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Chapter Twenty-One: The Tempest
The hall felt smaller today. Shadows clung to the walls more tightly, and the air buzzed with tension. Lyra's pulse quickened. She had faced souls of cruelty, regret, and deceit. She had learned that fear came in many forms.But none had prepared her for this.The door at the far end of the hall creaked open, and a figure burst through. He was young, barely more than a boy by his appearance, yet every movement radiated danger. His hair was wild, eyes blazing with a reckless fire, and his clothes were torn and dirty, smeared with what might have been mud or blood.Lyra instinctively stepped back. She had learned to recognise the weight of presence — and this one pressed on her chest like a storm."Who are you?" Kaelen asked, his voice calm but cutting through the tension like a blade.The boy grinned, a crooked, feral smile, and his chest heaved with laughter. "Name's Riven," he said, voice high-pitched but full of energy. "Don't care about your rules. Don't care about your judgments.
Chapter Twenty: The Silver Tongue
The hall's air shifted again, heavy as stone pressing down. Lyra braced herself, her body tense after the sorrow of the fallen king. She thought she had learned something of what to expect. She thought she was ready.But when the next soul emerged, she faltered.He was an older man, tall but slightly bent with age, dressed in robes that looked as though they had once belonged to a great house. His silver hair gleamed faintly in the dim light, swept back neatly. His hands rested on a polished cane, though Lyra suspected it was more for appearance than support.His eyes were the first thing that struck her — sharp, alive, too alive. They gleamed with a knowing light, the kind that stripped people bare.A smile spread across his face when he saw her. Not the twisted sneer of the cruel or the weary sorrow of the fallen. No, his smile was pleasant. Gentle, even."Ah," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "So this is the one chosen to face me. How fortunate."Lyra stiffened. The way he looked
Chapter Nineteen: The Weight of a Crown
The chamber was still. The light in the great hall seemed dimmer, as though the walls themselves held their breath for the next soul.Lyra shifted uneasily at Kaelen's side. The shadowed Judge stood motionless, his presence steady, but his silence pressed on her like an unseen weight. After the chaos of the sadist before, she almost feared what would come next.Then the air stirred.A tall figure emerged from the darkness at the far end of the chamber. He walked with measured steps, his shoulders straight, his chin lifted as though he had marched this path many times before. His clothes were worn, once fine, now dulled by dust and age. A faint golden clasp at his chest hinted at royalty, though it had lost its shine.His eyes were not cruel, not twisted like those of the others who had stood here. They were weary. Haunted.Lyra's breath caught. This man was different."State your name," Kaelen said, his voice low, carrying across the chamber.The man paused, his gaze flickering up tow
Chapter Eighteen: The Sadist
The hall had grown colder since the last soul departed. The air felt heavy, not in silence alone but in expectation, as though the walls themselves were bracing for something far worse than before. Lyra could sense it even before the door began to stir.Her breath came shallow, and she gripped her hands together to keep them from trembling. She told herself she was ready, that she had endured cruelty, obsession, and manipulation. But some instinct deep inside whispered otherwise. This was not the same.The door groaned open, slow and grinding, and from its shadow stepped a man.He was tall, broad-shouldered, his presence filling the space like a storm pressing into the hall. His dark hair hung loosely around his face, but it was his eyes that froze Lyra where she stood. They gleamed with a wild light, sharp and unrestrained, like a predator barely leashed. His lips curled into a grin that was more snarl than smile, teeth flashing as though he relished the fear he caused by merely exis
Chapter Seventeen: The Obsessive Shadow
The hall felt different the moment the door opened.It was a subtle shift, a change in the air that pressed against Lyra's skin, tight and suffocating. The lanterns flickered in sympathy, casting long, wavering shadows across the floor. She knew before she saw who had entered.A woman stepped through, tall and elegant, moving with fluid grace that seemed rehearsed. Her hair was black as midnight, falling in waves around her shoulders. Her eyes, however, drew the gaze of anyone who dared to meet them. They burned with a strange intensity, a mixture of fascination, malice, and obsession.Lyra instinctively stepped back. Her hands shook, her heart pounding against her ribcage. This was not the same kind of darkness as the killer or the liar. This was personal.Kaelen's voice cut through the tension, calm and steady. "You stand in the Hall of Judgment. Here, your life will be revealed."The woman smiled, a slow, predatory curl of her lips. "Ah, the judge," she said softly, almost tenderly
Chapter Sixteen: The Heartbreaker
The hall felt heavier than usual. Lanterns flickered, casting shadows that stretched and twisted across the walls. The silence pressed against Lyra's chest, making each breath feel sharp and deliberate. She knew another soul was coming, and she braced herself.The door opened slowly, deliberately, making the hall itself seem to hold its breath.A woman stepped through, tall and lithe, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a curtain of night. Her eyes were sharp and piercing, glinting with intelligence and something darker. Her lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Lyra shivered without knowing why. There was no weapon, no scar, no obvious sign of danger. Yet every movement radiated a quiet threat, a predator confident in its prey.Kaelen's voice broke the silence, calm but firm. "You stand in the Hall of Judgment. Here, your life will be revealed."The woman tilted her head, assessing him as if amused. "A hall to judge souls. How quaint. How fascinating." Her
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