Morning broke cold and sharp over the plateau. Frost glistened on every stone, and the sky above the Shattered Peaks was bruised with swirling clouds. The group moved quietly, their breath visible in the chill air.
Eiji rubbed his hands together, teeth chattering. "You know, for a world full of magic, you'd think someone invented heated jackets by now."
Lyra smiled faintly. "If we survive this, I'll invent one myself."
Kael led the way up the narrow path that twisted higher into the mountain. "Stay focused. The air is thinner here. The next trial will not be physical—it will be within."
Selene nodded. "The second stage of the Peaks tests the mind. The mountain reflects memories and fears. It becomes… personal."
Eiji frowned. "Personal? Like emotional personal? Because I'm really bad at that."
Pyra crackled with amusement. "Oh, this will be fun."
The path grew darker as the clouds thickened overhead. The wind fell silent, replaced by a strange echo that seemed to come from the mountain itself. The walls began to shimmer, and the air distorted, rippling like water.
Eiji stopped. "Is it me, or are the rocks breathing?"
Lyra's eyes widened. "That's not the rocks… that's magic."
The next moment, the world shifted. The narrow trail vanished, replaced by a wide, open courtyard bathed in twilight. Strange constellations filled the sky—ones Eiji didn't recognize, yet somehow remembered.
Selene looked around warily. "We've entered the illusion."
Eiji blinked as figures appeared before him—people in flowing robes, standing beneath banners marked with symbols he'd seen in his visions. One of them stepped forward, face familiar yet blurred, voice soft and calm.
"Oracle," the figure said. "You failed us once. Will you fail again?"
Eiji's pulse quickened. "Who… who are you?"
The figure tilted its head. "A memory. A reflection of what you left behind."
Kael stepped beside him, sword ready. "They're illusions. Don't engage."
But Eiji couldn't move. The figure's voice was pulling at something deep within him—old guilt, fragments of his past life as the previous Oracle. He saw flashes: a city in flames, a seal breaking, and himself standing powerless before the collapse.
Lyra touched his arm gently. "Eiji, it's not real. You're here, with us."
Eiji shook his head, gripping the medallion. "It feels real."
The illusion shifted again. The courtyard turned to ruins, fire and shadow spreading. The air smelled of smoke. The same figure reappeared, now twisted, eyes burning with accusation.
"You promised salvation, and you brought ruin."
Eiji fell to his knees, clutching his head. The medallion pulsed wildly, reacting to his turmoil.
Selene knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me. The mountain draws from your fear. If you believe the illusion, it will consume you."
Eiji's breathing quickened. "I can't— it's too real. I remember this… the failure, the screams—"
Kael stepped forward, slicing through one of the illusions. The form scattered like mist, but another immediately appeared.
Lyra hurled a potion of light, scattering the shadows briefly. "We can't fight this with force. It's inside his mind!"
Selene closed her eyes, chanting softly. "Then we must ground him in the present."
She placed her staff against the medallion. A soft glow spread from the crystal, weaving through the air around Eiji. The illusions flickered.
Selene's voice was firm. "Eiji, look at me. You are not the past Oracle. You are the one who can break the cycle. The mountain cannot define you unless you let it."
Eiji's vision blurred. The accusing figures wavered, their forms breaking apart like smoke in the wind. The medallion's pulse steadied.
He stood shakily. "You're right. I'm not him. I won't repeat his mistakes."
The illusion shattered. The courtyard dissolved into mist, revealing the real mountain path once more. The air grew still, the hum of the Peaks returning to its steady rhythm.
Lyra let out a long breath. "Remind me never to underestimate a mountain again."
Pyra flickered beside them. "That was quite the show, Oracle. Are all your memories this dramatic?"
Eiji managed a small smile. "Unfortunately, yes."
Kael scanned the trail ahead. "The mountain is quiet again. But the Guild will use your weakness against you. They know now that your mind is vulnerable."
Eiji looked at the medallion, its glow softer now. "Then I'll make sure they regret trying."
Selene nodded approvingly. "The next part of the climb awaits. You've conquered your illusion. The final trial will test your resolve."
Eiji sighed. "So mental breakdown first, then physical exhaustion. This world really loves balance."
The group continued upward, the peaks above them glowing faintly in the stormlight. The illusion was over, but Eiji could still feel its echo—the voice of his past self whispering faintly in the wind.