Far to the north, beneath a canopy of crimson leaves. A pair of contestants stumbled into a shallow valley hidden behind the tall tress and ragged rocks. Richard and Muray looked at the valley filled with thorned vines.
The lamp hovered at its center, suspended above a pit of bones.
They could feel their blood boil as they looked at the lamp. The flames flickered as though seducing them calling for them to come and pick it up.
They both ran foward determined to get to the lamp first. Their alliance had only been of convenience and it was a man for him self.
Thorns sliced their soles scratching their feet but non payed any mind, every one was determined to get the lamp at all cost.
A lamp could not be shared.
The vines moved when they drew close to the lamp. Guarding it.
At first, Richard thought it was the wind blowing the vines moving them. Then one vine whipped out and tore a strip of flesh from Muray's leg. He screamed as pain assaulted him. Richard looked around ready to attack anything that came near.
The vines as though awaken swarmed to them.
They fought together, slicing the vines with blades they had picked up along the road, probably from those the mountain had claimed.
Even as they fought ,the vines only multiplied, feeding on their blood, thickening, pulsing with life. In desperation, Richard cut his own arm and smeared his blood on Fei Lian's back.
Blood spluttered every where and on to the vines. They became more aggressive.
"Go. You're faster."
Muray hesitated still shaken by the vines, a mistake on his part.
As he turned, Richard's blade slid clean through his throat. Cutting at his blood veins. Muray put his hands on his neck.
"Your blood's stronger," Richard whispered. "The vines will want you more."
Muray's dying scream echoed as Richard leapt across his collapsing body, seizing the lamp.
The vines recoiled from its light, hissing.
Richard rose, trembling, his one arm dripping with blood, the other cradling the flickering flame.
He mountain rambled .
....
In the west, iron brothers found themselves in a ruin of black mirrors . Corridors that reflected different versions of themselves. Illusions created by their own minds reflected into the mirror .
One by one, they lost track of who was real. Tooentranced by the mirror . Lost in the illusions.
At first, they fought shadows. Then they fought each other, each convinced the other was the reflection of themselves, their inner demons. Slaughtering each other cruelty.
By the time the last survivor a man named George reached the center, he had carved his name into the walls with blood to remember it. His companions blood sinking into the walls as though it was feeding.
Their bodies disintegrating into dust.
The lamp awaited him at the heart of the mirror maze.
Its light burned white, pure and cruel flickering dancing. It casted numerous reflectionds on the mirrors that started to break. As though satisfied by the massacre that had happened.
When he took it, his reflection smiled but he did not the last standing uncracked mirror.
His mirror-image stepped forward, blood still dripping from its blade.
"Now that you've found me," it said, "you'll never lose me again."
They merged flesh and reflection folding together into something neither alive nor dead.
Weighted by the guilt of killing his own sworn brothers he stepped out of the ruins, lamp in hand a prize gotten from the blood of his companions.
...
The another one was claimed in silence.
A single competitor Rachel. She was deaf had no companions. She came for the demon test voluntarily, hiding a thirst for blood under her silence.
She walked through the a small guage, hidden quite. Filled with rocks at reflected the night.
When the lamp appeared before her, floating like a feather, she bowed.
No traps. No monsters.
It hovered there as though waiting for her to come and take it.
She looked at her reflection on the lamp glass, black grey eyes looked back at her. She sighed and walked forward, towards the summit.
....
At just above the clouds sect elders looked on as the contestants found lamps one after another. The second hour had not ended but more than half of the lamps had been found and claimed.
Contestants hunted each other as they killed for the lamps. The lamps gave them a test of power, most had noticed this.
...
Alistair stood up and turned to look at the direction in which the sound came from. His flame flickered as though waiting for the pray. It whispered in his ear waiting to be fed.
Five figures emerged from the fog. Their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. They all had the faint sign of the lanterns. The lantern all flickered at once as though recognizing each other.
Richard was also among them, his missing arm was tied by a black clothe probably from his trousers.
Rachel followed right behind him, her body blending into the shadows. She stood there silent as ever holding her sword.
And beside them stood George still covered in his companions blood. His body looked as though it was moving dividing itself.
The ground hunted lampless contestants , in a bid to remove competition. Alistair was the first lamp holder they had come across. Their lamp responding to him. They knew instinctively he was the first lantern holder.
Richard smiled, his teeth too white in the dark," we sense a lamp holder. The first one at that.
Share your lamp and we'll show mercy."
Alistair laughed out loud, amused by the audacity. Why would he refused free souls that came knocking.
As though a silent command appeared, the fight erupted like thunder.
George reflection separated from from his body fighting independently, they both slashed at Alistair aiming for him throat. Alistair dodged moving to the side.
Richard blade erupted with a corrupted lamp light, lighting the night. He aimed for Alistair's back after he had dodged George's sword. Alistair pivoted mid air sending a kick on his shine. This pushed him back. Hitting himself on a near by tree.
Rachel moved like shadow silent, her flame helping her avoid his senses. Her blade grazing his arms narrowly missing his midriff.
The other two strikes directly with ferocity. Relentlessly pushing him back.
Alistair could barely keep up. His lack of experience in combat made him make mistakes that occasionally provided opening for the five. What kept him going was his new skin that seemed to have great defense and healed most of his minor wound.
He deflect Rachel's next strike aimed at his stomach, countering with a busy of strength sending her sliding back. But her expression never changed as blood dripping from the side of her mouth.
In desperation, Alistair released his flame from his chest, the first lantern power roared to life. The old whisper sounded in his mind, echoing through his bones.
Feed me.
His eyes became redder reflecting the golden flames. He could feel the burning pain as the lamp gave him power, forcefully injecting into his mortal body.
His sword cut once, the mist split, the sound it made was not that of metal but more old alive. The power of the flames.
When the mist cleared, George body lay stiff silent cut cleanly in half. No blood dripping as the wound already closed from the burning heat of the flames.
Pieces of mirrors lay on the ground broken.
His lamp, still flickering with it's flame, drifted from his copse and floated toward Alistair who reacheda bloodied trembling hand and seized it.
The mountain trembled.
Up in the sky the sigil shifted burning away. It's glowing ashes falling into the mist.
Ninety eight remained.
Richards smug grin flattered.
Rachel eyes widened and slinked into the mist.
" Two lamps," Richard spat," you won't keep them for long."
They all vanished into the mist before Alistair could chase them. The wind return carry faint laughter, the theirs or the mountains he couldn't tell.
He stood there alone , blood dripping, a wound from the flames itself.
Ding
( A half awaken soul detected)
A small luminous light glowed in the dark a shades of color. It flew toward him . He swallowed George soul with no hesitation. So the souls of the contestants who had flames were halfway through being cultivators.
The familiar pain came but he had already gotten used to it.
( One half awaken soul absorbed)
( Reward: eyes of judgement level 1- one can see the basic status of a person and power levels)
The system usually chimes came. Alistair felt like the reward was really worth the risk he had gone through .
He looked into at the flames, the first flame had absorbed George's flame. He could feel it's power more stronger. It's whispers had also increased, banging at the back of his mind, commanding.
...
From a distance deep in the mountain several new lamps flared to life. The trial had already began but the hunters had become hunted.
The contestants had discovered, the lanterns provided power.