-        “Wait! I told you to wait! Ugh…Why don’t you listen?” -        “Paige, stop! This place is wrecked. That fight from earlier… Someone could still be here.” -        “I can’t just leave this kid alone.” -        “But… Sometimes, that’s the smart thing to do. If you want to survive.” -        “I can’t! I can’t do that!!!” -        “The enemies here are on a whole new level! Do you want us to die for this kid’s sake?! You promised me, remember? That we will run when the time comes.” -        “But… You…don’t understand! I know what it means to die. This kid… It can’t die…without even getting a chance to live.” -      &n

Darkness fell like heavy velvet curtains in an empty theatre. A divine artwork of time and water merged into a stunning subterranean cathedral. These caverns felt both comforting and overbearing. As if something powerful controlled the air inside. Making it difficult to breathe. The purple miasma gathered in her hands, morphing into strong rays of light. Then came a white glow. A woman walked down the path, focused and resolute. She conjured the light not to see, but to announce she was there. After all, over a dozen heat sources of various shapes and sizes were already visible to her. They inhabited this vast space. Some growled. Others decided to blend in with the light and hide their presence. With every step she took, the sound of her sharp heels and heavy tail dragging across the surface echoed in the distance. Although the space was narrow, she quickly cleared a path with her massive wings. What used to look like gentle bat wings was now repainted in dragon sca

An endless stream of projectiles warped the ground, rearranging the scenery. Unsteady waves of magnetic energy launched everyone into the air, making it impossible for them to land on safe ground. The earth would churn everywhere they land, crippling them in a way they never thought was possible. Then, she unleashed a seismic wave, making them bleed from every section of their body. They screamed in pain. William, Baro, and James were heavily wounded. Ending up with broken feet and a few twisted fingers. Nora was equally affected. Stone shards had found their way deep inside her palms, forcing her to drop her daggers. A dust storm came forth, paired with stone shards and a cone of gravel. The attacks came without end. It was impossible for them to defend, let alone return a single blow. -        “What is up with this woman?!” The figure was infuriated. Her anger was like a ghostly cord that dangled over

The two chosen ones became calm as a spring breeze. Their sense of peace anchored in their well-earned self-confidence. Their voices remained warm, their heartbeat, steady. Aiko could see the phoenix’s fiery temper subside. She could sense an earthly aroma seeping out of its unusual body. A fragrance of tranquility. The moment the adventurers left this plane, a wet rain washed the cracks away, providing the chosen ones with a clear path ahead. It curled upward as aurora lights and green rivers. While the open sky resonated with their souls. Like a canyon of hope. Not a single word was exchanged. Aiko and the phoenix were but strangers in a foreign land. That’s when an electric-neon light came between them, and the radiating magic forced them to take a couple of steps back. The two staggered. Suddenly, the figure came out of Aiko’s body and moved her hands across the lingering essence of the strange light. -       &nb