Is this really a Game?!

Reign's grip on his swords tightened as he stared at the figure forming from the dark mist. The shape was a twisted mirror image of himself, exuding an aura of malevolence. The oppressive energy seemed to pulse in rhythm with the dark figure's presence.

"What do you want?" Reign repeated, his voice steady but filled with an underlying current of frustration.

The dark figure smirked a cold and mocking expression that sent chills down Reign's spine. "I want what you want, Reign."

"Power."

"Control."

"Victory."

"But you're too weak, too burdened by your pathetic notions of morality and friendship, not willing to go the extra step and make sure everything you want becomes yours."

Reign's eyes narrowed. "You don't know anything about me."

The dark figure laughed, a sound that echoed eerily in the oppressive void. "Oh, but I do."

"I am you, after all."

"I know your deepest fears, your darkest desires."

"I know the part of you that revels in chaos, that craves the power to crush anyone who stands in your way, I am that part of you after all, and I know full well just how hard it is for you to constantly fight against it, to fight against your nature."

Reign took a step forward, his swords gleaming in the dim light. "You're wrong."

"I'm not defined by my fears or my desires. I fight for my friends, for those I care about."

"That's what gives me strength, and that is why I will never give in to you."

"I do have to admit though, I prefer seeing you like this than how you look like in my consciousness."

"This ugly form of yours fits you much better, it is annoying to be constantly seeing an exact copy of myself when we talk."

The dark figure's smirk widened, and it raised a hand, tendrils of darkness curling around its fingers.

"I will admit that you are quite strong-willed, but we shall see."

"We truly shall see about that, Reign."

"You know well that if you embrace the darkness, you'll have all the power you ever wanted."

"Nobody will be able to stand in front of you, you will be in a league of your own, your power unmatched by anyone else."

"Why do you think 'that' being keeps a close eye on you?"

"It is because you are special, even amongst those of your race."

"They are afraid that you will become more powerful than them, that is why they are lying to you, telling you to not listen to me, but you should."

As the figure spoke, the oppressive energy intensified, pressing down on Reign with a suffocating weight. He struggled to keep his focus, to remember why he fought, but the whispers grew louder, echoing his darkest thoughts and fears.

Beast moved cautiously through the darkness, his bow at the ready. The oppressive energy seemed to cling to him, sapping his strength and will. The whispers in his mind grew louder, taunting him with memories of past failures.

"You'll never be strong enough," the darkness hissed. "You can't protect anyone."

"You were unable to do so in the past, just because you gained some power now doesn't make you anything else but a weak coward, as you always were."

"You will lose everything, you will not be able to protect anybody."

"Just end yourself, spare yourself of the torture, you will never amount to anything else but a damned coward."

Beast gritted his teeth, his eyes scanning the void for any sign of his teammates. He knew he couldn't let the darkness win. He had to find the others, to bring them back together.

As he pressed on, he saw a flicker of movement in the distance. Hope surged within him, and he quickened his pace, calling out. "Reign! Shadow! Is anyone there?"

Shadow moved silently through the oppressive darkness, his daggers at the ready. The whispers clawed at his mind, feeding on his insecurities and fears. He focused on his training, pushing the dark thoughts aside.

They were all still trying to find one another, unaware that that was impossible. But as time passed, they did notice that things were a bit weird, that the chamber was not large enough to make them move around it for so long without coming across a wall, or to not come across one of their teammates.

The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on Reign and his team, amplifying their fears and insecurities. Yet, amidst the darkness, a faint glimmer of their unity remained—a bond forged through countless battles and shared hardships. They pressed on, their determination unwavering.

In his isolated space, Beast felt a surge of hope when he heard a faint voice. He quickened his pace, pushing through the darkness with renewed determination. "Reign! Shadow! Is anyone there?"

The whispers in his mind grew louder, trying to drown out his hope. "You're too weak. You can't protect anyone." But Beast clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. He wouldn't let the darkness win. He had to find his friends.

Shadow moved silently, his keen senses picking up on subtle shifts in the oppressive energy. The whispers clawed at his mind, but he focused on his training, pushing the dark thoughts aside. He heard Beast's voice, faint but clear, and a spark of hope ignited within him. "Beast! I'm here!"

It was impossible, none of them should have heard each other's voice, and yet, they did so.

Reign, meanwhile, faced the dark figure, his grip on his swords tightening. The oppressive energy intensified, but he refused to back down.

"You won't win."

The dark figure's smirk widened, its voice dripping with malice. "You can't escape me, Reign. I'm a part of you, and I always will be."

Reign's eyes blazed with determination. "Maybe you're a part of me, but you don't define me. My friends, my team—we define who we are together."

"And together, we'll overcome this."

"And I will destroy you sooner or later."

Mia, surrounded by frost magic, felt the darkness trying to erode her resolve. But she focused on the faces of her friends, their strength and support gave her the courage to push through. She called out, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. "Reign! Beast! Can anyone hear me?"

Tank, moving through the darkness with his shield and war axe, refused to let the oppressive energy break him. He called out, his deep voice echoing in the void. "Greenie! Aelrinder! Where are you?"

Greenie, his usual ferocity tempered by exhaustion, pushed through the darkness with sheer willpower. He wouldn't let the darkness win. He had to find his friends. "Reign! Shadow!"

Laura, surrounded by a shimmering aura, used her inner strength to fight against the encroaching darkness. She remembered the times she had overcome her doubts, drawing on those memories to keep moving forward. "Reign! Mia!"

Aelrinder, his connection to nature strained, called upon the spirits to aid him. The ground beneath him pulsed with life, pushing back the darkness that sought to consume him as a powerful gust of wind and a brilliant yellow light appeared around him. "Shadow! Beast!"

Slowly but surely, the team began to converge, their voices growing louder and more confident. The oppressive energy still pressed down on them, but their unity and determination were stronger. They moved towards each other, the spark of hope within them guiding their steps.

Reign's confrontation with the dark figure reached its climax. The oppressive energy seemed to pulse in rhythm with the figure's presence, but Reign's determination didn't waver. "You won't win," he said, his voice steady.

"I'm not alone, I don't have to do everything by myself, I don't need to become a monster in order to win against others."

The dark figure's smirk faltered, and for a moment, the oppressive energy seemed to waver. Reign seized the opportunity, channeling all his willpower into a powerful attack. His swords gleamed with a brilliant light as he struck, the light cutting through the darkness and shattering the figure into nothingness.

The oppressive energy around Reign dissipated, and he felt a surge of clarity. He called out, his voice strong and confident.

"Guys, where are you?!"

"Reign, I'm here!"

"Hey!"

Voices were heard all around Reign, and the others also heard them, as if they were right next to each other, but they were unable to see or sense anybody.

Outside of the illusion that they were trapped in, their bodies were still standing motionlessly, but their mouths were moving.

By sheer willpower, they had actually managed to force themselves to speak even outside of the illusion, and they were able to hear each other.

"We can't see each other, but we can hear one another, that is enough, that means we are all near."

"The only question is just what the hell is going on, and how do we break through whatever it is that has trapped us?"

Reign listened to the others, the same questions present in his mind as well. None of them had any idea of what was going on, but with them being able to hear one another, things were much better than before.

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