The Black Haus

Chapter 7: The Price of Truth

The chamber seemed to hold its breath as the three stood frozen, each grappling with the visions conjured by the Haus. The obelisk's voice thundered again, shaking the very air.

"Choose. Or be unmade."

---

Renault's grip on his sword tightened as he faced the accusing eyes of his fallen comrades. Their voices rose in a cacophony, each one a knife twisting deeper into his heart.

"You abandoned us. You let us die. Do you think you deserve redemption?"

"I don't," Renault whispered, his voice barely audible. He looked up, meeting the ghostly gaze of his comrades. "But I'll fight for it anyway."

The circle beneath him flared, and the vision vanished. A searing pain shot through his arm, and when he looked down, he saw the sigil of the Haus glowing brighter, etched deeper into his flesh.

The obelisk's voice echoed in his mind. "Truth accepted. Price paid."

---

Mara's knees hit the ground as the boy's face loomed closer, his eyes filled with accusation.

"You could have saved me. You were strong enough—you just didn't try hard enough."

Tears blurred her vision, but she forced herself to look at him. "I failed," she said, her voice cracking. "I failed you, and I've hated myself for it every day since. But I won't fail again."

The boy's image flickered, his features softening for just a moment before fading entirely. The sigil on Mara's hand burned, sending waves of pain up her arm. She clenched her fists, accepting the agony as her penance.

"Truth accepted. Price paid."

---

Edric stood unmoving as the shadows writhed around him, their whispers venomous.

"You betrayed us. You used us. And for what? To serve this cursed place?"

He smirked, though his eyes glinted with something darker. "I did what I had to. Survival isn't about loyalty—it's about staying one step ahead."

The shadows surged toward him, but he didn't flinch. They passed through him, leaving behind an icy chill that made him shiver. The sigil on his chest glowed, its light cold and unyielding.

"Truth accepted. Price paid."

---

The room grew still as the obelisk pulsed one final time. The glowing circles beneath their feet vanished, and the mosaic floor returned to its original state. The oppressive weight in the air lifted slightly, though the chamber still hummed with an unsettling energy.

Renault staggered, his breathing ragged. "Is it over?"

"For now," Edric said, adjusting his coat as though nothing had happened.

Mara stood, her expression hard. "The Haus doesn't let us off that easily. This was just the beginning."

The obelisk's runes dimmed, and the chamber began to shift. The walls warped and twisted, the exit dissolving into a swirling vortex of darkness.

Renault groaned. "What now?"

Edric tilted his head, a faint smile on his lips. "The Haus has made its demands. Now it will guide us to the next step."

Mara glared at him. "You make it sound like we have a choice."

"We don't," he replied simply.

The vortex grew larger, its edges crackling with dark energy. The whispers returned, faint but insistent, pulling them closer.

Renault looked at his companions, his expression grim. "Together, then."

Mara nodded, and even Edric's smile faltered slightly.

As one, they stepped into the darkness.

---

The world shifted around them, the cold air replaced by a suffocating heat. They found themselves in a new room, its walls lined with torches that burned with an unnatural blue flame. The floor was covered in ash, and the faint smell of burning flesh lingered in the air.

At the center of the room stood a figure cloaked in shadow, its form massive and imposing. In its hand, it held a blade that shimmered like liquid fire.

The figure turned toward them, and a voice boomed, low and resonant.

"You have survived the trials. Now, prove your worth."