The dark space seemed boundless. Every inch of air was filled with a rotten smell, making it suffocating. Lucas and Darlene were suppressed by that powerful force. Their bodies were immobilized, and their consciousnesses became blurred. Before their eyes were indescribable shadows. It seemed as if the world had completely collapsed, all of reality was being devoured, and even breathing became heavy.
Just when they almost thought they were about to be trapped in this endless darkness forever, a ray of light suddenly shot out like a sharp blade, cutting through the silent darkness and instantly illuminating the surrounding space.
"What's this?" Darlene's voice trembled. She could hardly believe the change before her eyes.
Lucas opened his eyes slightly, a deep sense of doubt in his gaze. "Could it be... that ray of light?" he murmured to himself, yet still filled with vigilance.
The light grew stronger and stronger. As it expanded, the scene in the darkness gradually became clear. The walls all around were covered with ancient runes. Their shapes were twisted and restless, as if constantly changing. The radiance of these runes intertwined with the sudden ray of light, creating an indescribable strange scene.
"These runes... They seem to be calling out for something." Darlene's heart raced suddenly. She could sense that the power within the runes seemed to be trying to summon some kind of being, and that being was undoubtedly beyond what she and Lucas could handle.
"We need to leave here quickly." Lucas said in a low voice, the anxiety and unease in his eyes becoming more and more obvious.
However, just as they were about to look for an exit, the runes began to flicker violently. An eerie aura filled the air. Suddenly, all the runes, as if driven by some force, began to spin rapidly, making a harsh sound. It seemed that some mysterious power was awakening.
"This is not a good sign!" Darlene turned around abruptly, trying to find a way to escape.
But before she could react, suddenly, the light dimmed sharply. The originally bright space was instantly engulfed by an even more powerful darkness. The scene before Darlene and Lucas changed instantly. They seemed to be pulled out of reality and thrown into a completely different world.
Here, it was still endless darkness. But the difference was that this darkness was filled with an even more terrifying aura — a suffocating sense of oppression. It seemed as if countless demons were lurking here, ready to devour their souls at any moment.
"What is this..." Darlene's voice became hoarse. "Where are we? Where... on earth have we gone?"
There was an unprecedented fear in Lucas's eyes. "We haven't left the original place." he said in a low voice. "This is just an illusion. It's... some deeper - level space, or perhaps... a strange test."
Just then, a low and hoarse voice came from all directions, as if from the depths of the earth: "You've finally woken up."
Darlene and Lucas's hearts tightened suddenly. They turned around sharply and found a figure appearing in their line of sight. It was a man in a black robe. His face was hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to see his true appearance clearly. But from his aura, one could sense a spine - chilling coldness.
"Who are you?" Lucas asked alertly, his fingers already tightly gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist, ready to counterattack at any moment.
The man didn't respond. He just sneered, his eyes filled with indifference and disdain. "You have no way to escape." His words were full of threats. "You're already deep in the abyss."
Suddenly, the man's figure moved. He seemed to transform into a black shadow and instantly appeared in front of them. A red rune emerged on his palm. The rune was shining brightly, as if it were some powerful seal.
"Everything you see is the will of the Shadow Master." The man's voice became even lower. "And you're doomed to be unable to escape this fate."
"The Shadow Master?" Darlene's heart jolted. "Could it be... this is the power of the Shadow
Master?"
The man didn't answer. He just sneered. The rune in his hand flickered again, and the light became stronger and stronger. The sense of oppression in the air became even more intense. Darlene and Lucas felt their breathing gradually becoming difficult, as if the entire space was exerting some invisible pressure on them.
However, just then, the man suddenly stopped, a complex look flashing in his eyes. He looked down at his palm, as if sensing some change.
"What's wrong?" Lucas asked alertly.
The man's expression became rather strange. "No, this is not a power I can control." He was stunned for a moment, and then a deep sense of surprise appeared on his face. "This power... is actually backfiring on me?"
Darlene and Lucas exchanged a glance, a sense of unease welling up in their hearts. "What's going on?" Darlene asked anxiously.
The man's expression became more and more distorted. He seemed unable to bear the backfire of that power. His figure gradually began to distort, and the look of pain on his face deepened.
"You... can't escape." The man's voice was hoarse, as if struggling in extreme pain. "This is the judgment of the Shadow Master... on you."
Before he finished speaking, the man's body suddenly burst out with a dazzling red light. The entire space fell into extreme chaos at this moment.
Light and darkness intertwined, and the space began to twist continuously. It seemed as if the whole world was collapsing. Darlene and Lucas were pushed around by this force, rolling in all directions. They only felt that everything in front of them was becoming more and more blurred, as if they were being forced into a completely different time and space.
Just at the moment when darkness and light intersected, a familiar voice came to Darlene's ears. The voice penetrated the entire chaotic space, seemingly coming from the depths of her heart: "Your fate is already sealed."
At this moment, a strong sense of unease welled up in Darlene's heart. She finally realized that the power of the Shadow Master was far more terrifying than she had imagined, and they were stepping deeper and deeper into an irreparable disaster.