The dense forest was silent save for the heavy breaths of Adrian, Medea, and Ava as they pressed forward. The illusion still warped the surroundings, making every shadow seem like an enemy.

Adrian's sharp eyes scanned the distorted terrain, his fiery chains flickering with heat as he prepared for whatever lay ahead.

"Selene!" Adrian called, his voice echoing through the twisted trees. "Lilith! Abyss! Eris!"

Only the oppressive silence of the forest responded, broken by the occasional rustling of leaves.

"This isn't right," Medea muttered, her blade gleaming ominously with black fire as she gripped it tightly. "We've been shouting for ages. If they were close, they'd have responded by now."

"They're not close," Ava said in an unusually somber tone. Her golden eyes scanned the surroundings, and she clutched her staff tightly. "Something's keeping us apart, and I don't think it's just the illusions."

Medea grunted, her gaze focused on the shadows ahead.

Ava stepped forward, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Wait," Medea whispered, her eyes narrowing. "Do you hear that?"

The three of them paused, listening. The faint sound of voices carried through the distorted forest. Adrian frowned, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

"I think it's coming from that way," Ava said quietly, pointing her staff toward the noise.

Without a word, they headed in the direction of the voices, the strange, unsettling aura around them growing stronger. They approached a clearing, and as they entered, the illusion warped, the trees and shadows swirling until they were surrounded by a sea of green.

Adrian gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling beneath his calm facade. "We need higher ground," he said.

Without waiting for a reply, he launched his fiery chains upward. The spear-tipped ends shot into the treetops with a hiss, anchoring deep into the warped wood.

With a sharp pull, Adrian propelled himself high above the ground. From his vantage point, he looked out across the twisted forest, but the distortion rendered everything a confusing mess of shifting shadows and flickering light.

His vision faltered; the illusion extended farther than he had hoped.

"Nothing," he muttered, landing gracefully beside the others. His boots hit the ground with a dull thud. "This illusion is too good. It's keeping us blind."

Ava tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes staring into the distance. "The illusion is a powerful one," she said. "Their illusions can warp reality itself."

Adrian nodded, his expression grim. "We need to keep moving."

Before he could say anything else, the forest around them trembled, the twisted trees shifting and distorting until they were all but lost in the sea of green.

"Stay together," Medea called out in a strained voice.

Before anyone could respond, a slow, mocking clap echoed through the trees. The sound sent a chill down their spines as two figures stepped into view, emerging from the darkness like specters.

The first was a tall man clad in dark leather armor, his face obscured by a mask. He twirled a short blade lazily in one hand while several identical copies of himself materialized around him, each moving with the same eerie synchronization.

"Welcome to our little playground," the masked man said in a smooth voice dripping with malice. "I'm afraid you've wandered too far."

The second figure was shorter but no less imposing—a woman with glowing red sigils etched across her bare arms. In her hands, she wielded a pair of scythes that shimmered with unnatural energy. Her eyes glowed faintly, her lips curled into a cruel smile.

"They look lost, don't they, Crix?" the woman said, her tone mocking.

"Oh, very lost, Saria," the man replied, his copies moving in unison to encircle Adrian and the others. "But don't worry. We'll keep them company."

Medea stepped forward, her black flame-imbued blade poised at the ready. Ava and Adrian readied their weapons as well, the air thick with tension.

"Where's Lilith and the rest?" Adrian demanded coldly. "What have you done to them?"

The masked man—Crix—shook his head, tsking.

"You're not the boss around here, mister. You don't get to ask questions."

Adrian gritted his teeth. He wanted answers, but he knew these two wouldn't give them easily.

"If you're looking for a fight, then get it over with," Medea snapped, her eyes blazing. "I'm tired of listening to you run your mouths."

Crix chuckled, the sound sending another chill down their spines.

"Oh, we'll give you a fight," he said, his copies mirroring his movements. "You won't live long enough to regret your decision, but it will be entertaining."

Before anyone could react, the forest exploded with movement as Crix's copies rushed forward, their blades flashing.

Adrian's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "Illusionist and close combat. Watch for the clones, and keep an eye on those scythes," he said quickly. "Ava, back us up. Medea, cover the right."

"Got it," Medea said curtly, black fire swirling around her blade as she stepped to Adrian's side.

Ava nodded, her staff glowing faintly with golden light as she prepared to support them.

With a hiss of steel, the battle erupted.

The clones struck first. They lunged from all sides, their movements eerily synchronized. Adrian parried a blade aimed for his throat, the clash of metal ringing out sharply.

His fiery chains lashed out in a wide arc, slicing through two of the clones, but their forms dissolved into smoke.

A clone darted toward Ava, and she raised her staff, a pulse of golden light enveloping the area. The clone faltered, its movements slowing as the magic sapped its strength.

Another clone came at her, and she slammed her staff into the ground, a ring of golden light erupting from the impact. The clone flinched back, buying her time to regain her balance.

A sharp cry of pain drew Adrian's attention, and he glanced over to see Medea's blade stained with blood as she cut down another clone.

"Damn it!" Medea growled, her sword swinging through another clone that vanished into mist. "We can't tell which one's real!"

"They're distractions!" Adrian called, dodging a swipe from another clone. "Focus on the caster!"

But before they could regroup, Saria leapt into the fray, her scythes spinning like deadly wheels. She moved with terrifying speed, her attacks aimed with precision.

Adrian barely managed to block a strike that would have severed his arm, the force of her attack driving him back.

"She's fast," Ava muttered, raising her staff. A beam of golden energy shot out, aimed at Saria's exposed flank, but the woman twisted away, the beam narrowly missing her.

"You'll have to do better than that," Saria taunted, her eyes flashing. She spun her scythes, sending arcs of crackling energy toward Ava.

Ava ducked, her staff glowing brighter. "Medea! Cover me!"

Medea responded instantly, a wall of black fire erupting between Ava and the incoming attack. The energy crashed against the fire, dissipating into sparks.

Adrian turned his attention back to the clones, his fiery chains whipping out to clear a path. "Ava, find the real one! Medea, keep Saria off her!"

The illusionist, Crix, laughed from somewhere in the shadows. "Oh, you think you're clever? Let's see how clever you are when there's twice as many."

More clones appeared, their blades flashing in the dim light. Adrian gritted his teeth, his sword swinging in precise arcs as he cut through the illusions. His fiery chains burned through several more, but the real Crix remained elusive.

"Focus, Adrian!" Medea barked, her blade clashing against Saria's scythes. Sparks flew as the two women exchanged blows, their movements blindingly fast. Medea's black fire morphed into jagged spikes, forcing Saria to leap back, but the assassin only grinned.

"You've got fight in you," Saria said, almost like she was admiring Medea. "Too bad it won't save you."

Adrian ignored the taunt, his mind racing. "Ava!" he shouted. "Can you disrupt his clones?"

Ava nodded, slamming her staff into the ground. A shockwave of golden light rippled outward, passing through the clones. Several of them flickered and vanished, but others remained, their forms solid.

"There!" Adrian spotted the one clone that staggered slightly, its movements a half-second out of sync with the others.

Without hesitation, he launched his fiery chains toward it, the spear-tip burning with crimson fire.

The chains struck true, wrapping around the real Crix. The illusionist let out a startled cry as Adrian yanked him forward, slamming him into the ground.

"Got you," Adrian growled, his sword raised

Crix laughed, his body dissolving into mist.

A decoy.

"You really thought it would be that easy?"

Saria's voice came from behind Adrian, and he spun, his sword already swinging. But his blade met only empty air.

"Look out!" Medea's warning came just in time. Adrian leapt back, narrowly avoiding a slash from Saria's scythes.

"Clever trick," Adrian muttered, his gaze narrowing. "But it won't work twice."

Ava was on him in a heartbeat, her staff glowing with power. She struck the ground, sending a wave of golden energy crashing into Crix, disrupting his concentration.

Clix's clones flickered, and Adrian seized the opportunity, his chains lashing out to bind the assassin. But before he could deliver the final blow, Saria intervened, her scythes slicing through the air.

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