his shoulders.