The moment Wong stepped past the outer wall of white fire, the world changed.
The noise of the battlefield muted, as though he'd plunged underwater.
The air was heavy, damp — yet each breath burned his lungs.
Every step forward left faint ripples in the ground, as though the world itself was made of liquid glass.
---
The Blood Hound padded at his side, its eyes glowing faintly crimson.
Through the Soul Link, Wong felt its unease — its instincts screamed danger, yet it stayed close, tethered by his will.
Somewhere ahead, the faint figure of Sera waited.
Her form was sharper now, more defined, but her feet didn't touch the ground.
She was… hovering.
---
Wong slowed, his staff lowering slightly.
"…Sera?"
She turned her head toward him.
The movement was wrong — too smooth, too precise.
Her eyes caught the dim light, but instead of the warm brown he remembered, they glowed faint silver.
"You're late," she said.
Her voice was soft… but hollow, like it had traveled too far before reaching him.
---
"I've been—" he started, but stopped.
Something was wrong.
Her lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"They've been waiting for you, Wong."
The ground beneath them cracked, a spiderweb of black lines racing outward.
Through the gaps, Wong could see not soil or stone — but a churning void.
---
The Blood Hound snarled, hackles raised.
Wong gripped his staff tighter, forcing his voice to stay steady.
"You're not her."
The silver light in her eyes flared.
"No," she agreed. "But I can take you to her… for a price."
From the darkness below, skeletal hands began to rise, pale and glistening as though carved from wet bone.
---
The voice of Malrik echoed faintly from beyond the vortex.
"You have seconds, necromancer! Choose wrong, and you won't be coming back."
Wong's heart hammered.
If this was an illusion, destroying it might sever the link — but if there was truth in it, he couldn't risk breaking it before he knew.
The hands reached higher, their touch leaving frost on the air.
And "Sera" extended hers toward him once more.
---