Chapter 29: The Castle’s Labyrinth
As soon as the group entered Purgatory, everything twisted. In a blink, they were split apart, each dropped into a corridor that stretched into the horizon like a forgotten wing of an ancient castle.
Massive stone walls loomed on either side, built from reddish-brown bricks that carried the scent of ash and decay.
The walls climbed so high into the sky that it was impossible to see the top—let alone scale them. There was only one path. Narrow. Oppressive. And leading forward into the unknown.
Lunara gritted her teeth and stepped toward one of the walls. Without hesitation, she summoned her Creation, coating her arms in a glowing sheen of power.
Her fists flared with energy as she punched the wall—once, twice, then launched a full barrage of strikes in quick succession. Dust shook from the surface, but the bricks themselves didn't crack, not even a little.
"Tch... not even a scratch," she muttered in frustration, withdrawing her hands and flexing her fingers.
"It's pointless," came a voice from seemingly nowhere.
Lunara's eyes widened. "Annie?" she asked, looking around.
The voice responded again, calm and steady. "This is likely one of their Creations. Some sort of confinement mechanism. Don't waste your energy."
The others—Sybil, Saphyra, Sylvara, and Zayne—also heard her. Despite being separated, Annie's voice reached them with perfect clarity.
Lunara blinked, then a slow smile curled on her lips. "That's my mom," she whispered proudly.