In the Illusion Battlefield, Tracey relives a painful past—watching his beloved grandfather die, only to now face him as a hostile illusion. Meanwhile, Imperial defeats his own illusions and realizes Tracey may be trapped in one too.
Imperial's voice echoed, calm but firm, inside Tracey's mind.
"They're not real, Tracey. Don't let them overpower you. It's all an illusion."
Tracey's eyes widened. He blinked—and suddenly, everything shifted.
The 'villagers' surrounding him... their eyes glowed an unnatural red. Their bodies flickered, like candlelight in the wind.
They weren't real.
They were illusions—born from guilt and fear. His own mind had betrayed him.
Tracey's voice was low, gravelly as he stood tall.
"So… I get it now. I'm done playing along with your trick."
He raised his hand—and from the shadows behind him, something massive stirred.
The monster.
The one he had once captured, bonded with. Its eyes now glowed an electric blue, its claws sparking with lightning.
The illusions hesitated, backing away—but it was too late.
"Unleash your wrath," Tracey commanded.
The monster roared—a roar that cracked the sky—and charged.
In a storm of primal rage, it tore through the false villagers. One by one, they dissolved into mist and magic dust. No longer threats. Just echoes of a lie.
And then—silence.
The illusion was gone. The air cleared. The world returned to its natural shape.
Tracey stood in the middle of the empty field—scarred, exhausted, but victorious.
The monster now stood behind him, calm, protective. No longer feared, but respected.
Just then, footsteps approached.
"Tracey! Are you alright?"
Imperial appeared, his expression calm but concerned.
Tracey gave a short nod.
"Yeah… I guess I finally saw through it. You too?"
Imperial offered a faint smile.
"Yeah. I broke through it a while ago."
Tracey blinked. "But how did you know it wasn't real?"
Flashback
Earlier, as Imperial prepared a spell he thought suited the illusion, something felt… off.
He glanced at Ari—
She was wearing her locket.
But that wasn't possible.
He quickly reached into his own pocket—and there it was. The same locket, safe and untouched.
His eyes narrowed.
This wasn't reality.
Back to the present.
Tracey let out a short laugh. "So… that's how you figured it out."
Imperial shrugged.
"That was the start. But after that… I battled the illusions again. I let them come. It was the only way to train while we were stuck in this forest."
Tracey looked at him in disbelief.
"You trained... inside the illusion?"
Imperial's eyes held a determined glow.
"I haven't trained properly since we began this journey. I figured... if I'm going to be trapped in a fake world, I might as well use it."
Tracey stared at him for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"You're insane. But... I respect it."
He turned, gazing at the path ahead.
"Let's go. The pillar must be nearby."
________________________________________
Elsewhere, Ari sat quietly, finishing a round of healing on two injured forest animals. She exhaled, sweat on her brow. Her spell duration was getting better.
The old elder watched, nodding.
"You've come far, Ari. That's about as much as I can teach you now."
Ari turned to him.
"Then... can I try healing your wife?"
The old elder's eyes softened.
"If you're not too tired, it would mean the world to me."
She entered the room where the elder's wife lay—unconscious, pale, and fading.
Ari took a deep breath. The air was heavy with the scent of old herbs and quiet sorrow.
She remembered Imperial's words. She remembered the elder's plea. She focused—not just on magic, but on purpose.
She raised her hands. Energy flowed to her fingertips.
And then—
The spell's name came to her instinctively, as if whispered by the light itself.
"Light Magic: Divine Healing."
A gentle glow engulfed her, radiant and pure. The room lit up, and the old elder stepped back in awe.
This magic... it wasn't ordinary healing.
It felt sacred.
Like the touch of the gods.
Ari remained in place, pouring her heart into the spell. She held it—hour after hour—through the day, into the night. Until finally, as midnight passed—
The spell faded.
The elder's wife stirred faintly in her sleep, her color returning. The old elder wept silently.
Ari collapsed—completely drained.
But she smiled.