The portal to the second floor swallowed Ray whole, its shimmering surface like liquid mercury. When his vision cleared, he stood in an endless corridor of mirrors—each reflecting a distorted version of himself. Some grinned maniacally, others bled from hollow eyes. A cold chuckle escaped his lips.
Behind him, the rest of the party stumbled through, their weapons drawn. Lira's gaze locked onto him immediately, her knuckles white around her sword hilt. The others hesitated—was he ally or monster now?
Ray clapped his hands together, his voice dripping with false cheer. "Alright, team! Who's ready for some fun?"
The labyrinth shifted the moment they took their first steps. Mirrors stretched and compressed, pathways twisting in impossible directions. One of the archers yelped as his reflection suddenly reached out—and pulled.
The real archer screamed, half his body sucked into the glass before Lira severed the mirror with a flaming slash. He collapsed, gasping, his arm now covered in frostbite patterns.
Ray examined the shards. "Hmm. So reflections can kill here. Good to know."
Lira grabbed his collar. "You knew this would happen!"
He didn't resist, just smiled. "I suspected. Now, would you like my help or not?"
A tense silence.
She released him with a shove.
The party stuck close, avoiding mirrors as they navigated the maze. Then—
"Ray."
A woman's voice. Familiar.
Ray froze.
In a mirror ahead stood a woman with silver hair—his older sister, dead for years. Her hands pressed against the glass, bloody tears streaking her cheeks.
"Why did you let me die?"
Ray exhaled. Pathetic. He raised a hand—
"Glacial Dominion."
The mirror exploded into frozen shards. The illusion shattered like brittle ice.
Lira stared. "What… was that?"
Ray adjusted his sleeves. "A test. Don't look too closely at the mirrors."
Two hours in, the party was fraying.
The tank, Garrik, had started muttering to himself after seeing his deceased wife in the glass. The archer's frostbitten arm was turning black. And Lira?
She was planning something.
Ray felt her gaze like a knife between his shoulder blades. He pretended not to notice when she lagged behind, whispering to the others.
A sharp turn in the maze—and suddenly, a dead end.
Lira's sword ignited. "Now!"
Garrik lunged, his axe aimed at Ray's spine. The archer loosed a poisoned arrow.
Ray moved.
The arrow froze midair, crumbling to dust. His hand clamped around Garrik's throat, hoisting the massive man off his feet.
"Disappointing."
Ice spread. Garrik's choking gasp became a frozen statue.
Lira's flame blade wavered.
Ray tilted his head. "Still want to fight?"
The remaining archer bolted. Lira stood her ground, teeth bared—until the mirrors around them rippled.
A new reflection appeared: not Ray, not Lira, but a towering figure in obsidian armor, its hollow eyes fixed on them.
The glass shattered.
A gauntleted fist burst through, seizing Lira by the skull—
Ray's hand shot out. "Permafrost Lance!"
The ice spear struck the guardian's wrist, forcing it to recoil. Lira collapsed, gasping, as the mirror reformed, the guardian's snarl fading.
"…Why save me?" she rasped.
Ray shrugged. "I prefer being the one to kill you."
But his mind raced. A floor guardian already? The tower's escalating too fast.
Ray grinned. Now things are get interesting..