MATTHEW
He woke on a shore of white ash.
The sky was black, but stars pulsed below the ground, like the world had been turned inside out.
His wristband blinked faintly—no game, no players, no time.
Only static.
He stood slowly, scanning the desolate landscape. In the distance: the silhouette of a tower, floating slightly off the ground, chained to nothing.
He shouted Sora's name.
Then Rin's.
Only his echo answered—distorted, slow, like it was being dragged back into silence.
He began to walk toward the tower.
Each step kicked up ash that whispered.
"Lie."
"Kill."
"Choose."
SORA
She woke inside a room of endless mirrors, but none of them showed her.
Only memories she didn't own—versions of her laughing, bleeding, betraying Rin, killing Matthew, being crowned Queen of Hearts.
In the center of the room floated a red thread.
Taut. Vibrating.
Calling.
Her wristband was gone.
But a mask lay at her feet.
It was smiling.
"Put me on," the mirrors whispered. "Be free."
Sora backed away.
Every mirror cracked.
RIN
She woke floating.
No ground.
No sky.
Just code—strings of light, running like veins through the dark.
She reached for one.
Touched it.
Screamed.
Visions flooded her—of the King, of the core, of the other players she'd betrayed. Every lie she ever told played at once. Every truth she buried burned through her.
She clutched her head.
"They will never trust you again."
A voice—not hers—spoke softly in her ear.
"But I will."
Rin opened her eyes.
And found herself staring at a single glowing mask, floating toward her.
The Faceless One's.
But this time, it wasn't blank.
It wore her face.
Far below them all, the Liminal Core began to spin.
Reality folding.
The King's heart pulsing.
And a new rule forming.
NEXT TEST: INITIATION
OBJECTIVE: REUNITE
COST: ????
REWARD: FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE KING