The mirrors shimmered and pulsed faintly—alive, somehow.Not with breath, but with something deeper. Presence. Intent.
Lucien narrowed his eyes as faint flickers moved behind the glass, as if the reflections themselves watched them.
Godir's jaw dropped, genuinely stunned. "These mirrors… they're not illusions. They're alive."
Tessia, trembling, instinctively stepped behind him. "This place… I don't like it."
Lucien turned toward Godir. "Any idea how to solve this trial?"
Godir crossed his arms, frowning deeply. "Even I didn't predict that the first trial would be this confusing. This isn't just magic. This is Divination. And not the kind sold in taverns by fake prophets—this is high-level Divination… the kind only the Temple Knights use."
Lucien's face tensed. "Temple Knights? That dangerous?"
Godir's voice dropped a pitch. "If I wasn't assigned this mission, I'd never let even my shadow wander near this place. But we've come too far to back out."
He glanced at both Lucien and Tessia.
"If you two don't know what Divination really is, let me explain. The name sounds like it's a holy blessing, doesn't it? 'Power given by the gods,' huh?" he scoffed. "No. It's not so divine. It's Exorcism. Sealing. A way to punish souls that dare defy the gods."
Tessia's eyes widened in horror. "Sealing… souls?"
Godir nodded solemnly. "The Holy Cathedrals of the Sun and Moon gods—people think they're merciful. But even they have their hierarchy. When a soul dies and hates someone so much it leaves traces behind, it becomes a ghost. But when that hatred is aimed at the gods themselves?"
He paused.
"It's condemned to eternal torment through Divination."
Tessia gasped. "That's… awful."
Lucien clenched his jaw. Part of him didn't want to believe such cruelty could exist in the name of holiness.
But then he remembered Judal Oliver. The betrayal. The fall. The way the world turned its back.
He also remembered Ijin, the gentle hands that helped him stand again.
Lucien's fists tightened. "That's why this world needs a hero. Someone those abandoned by gods and people alike can believe in."He looked ahead, his voice steady."I'll be that hero."
Godir snorted. "Heh. You're a funny guy. But now's not the time for grand speeches—we've got a trial to finish."
He turned back to the ocean of mirrors.
"Our objective: find and defeat the ghost sealed inside one of these. That's the only way we move forward."
Tessia blinked. "But how are we supposed to check through millions of mirrors?"
Godir sighed. "That's why people say you need luck to survive the Trials."
Lucien stepped forward, scanning the glass for any hints. His mind raced.
"There has to be something… laughter? No… maybe the ghost is—"
A faint giggle echoed through the chamber.
"Did you hear that?" Godir asked sharply. "A girl's voice."
"A girl?" Lucien repeated, eyes lighting up. "That's what we needed!"
He turned to Tessia. "Do you remember when we passed through that lane between the gate and Trial One? We saw those strange trees… the ones with black apples?"
Tessia nodded hesitantly. "Yes… but what about them?"
Lucien smirked. "That's the key."
Godir raised an eyebrow. "Brat, have you finally lost it? How are apples going to help us here?"
Lucien replied calmly, "It's not like it'll hurt to try."
He looked between Tessia and Godir. "Just trust me."
Despite their doubts, the three began walking back toward the grove where the dark trees grew. The air thickened as they approached. Mist curled around their ankles.
Then—they saw her.
A woman stood beneath one of the trees. Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight, flowing over elegant black armor adorned with a white emblem—the unmistakable crest of the Temple Moon Knights.
She radiated elegance… and unimaginable danger.
Godir's breath caught in his throat. He immediately raised a hand to stop them.
"Don't move. That armor… that symbol. She's one of the Temple Moon Knights. And not a common one. Her presence alone… she's way beyond us."
Tessia froze.
Lucien gritted his teeth, his fingers twitching near his weapon.
Godir muttered under his breath, "Don't. Even. Try it. We can't stop her. We're not strong enough yet. The best we can do is wait… and hope she leaves."
The silver-haired knight plucked one of the black apples and gazed into it, as if it showed her another world.
She hadn't noticed them yet.
But how long would that last?
Lucien, Tessia, and Godir knelt behind the foliage, holding their breath.
The trial had just begun… but the path forward was far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.
End of Chapter 21