The narrow corridors gave way to an open square, but it didn't feel like freedom. The buildings loomed unnaturally, edges warped, shadows stretching and twisting toward Liora like living fingers.
"This is the next stage," Selene said quietly. "You leave the safety of the hidden layers. The city watches more closely out here."
Liora swallowed. "I thought the city would stop after the mark."
Kael shook his head. "Marks are only the beginning. Now it wants to see how you handle pressure—and choice."
A sudden vibration ran through the pavement. The air thickened. People—or what looked like people—appeared, frozen mid-motion. A man tripped on a sidewalk, paused mid-fall, his expression caught between fear and disbelief.
Liora's pulse quickened. "They're… real?"
Selene nodded. "Not completely. They're echoes. Observers. If you panic, they become dangerous."
The first shadow struck. Swift. Silent. It flowed like smoke, aiming for her chest.
Instinct took over. Liora's hands glowed, pushing a wave of energy outward. The shadow recoiled, leaving behind a whispering void that echoed in her ears: "Bold… reckless…"
Kael's voice broke through. "Don't fight everything! Some are tests of restraint!"
Liora froze, understanding too late. Another shadow lunged. She held back instinctively, letting it pass harmlessly through her. It dissolved into the pavement.
"You're learning," Selene said approvingly. "Control isn't about destroying—it's about knowing when to act."
The square shifted again. Buildings stretched upward, alleys narrowed, and the echoes dissolved into the air.
Liora exhaled, trembling. "It's… exhausting."
Kael placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "You're doing more than surviving. You're learning to exist here. And that's far more dangerous than vanishing."
A whisper slid past her ear, soft and amused: "Clever. But will you obey?"
Liora clenched her fists. "I will. But I won't submit."
The city pulsed beneath her feet, alive and watching, aware that she was no longer just a visitor—she was a player.