The light swallowed them whole, ripping the ground from beneath their feet. Leon's vision blurred as he felt himself being hurled through space, weightless and disoriented. A deafening hum filled his ears, and then—silence.
When his senses returned, Leon found himself lying on cold, jagged ground. A faint, eerie glow illuminated the surroundings, casting long shadows across an unfamiliar landscape. He blinked, forcing his eyes to adjust. Around him, shards of light floated in the air like fragments of a broken mirror, refracting images of the battlefield they had just left.
"Leon!" Zara's voice cut through the silence. She emerged from the shadows, her daggers drawn and her expression tense. "Are you okay?"
Leon pushed himself to his feet, wincing as pain shot through his body. "I'm fine. Where are the others?"
"I'm here," Darius's deep voice echoed from a distance. He stumbled into view, his shield strapped to his back, and his armor scratched but intact. "Elara's with me."
Elara followed closely behind, her staff glowing faintly. She looked pale but focused. "That... wasn't just a teleportation spell. We've been transported to a different plane entirely."
Cain appeared last, dusting off his jacket. "Well, this place sure has a 'welcome to your doom' vibe." He looked around, frowning. "Any idea where we are?"
Elara knelt, placing her hand on the ground. Her fingers traced the cracks in the stone, and her eyes glowed faintly as she connected with the plane's energy. After a moment, she stood, her expression grim. "This is the Shattered Plane—a fragment of reality broken off from the main universe. It's a place where lost magic and forgotten memories linger."
Darius frowned. "How do we get out?"
"The obelisk's light brought us here," Elara said, glancing at the floating shards. "There must be a way to reverse it. We need to find the source of this plane's magic."
Leon nodded. "Then we move. We stick together and find that source."
They set off, the jagged terrain stretching endlessly before them. The air was thick with an oppressive energy, and every step echoed unnervingly, as if the plane itself was aware of their presence.
As they walked, the shards of light around them shifted, showing glimpses of their past battles, their victories, and their losses.
"This place feeds on memories," Elara whispered. "Be careful. It might use them against us."
Cain snorted. "Great. As if echoes weren't enough, now we have a haunted plane messing with our heads."
They pressed on, their path leading them to a towering crystalline structure in the distance. The crystal pulsed with the same energy as the obelisk from before.
"That has to be it," Leon said, gripping his sword tightly.
As they approached, the ground trembled, and a deep rumbling sound echoed around them. The shards of light coalesced, forming figures from their memories. Familiar faces emerged—some friends, some enemies—each one a perfect replica from their past.
"No way," Zara breathed, her eyes wide. "These are..."
"Reflections of us," Darius finished grimly. "And they're here to fight."
The reflections moved in unison, mirroring their real counterparts with eerie precision. Leon's reflection stepped forward, its eyes devoid of emotion but its stance perfectly mimicking his own.
"Stay focused," Leon warned. "These aren't real, just like the echoes. We've beaten them before—we can do it again."
The battle erupted, each member of the group facing their own reflection. Blades clashed, magic flared, and the air was filled with the sound of combat.
Leon parried a strike from his reflection, their swords sparking as they met. His opponent moved with the same skill and precision, predicting his every move.
"This isn't just a fight," Elara shouted, dodging a blast of magic from her reflection. "It's a test of our resolve. They're mirroring our doubts, our fears!"
Leon gritted his teeth, pushing back against his reflection. "Then we show them we're stronger!"
He feinted to the left and slashed upward, catching the reflection off guard. With a final, decisive blow, he shattered it into fragments of light.
One by one, the others followed suit, their reflections dissolving into the ether. The crystalline structure pulsed brighter, the shards around them dimming.
"We're close," Elara said, breathing heavily. "Just a little further."
The group approached the crystal, its surface smooth and cold. Leon placed his hand on it, feeling the hum of energy beneath.
"Let's end this," he said, channeling the energy of his talent into the crystal.
The ground shook violently, and the crystal began to fracture, its light growing blindingly bright. With a final surge, it exploded, sending a shockwave through the plane.
As the light faded, the jagged terrain around them began to dissolve, replaced by the familiar sight of the battlefield. They were back, the obelisk now dark and dormant.
Leon lowered his sword, exhaustion washing over him. "We made it."
Elara nodded, her expression solemn. "But this was just a taste of what's to come. The Origin Trials aren't over yet."