Elaina's laughter shattered through the labyrinth of mirrors reflecting a sea of fire.
Her hands clawed desperately across the glass floor in frantic motions. Then, several seconds later, the movement stopped.
Her body froze in a kneeling position, her gaze empty. The brown hair that had once been elegantly tied up was now completely disheveled, covering most of her stern face.
"Look at yourself now."
Huli Jing stepped out from the mirror.
Slowly.
Like dried flesh being peeled away from a wound.
"Even without my illusions... you still couldn't save yourself."
She walked forward in her true form.
Not with the vicious face of those broken by Elaina's brilliance, nor the innocent faces of Elaina's family.
But as a woman wearing a kimono woven with crimson and white, with nine honey-golden tails swaying gently behind her.
Pyarr!
Her slender hand, tipped with sharp claws, punched through one of the mirrors, shattering it instantly. She picked up a shard of glass the size of a dagger, its surface reflecting her grinning smile.
She walked closer.
Toward Elaina's back as the woman stared blankly into the mirror before her.
Elaina's eyes slowly regained focus. Her pupils widened as she noticed Huli Jing standing behind her.
She turned abruptly. The laughter on her lips weakened. For the briefest second, she almost seemed like herself again.
Huli Jing stabbed the shard into her chest, right beneath her ribs.
Elaina's body stiffened.
Blood flowed from the corner of her lips, dripping between laughter that had not yet fully died.
Her gaze lifted weakly toward the stands.
And among the humans watching her with desperate hope, the image of Chloe appeared for a fleeting moment.
A smile bloomed across Elaina's lips as her vision slowly faded.
"I'm sorry… Mommy failed."
"At last… I can finally rest…" she whispered softly before her grip on the fox spirit's arm loosened, and her body collapsed.
The mythological side erupted instantly into thunderous celebration.
Their voices split the heavens:
"Huli Jing wins! The Heavenly Fox triumphs!"
"One human soul has fallen before the truth!"
The tidal wave of cheers shook the arena. Banners of dragons, dwarves, and fairies shimmered like rippling flames.
Some knelt in worship of Huli Jing's name. Others simply watched with satisfied eyes, savoring the scent of their first victory over humanity.
Meanwhile—on the human side—there was only silence.
No cheers. No applause.
Only heavy breathing, restrained sobs, and hopeless sighs hanging in the air.
Some women lowered their heads. Some men clutched their own chests, as though Elaina's wound had pierced through them as well.
Libra descended into the center of the arena. Her violet hair glowed softly, though her face appeared pale.
She gazed solemnly upon both sides before raising the golden scales in her left hand.
A soft chime echoed outward.
The sound resembled the bell of a funeral rite.
Tiiing!
"The first match has concluded," Libra declared quietly, yet firmly.
"The victor—Huli Jing, representative of the mythological races."
The mythological stands exploded once more into celebration.
While humanity fell even deeper into silence.
Upon his throne, the human President sat frozen.
His eyes stared forward through the arena stained with illusionary light and blood.
Slowly, his hand lifted, as though he wished to call Elaina's name—
But he stopped himself.
His lips moved faintly, almost soundlessly.
"Forgive me… Elaina."
His shoulders trembled.
He turned his face away, unable to continue looking at the body of the subordinate who had once sworn to defend humanity's dignity with all her soul.
Meanwhile, high upon the grand stand, The Ancient One rose to his feet.
His wings unfurled slowly, scattering particles of light like stardust. His smile was gentle, yet overflowing with heavenly arrogance.
He looked toward the human President and spoke:
"One human soul has fallen."
"And eleven more shall follow."
He laughed softly.
A deep, resonant laugh that sounded like fate itself whispering its own prophecy into existence.
Below, Huli Jing bowed respectfully amidst the roaring mythological crowd.
Yet within her eyes lingered a faint emptiness—as though victory itself weighed upon her heart.
She knew she had not merely killed a human.
She had destroyed the heart of a mother that had already been broken long before the match ever began.
Without realizing it, one of her tails suddenly vanished.
Meanwhile, in the center of the arena, a gentle wind began to blow.
The cracked mirrors reflected Elaina's face, now resting in a peaceful smile.
Her eyes remained open, staring into a lightless sky, as though preparing to meet the God she had once called to within her heart.
The first match was over.
And there, the first chapter of the tragedy between humanity and mythology officially began.
The arena slowly faded from a labyrinth of mirrors into an empty plain.
Elaina's body was carried away by two medics from the human faction, wrapped in white cloth now stained red along the edges.
"Careful. She's a hero," one of the nurses whispered.
The stretcher was lifted.
From within the folds of her bloodstained suit, a small photograph slipped onto the floor.
One of the medics picked it up gently, wiping away the blood still clinging to it.
It showed a smiling little girl hugging a white rabbit.
The nurse silently returned the photo to Elaina's pocket before hurrying after the others ahead.
No one spoke.
Only the sound of footsteps and heavy breaths accompanied her departure.
Libra bowed respectfully toward the body before lifting her gaze toward the President with eyes that seemed to say:
I grieve with you. But the rules must continue.
The President answered only with a slow nod, suppressing the storm inside his chest threatening to explode.
Down below, Huli Jing stood tall.
Then lowered her head briefly toward The Ancient One before departing.
The great avian being slowly raised one hand, as though bestowing the highest honor.
The mythological side began cheering again—
But only briefly.
Because the sky above the arena suddenly trembled violently.
Dark clouds spiraled rapidly, and two blazing crimson lights appeared within the vortex.
A thunderous growl echoed beyond the storm clouds.
Like the breath of an ancient creature awakening from an endless slumber.
The Ancient One stared toward the colossal shadow moving above the clouds before speaking in a voice like a death bell for humanity:
"It seems the second match is about to begin."
The gigantic silhouette twisted through the heavens several times.
Until two dragon heads emerged from the clouds, descending like the sky itself staring back.
Its wings spread wide enough to cover half the arena's heavens. Each head exhaled flames with terrifying reach, enough to raise the arena's temperature before its four colossal claws had even touched the ground.
Several human soldiers instinctively stepped backward.
Their bodies screamed in terror faster than logic could react.
The President suddenly stood. His face turned pale.
"Even that creature… a two-headed dragon. Not even my ballistic missiles could scratch its scales…"
He lowered his head deeply, his jaw tightening.
"It never intended to give us hope."
Another roar like thunder exploded through the heavens.
Then came tremors like an earthquake as the four massive claws landed upon the marble arena floor.
The humans in the stands swallowed hard in unison.
Because that creature did not feel like a representative of mythology.
It felt like a natural disaster given life itself.