Chapter 23 – The Price of Illusion
[JúLIA – VILLAGE OF GREYHOLD ]
The fog covered everything.
Dense. Suffocating. It wasn’t ordinary fog — it was a presence. Something alive slithering along the ground like an invisible serpent, wrapping around every house, every street, every fallen body.
The villagers were scattered everywhere. Lifeless. Eyes open but empty. Breathing, but only that. As if their souls had been ripped away, leaving shells of flesh waiting for orders.
Silence was absolute.
Even the birds had fled.
And up above, floating in the center of the square, was him.
A black cloak absorbing the light. Deep hood completely hiding his face. Next to him, a grimoire floated — pages turning on their own, each turn sending a pulse of purple energy that made the fog ripple.
The group of ten players stood at the square’s entrance.
San narrowed his eyes, hand on the dagger, muscles tense. Twenty-one, assassin, unnervingly calm — but his clenched jaw betrayed the restraint about to snap. His eyes occasionally flicked to Júlia. Idiot. Worried about her even now.
Jéssica crossed her arms, analyzing everything with the expression of a CEO assessing a corporate crisis. Twenty-seven, mage, upright posture even before the absurd. Staff glowing faintly — ready, always ready.
Estebán floated above the ground, telepathic manipulator, eyes fixed on the grimoire. Calculating weaknesses.
Leandro gripped his bow nervously. Cristina beside him, archer as well, controlled breathing but fast.
Josh observed with suspicion, adaptable class, already assessing movement patterns.
Zuzu trembled — not from fear, but from contained adrenaline. Fire elemental itching to explode.
Gena held her healer’s staff too tightly, deep dark circles under her eyes. Andressa muttered low incantations, sorceress preparing defenses.
And Júlia…
Júlia looked at the scene, eyes wide.
Fallen bodies. Sinister fog. Floating figure. Magical grimoire.
A dark enemy.
In a game.
A REAL villain.
The thought struck her mind like lightning.
Her heart raced. Not from fear. From pure excitement.
Her hands began to shake. Her lips curled into a growing smile. Her eyes shone with something close to ecstasy.
This. THIS is what I came for.
Not simulation. Not a screen. REAL.
The red knight armor seemed to shine brighter. The sword vibrated in its sheath, as if sensing the growing excitement.
Júlia couldn’t hold back.
She raised the sword above her head in an explosive motion.
— THIS IS AWESOME! — she shouted, voice echoing through the square, shattering the deadly silence like broken glass.
The entire group froze.
San turned his head slowly, mouth agape. She… did not…
Jéssica closed her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose. I’m going to have an aneurysm.
Estebán looked at Júlia as if she had completely lost it.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Leandro whispered: — Did she hit her head?
Zuzu just laughed nervously.
It was Estebán who reacted first, voice tense:
— Júlia, this is not the time for you to get excited like that!
Júlia turned, smile still wide. She stepped forward and grabbed Estebán’s shoulder, shaking him.
— How not?! — she almost shouted, pointing repeatedly at the figure. — Look! LOOK!
She pointed even more, almost bouncing.
— We’re finally going to fight a supervillain! Isn’t this the best?!
Silence.
All nine turned their faces slowly.
The expression was unanimous: This girl is insane.
San rubbed his face. Why… why do I like her?
Jéssica sighed deeply, then looked at Júlia like a boss dealing with a problematic intern.
— If you worked at my company — she said, sharp — I’d exploit all that ridiculous energy of yours until you passed out from exhaustion. Then promote you. But mostly, I’d exploit you.
Júlia just laughed louder.
Then the voice echoed.
---
It didn’t come from a specific place. It came from everywhere.
Grave. Distorted. Multiple voices in slightly unsynchronized unison.
— So you think this… is fun?
The group stiffened.
The figure above tilted his head slowly. The grimoire stopped flipping pages.
Júlia blinked, genuinely confused.
— Heeey… — she answered, obvious — it’s so fun!
The figure remained still.
Then something that could have been laughter — low, hoarse, wrong — echoed.
— I liked hearing that. — the voice sounded almost satisfied. — Because I’ll enjoy watching your face at the end of this fight.
Júlia narrowed her eyes. The smile changed — defiant, sly.
— Hey, stop! — she pointed Excalibur. — Don’t come at me with that blah blah! I’ve always heard that from bosses I’ve killed in games!
She stepped forward, grin widening.
— And you will be next!
San muttered: — She’s going to get us all killed…
The figure tilted his head the other way.
— You are… interesting. — paused. — I’ll enjoy exploring your fears.
Jéssica stepped forward, voice cutting:
— MY SUBORDINATES, ADVANCE!
Leandro turned immediately: — I already told you we’re not your employees!
Jéssica didn’t flinch.
— MOVE, WORMS! Or I’ll replace every one of you!
Cristina murmured: — Honestly… only crazy people in this group.
But they began to run.
The Attack
Zuzu went first.
— FIRE IMPULSE!
Flames burst from her feet. Body launched like a rocket, tracing a fiery arc.
At the apex, she spun.
— INFERNAL BARRAGE!
Column of fire descended like a meteor. Heat distorted the air. Orange light illuminated everything.
It hit…
…and passed through.
The fire went through the figure, continuing, exploding behind.
Zuzu landed, eyes wide.
— What…?
Laughter echoed.
— Looking for me? — the voice above. — Then let me show myself.
Everyone looked up.
The figure was directly above.
It hadn’t moved. It just was there.
Estebán reacted.
— YOU BASTARD!
He raised his hands. Telekinesis activated, the ground trembled. Rocks tore free — ten, twenty, thirty.
— TAKE THIS!
They flew like projectiles, whistling through the air.
The figure raised a hand slowly.
— Mirror Magic.
Grimoire glowed intense purple.
The air tore — literally ripped like cut fabric.
A mirror appeared.
Not glass. Liquid surface, undulating, reflecting possibilities.
— Unequal Feedback.
The mirror began to multiply.
One became two. Two became four. Four became dozens.
Around the group — above, below, sideways — liquid mirrors materialized floating, each reflecting impossible angles.
The rocks hit the front mirror.
They vanished.
Without a sound. Swallowed.
Silence.
Josh looked around.
— That guy is not playing with a full deck…
The figure extended his hand. From the grimoire, he pulled something small.
A baton.
Black. Silver tip gleaming.
Tapped lightly on the grimoire.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Like a maestro preparing the orchestra.
Josh frowned.
— What…?
The baton rose.
And descended.
---
The Orchestra of Death
Sound exploded.
Not music. Cacophony. Out-of-tune violins, offbeat drums, screeching brass, distorted voices chanting in a dead language.
It came from everywhere. Houses. Streets. Air.
Like an invisible orchestra spread across, playing the symphony of the apocalypse.
Josh covered his ears:
— WHAT IS HAPPENING?!
The mirrors pulsed.
From the surfaces, something emerged.
Rocks.
The same ones Estebán had thrown.
But now hundreds.
Multiplied. Distorted. Some fist-sized. Others car-sized.
They exploded in all directions from the mirrors.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
They hit houses, destroying walls. Crashed into the ground, opening craters. Flying chaotically.
— SCATTER! — Jéssica shouted.
But then she acted.
Staff glowed deep blue.
— Emergency MEETING CANCELLED!
Arcane circle exploded beneath her feet.
WHAM!
Energy barrier intercepted five rocks, vaporizing them into dust.
She faced the group even while maintaining the magic:
— Performance UNACCEPTABLE! Improve, or you’ll be FIRED!
Protecting everyone while shouting.
The group burst into motion.
San disappeared into the shadows. Cristina and Leandro ran, dodging. Zuzu created walls of fire, vaporizing smaller rocks.
But there were too many.
One hit a villager. Skull crushed like fruit. Blood and grey matter splattered.
Another hit a woman’s legs. Bones snapped with wet cracks. Legs separated.
Destruction painted the square red.
Above, the figure conducted with the baton, movements graceful.
As if enjoying every note of suffering.
Júlia ran, dodging, smile still on her face—
A rock flew straight at her.
San materialized in front.
Didn’t think. Body reacted.
Blocked the rock with dagger at the last second.
CLANG!
Júlia blinked, surprised.
— San, I—
— Pay attention! — he cut her off, already disappearing.
But glanced back.
For a second.
Making sure she was alive.
Idiot. Always an idiot for her.
Gena ran desperately.
Healer. Not a fighter. Just surviving.
Dodged a rock. Leaped over a body. Continued—
Foot caught.
Tripped on a villager’s arm.
Fell on her face.
Rolled onto her back—
Saw.
A huge rock descending.
Table-sized. Absurd speed.
Gena didn’t even have time to scream.
CRUNCH.
Impact crushed her head completely.
Blood exploded. Skull fragments flew.
Body shuddered.
Then became motionless.
Júlia saw.
Smile… wavered.
For a second.
Saw Gena disappear into digital particles.
Saw Josh drop to his knees.
Felt something tighten in her chest—
No. Don’t think. Don’t feel.
If she felt… the void would return.
Forced smile back.
Gripped Excalibur.
— LET’S KEEP GOING!
But the voice came less convinced.
San heard.
Looked at her through shadows.
Saw the forced smile.
—She’s breaking.
And she doesn’t even realize it.
Josh screamed:
— GENA! NO!
Hands trembling.
Body completely dissolved.
As if it had never existed.
[PLAYERS REMAINING: 9/10]
[GENA: ELIMINATED]
The music continued.
The figure continued conducting.
And above all, a voice echoed — clear, human, male:
— You may call me… Maestro.
Baton spun between fingers.
— And this… is just the overture.
The grimoire glowed more intensely.
And the mirrors began to multiply again.
