Conquering the underworld with my beautiful dragon wives-Chapter 38: The Truth Beyond the Mist
The mist was getting thicker. Like soft, wet hands, it wrapped around their legs and slowly climbed higher. Every step they took, the crunch of dried leaves under their feet echoed like a scream in the silent forest.
This place... it felt like time had gotten lost.
Fayra, half-shifted into her dragon form, mumbled,
"If something jumps out from behind that tree right now, I swear I’m going vegan for life."
Luna smirked and pointed at a tree,
"As long as it’s not a broccoli with teeth, I’m good."
Selena, sword resting on her shoulder, took a deep breath.
"If we survive this and make it back, I swear I’ll throw a party for all of you... unless the party ends up in hell."
Alice, more serious than usual, was walking ahead of everyone.
Ever since she touched those golden pages, something in her eyes had changed.
A kind of focus... or maybe fear?
Ethan, though... he was still quiet.
His new power had awakened, but it felt like he was still chasing answers only he could find.
Sometimes he raised his hand, like he was trying to touch something invisible in the air.
Like he was having a conversation no one else could hear.
Suddenly, they all stopped.
In front of them was a gate.
Made of twisted tree roots and stones glowing with strange golden symbols.
A silver mist was pouring out from behind it, warping the air like a mirror.
Alice whispered,
"This is it... entrance to the deepest part of the forest. Where the truth hides."
Luna frowned.
"And we’re the geniuses volunteering to walk right in."
Fayra stepped forward, tracing one of the symbols with her finger.
"These... they’re coded. We gotta touch them in the right order to open it."
Selena: "Wait, what happens if we get it wrong?"
Right then, Ethan stepped up.
Without saying a word, calm and precise, he touched four symbols.
Silence...
Then the gate groaned... and slowly opened.
But what was behind it wasn’t more forest.
No.
It was a stone hall.
Old pillars, shattered floors made of gold and silver, and walls full of strange paintings.
In the center stood a massive statue.
A figure wearing a mask. Arms stretched out like it was offering something.
Alice walked over, examining it.
"This... is the Guardian. The last gate before the truth. And here... we make a choice."
Luna: "What choice?"
Alice turned, looking each of them in the eyes.
"This hall is our mind. Our memories, our lies, and the truths we’ve been running from.
If we wanna reach the truth... we gotta face ourselves first."
Selena mumbled under her breath,
"This is that moment every manga warns you about..."
Fayra rolled her eyes.
"Would’ve been nice if this part was just a dream."
As they stepped into the hall, the space began to shift.
One by one, whispers rose around them.
Memories.
Ones only they knew.
Alice saw herself... alone, in her lab, surrounded by unfinished potions and plans that never worked out.
And Ethan...
He stood in the middle. Alone.
Then a voice echoed in his mind:
"If you want power for yourself, you’ll destroy them. But if you want it for them... you might destroy yourself. Choose, Ethan."
The room lit up.
They had passed their trial.
The statue opened.
Inside, there was a small box.
Alice stepped forward and opened it carefully.
Inside...
There was a mirror.
But not a normal one.
Everyone who looked into it saw a different version of themselves.
One that had taken a different path.
Luna:
"Okay, my version’s lounging on a throne with three servants bringing desserts. Really?!"
Selena:
"My version’s leading an army into battle... with a red cape? Why a cape?!"
Alice saw herself knowing all the truths... and running from them.
But Ethan...
He saw himself alone.
Back turned to everyone.
Surrounded by darkness.
Fayra asked softly,
"Ethan, what did you see?"
But he just gave that same old half-smile.
"Just a reminder... why I have to see this through."
And the mirror cracked...
Then turned to glowing dust.
Moments later, the ground began to shake.
In the center of the hall, a golden bridge rose up. Floating.
A path suspended in the air, leading toward the light. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
Luna:
"Okay, what the hell is this? Are we going to heaven now?!"
Fayra:
"Not if you’re there, we’re not..."
And they all laughed.
Even Ethan.
Step by step, they walked onto the bridge.
There was no turning back now.
And at the end of that path...
Was what they were really searching for.
And what was waiting behind those truths
Luna’s soft laugh was still hanging in the air when the first step hit the bridge.
The bridge, made of golden light, wasn’t fully real, but it wasn’t fake either.
It felt like a dream you half remember—just blurry pieces when you open your eyes.
Fayra frowned.
"This bridge... it needs trust. I can feel it. Like, if we don’t believe in it, we’ll fall."
Selena muttered under her breath,
"Trust? I barely trust Fayra’s potions, and now I’m supposed to trust a glowing air bridge?"
Still, she stepped forward.
With every step, scenes appeared around them—not real, not fake either.
Like memories. But not the ones they remembered...
To the right of the bridge, Alice’s lab showed up.
But it was flipped.
She wasn’t the scientist.
She was the prisoner.
Locked up in the very room she built.
Alice stopped.
"These are... what could’ve happened. If we chose different paths."
On the other side, they saw Fayra—alone.
No one around her.
Empty eyes. Burnt wings.
Fayra looked down.
"Didn’t know I could look that dark... when I’m by myself."
But the weirdest image of all?
It was Ethan’s.
There was nothing.
Just darkness.
They all turned to him, confused.
Luna asked, worried,
"Nothing showed up?"
Ethan just whispered,
"There’s nothing to show... not yet."
Before anyone could respond, the bridge started shaking.
A deep voice echoed through the mist.
Not a man’s. Not a woman’s.
It was like a mountain talking.
"Only those who accept the truth may pass... not those who run from it."
And then, something walked out of the fog.
Not fully human. Not fully monster.
Its face was covered in shifting masks—smiling, crying, angry, scared...
Like every human feeling had been carved onto its skin.
Alice stepped back.
"That’s... the Gatekeeper. The final test."
The creature stepped closer.
Each footstep sounded like a war drum.
"Each of you... must choose one mask.
Only the one who faces their true self may pass."
Selena raised an eyebrow.
"Pick a mask? What is this, Halloween?"
The creature didn’t flinch.
Just held out the masks.
Luna went first.
She picked the laughing mask.
But as soon as she put it on, the scene changed.
She dropped to her knees...
The mask cracked.
She was free.
Fayra picked the rage mask.
And saw herself—fighting... herself.
Two Fayras: one made of fire, one made of ice.
They clashed like enemies.
But in the end, both fell, tired.
And realized: Fayra is both flame and frost.
She placed the mask down... and walked on.
Selena picked the pride mask.
She saw herself, wounded.
Surrounded by warriors who’d fallen because of her choices.
They didn’t shout.
They didn’t cry.
They just stared.
A silent stare that cut deep.
She dropped the mask.
Silence gave her peace.
Alice picked the truth mask.
And saw herself.
Not in the future. Not in the past.
Just now.
No title. No role.
Just... a person.
A heart still searching.
She cried. For real.
And smiled.
Then it was Ethan’s turn.
But he didn’t pick a mask.
He stood tall and said,
"I’m done hiding.
No fake smiles. No fake anger. No fake fear.
If I’m moving forward, it’s with my real face. Shadows and all."
The creature stood still.
Then... it stepped aside.
The golden gate opened.
Behind it... the truth.
An endless hallway, filled with light and sound.
But not enemy sounds.
Not fear.
It was the voice inside each of them.
Their own voice.
Alice stepped forward.
"It’s time."
Ethan looked at her and smiled.
"Yeah... time to find out who we really are."
And together... they stepped into the light.
