The trio rode through the shifting mists of dawn, the early light brushing their cloaks with pale gold as the distant cries of crows echoed over the hills. Ezra sat astride a dark mare provided by Liones' outpost stables, with Escanor to his left and Meliodas taking the lead. The air was unusually still, heavy with the scent of ash.
No birds sang here.
They approached the remains of the village of Elfar, once known for its lavender fields and merchant fairs. Now, it was nothing but charred wood and crumbled stone. The ground was blackened, the corpses already gathered in the town square—burned beyond recognition. No blood. No signs of struggle.
Meliodas dismounted first, crouching near one of the ruined homes. "Whoever did this… they used controlled flame magic. High precision."
Ezra's system buzzed quietly.
[Quest Progress: Echoes of Desolation — 15%]
Escanor, still in his nighttime form, stepped carefully between the ruins, his eyes tracing every scorch mark. "It's not just that. Look at the foundations—stone melted, but the trees at the edge of town are untouched. This wasn't a raid. It was a message."
Ezra felt a chill crawl up his spine. He turned toward the center of the village.
A single word was etched into the scorched earth:
"REDEMPTION."
"Meliodas," Ezra called, pointing. "They left a message."
The captain of the Sins walked over and knelt down. His brow furrowed. "Redemption... but for who?"
Suddenly, the system pinged again.
[Labyrinth Mode Activated] [Region Type: Infernal Garden — Illusion-Based Trials Ahead]
Before Ezra could react, the world shifted.
The skies darkened, the village around them warping as if reality had been folded inward. Trees bloomed unnaturally fast, twisting into grotesque shapes. Flowers of crimson and violet pulsed with a sickly light.
"What the hell?" Escanor stepped back, drawing his axe instinctively.
Meliodas' demon mark flickered. "Illusion magic… but strong. We're in some kind of pocket dimension."
Ezra opened his system interface. The Labyrinth had changed. New windows popped up:
[Trial 1: The Flower of Doubt — Defeat the Echo of Yourself.] [Only one may proceed.]
"Looks like I'm up," Ezra muttered. "You two stay put."
"You sure?" Escanor asked.
Ezra nodded. "If this is my trial, I need to face it alone."
He stepped forward and was immediately engulfed by a flash of light.
The illusion shifted. Ezra stood in a field of black roses. The wind whispered his name.
Across from him stood a figure—his own face, but twisted, cruel. A corrupted version of himself.
"Who are you?" Ezra asked, drawing his weapon.
The doppelgänger grinned. "I'm the one you try to pretend doesn't exist. The one who would abandon others to survive. The version of you who doesn't believe in heroes."
Ezra's hands tightened. "You're just a glitch. Let's end this."
The battle was brutal. The dark Ezra wielded a mirror version of his current party—Ban's cruelty, Twigo's brute force, and even a locked-down form of Tristan's holy magic. It was like fighting a distorted echo of his own progress.
But Ezra had something his counterpart didn't—hope.
He chained a sequence of Shin's debuff-cleansing into Ban's lifesteal, baited the illusion's Twigo into wasting his taunt, and then struck with a light-charged strike from Tristan's passive aura, barely stable but enough to create a breach.
One final blow, and the illusion burst into shards of glass.
[Trial Complete: The Flower of Doubt — Success.] [Party Bond Strengthened: +1 to All Character Sync Rates.] [Hidden Reward Acquired: Pendant of Reconciliation — Reduces self-inflicted damage from system backlash.]
The world snapped back.
Ezra stumbled forward as the illusion dispersed. Meliodas caught him.
"You alright?"
Ezra nodded, breathing hard. "Yeah. Just punched my darker self in the face."
Escanor smirked. "Sounds therapeutic."
The sky cleared. Whatever had caused the illusion was gone.
Meliodas narrowed his eyes. "This wasn't random. Whoever's behind this knew how to bait the system. They're not just attacking villages. They're testing you, Ezra."
Ezra swallowed hard. "Then we need to find them before the next trial begins."
[Quest Progress: Echoes of Desolation — 40%] [Countdown to Main Story: 135,408 Hours]