The arena, still steeped in the tragic echoes of Hysteria, shuddered under the roars of the infernal crowd, ravenous for fresh chaos. A scarlet light flared, and Natass Magna XIII reappeared atop his floating platform, his pristine black suit stark against his white skin and glossy onyx horns. His monocle glinted in the glow, and his predatory grin bared sharp fangs as he tapped his rune-etched microphone.
"Oh, my dear tormented souls!" he bellowed, his deep, cavernous voice vibrating through the air.
"You've survived Hysteria, but the worst is yet to come! Rejoice, for you now receive the Ring of Channeling—a cursed trinket that harnesses your aura, refining your deadly abilities and taming your wild emotions!"
He erupted into a guttural laugh, flourishing a black ring adorned with red runes that materialized onto the survivors' fingers.
Then his gaze darkened, his grin stretching with pure malice.
"And now, brace yourselves for the Circle of Lies! Hmm… truth or lies, which is crueler, my little ones? Truth, which tears the soul with its merciless clarity? Or lies, which ensnare the heart in their sweet, deceptive webs? HAHAHA! A delicious question, isn't it? Think carefully, for in this circle, your words will be your weapons… and your mistakes, your downfall!"
He adjusted his monocle, a sadistic gleam in his eyes.
"The rules? Simple. Face off in a game of two lies and one truth. Score six correct answers to triumph. The losers… oh, they'll suffer a little penalty, nothing fatal—just a taste of hell! Muahahaha!"
With a final cackle, he vanished in a cloud of ash, leaving the crowd howling with glee.
The arena morphed into a spectral theater, its walls carved with screaming faces in stone, their eyes tracking every move. A round table materialized at the center, surrounded by seats for the remaining teams:
• Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira),
• Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera),
• Nephalems (Bhaadon, Solom),
• Nebulâmes (Avona, lone survivor),
• Jungle Haze (Promantis, Klikk, Zyra),
• Blue Fangs (Orak, Frostbite, Icicle),
• And a new team, the Crimson Veils (Malthera, a blood-eyed sorceress, with Seth and Lyra).
Each wore the Ring of Channeling, primed to harness their aura.
The game began. Each team had to offer three statements—two lies, one truth—and guess the others'. Correct answers scored points; mistakes brought penalties. Tension skyrocketed.
Gills, using his Ring of Channeling, tried to steady his aura to calm Soehpt, still gripped by Volgurax, whose blue flames flickered dangerously. "Soehpt, come back to me," he whispered, but the effort failed. The Blue Fangs, temporary allies, stepped in.
Orak shouted, "Gills, we'll buy you time!" Frostbite and Icicle conjured an ice barrier, slowing rival teams to give Gills a chance. He approached, activating his Ring of Seduction, but Soehpt roared, his flames surging.
Kira, tears streaming, threw herself into the blue flames, her body regenerating through Astrugg, her inner demon. She embraced Soehpt, voice trembling: "I'm here, Soehpt… come back." The flames wavered, Volgurax growling, but the calm was fleeting. Gills, desperate, snapped. "Damn it!…" he said, shaking. "I didn't… want it to come to this, but… you leave me no choice, Volgurax…" He gritted his teeth, his aura igniting. "Kalgarax, I'm letting you handle your little brother!" he murmured, relinquishing control. A burst of red flames engulfed Gills, Kalgarax emerging—a colossal entity with blazing eyes—clashing with Volgurax in an infernal duel.
Meanwhile, the Styx Reapers targeted Avona, the last Nebulâme.
Tyrnat, channeling his aura with the Ring of Channeling, declared:
"1. I killed an angel.
2. I was born in a volcano.
3. I betrayed my own family."
(Truth: betrayed his family.)
Nera, tears suppressed, added:
"1. I loved Zara.
2. I destroyed a kingdom.
3. I killed to survive."
(Truth: killed to survive.)
Yulius, imposing, said:
"1. I drank angel's blood.
2. I defeated a dragon.
3. I lost an eye."
(Truth: drank angel's blood.)
Avona, smirking, guessed wrong, suffering an illusion of Zara cursing her as her mental penalty, leaving her trembling.
The Nephalems grappled with their emotions.
Bhaadon stated:
"1. I destroyed my people.
2. I'm a fallen angel.
3. I fled my dimension."
(Truth: fled his dimension.)
Solom said:
"1. I stole a throne.
2. I killed my brother.
3. I've flown since childhood."
(Truth: killed his brother.)
Illusions amplified their grief, but their Rings of Channeling kept them focused, avoiding fights.
The Jungle Haze, emotionless, offered instinct-driven statements. Promantis said:
"1. I ate a human.
2. I built a nest.
3. I killed a rival."
(Truth: ate a human.)
Klikk and Zyrax followed, their blunt answers baffling others, dodging penalties.
The Blue Fangs aided Gills. Orak declared:
"1. I froze an army.
2. I betrayed my clan.
3. I survived an avalanche."
(Truth: froze an army.)
Their support let Gills focus.
The Crimson Veils faltered. Malthera said:
"1. I summoned a demon.
2. I burned a village.
3. I loved a mortal."
(Truth: loved a mortal.)
Seth and Lyra misstepped, enduring an illusion of blood and fire, their penalty leaving them crumpled.
In the end, Blazing Skulls and Blue Fangs scored 6 correct answers through their alliance, Styx Reapers 6, Nephalems 6, Jungle Haze 6 (others also hit the required 6, but many didn't).
Natass Magna XIII reappeared, his carnivorous grin widening.
"The victors advance! And the losers… the losers… DIE!" he thundered.
Avona protested, voice breaking: "But you said—"
Natass cut her off, his sadism undisguised.
"Hehehe… I LIED!!!" he roared, bursting into guttural laughter.
Shadow chains erupted, seizing Avona, Malthera, Seth, Lyra, and all other losers. Their screams faded as the chains dragged them into the darkness, their bodies dissolving into ash.
Kalgarax overpowered Volgurax, forcing Soehpt to collapse, unconscious. Gills, exhausted, retrieved him. "We'll find a way," he murmured. The teams, scarred by psychological strain and the brutal purge, moved toward the next circle, hearts laden with doubt.