Chapter 25: The Ash Plains
"Achoo!"
Rhys rubbed his nose a bit forcefully, frowning. "Who the fuck is badmouthing me?"
[I believe you are simply allergic to dust.]
Perhaps so, because as he moved closer to what he presumed was the core ring of the Ashen Courtyard, the surroundings started to change.
Before, it was a maze with countless identical paths winding through the petrified forest.
Now, the trees were becoming sparser, the paths widening until they merged into a vast, open plain of gray ash.
The twilight sky, which had always illuminated the Labyrinth, was now covered by thick, gray clouds.
From these clouds, a gentle, unending rain of ash fell, coating everything in a fine layer of dust. His line of sight grew shorter, revealing a desolate, monochrome world.
He stopped, holding out a hand to catch the falling particles. They were cool to the touch and felt strangely heavy.
’System, what is this stuff?’
[Analyzing... The particles are composed of condensed, inert spiritual energy mixed with a high concentration of metallic minerals. Constant exposure is creating a unique environmental pressure on the Host’s body.]
[A new lifeskill is being formed based on the Host’s interaction with this unique environment...]