Soul Sword : The empire's last game

A frigid stillness lingered in the atmosphere, dense and stifling.

The emptiness expanded endlessly around them, an unavoidable void that devoured sound and space. Vera sensed it pressing against her skin, an oppressive, suffocating force, as if the darkness itself were a sentient being. Murmurs clung to the periphery of her hearing—soft, unintelligible, yet so near that she nearly believed they were whispering her name.

The woman in front of them remained unmoving, her crimson eyes shining in the gloom. Her aura was unnerving, reminiscent of a shadow cast by something far too ancient, far too unfathomable to be trusted. The smile etched on her face was disconcerting—overly wide, overly sharp—a gash that would not heal. It never faded, regardless of how long they lingered there.

"You have been selected," she whispered, her tone gentle, yet it cut through the stillness like a knife. "And now, you shall awaken. "

Awaken? The term burrowed into Vera's bones, and she sensed her pulse quickening, her breaths becoming shallow. She surveyed her surroundings. The others were immobilized—Raith, his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes narrowing as if bracing for combat. Liora's golden eyes flicked anxiously, darting around the heavy void, searching for an escape route. Keal's breaths were steady, his fingers twitching as if anticipating something to snap. Even Soren, usually unreadable, slightly narrowed his gaze, revealing a rare crack in his composed exterior.

The woman raised a pale hand, the motion fluid, nearly too graceful. "Place your palm over your heart. "

A moment of silence passed. No one moved.

Vera could sense the weight of their reluctance, the discomfort infiltrating them like a toxin. She glanced at her companions—her friends, her only link to reality in this bizarre realm—and for an instant, she contemplated fleeing. But something unseen tugged at her, a pull from deep within, too enticing to ignore.

Before she could reconsider, she pressed her hand to the left side of her chest.

As soon as her palm connected, a sharp pulse surged beneath her skin—a second heartbeat, distinct from her own. It felt hot, almost excruciating, sending a rush of warmth through her veins. It burned like liquid fire, twisting and morphing as it traveled beneath her skin, anchoring itself somewhere deep in her chest. The world appeared to shift, and then—

A faint purple radiance sparked to life beneath her fingertips, outlining intricate patterns up her arms like veins of light. The warmth heightened, a persistent hum that felt almost… alive. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, luminous letters manifested in the air in front of her, suspended like floating shards of light.

Skill Count: 5/10

Skill Card: Swordsmanship

Power Color: Purple

Vera's breath caught in her throat, the words hovering before her like a fragile omen. She could sense the light pulsing inside her, a gentle thrum beneath her skin, but it wasn't under her control. Not yet.

Beside her, the atmosphere appeared to buzz with energy as Raith proceeded next. His physique sparked with blue power, resembling the tempest before a lightning strike. The unrefined energy flowed over his arms, and his face contorted into an expression that was difficult to decipher—fierce, yet strangely disconnected.

Skill Count: 8/10

Skill Card: Swordsmanship, Control Weather

Power Color: Blue

The sight of Raith's abilities sent a shudder up her spine. Control weather. It was nearly overwhelming, an immense force to grasp.

Keal was the next to activate his skill, enveloped in a gentle golden-orange glow that flickered like the final glimpses of twilight. The atmosphere surrounding him undulated, distorting as if time itself were yielding to his authority. He remained motionless, eyes shut in focus, as if attuned to some remote mechanism of the cosmos.

Skill Count: 7/10

Skill Card: Time Manipulation

Power Color: Orange

Vera's heart raced. Time manipulation. Time. She could hardly fathom the weight of such power.

Liora stepped forward then, releasing a soft breath as radiant golden mist streamed from her fingers. It was as though the very air curved around her, adjusting in subtle, unnatural manners. Her power possessed a peculiar, disorienting allure, making it seem as though the world was never entirely certain if she belonged to it.

Skill Count: 7/10

Skill Card: Illusions

Power Color: Gold

And then there was Soren.

The atmosphere around him grew denser, becoming stifling, as green shadows crept up his arm like sentient tendrils, spiraling into the air, thick and suffocating. The very world around him appeared to become heavier, as if the labyrinth had suddenly narrowed its focus exclusively on him. The quiet stillness intensified, pressing down, and with a gradual, measured gesture, he spoke, his voice chillingly serene.

Skill Count: 8/10

Skill Card: Mind Control

Power Color: Green

A shiver coursed through Vera. Mind control. There was something deeply disquieting about the way he wielded his ability—excessively controlled, excessively flawless. She sensed that he was always merely a whisper away from influencing her will, and the notion sent another shiver racing down her spine.

The woman's eyes scanned over all of them, a quiet mirth glimmering within her gaze. "Your strength can be evaluated, but mere power will not bring you salvation," she remarked gently. Her smile remained constant. "The first challenge is here—The Labyrinth of Lies. "

A heavy anxiety twisted in Vera's abdomen. The labyrinth? The challenge?

Before she could articulate her thoughts, the emptiness fractured.

A deep rumble resonated beneath their feet, unsettling the ground. Then, abruptly and intensely, shards of light burst through the darkness, filling the area with a blinding shine. The environment around them disintegrated, as if the very essence of reality was being torn apart.

A surge of warm air swirled toward them, its warmth a sharp contrast to the frigid void they had just experienced. The emptiness collapsed, leaving only—

A city.

Vera's breath hitched. She stumbled back, her heart racing within her chest.

They found themselves at the center of an empire—a sprawling, dazzling city that extended endlessly. The pathways below them were not of stone, but of shining gold, impossibly smooth and warm underfoot. Towering spires of ivory and sapphire ascended toward a sky that appeared disturbingly perfect, a gentle blue that seemed almost unreal. The breeze brought a sweet fragrance, a type of perfume that was too mesmerizing to identify, too foreign to be known.

It felt dreamlike—too vibrant, too specific, as though crafted by an unstable mind. Too magnificent, too unsettling.

Keal inhaled sharply, letting his fingers brush against a nearby column. "This… is unthinkable. "

Liora's gaze surveyed the expansive city, her analytical eyes icy. "It's stunning," she conceded. "But it feels…" Her words trailed off as she sought the correct term.

Inappropriate.

The city was more than merely impressive—it was disquieting. There was something profoundly disturbing about its flawlessness, a feeling that it was observing them. Not just the structures, but everything around them. The atmosphere vibrated with a peculiar consciousness.

Then, as if brought forth by their disquiet, the woman's voice sliced through the air once more.

"Welcome," she breathed, her voice somehow nearer now. "To your initial trial. "

The ground shook beneath them. The very air seemed to pause, anticipating.

Before Vera could respond, the city transformed. Shadows erupted from the roads, twisting and writhing, creating enormous, shifting walls that ascended higher than the towers around them. The shining streets fractured, splintered, and were engulfed entirely by the ascending maze.

A labyrinth. Alive.

The walls inhaled, heavy with the burden of some unnatural force. The stone contorted, writhing as if in torment, and a soft whisper slithered through the air, wrapping around them like countless voices.

"Your companions will betray you. "

"You are under surveillance. "

"You are not destined to survive. "

The phrases burrowed into Vera's consciousness, and her pulse roared in her chest. It was not merely a whisper—they had invaded her mind.

Raith muttered a curse quietly. Keal's jaw tightened. Liora's hands shook, but she rapidly clenched them into fists, attempting to regain her composure. Only Soren stayed motionless, his eyes narrowed, as if he were hearing the voice within his mind, allowing the words to settle in without opposition.

The woman inclined her head, seemingly relishing the unease her words produced.

"The game starts now," she declared, her voice barely a whisper away from them, and then—

She vanished.

The labyrinth contorted yet again. The city was no longer present. Only shadows, distorted stone, and the uncertain, perilous, and vibrant path ahead remained.

Vera gulped hard. They had no alternative.

They needed to step into the labyrinth.

Before it consumed them entirely.