Alia's eyes flew open as the last traces of the illusion slipped away. Her forehead was sweaty, and her breath ca in fast, shallow bursts.
She blinked, trying to shake off the disorientation, until the familiar feel of Chaos beneath her feet and the steady presence of Spark before her brought her back to reality.
The world around them had returned to normal, the dense mist that had swallowed her whole now a distant mory.
As she glanced at Spark, who was already awake and appeared unfazed, she hesitated before asking, "When did you wake up from the illusion?"
"Just a mont ago," Spark replied nonchalantly as if the trial they had faced was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
"That's quick," she murmured, a hint of admiration in her voice.
The trial had seed endless to her, an unyielding assault on her senses and emotions. Her thoughts lingered on the nightmare she had just endured. "That was a trial of heart. It reveals one's deepest fear."
Curiosity got the better of her, and before she could stop herself, she asked, "What did you see?"
Almost imdiately, she regretted it. Asking soone about their deepest fear was deeply personal, almost too intrusive.
She quickly added, "You don't have to tell . I'm sorry, that was rude."
Spark waved off her apology with a casual gesture. "It's not a big deal. I was just walking in darkness, trying to find my way back. That's all."
His calm, dismissive response took her by surprise. Could he really be so unbothered by it? Or was he hiding sothing? Alia couldn't help but wonder.
The idea of Spark being afraid of darkness seed almost… odd. Soone as confident and strong as he was afraid of sothing so simple—it didn't match the image she had of him. But she knew better than to pry.
Before she could dwell on it further, Spark turned, his gaze fixed on sothing in the distance. "Look, we're almost there."
Alia followed his gaze, and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened in awe at the sight before her.
A massive vortex of dark miasma spiraled upward, reaching toward the sky like a twisted column of night.
From afar, it had seed like nothing more than a formless dark mass, but now, as they were nearing it, its true shape beca terrifyingly clear.
The vortex was enormous, a churning whirlpool of shadow and malice that seed to devour any light around it. It was as if the abyss itself had co alive, a living entity of darkness that threatened to consu everything in its path.
Even Chaos, who was usually fearless, hesitated briefly before continuing, undeterred by the nacing sight before them. Spark, too, remained calm.
Alia, however, couldn't shake the unease that settled in her chest. The sheer size of the vortex, its malevolent energy swirling and twisting, made her skin crawl.
"What is that…?" she whispered, more to herself than to Spark.
"This must be the heart of this corrupted land," Spark replied, his voice steady, though there was a note of caution in his tone.
"Heart of this land…" Alia echoed.
As they moved closer, the vortex lood larger, its dark tendrils reaching out like the claws of so ancient beast.
The air grew colder, and the oppressive energy intensified, pressing down on them with a nearly tangible weight.
They could feel the dark energy tingling their senses, a sinister force that seed to penetrate their very beings. Though the vortex was still in distance away, its true scale was almost impossible to comprehend.
But just as they marched ahead, a tall red pagoda suddenly materialized before them, its presence abrupt and commanding.
The structure was ancient, its crimson walls decorated with faded symbols and intricate carvings that glowed faintly.
It stood in stark contrast against the swirling darkness of the vortex like an ominous guardian protecting whatever lay beyond.
Chaos halted abruptly, lowering his massive form into a defensive stance as he glared at the pagoda. His deep growl rumbled through the air, echoing off the very walls of the pagoda itself. Find your next read at m_v l|e-
Alia's eyes were fixed on the structure when, suddenly, two ethereal figures appeared before the pagoda, their forms shimring with a ghostly light that stood out sharply against their surrounding.
The mont they appeared, Alia felt a surge of power that sent chills down her spine.
The taller of the two figures cloaked in flowing robes that fluttered in an unseen breeze, radiated an air of ancient power.
His face was partially hidden by a veil of mist, but his eyes—glowing with an eerie, pale light—bore into them with an intensity that was both unsettling and awe-inspiring.
The second figure, though smaller, exuded a fierce energy that was almost palpable. Clad in gleaming armor, she held a long spear that crackled with dark, purple energy, the blade pulsing in rhythm with the distant vortex.
Her presence was commanding, and there was a sense of restrained power about her that made the air around them hum with tension.
The taller figure was the first to speak, his voice echoing as if it ca from the depths of ti itself.
"After thousands of years, soone has finally arrived," he said, his tone a mix of relief and sothing that sounded like the easing of a burden long carried.
The other figure, still observing them with a sharp gaze, added with a hint of astonishnt, "I did not think anyone in this realm could make it here alive."
Alia, staring at the two ethereal figures, quickly realized they weren't alive but just remnants of their souls. Yet, the power they radiated was so strong it left her shocked and breathless.
She knew that only those who had reached the Ethereal Manifestation stage, could create a soul avatar or leave behind such remnants.
Yet, even among such experts, the energy radiating from these two surpassed the usual limits, pushing the very limits of Ethereal Manifestation—a level of mastery that was beyond her understanding.
As she felt the depth of their power, awe-filled her. If their remnants were this powerful, imagining how strong they were when alive was almost beyond comprehension.
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