The bell rang again.
Liara barely had time to catch her breath before the next match was called. She stepped into the center of the arena, the echoes of the crowd buzzing in her ears. Her limbs were still heavy from her previous win, but there was no time to rest.
Her second opponent—a tall, wiry student named Vera Tarliss—was known for her mastery in illusions and mind magic. She didn't have the brute force of someone like Brek, but her cunning was legendary.
Liara glanced up at the stands. Tamsin was shouting her name, Aeron's gaze sharp from the shadows. And Cassian, who had disappeared into the crowd after her first victory, was nowhere to be seen.
The announcer's voice rang out. "Liara Winters versus Vera Tarliss! Second round begins now!"
Vera's lips curled into a tight smile, her eyes flashing. She lifted her hands.
Suddenly, the arena seemed to shift.
Liara blinked. The stands around her dissolved into black mist. The stone beneath her feet crumbled away, leaving only a small platform floating in the void.
Liara's heart pounded. Illusion magic.
The crowd's cheering faded to a distant murmur.
"Welcome to my domain, Illumina," Vera's voice echoed from all directions. "Let's see how long you can last when your mind betrays you."
Liara's chest tightened. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself. The sigil on her collarbone thrummed, responding to her panic.
She focused on the feel of the platform beneath her feet—the slight vibration of stone, the coldness of the air around her. Focus. Ground yourself.
The mist shifted again.
She gasped as a figure appeared before her. Cassian.
"Liara…" his voice was low, pained. "I'm sorry. I never should have…"
"Cassian?" Her voice broke. "What are you—"
He took a step forward, his eyes shadowed, a painful expression crossing his face.
"I never wanted to bring you into this. But now… it's too late. You're not safe. I can't protect you."
Liara's heart raced. "What are you talking about?"
He reached out, his hand cold against her skin. "You're already in too deep. You should never have—"
But before he could finish, his face twisted—his eyes turning to black smoke.
"Liar."
Liara stumbled backward, her mind reeling. The figure melted away, replaced by another shadow.
This time, it was Aeron.
"Stop running, Liara. It's time to embrace what you are."
"No." Liara shook her head fiercely, trying to clear the fog in her mind. "This isn't real."
The mist swirled, thickening. Voices echoed—from Tamsin, from the professors, from the Circle itself. They all whispered, accusing her.
"You're a danger."
"You're a weapon."
"You'll destroy everything."
Liara gasped for air. Her heart hammered in her chest. The sigil on her collarbone burned, brighter now.
She couldn't think. Couldn't breathe.
And then—
She heard her own voice.
"No."
She stood still, grounding herself in the center of the storm. She placed a hand on her chest, where the sigil pulsed beneath her skin.
"I am not what you say I am."
Light flared from her palm, pushing back against the mist, banishing the false figures around her.
The illusions shattered in an explosion of light, the black mist retreating.
And then, in the distance, she saw a figure standing in the haze.
A shadow. Familiar. Cloaked in silver.
The figure extended a hand toward her.
"The third key is yours to claim."
Before she could move, the scene flickered—and the mist dissolved entirely.
The arena had returned. The stands were packed with spectators. Liara stood, trembling, in the center of the ring.
Vera was already on the ground, unconscious, her spell broken.
Liara's chest heaved as she scanned the crowd. She saw Cassian on the balcony, his eyes narrowed, his mouth tight with concern.
But it was Aeron's gaze that lingered on her, his expression unreadable.
The announcer's voice echoed in her ears. "Liara Winters wins the second round!"
Liara didn't hear it. She didn't hear anything except the pounding of her own pulse.
The third key.
The words from the illusion danced in her mind.