CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: THE SHADOW FAIR

Floor 6 was lit with bright colorful lights, balloons floating everywhere, and cheerful music that made the children laugh nonstop. The stalls were filled with sweets: cotton candy that smelled like strawberries, shiny caramel apples, and popcorn that popped with every bite.

Orín and Kai ran back and forth, shouting with excitement, while Koda tried to catch a balloon that floated away. The women watched with bright eyes, smiling and letting the children’s joy envelop them.

"Look, Orín!" Anya shouted, tossing a lollipop into the air for her daughter to catch. "I bet you can’t catch it!"

"I can, Mom!" Orín jumped and caught it midair, laughing loudly.

Ren and Koda approached the shooting gallery, competing to see who could knock down more targets. Karely and Nara cheered them on, offering imaginary prizes that provoked laughter from everyone.

"Everything is free!" shouted a vendor dressed in bright colors. "Candy, games, and fun! Enjoy, there are no limits!"

"This fair is amazing!" Manaia said, caressing her cotton candy while watching the children run around. "I can’t believe all of this is free..."

Jax got caught up in the festive spirit and started playing darts with the children while they used pellet guns. The women laughed at the kids’ antics, especially Manaia, who watched Jax having fun while wondering in her mind if she wasn’t too old to give Jax a child, longing to see him play with his own kid.

But amidst the laughter and joyful shouts, one detail went unnoticed: Ren had disappeared.

Anya noticed when she heard an unusual silence near the shooting gallery.

"Ren?" she called, walking through the crowd. "Ren, where are you?"

The children were busy, and no one seemed to notice his absence. At first, she thought he had just wandered a little ahead, so she went to look for him alone.

Amid balloons and flickering lights, Anya reached a corner where everything seemed darker. There, she saw something that froze her blood: Ren was trapped in a cage suspended in the air, his eyes wide and full of fear.

"Ren!" Anya shouted, running toward him. "Don’t worry, I’ll get you out!"

A cold laugh echoed through the air. An ethereal figure appeared before her, a ghost with eyes that glowed like embers and a smile that chilled the heart.

"Hello, little one..." the ghost whispered, leaning toward Anya. "If you want to see your child alive again, you’ll have to play."

"Play?" Anya stepped back, confused. "What do you mean?"

"There’s no escape," said the ghost, his voice sharp as a knife. "If you run, he dies. You only have one option: the game of 21. If you win, you’ll free him. If you lose... his soul will be mine."

Anya felt a chill run down her spine. She wanted to scream for help, but the ghost raised a finger.

"Try to escape, and you’ll die before him," he said in a threatening tone. "Now, let’s play!"

Trembling, Anya sat at the table that had appeared from nowhere, cards floating in the air. The game began, and her heart raced wildly.

"20," Anya muttered as she looked at her cards, trying to stay calm.

The ghost smiled maliciously, slowly raising his hand... and revealed 21.

"Nooooo!" Anya screamed in horror. "You can’t win!"

Before the ghost could approach to claim Ren’s soul, Jax appeared, running at full speed, his eyes filled with fury. His breathing was heavy, sweat running down his forehead, but he didn’t hesitate for a second.

"Let go!" he shouted, launching an attack with all his strength.

The ghost laughed and vanished, intangible even to Jax’s level 98. Everything around them began to warp: the colorful stalls twisted, the balloons darkened and popped, the sweets withered, and the air became thick and foul. The cheerful music turned into a eerie lament.

"What the hell...?" Jax panted, keeping his guard up. "This isn’t real..."

The ghost reappeared, floating before him and showing the cage where Ren was still trapped. His laughter echoed throughout the empty floor.

"This is a testing ground of our race," he said mockingly. "Only the bravest can play. You passed level 1... and this is your prize."

He extended a hand toward Anya and handed her a diadem that floated gently in front of her.

Jax leaned in to inspect it.

[Cursed Crown of the Vampire Queen (S+)]

[The crown of the Queen blinded by her own beauty, or wanting to preserve herself like a flower that perishes in winter after blooming. After making a pact with the Demon King Eryndros, she sacrificed her entire kingdom in exchange for eternal life. Anyone who wears this crown will be doomed to depend on blood for eternity.]

"What?!" Jax shouted, recognizing the curse. "This thing will turn whoever wears it into a vampire for all eternity and steal their soul!"

"Hahaha," the ghost laughed, dodging his attack. "I’m only giving it to you... you need to wear it! Come back soon, we always have new games for the brave.

Who would come to your damned circus of death, beast?"

"Jojojo... You may say that now, young hero, but I can see through your soul and thoughts. To prove I’m not joking, I have something you might want."

Then, the ghost raised a sheet in his hands, identical to the one his ancestor had given to Jax.

"I knew you’d love this, don’t hesitate to come again, we can wager many fun things," the ghost laughed maniacally, his laughter echoing like an evil sound that didn’t fade even though the ghost was gone.

In the blink of an eye, everything disappeared, and the elevator opened, inviting them to leave.

Jax leaned over Ren, freeing him from the cage while Anya hugged him tightly, sobbing with relief. His heart raced, but looking at everyone present, he knew the real danger hadn’t ended yet.

"Let’s go," Jax said, taking Ren by the hand. "Stay alert. This place... is not what it seems."

The women and children followed, their faces still marked by the mix of terror and relief, as they left floor 6, ready to face whatever came next. They no longer felt so happy and peaceful; this place had given them the lesson of a lifetime.

"Not everything is as it seems."