The next trial led them to a vast glacial cavern. Its walls shimmered like polished glass, the icy surfaces bending and distorting the faint glow of their lanterns. Every footstep echoed unnaturally, the sounds stretching and warping as if the cave itself was alive and listening.

Kevin paused at the threshold, his expression grim. He tightened his grip on his sword, his breath visible in the cold air.

“The Frozen Mirror,” he said quietly, yet with resolve. “This trial does not test your strength or endurance. It reveals your deepest doubts. To proceed, you must confront what lies within your own soul.”

He glanced at Star and the others.

“My sister and I will wait here. We are forbidden to enter. Once you’re through, we’ll guide you to the final trial.”

A heavy silence fell. Star and her companions exchanged uneasy looks. The cave’s stillness was oppressive, as though the very air pressed against their chests.

One by one, they stepped forward, their shadows flickering across the mirrored walls in strange, unnatural ways.

Star’s boots crunched against the frost-laced floor. Her eyes locked onto her reflection—at first, it mimicked her perfectly, echoing her every hesitation. But then… it stopped.

The reflection twisted into a cruel smile that did not belong to her. Before she could react, it stepped forward from the mirror, solid and lifelike—her perfect double.

“You think you’re strong enough to carry this burden?” the doppelgänger sneered, its voice sharp and mocking. “You will fail—just like you have before.”

Star froze. Her heartbeat thundered as a cold fear crept through her veins. Past mistakes surged to the surface, old wounds and the crushing weight of destiny threatening to drown her resolve.

All around her, similar figures emerged for her friends.

Klara staggered back as her mirror self advanced, whispering venomous doubt.

“You think you’re smart enough to change the world? You’re just a curious child meddling with forces you’ll never understand. You’ll be forgotten—irrelevant.”

Friedrich’s double approached, cloaked in phantom flames and a twisted grin.

“You couldn’t save them then, and you won’t save them now. No matter how strong you get, you’ll always fail the ones you love.”

Siegfried stared into the mirror, where his own reflection met him with disdain.

“You’re a coward,” the shadow spat. “You hide behind your friends, pretending to be noble. But deep down, you know—you’re too weak to protect anyone.”

The cave filled with cruel laughter and cutting taunts. Every word struck like a dagger aimed at their hearts. The cold grew heavier, tightening around their lungs.

Star’s legs trembled, but she forced herself to stand tall. Her double lunged, wielding a jagged blade of ice. Instinctively, Star parried, her sword of light clashing against the frozen steel.

“I won’t listen to you!” she cried out, her voice cracking. “You are not me!”

Klara summoned a tempest of wind and lightning to push her double back, though the whispers still clawed at her mind. Friedrich roared as his greatsword clashed with a blazing blade, sparks lighting his tense expression. Siegfried’s shield trembled under the flurry of blows, sweat mingling with the frost on his brow.

The battle was not just physical—it raged within them. Every strike against their foes was a strike against the doubts tearing at their souls.

Star’s shadow circled her, laughing coldly.

“You can’t run from me. I am your fear. Your guilt. Your weakness.”

But Star’s grip on her sword tightened. Visions of her journey flashed before her eyes—the unwavering support of her friends, the warmth of their smiles, the battles they had fought side by side. Her voice rang out, steady and clear:

“You’re wrong,” she said, and her blade began to glow with a radiant light. “You’re just the shadow of my doubt. I am more than my fear. I am Star Rosalind—and I will shine through the darkness!”

With a surge of brilliant energy, she struck her doppelgänger, the light engulfing the figure in a dazzling burst. It shattered like brittle glass, fragments clinking onto the icy floor.

That light radiated outward, reaching her companions.

Klara’s storm intensified, tearing her shadow to harmless shreds.

“I will uncover the truth of this world,” she said, her voice fierce.

Friedrich’s blade cleaved through his double in a single, blazing arc.

“I will protect those I love, no matter the cost!”

Siegfried slammed his shield into the reflection, his strength fueled by conviction.

“I won’t hide anymore. I will stand and fight!”

The last echoes of darkness dissolved in the shimmering air. Silence returned to the cavern—but this time, it felt calm. Cleansed.

One by one, the companions stepped out of the trial, changed—hearts a little lighter, eyes burning brighter.

Outside, Kevin watched with a knowing nod.

The light of those who had faced their shadows now pierced even the coldest mirror.

As the last doppelgänger fell, the cavern fell into silence. Its mirrored walls dimmed, losing their luster, turning into plain, lifeless ice. The group stood together, their breaths heavy—but their hearts lighter.

Star looked at her companions, her resolve mirrored in their steadfast gazes.

The path ahead shimmered faintly, guiding them forward. The Frozen Mirror Trial had ended, and now, they steeled themselves for the final challenge: facing the Guardian of Boreas directly.

But as they prepared to leave the cavern behind, a lone, mournful howl echoed through the mountains—low and resonant, like the voice of the peak itself. The final trial was no longer waiting. It was calling them