The world had changed.
Or maybe—Elias was simply seeing it for the first time.
The transition had been seamless, effortless. One moment, he was stepping through the temples. Passage. The next, he was standing under an open sky, a city stretching out before him.
And it was—impossible.
A perfect blend of what the world could have been and what it never had the chance to be.
The city sprawled across the horizon, built on multiple levels, each one woven together like an intricate illusion. Ancient marble structures lined the streets, their columns wrapped in glowing filigree, shifting symbols moving like liquid gold across their surfaces. Towers loomed above, but they weren’t just steel and glass like Elias was used to. They were fluid, changing ever so slightly when the light hit them—a fusion of material and something intangible, something that responded to those who walked beneath them.
Roads twisted in patterns that defied logic, yet somehow, they led exactly where they needed to. Bridges stretched over canals that shimmered with an unnatural glow, the water reflecting not just the city—but versions of it, like glimpses of possibilities that never came to pass.
This wasn’t just a city that had grown through time.
It was a city that had been rewritten.
A civilization that had developed under different rules.
Not bound by the same constraints as Elias’ world.
Not limited by the same truths.
Elias swallowed hard.
This was what happened when a world grew under the influence of Dolos.
Where progress wasn’t made through conquest or discovery—but throug trickery and deception.
---
Sera was the first to notice the people.
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She motioned for Elias to follow, her gaze flickering through the crowds.
At first glance, they seemed normal.
But as Elias watched, he saw it.
The way they moved.
Not like people in a normal city—rushing, distracted, lost in their own thoughts.
No.
Every action was measured.
Every step, every conversation, performed.
It was as if the entire city was engaged in an endless play, an unspoken contract where nothing could ever be taken at face value.
A man stopped in front of a merchant’s stall.
The vendor smiled, spreading his hands as he spoke.
And in that moment—his shop changed.
One second, it was a humble stand with simple cloth and trinkets.
The next—it was like a grand, luxurious, gleaming with heavenly treasures.
Not because it had transformed.
But because the illusion had taken root.
Because the moment the buyer had entertained the merchant’s words—it became true.
Elias felt his stomach turn.
They weren’t lying.
Not like the Pawn Shops, where Lies were sold and forced into reality.
Here, the truth had never been stable to begin with.
It was flexible.
It became what it needed to be.
And the people—
The people knew how to play the game.
---
At the city’s entrance, there was no gate.
No walls.
Just them.
The guards.
Two figures, wrapped in deep violet robes, their faces hidden behind golden masks that shimmered under the strange light of this world.
One mask bore a serene smile. The other, a knowing smirk.
Their presence wasn’t imposing.
It was unsettling.
Sera and Elias stopped before them.
One of the guards stepped forward, tilting his head slightly.
“Before the city swallows you whole,” he murmured, voice smooth like silk, “you must first prove yourselves.”
Elias sighed. “Of course we do.”
The second guard chuckled. “The path is never given freely, only taken wisely.”
Then, in a slow, deliberate voice, the first guard spoke.
A poem.
No, a riddle.
A verse woven in the style of ancient epics, yet laced with something far more modern.
> “A shadow that walks, a hand unseen,
A trick of the mind, where none have been.
Step where none step, and speak the unknown,
Or forever be lost in the truth you have sown.”
The words lingered, curling around the air like smoke.
Elias groaned, rubbing his temples. “Great. A cryptic poem. That’s definitely necessary.”
Sera ignored him.
Her gaze sharpened, reading between the lines.
It wasn’t just a riddle.
It was a warning.
Elias frowned, glancing between the guards. “So… what? We need to figure this out before we go in?”
The first guard hummed. “Figure it out? No, no. The game has already begun.”
The second guard tilted his head, voice carrying an amused lilt. “One does not prove themselves in words. Only in action.”
Elias’ stomach sank. “That doesn’t sound reassuring.”
The first guard smiled behind his mask. “Reassurance is a luxury for those who wish to be deceived.”
Sera stiffened. Her fingers twitched slightly at her side.
That was the hint.
No reassurance. No safety net.
If she used her power—it would mean they lost.
This was Dolos’ game.
And Dolos wanted a game for his enjoyment.
Sera exhaled slowly.
Elias noticed the tension in her shoulders. “What is it?”
Sera’s voice was steady. “I can’t use my power.”
Elias blinked. “At all?”
Sera nodded. “Not unless we want to lose before we even start.”
Elias swore under his breath. “Fantastic. That’s just great.”
The second guard chuckled. “You are learning already.”
Elias shot him a glare. “I don’t like you.”
The guard smirked beneath his mask. “Many don’t.”
Then, with a slow, deliberate gesture, he pointed down the road.
“The temple awaits,” he said.
“The prophecy will find you,” the other added.
Elias crossed his arms. “Right. And that’s supposed to help us how?”
Neither guard answered.
They only watched, waiting.
Sera sighed.
Then, without another word, she stepped forward.
Elias hesitated—then followed.
Because at the end of the day— he was going to make sure he wins he won't be toyed with
