The air in the depths of the Purgatory Field reeked of rot and decay. It clung to Karan's skin, heavy and oppressive, as if the darkness itself was alive. The scarlet glow of runes spiraled across the ground like serpents, their light flickering coldly as whispers seeped into the silence. Around him, the black mist coiled and shifted, narrowing the space into endless winding paths.
"This is no longer just a battlefield," Airena murmured. Her voice was tense, her lightsaber emitting a faint hum as she held it ready. "We've walked straight into its trap."
Karan tightened his grip on the Chaos Blade, his gaze sharp as it swept across their surroundings. "It's testing us," he said, his tone low but firm. "Stay close. Don't let it separate us."
The ground beneath them trembled violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the floor as the black mist surged like a tidal wave. Before either of them could react, the earth gave way, and they were swallowed by the void.
When Karan opened his eyes, he was standing in the Sacrificial Arena. The altar loomed before him, its broken pillars surrounded by familiar faces. These were the faces of his clan, but their features were blurred, indistinct, their mouths whispering cold, unrelenting words.
"You are the bearer of Chaos, the sinner who will bring ruin," their voices hissed, circling him like a chant.
Black chains snaked around Karan's wrists, binding him to the Chaos Blade. No matter how hard he struggled, the chains only tightened, their runes burning into his skin. His chest heaved as his mother's figure emerged from the shadows. She stood at the altar, her cold gaze piercing through him.
"This is your destiny," she said, her voice devoid of warmth. "You will be sacrificed so that the clan may live. You are a continuation of sin."
Karan's rage ignited, burning away the numbness in his heart. His voice erupted, shaking the air around him.
"You ruined my life, and now you want to take my soul? No! Not anymore!"
But his defiance only twisted the illusion further. The faces of the clansmen warped, their bodies elongating into monstrous forms. They lunged at him, shrieking as black mist surged, drowning out the light and leaving Karan's vision consumed by shadows.
Airena, meanwhile, found herself trapped in her own nightmare. She stood in a cold, sterile laboratory. Transparent containers lined the walls, each one filled with frail civilians, their bodies connected to an intricate web of tubes. Blood drained from their veins into the glowing insignia of Order that pulsed in the center of the room.
"Balance demands sacrifice. Order demands balance."
The voice belonged to her mentor, his figure emerging from the darkness with an aura of finality. His words struck her like a judgment, cold and absolute.
"No…" Airena whispered, stepping back as the civilians in the containers began to stir. Their hollow eyes opened, and their voices—soft, pleading, and broken—rose together in a desperate chant.
"Save us… save us…"
The chains appeared without warning, wrapping around her wrists and pulling her toward the glowing insignia. Airena's lightsaber trembled in her hand, but her resolve did not break.
"This is not Order," she said through gritted teeth. "This is tyranny."
Karan's roar echoed through the void as he gathered every ounce of strength within him. The Chaos Blade erupted with scarlet light, shattering the chains that bound him. He swung the blade in a wide arc, cutting through the mist and the nightmarish figures that surrounded him. His voice was defiant, filled with unyielding determination.
"My destiny is mine to command!"
At the same time, Airena raised her lightsaber high, its silver light cutting through the encroaching darkness. She slashed at the chains binding her, her movements precise and resolute.
"Your illusions won't break me," she said, her tone cold. "I fight for the future, not the lies of the past."
The black mist swirled violently, the illusions around them fracturing into jagged pieces. But before they could catch their breath, the shattered remnants began to converge, merging into a single monstrous form.
The creature that emerged was a grotesque amalgamation of Karan and Airena's fears. It had the twisted fangs and warped limbs of the clan's monsters, combined with the cold, mechanical shell of the laboratory. Runes pulsed across its body like veins, and dark, feathered wings sprouted from its back. Its roar reverberated through the air, suffocating and relentless.
Karan's eyes burned with anger as he charged forward, the Chaos Blade releasing a wave of scarlet energy. The blade struck the creature, but its form shimmered, distorting like an illusion. The attack missed, shattering the ground beneath them and forcing both Karan and Airena to scatter.
"Focus on its core!" Nytheron's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Its power is rooted in the runes—strike there, or you will fall."
The monster split into countless doppelgangers, each one lunging at Airena with deadly precision. Her lightsaber became a blur of silver light as she cut through the clones, but the effort drained her strength. Her breaths came faster, her movements slowing as exhaustion crept in.
Karan, on the other hand, closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He let the whispers of Chaos guide him, his grip on the Chaos Blade tightening as his focus sharpened.
"I control the future, not fear," he growled.
With a roar, he leapt high into the air, channeling all his strength into a single, decisive strike. The blade cleaved through the illusion, its energy piercing the runes at the creature's core. The monster let out a final, agonized scream as its body fractured like glass, shattering into nothingness.
The battlefield grew silent as the illusion collapsed. The runes on the ground dimmed, their light fading into the mist. Karan fell to his knees, his chest heaving, the black lines on his arms spreading further toward his shoulders. He stared at his hands, his expression cold and unreadable.
Airena approached, her gaze hard but laced with uncertainty.
"You've survived… but for how long?" she said quietly. "If you lose yourself, I will stop you. No hesitation."
Karan looked up at her, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
"Order isn't the answer," he said, his voice steady. "One day, you'll see it too."
Their words hung in the air as the black mist began to stir again, a low growl rising from the depths of the Purgatory Field. Nytheron's voice echoed, its tone both foreboding and grim.
"This was but the first layer of your trial. The truth of the Purgatory Field is far more terrifying than you can imagine."