The hall felt different the moment the door opened.
It was a subtle shift, a change in the air that pressed against Lyra's skin, tight and suffocating. The lanterns flickered in sympathy, casting long, wavering shadows across the floor. She knew before she saw who had entered.
A woman stepped through, tall and elegant, moving with fluid grace that seemed rehearsed. Her hair was black as midnight, falling in waves around her shoulders. Her eyes, however, drew the gaze of anyone who dared to meet them. They burned with a strange intensity, a mixture of fascination, malice, and obsession.
Lyra instinctively stepped back. Her hands shook, her heart pounding against her ribcage. This was not the same kind of darkness as the killer or the liar. This was personal.
Kaelen's voice cut through the tension, calm and steady. "You stand in the Hall of Judgment. Here, your life will be revealed."
The woman smiled, a slow, predatory curl of her lips. "Ah, the judge," she said softly, almost tenderly, and yet her words sent a chill through Lyra. "And his apprentice. I've heard so much about you."
Lyra's throat went dry. The mention of her name, spoken like that, made her skin crawl. "Who are you?" she managed to ask, her voice shaking.
The woman's smile deepened. "I am someone who notices. Someone who watches. Someone who knows what it means to take what you desire… and never let go."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed. "The mirror will show all. No lies will hide here."
"Oh, I do not need lies," she said, her gaze flicking to Lyra. "I know what lives in your heart, child. I can feel it. I can see the fear, the courage, the sparks of light. And I want them all."
The silver mirror shimmered beside Kaelen, but the woman did not glance at it. She didn't need to. She was the storm about to be reflected.
The first image emerged: a young girl, quiet, sitting in a corner. But unlike previous souls, this girl did not witness cruelty from others—she imposed it. She cornered children in play, whispered false truths, and turned friends against one another. A smile always lingered on her lips, small and secretive. She liked the control. She liked the fear that flashed in eyes when doubt grew.
Lyra swallowed hard, pressing her hands to her mouth. "She… she enjoyed it."
The woman's eyes gleamed, as if confirming Lyra's thought. "Yes. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed knowing that I could change everything with a word, a look, a suggestion. And even then, I wanted more."
The mirror shifted. She grew older. Her cruelty became more intentional, more intricate. She did not need weapons. Her manipulation extended to teachers, neighbours, and even her own family. She encouraged envy, stoked paranoia, and watched alliances crumble. All the while, she maintained charm, grace, and innocence. Her beauty was a shield, her intelligence a weapon.
Lyra felt a shiver crawl down her spine. "She… she isn't like the others. She doesn't just hurt. She hunts."
Kaelen's voice was steady. "She thrives on obsession. She will attach herself to those she finds worthy and dismantle them piece by piece. This is her signature."
The mirror showed her the next year. She had gained admirers, followers, people who worshipped her for her guidance. But she led them to ruin, bending minds and hearts to her will, savouring the fear and dependence she cultivated. Entire towns were manipulated into despair by her subtle commands.
Lyra's stomach churned. "She's… she's terrifying."
"Yes," Kaelen said softly. "She knows the weakness of hearts. She knows what it means to feel desire, to long, and she uses it to break those who attract her attention."
The mirror shifted again. Now the woman focused on a young apprentice, someone she considered gifted. She watched the child with intensity, whispering promises and fears. Slowly, carefully, she dismantled their confidence. She tested loyalty, sowed doubt, and measured every response. Each reaction delighted her. Lyra could feel it in the hall, a pulse of dark energy pressing in, invasive and sharp.
Lyra pressed her hand to her chest. "It's like she… she can see inside people. And she plays them like toys."
The woman's smile widened, her gaze locking onto Lyra. "I see you, little one. You have courage, yes, and strength. But you have curiosity. I will take that. I will hold it. I will bend it."
Lyra's voice was small but resolute. "You can't. I will not let you."
"Oh, I do not need your consent," the woman whispered. She stepped closer, the shadows seeming to curl around her feet, reaching. "All that matters is that I want it. Desire is stronger than law, stronger than fear. And you… You intrigue me more than anyone has."
Lyra stumbled backwards, heart racing. She could feel the weight of her presence, almost suffocating, as if the hall itself recognised the danger. "Kaelen… what do I do?"
Kaelen's hand touched her shoulder. "Observe. Learn. Stand your ground. She cannot harm you here, but she will test your mind, your courage, your soul."
The mirror pulsed again. The woman's influence expanded, focusing on those she wanted most. Admirers were turned into pawns, allies into enemies, all under her careful guidance. Her joy came from watching trust erode, from seeing hope wither under her gaze.
Lyra shivered, pressing her hands to her face. "I… I feel like she's inside my head. I can feel her testing me."
Kaelen's voice was calm but firm. "And that is the lesson. Obsession is a weapon. It can crush, it can blind, it can destroy even the strongest hearts if they do not resist."
The mirror showed the final years of her life. She was older, still striking, still beautiful. But now, a hunger lingered in her eyes, a focus that had not wavered. She had manipulated countless lives, yet she craved more, always more. Her last moments were not of reflection or regret, but of quiet, unfulfilled desire. She faded into silence, leaving behind the echo of her obsession, sharp and suffocating.
The shadows in the hall swirled, holding her essence in place. Lyra's hands shook, her chest tight with the pressure of what she had witnessed. "Kaelen… she's… she's more terrifying than anyone else. She doesn't just kill, she breaks people… she would have broken me if she could."
Kaelen knelt beside her, calm as ever. "Darkness wears many faces. Some roar, some whisper, some crawl inside your mind. She tested everything—your courage, your patience, your awareness. You stood. That matters."
Lyra wiped tears from her eyes, her body trembling. "I don't know if I can face another like this."
Kaelen's hand tightened on her shoulder. "You will. And you will grow stronger. Every soul you face teaches you something, even the ones who would see you broken."
The far door pulsed, ready for the next soul. Lyra straightened, trembling, heart racing, but her voice rang out. "Let the next one come. I will face them. No matter what they are."
Kaelen's eyes glimmered. "Then you are learning to stand against darkness. That is the first step toward becoming the judge yourself one day."
Even in the stillness, the hall vibrated faintly, echoing the obsessive shadow that had just passed through. The chill lingered, a reminder to Lyra that the darkness she faced was far from over.