Leo stood frozen, staring up at the majestic deer. The weight of its words hung heavy in the air—he would have to face himself.
LEO "What… What kind of trial are we talking about?"
DEER (its gaze not wavering) "One that only you can complete."
LEO "But I!—"
Before Leo could ask more, the ground beneath him shifted. The glowing symbols that lined the trees and rocks pulsed with sudden intensity, wrapping the space around him in golden light. In the blink of an eye, he was in a large clearing, swallowed by the magic.
Then—silence.
Leo blinked. He was no longer in Starwood Hollow. Instead, he stood in a strange, endless expanse. the field stretching outward into nothingness. There were no lake, no animals—nothing but the ground and the empty sky.
LEO "Where am I…?"
LEO (shouting) "Whiskers?"
No response.
He was alone.
A shiver ran down Leo's spine.
He took a cautious step forward, his breath shallow.
Then, the mist shifted.
A figure emerged from the haze—one that made Leo stop cold.
It was him.
But not exactly.
The one standing before him—had darker, shadowed eyes, his expression cold, dark, empty. His clothes were the same but darker, his posture felt… off.
LEO "What is this?"
SHADOW LEO (head tilted) "You ask a lot of questions."
His voice was eerily calm, his tone familiar yet unsettling.
LEO "Who are you?"
SHADOW LEO "You already know,"
"I am the part of you that you pretend doesn't exist."
"The one that wonders if you belong. The one that doubts if you'll ever be enough..."
Leo's pulse quickened.
LEO "This is the trial..?"
SHADOW LEO (smirking) "We'll see if you can pass."
The mist swirled faster, rising like a storm around them. Leo clenched his fists. If Starwood Hollow was dying, if magic itself was fading—then whatever was happening here was connected.
LEO (thoughts) But how will I fight… myself?