The arena quaked beneath the frenzied roars of the infernal crowd, their unseen stands pulsing with chaotic energy as the space transformed. The ruins of Kleptomania dissolved, giving way to a labyrinth of shattered mirrors, their surfaces reflecting distorted faces and shifting shadows. A reddish mist rose, saturating the air with palpable tension. The deep, cavernous voice of Natass Magna XIII echoed one final time:
"Welcome to Hysteria, lost souls! Three members per team, beware your emotions, and SURVIVE!"
Then silence fell, broken only by the howls of the spectators.
The teams, now limited to three members, stepped into the arena. The Blazing Skulls—Gills, Soehpt, and Kira—moved cautiously, their Rings of Property glinting. The Styx Reapers—Tyrnat, Yulius, and Nera—burned with restrained fury. The Nephalems—Bhaadon, Solom, and Gota—remained stoic. The Nebulâmes, reduced to Avona and two others, flashed cold smiles. The Jungle Haze, with Promantis, Klikk (a nimble scout), and Zyrax (a mandibled warrior), clicked their claws. The Blue Fangs, with Orak, Frostbite (an icy archer), and Icicle (a swift scout), watched, poised to act. A new team emerged, the Ashen Claws: Korgoth (a leader with flaming claws), Vexis (an ash sorceress), and Drayce (a stealthy warrior), their gray-black uniforms faintly smoking.
Suddenly, the mirrors sprang to life. Illusions erupted, amplifying buried emotions.
Gills saw a vision of Aria cursing him, her face twisted in agony. "You abandoned us!" she screamed. He clenched his fists, his Ring of Intimidation pulsing, but held his composure. Beside him, Soehpt froze, eyes widening. In his reflection, a dark figure—Volgurax, his inner demon—whispered, "You're weak, Soehpt. Let me take control." A blue glow ignited in his eyes, and his spiritual blue flames exploded, turning wild and uncontrollable. He roared, smashing a mirror into shards as possession overtook him, his body trembling under demonic force.
Kira shouted, "Soehpt, stop!" but he swatted her away with a burst of flame, sending her crashing to the ground. Max, who had trailed the team despite his exclusion, tried to intervene, but the blue flames engulfed him. His scream faded into a puff of ash, consumed by Volgurax. Gills, tears streaming, yelled, "Max! No!" Fragments of realization clicked in his mind: Volgurax seemed tied to a dimension of sacrificed souls, hinting at a darker truth.
Meanwhile, the Styx Reapers hunted the Nebulâmes. Tyrnat, his Ring of Property safeguarding his sickle, swore, "Zara will pay for her betrayal." Nera, tears falling under an illusion of Tyrnat rejecting her, spotted Zara beside Avona. With a cry of rage, she unleashed her shadow threads, piercing Zara through. The traitor collapsed, blood staining the mirrors, as Avona shrieked, "You'll pay for this!" A secondary Nebulâme, Lirien (a stellar mage), was beheaded by Yulius, his body crumpling in a burst of light.
The Nephalems avoided conflict, wrestling with their suppressed emotions. Bhaadon saw a ruined kingdom, its people blaming him. Solom faced a vision of endless falling, his lightning faltering. Gota, sobbing, saw her drowned loved ones, her aqueous jellyfish collapsing. Under the strain, Gota broke, her mind shattered by the illusion, leaving Bhaadon and Solom alone, their masked faces hiding silent pain.
The Jungle Haze, immune to emotions through their insectoid instincts, advanced methodically. Promantis led Klikk and Zyra, killing Vexis of the Ashen Claws, his claws crushing the sorceress with a sickening crunch. Their cold nature made them impervious to the illusions.
The Blue Fangs, witnessing Soehpt's chaos, chose to assist. Orak shouted, "Gills, hold on!" He summoned an ice barrier to contain the blue flames, while Frostbite fired frozen arrows and Icicle distracted Soehpt. Gills, tears falling, whispered, "Thank you…" He activated his Ring of Seduction, trying to soothe Soehpt, but the possession held firm.
The chaos peaked. Korgoth of the Ashen Claws, consumed by an illusion of power, charged Gills but was impaled by Orak's ice shard, dying in a guttural rasp. Drayce, the stealthy warrior, attempted to steal a ring but was crushed by Klikk's swift strike.
The mirrors dimmed, and Natass Magna XIII's voice rang out:
"Half have survived. Prepare for Lies!"
Soehpt, pinned by ice, was restrained by Gills, who murmured, "We'll bring you back." The teams, ravaged by loss and revelation, pressed onward, their hearts heavy with grief.