In the dim quiet of her office, Sofia knew that the final confrontation with Tang Mia was inevitable. However, there were other battles to face first—ones she could handle with calm authority before turning to the all-consuming storm waiting for her. The day was long, packed with meetings and decisions that needed her attention, her composure unbreakable despite the weight of looming darkness.

After handling a series of high-stakes negotiations and directives with the company's board, Sofia walked back to her apartment, which she had purchased near the office to stay close to her work. The decision had seemed practical, yet now she realized how it positioned her in the center of events to come. There, amidst the calm of her private sanctuary, Sofia allowed herself a moment of stillness. She knew what she would face soon—Tang Mia, the embodiment of darkness, a force Sofia might not survive against. The reality of her possible death lingered in her thoughts. But strangely, she felt ready, as if every choice and sacrifice had brought her to this moment.

As her thoughts turned to the man she'd once believed she could share her life with, an image of Christ's face flashed across her mind. He claimed he loved her, yet trust did not come easily to Sofia. Her past had made her cautious, and in the face of such powerful forces, mere words would never be enough to bind hearts and lives. She needed something stronger, something eternal and irreversible. Her expression hardened with determination, her eyes sharp and calculating.

"If he truly loves me, he will have to prove it. There are no shortcuts to my trust, and no room for weakness in my world," she thought. Her hands ignited in a flame that glowed blue—the Fire of Illusion. It was an ancient, merciless power, feared throughout realms for the trials it forced upon any who dared approach. This fire could summon six deadly illusions, tests of willpower, perception, courage, loyalty, faith, and love. Each illusion was woven from the deepest fears and hidden truths within a person's soul. Only the strongest could survive all six illusions unscathed; if one failed, the fire would consume them entirely, body and soul, leaving no chance for reincarnation.

Sofia watched the flames dance over her palms, their eerie glow illuminating her features with a cold, resolute light. "I know it's a cruel trial," she murmured to herself. "But who told him to provoke me first? Love requires more than words. If he truly means what he says, then he must face the Fire of Illusion."

Meanwhile, Tang Mia had fully embraced the powers granted to her by the pact with her mother. Shadows twisted and coiled around her, bending to her every whim as her eyes glowed with a fierce, dark intensity. Her new powers allowed her to manipulate reality itself, creating nightmares in the minds of her enemies, striking fear and confusion into their hearts. She could slip into any shadow, vanish, and reappear wherever darkness lay, giving her a terrifying advantage.

One evening, her mother, the old sorceress, looked upon her with grim satisfaction. "You are a force of destruction now, my daughter," she declared. "No one—especially not Sofia—can stand against you."

Tang Mia's lips twisted into a cold smile. "I am darkness itself," she said, her voice chilling. Her hands clenched as she visualized the final confrontation with Sofia, her rage and hatred fueling her desire for victory. She believed herself invincible, her mother's words echoing in her ears as she prepared for the battle to come.

In the following days, Sofia took to the quiet of her apartment, practicing with the Fire of Illusion. She knew she would need more than strength to face Tang Mia—she would need unwavering clarity and a heart untainted by doubt or fear. The blue flames flickered in her hands as she whispered words of invocation, shaping and honing the illusions until they were ready to be unleashed on any who dared to test their loyalty or devotion to her.

As Sofia's confidence grew, she found herself haunted by the thought of Christ and the love he had professed. It was a weakness she hated to admit, but she knew she could no longer avoid it. If she were to face Tang Mia with a heart bound by untested love, she would be vulnerable, divided. She resolved to test him, knowing the Fire of Illusion would reveal the truth. If he survived the trial, then perhaps they could find a future together. If he failed... well, then he would join the countless souls the fire had claimed before him.

The night she summoned Christ to her apartment, she stood waiting in the center of the room, her eyes reflecting the flickering blue light of the fire she held in her hands. When he arrived, she met his gaze with an intensity that left no room for question.

"You say you love me," she said, her voice steady, almost cold. "But love is not enough in a world like ours. If you truly want a future with me, then you will face the Fire of Illusion. You will confront your deepest fears, your darkest truths, and your innermost self. If you survive, then perhaps we can have a future. But if you fail..."

She let the unspoken words hang in the air, knowing he understood. Christ looked at her, his face a mixture of surprise and resolve. After a tense silence, he nodded. "If that's what it takes, then I will face the fire."