Is this really a Game?!

Reign took a deep breath, his mind racing. They could hear each other, but they were still trapped in the darkness. He needed to find a way to break through whatever the darkness was and bring his team together.

"We need to focus," Reign said, his voice steady. "This darkness is feeding off our fears and doubts."

"We have to push back against it with everything we've got."

"Remember why we fight, remember our bonds, we can do this."

Shadow's voice cut through the darkness. "Reign's right, we need to focus on our strengths and our unity, that's how we'll break free."

Mia added, "We have to trust each other."

"We're not alone in this, let's fight together."

Tank's deep voice rumbled through the void. "Well, the only question is how to do so, I mean, we can hear each other, but that is it, we can't see each other or interact with one another at all."

"We will take it slow, hearing each other is already much better than how it was before, we will slowly figure out what to do next."

One by one, the team members steeled themselves, drawing on their inner strength and the bonds they had forged over countless battles. The oppressive energy still pressed down on them, but they felt a flicker of hope.

Reign concentrated, feeling the presence of his friends around him, even if he couldn't see them. He reached out with his mind, focusing on the connection he shared with each of them. Slowly, he felt a faint response, like a thread connecting him to the others.

It was their souls that he was feeling, something he was unable to do before, and with that, he sensed something that surprised him.

"Shadow, can you walk around a bit?"

"Huh, walk around?"

"Just do it, please."

Shadow showed slight confusion at Reign's request but then simply sighed and started walking around.

"Are you walking?"

"Yup."

"Hmmmm, interesting."

"What is?" Beast asked Reign who chuckled.

"I think I know what is happening."

"Shadow said he is walking, but his soul, it is in the same position as before, right next to Tank."

"In fact, we are all in the same position, all of us are standing, not moving, at least that is what your soul signatures are telling me."

"The weird thing is ... I was unable to sense it before, probably because of the darkness and the fact we had not managed to talk to one another till now."

"So, what exactly does that mean?" Greenia asked Reign who chuckled.

"It means we have been trapped in an illusion, one that feeds off of our fears, one that tries its best to corrupt us, destroy us from within."

"I doubt we ever really made our way to the Heart of Darkness, it probably placed us in the illusion the moment we saw it."

"Tch, I really do hate illusions." Reign said as he thought back on the first time he encountered an illusion, back when they entered the warehouse in Doncaster and fought against the one responsible for the anchor point there.

The illusion back then had shown him the deaths of his comrades, and it nearly made him lose his mind, even though it was a short one, ever since that moment, he truly hated seeing any kind of illusion.

"What do we do then?"

Reign took a deep breath, his mind racing with the realization that they were trapped in an illusion. The oppressive energy around them was designed to amplify their fears and doubts, but now that they were aware of it, they could fight back.

"We need to break free from this illusion," Reign said, his voice resolute. "It's feeding off our fears and doubts, trying to weaken us from within. We have to counter it with our strengths, with our unity."

Shadow's voice was steady as he replied, "How do we do that? If this is an illusion, we need to find a way to shatter it."

Mia added, "Our connection, our bond, is our greatest strength. We need to focus on that, draw on our unity to break through this darkness."

"We have already gotten halfway through merely by talking to one another, I think that was a part of the trial, to see how long we can last under the illusion and whether or not we can finally start talking to each other." Reign stated before shaking his head and smiling.

"It's quite interesting to be honest, this illusion, but it is time to break through it."

Tank's deep voice rumbled through the void. "Yeah, we concentrate on each other, on our bond, that should help us push back against the darkness."

Reign nodded, even though they couldn't see him. "Exactly."

"Focus on our connection, on the trust and strength we share, by doing so and linking our souls, we can break free."

Each member of the team took a moment to center themselves, drawing on their memories of shared battles and victories, the moments that had forged their unbreakable bond. The oppressive energy still pressed down on them, but they felt a flicker of hope, a spark of light in the darkness.

Reign concentrated, reaching out with his soul to each of his teammates. He focused on their presence, their strength, and their unwavering determination. Slowly, he felt their responses, like threads connecting them in the void.

"Shadow, Mia, Tank, Greenie, Laura, Aelrinder, Beast, Jin" Reign called out, his voice filled with determination. "Focus on our bond, focus on everything we have gone through, on the strength we share, and the memories we have created."

The team members concentrated, their souls reaching out to one another, drawing on the strength of their connection. The oppressive energy seemed to waver, the darkness flickering as their combined will pushed back against it.

Slowly but surely, they were establishing the mental link, they were connecting their souls, using the methods Aethion had taught them, and removing the darkness around them.

"Good, they have finally managed to do this much," Aethion said with a smirk.

"I just hope they are ready for what is to come, this thing won't fall down easily," Aethion added as he glanced at the heart of darkness that was beating stronger and stronger, attempting to take them down in the illusion.

As the Heaven's Hooligans strengthened their mental link, the oppressive darkness began to lose its hold on them. Their unified determination started to dispel the illusion, each member focusing on their connection and the bond they shared. The flickering darkness around them became less intense, allowing them to feel a glimmer of hope.

Reign felt the oppressive energy weaken slightly, but he knew they couldn't let their guard down. The heart of darkness was still powerful, and it would do everything in its power to keep them trapped.

"Stay focused, everyone," Reign urged, his voice steady and strong. "We're breaking through this, but we need to push harder."

The team members concentrated harder, their souls reaching out to one another. They drew on their memories of shared battles, their victories, and the strength they had gained from their camaraderie. Each memory became a beacon of light in the darkness, illuminating the path to freedom.

Shadow's voice echoed through the void, filled with determination. "I can feel it, Reign, we're making progress."

"Let's keep going."

Mia and the others spoke as well, and with each word of encouragement, the darkness around them weakened further. The oppressive energy that had sought to consume them was now being pushed back by their collective willpower. The heart of darkness pulsed frantically, trying to maintain its grip, but the Heaven's Hooligans were relentless.

Reign focused all his energy on the bond he shared with his teammates. He visualized their connection as a radiant light, piercing through the darkness and dispelling the malevolent energy. The illusion began to crack, fissures of light spreading through the void.

"We're almost there," Reign said, his voice filled with determination. "Let's break this illusion once and for all."

The team members poured all their strength into their mental link, their unified willpower pushing against the heart of darkness. The fissures of light grew wider, the darkness crumbling away under the force of their combined effort.

Suddenly, the oppressive energy shattered, the illusion breaking apart like glass. The heart of darkness let out a final, desperate pulse, but it was no match for the Heaven's Hooligans' determination. The darkness dissipated, revealing the true arena around them.

Reign and his team stood together, their bodies still in the same positions they had been when the illusion first took hold. The heart of darkness, now exposed and vulnerable, pulsed ominously at the center of the arena.

"We did it," Reign said, a sense of relief washing over him. "We broke the illusion."

The team members looked around, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and triumph. They had faced their darkest fears and emerged victorious, their bond stronger than ever.

But the trial wasn't over yet. The heart of darkness still pulsed at the center of the arena, and they knew they had to destroy it to complete the final Elite Trial.