The final round of the Legacy Trial had only just begun.
***
Alex's senses were assaulted by a flash of white light. For a second, everything went blank. Then—normalcy.
He landed on solid stone, blinking.
Around him was a large, ruined hall. Cracks ran up the faded pillars, vines curled along broken walls, and scattered debris littered the floor. High above, shattered windows let in rays of faint, unnatural light. The air was cool and still.
The others were here too, slowly rising to their feet, looking around in confusion.
"Where are we?" the Anima asked.
Before anyone could respond, the lamps lining the walls flickered to life one by one. A soft golden glow filled the room, revealing more of the space.
The walls were lined with towering statues—seven in total—each carved in the image of a different figure, their hands pressed together in solemn prayer.
Alex frowned.
There were seven players here.
Seven statues.
A coincidence? Maybe. But it didn't feel like one.
