Chapter 36
The next chamber loomed before Elana and Lucian, dark and vast, with walls of polished black stone that seemed to absorb the faint crimson light of the Blood Moon. At the center stood a giant mirror, framed in intricate silver runes that pulsed faintly. The hall whispered around them, its voice cold and hungry.
"This is the Mirror of Regrets," Lucian said softly, his silver eyes scanning the room. "It forces you to confront the mistakes and regrets that weigh on your heart. The hall uses them to break your resolve."
Elana swallowed hard. Her chest tightened. "Mistakes… memories… but how can we fight illusions of things we can't change?"
"The hall wants you to believe that regret defines you," Lucian replied. "But your strength lies in how you face them, and how you move forward. Focus on the bond, Elana. Let it ground you."
As they approached the mirror, the surface rippled like water disturbed by a breeze. Shadows formed within it—her reflection fractured into countless versions of herself, each whispering failures. One she saw herself hesitating before speaking to a friend who had needed her; another, trembling in fear when she could have acted braver.
Kade's shadow appeared behind them in the mirror, grinning cruelly. "Your guilt makes you weak," it hissed. "All the courage you think you have is nothing. You cannot escape what you've done wrong."
Elana's chest ached, memories flooding in like a tide. She faltered, nearly convinced by the hall's illusions. But then she felt it—the pulse of her mark, the warmth of her bond with Lucian. She reached for it, pressing her hand over her chest, letting the energy flow outward.
"Not this time," she whispered, projecting the bond toward the mirror. Light spread across its surface, silver and warm, dissolving the shadows one by one. The reflections of her mistakes melted away, leaving only her true self, resolute and strong.
Lucian stepped beside her, his presence grounding her further. "You did it," he said quietly. "The hall recognized your resilience. Regret cannot control someone who knows their worth and trusts their bond."
The mirror shimmered one last time, then dimmed, leaving the chamber calm and silent. The crimson glow from the Blood Moon reflected softly on the polished floor, painting the room in peaceful light.
Elana exhaled deeply, relief and exhaustion mingling in her chest. "It… it was harder than anything before," she admitted.
Lucian brushed a strand of hair from her face, eyes softening. "The hall tests not only your strength but your heart. You've proven yourself resilient. Kade underestimates what you can endure."
She looked down at her mark, feeling it pulse faintly in rhythm with her heartbeat. "And our bond… it's stronger than anything the hall can throw at us."
Lucian nodded. "Exactly. Now, the hall will challenge you further. But whatever comes next, we face it together."
Elana gave a determined nod. "Together."
As they stepped toward the next corridor, the hall seemed to hum in acknowledgment of their triumph. The Mirror of Regrets had tested their heart—and they had emerged unbroken.
---