Val drifted in complete darkness. The silence was suffocating, absolute, pressing down on him like a weight he couldn't shake off. The air felt thick, almost solid, and for a moment, he couldn't tell if he was breathing at all—or if he was even alive.

A wave of panic swept through him as he tried to inhale, only to find the air around him stagnant, empty, as if he were trapped in some nightmarish void.

Am I dead? he wondered, a cold shiver racing down his spine. His heart pounded, or at least, he thought it did. But in this pitch-black nothingness, even the beat of his own pulse felt distant, unreal, like an echo from a world he could no longer touch.

Val tried to make a sound, a single word—a gasp, anything to break the silence—but no sound came out. His voice felt frozen in his throat, locked behind a barrier he couldn't see, couldn't feel. Desperation clawed at him as he struggled against the silence, trying to break through, but his mouth moved soundlessly, his pleas swallowed by the darkness. A sense of helplessness crept over him, icy and oppressive.

He forced himself to stay calm, to steady his racing mind, but the void felt as though it were closing in around him, tightening with every passing moment. It was as if he were suspended in an endless sea, where time, breath, and even his own heartbeat seemed to slip away, one by one. A chill seeped into his bones, and his fingers trembled as he reached out, desperate to feel something—anything—that would ground him.

But there was nothing. Just an endless, consuming blackness that seemed to mock him, swallowing his every movement. He didn't know how long he had been there, or if time had any meaning here at all.

And then, two enormous red eyes appeared in the darkness, looming over him. They glowed like embers, casting a faint, sinister light that revealed nothing but their own menacing gaze. The eyes watched him, unblinking, cold, and calculating, as if stripping away every layer of his being, exposing him to the void itself.

A shudder ran through Val as he stared back, frozen in place. He wanted to look away, but the eyes held him, commanding his attention, forcing him to confront the vast, unknowable presence before him. He felt small, insignificant, like a grain of sand on an endless beach.

The eyes didn't blink, didn't waver, only burned with a slow, insidious intensity, as if waiting for him to falter, to crumble beneath their gaze.

Then, without warning, the darkness shifted, pulling him downward in a dizzying spiral. The void faded, and he was no longer surrounded by emptiness. He felt solid ground beneath his feet, the familiar scent of stone and old wood filling his lungs. Slowly, cautiously, he looked around, his heart racing as he took in the surroundings.

He was standing in the halls of Bellator Manor, his home. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting warm patches of light across the stone floor. He recognized every inch of this place—the tapestry-lined walls, the ornate chandeliers, the heavy, comforting silence that only ever existed within these ancient halls. But something felt… off.

Down the corridor, he heard the familiar sound of clashing swords, rhythmic and steady. His chest tightened as he recognized the voices, the faint, playful laughter, the murmured challenges. Ember. Exeo.

Without thinking, Val broke into a run, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he raced toward the sparring room. He hadn't seen his brothers like this in years—their faces, their movements, the easy banter between them. His heart ached with a fierce longing as he rounded the corner, his breath catching in his throat as he caught sight of them.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Ember and Exeo stood in the center of the room, swords clashing in a rhythmic dance. They moved with a practiced ease, their expressions focused yet relaxed, an unspoken bond between them that made each movement seamless. Ember's eyes sparkled with that familiar glint of challenge, his fiery red hair catching the light as he parried Exeo's strike with a grin. Exeo's face was calm, serious, his gaze steady as he adjusted his stance, anticipating Ember's next move.

Val felt his heart swell, a surge of emotion he couldn't contain. "Ember! Exeo!" he called out, his voice thick with longing.

Both brothers paused, turning toward him with surprised smiles. Ember's face softened, his grin widening as he lowered his sword. "Val? What are you doing here, kid?" His voice was warm, teasing, like the countless times they had spoken in this very room.

Exeo sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable but his eyes holding a familiar warmth. "It's good to see you, Val," he said quietly, nodding in approval. "Have you come to join us?"

Val's heart pounded, emotions flooding through him in a rush. "I… I just…" He struggled for words, overwhelmed by the sight of his brothers standing before him, alive, whole, just as he remembered.

Ember laughed, slinging an arm around Val's shoulder. "Well, you're just in time. Exeo and I were about to see who's still got the upper hand. What do you say, little brother? Want to place your bets?"

Val chuckled, his voice catching as he fought back tears. "You know I'd never bet against you two," he replied, his chest tightening with a fierce, desperate joy. He couldn't believe this was real—couldn't believe he was here, in this moment, with them.

Exeo's gaze softened, his voice gentle. "You've grown a lot, Val. I can see it in your eyes. The strength you've gained… it's something I'm proud of."

Val felt his throat tighten, his hands clenching as he absorbed Exeo's words. "I've done everything for you both," he whispered, his voice raw. "Everything I've become… it's all because of you."

Ember's grin faded, replaced by a look of pride and understanding. "We know, Val. And we've been watching you every step of the way. But you don't have to carry this burden alone."

Val's vision blurred, his heart aching with a fierce, impossible hope. "Then… then come back. I'll find a way. Just… come back."

Ember and Exeo exchanged a glance, a knowing, almost pitying look that sent a chill through Val's spine. There was something off about the way they were looking at him, something too perfect, too rehearsed.

"Val," Exeo said softly, his voice almost too gentle. "You don't need to bring us back. We're right here."

Val's heart skipped a beat, a sudden, insidious doubt creeping into his mind. "No," he whispered, stepping back. "You're… you're not really them. This isn't real."

Ember's smile twisted, a hint of something darker flashing in his eyes. "What difference does it make, little brother? Aren't we everything you've wanted? Isn't this what you came here for?"

Val took another step back, the room spinning around him as the illusion began to fracture, the edges blurring, twisting. "No," he said, his voice shaking. "This isn't what I wanted. This is just… an illusion. A lie."

The warm, familiar faces of his brothers faded, their smiles twisting into something sinister, their eyes gleaming with a cruel, mocking light. The walls of the manor began to dissolve, the comforting sunlight replaced by a harsh, unnatural glow.

"Val…" Ember's voice became distorted, hollow, like an echo of an echo. "Why deny yourself this happiness? Why fight so hard against what you truly desire?"

Val clenched his fists, his voice steady, defiant. "Because this isn't them. My brothers would never try to trap me here. They would never ask me to give up."

With a sudden, violent force, the illusion shattered completely, the warmth of Bellator Manor replaced by the frigid, all-consuming darkness of the Void. The comforting presence of his brothers vanished, leaving him alone once more, surrounded by nothing but silence.

Val felt the ground beneath him give way, and he was pulled back into the darkness, spiraling downward, his senses assaulted by the vast, overwhelming emptiness. The eyes of the Void reappeared, watching him with a silent, cruel amusement, as if savoring his pain, his struggle.

As he fell deeper into the darkness, a single, chilling thought echoed through his mind:

This test is far from over.