26: The Lie That Fights Back
Kael's steps were silent as he moved through the shifting terrain. His instincts prickled—something was wrong.
Then, he saw them.
Lyra and Jaxon moved just ahead, their figures cutting through the mist with practiced ease. But something felt... off.
Jaxon's steps made no sound. Lyra's posture was too rigid, her movements precise but unnatural.
Kael's eyes narrowed. Not right.
Before he could call out, Jaxon lunged.
His gauntlet flared with energy, a straight strike to Kael's chest.
Kael barely twisted away before Lyra followed, a blur of motion closing in from the side. Too coordinated. Too fast.
Zappy's voice cut in. "Kael, they're not—"
Boom!
The impact sent Kael skidding across the ground. His ribs burned, but he pushed through the pain.
Lyra and Jaxon stood there, emotionless. Watching. Waiting.
Kael exhaled sharply. This wasn't them.
His chrono-energy pulsed—
The illusion fractured.
Like glass shattering, the scene warped, revealing four identical figures in place of his friends.
Perfect copies. Their faces, their stances—flawless. But now, Kael saw it.
They didn't breathe.
Their bodies moved, but there was no weight in their shifts. No tension in their limbs. Too perfect.
"Not just illusions," Zappy corrected. "They're manipulating how your brain perceives space. Your instincts lag because your senses think they're real."
Kael steadied his breath. Then I just need to find the delay.
He focused. Every movement. Every flicker of motion.
A shift. A fraction of a second too late.
There.
Kael moved instantly, weaving through the fakes. His fist lashed out—
CRACK.
The real one staggered.
The clones collapsed, dissolving into flickering remnants of light. The creature let out a shriek, its form distorting wildly.
Beyond it, Jaxon and Lyra snapped back into focus, freed from the illusion's hold.
Jaxon blinked, disoriented. "What—"
Lyra's gaze darkened. "It tricked us."
Kael exhaled, rolling his shoulders. No hesitation. No doubt.
He glanced at the crumbling illusion and smirked.
"So the elders want us to adapt, huh?"
Zappy chuckled. "Looks like you're catching on."
Kael's smirk deepened.
Now this was getting interesting.