Chapter 18

Suddenly Vladimir has gone berserk. The memories when he was a kid that was longed forgotten was pouring like a flood in the minds of Vladimir. The strange voice said your weak..your nothing.. your mother was a whore.. your is fallen. The strange voice was just laughing...

As Vladimir heard those words, he felt a rage building up inside him. Memories of his childhood, which he had buried deep inside, came rushing back to him. He remembered the times when he was bullied and belittled by his peers, and how his mother had to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

But he also remembered the strength and determination that his mother had instilled in him. He refused to be weakened by the words of the voice. He took a deep breath and stood up, ready to face the enemy.

"Enough!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the concubine. "I am not weak, and I am not nothing. My mother was a strong woman who did everything she could for me, and I will not let you dishonor her memory."

The strange voice chuckled. "Impressive. But do you really think you can defeat me?"

Vladimir gritted his teeth. "I don't know if I can, but I will not let you win without a fight."

****

Kai, Aric, and Xander stood firm, their weapons at the ready. Vladimir was still in a daze, lost in the memories that had been unleashed. But even as the huge snake slithered towards them, the three heroes did not waver.

The snake was massive, easily twenty feet long and as thick as a tree trunk. Its scales gleamed in the dim light, and its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light. Its hiss echoed through the chamber, filling the heroes with dread.

But they did not falter. Kai charged forward, his sword flashing in the air as he aimed for the snake's head. Aric followed close behind, his axe swinging in a deadly arc. Xander hung back, his hands crackling with dark magic.

The snake struck out, its jaws gaping wide. Kai dodged to the side, but Aric was not so lucky. The snake's teeth sank into his arm, drawing blood. With a roar of anger, Aric swung his axe with all his might, hacking off the snake's head.

But the snake's body did not stop moving. It writhed and thrashed, lashing out at the heroes with its tail. Xander unleashed a wave of dark energy, blasting the snake back. Kai leaped forward, his sword cutting into the snake's flesh. Vladimir finally snapped out of his trance, drawing his own weapon and joining the fight.

As Vladimir stepped forward, Kai, Aric, and Xander stood beside him, ready to face whatever lay ahead. They knew that they had been tricked, but they refused to give up. Together, they would fight until their last breath to protect the ones they loved and the world they lived in.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, the heroes hacking and slashing at the snake's body. But no matter how many times they struck, it did not seem to weaken. The snake was relentless, and its strength seemed to grow with each passing moment.

Finally, Xander had an idea. "The snake is being controlled by someone," he shouted over the din of battle. "If we can find the source of the magic, we can break its hold on the snake."

The heroes nodded, and Xander led the way. They fought their way through hordes of shadowy creatures, their weapons ringing out in the darkness. At last, they came to a dark chamber at the heart of the concubine.

There, they found the source of the magic: a hooded figure, wreathed in shadow. The figure was chanting in a language the heroes did not recognize, and the air was thick with magic.

Kai charged forward, his sword raised high. But the figure was ready. With a wave of its hand, it sent a blast of dark energy hurtling towards the heroes.

The blast knocked Kai back, sending him crashing to the ground. Aric and Vladimir rushed forward to help him, while Xander hung back, his hands crackling with dark energy.

The figure laughed, its hood falling back to reveal a face twisted with malice. "You fools," it spat. "Did you really think you could defeat me?"

The voice continued to taunt them, but they refused to listen. They charged forward, their weapons drawn, ready to face whatever lay ahead. The battle that followed was fierce and grueling, but they fought with all their might, determined to emerge victorious.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they emerged from the concubine, battered and bruised, but alive. They looked around, and to their relief, they saw that they were back in their village. The people were all there, going about their daily lives, as if nothing had happened.

They looked at each other, and they knew that they had been through a harrowing experience, but they had come out on the other side stronger and more determined than ever before. They knew that they would face more challenges in the future, but they were ready for whatever lay ahead. Together, they would face any challenge, no matter how daunting it may seem.

***

Vladimir couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes. The world around him was slowly fading, and his friends were disappearing into thin air. He cried out in desperation, "What's going on? What is this? Is this reality?"

The voice of the strange figure echoed in his mind, "Reality is but an illusion, my dear Vladimir. You have been trapped in a concubine all along, and now that the seal has been broken, the illusion has been shattered."

Vladimir was in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening. "But my friends, where have they gone?" he asked, his voice trembling.

The figure chuckled, "They have returned to their own reality, just as you will soon."

Vladimir felt a surge of anger and frustration. "What kind of sick game is this? What do you want from us?"

The figure remained silent for a moment before responding, "I want nothing from you. You were merely pawns in a larger scheme. But I must admit, you put up quite a fight."

Vladimir felt a sense of betrayal wash over him. He had fought with all his might, risking his life to save the world, only to realize that it had all been an illusion. "Why did you do this to us? Why did you make us believe that we had won?"

The figure sighed, "I did not make you believe anything. Your own desires and beliefs created the illusion. You saw what you wanted to see, and believed what you wanted to believe. It was not my doing."

Vladimir was at a loss for words, feeling a mix of anger, confusion, and sadness. But he knew that he had to find a way out of this concubine and return to his own reality. With a deep breath, he braced himself for whatever lay ahead and began to search for a way out.