The castle doors creaked open, the sound echoing like an ancient lament.Nevaeh staggered inside, sweat running down her face as she carried Azrael and Null on her shoulders. She laid them gently on an old, dust-covered sofa before a fireplace whose embers still glowed faintly, like dying stars.
The air was thick.heavy with a silence that felt alive. The flickering fire cast trembling shadows across the walls, shapes that seemed to watch them in stillness.
Null and Azrael remained in agony, their bodies trembling under the invisible torment of the Purgatory itself.
Only Nevaeh stood firm; the immunity to pain granted by Alcanor shielded her from suffering.but not from fear.
Nevaeh: How… how am I supposed to face this? What am I supposed to do? I can't fight against an entire dimension… we barely survived the last hell we were in.
Suddenly, a bluish light illuminated the room. A system window appeared, floating before Null, vibrating with static energy.
System:
Mission: Find the Core of Purgatory.Only there will you find a way to escape.
Time remaining: 200 hours.
Fail… and Purgatory will consume you, binding your souls to it for eternity.
Null's eyes opened with effort. His breathing was ragged, but he managed to focus on the glowing text.
Null:(in agony) Nevaeh… we have to… find the core of Purgatory… (gasps)
Nevaeh: The core? But how?
Null: I… don't know. But if we don't find it soon, this place… will devour us alive.
Nevaeh: D-devour us...? (she swallows hard, then clenches her fists with resolve) Fine. Then I'll find it.no matter what it takes.
Azrael:(trying to move, groaning in pain) Wait, Nevaeh… let me help you. (Every attempt to rise sends waves of agony through him, as if his soul itself were tearing apart.) This… this is nothing!
With a stifled cry, Azrael forces himself to his feet. His body trembles, but his eyes burn with a fierce determination.
Null: I'd rather survive in pain… than die waiting.
Azrael: Finally… something wise coming from you.
Null: Shut up… (laughs painfully)
Nevaeh: Are you sure about this? It must be killing you!
Azrael: Listen, love… we can handle this. We can handle anything.
Nevaeh:(smiling softly) Thank you… love.
Despite the agony, the three rise together. The darkness of the castle seems to breathe with them, as if the place itself were aware of their every step. They decide to explore—determined to find the Core before the system clock ticks down to zero.
Azrael scans the corridors, his red eyes analyzing every wall for hidden runes and symbols.Null floats a few inches above the ground, using the gentlest whisper of wind to ease his pain.
Nevaeh searches the floors, under broken furniture, through tapestries covered in ash and decay.Then, without warning, she opens an old chest and a burst of winged shadows erupts from within.Bats made of pure darkness swarm the room, shrieking with metallic echoes.
Nevaeh: Aahh! What the hell is this?!
Azrael: What happened?!
Nevaeh: I opened this chest… and these shadow bats flew out! (sighs)
Azrael:(chuckling) Well, next time… try being a little more careful.
Nevaeh: Ha-ha, very funny. (rolls her eyes, but can't help smiling)
Null: If there are creatures here, that means this place… isn't as empty as we thought.
Azrael:(serious tone) You're right. Something —or someone— is controlling them.Maybe this Purgatory has a name after all. We'll need to be cautious.
The three nod. The air grows heavier with tension, yet they press on.Each room feels like a trap, built from fragments of forgotten memories.
From above, Null spots an old chandelier coated in soot.
Inside one of its rusted sockets, he finds a small, yellowed piece of paper.
Null: Hey! I found something!
Azrael: What is it?
Null: (descending) A note… but I can't read the writing.
Azrael: Let me see. I'll translate it.
Azrael takes the note. His eyes glimmer faintly with an ancient light.Once, he was omniscient—able to understand every language across the multiverse.But ever since Alcanor sealed his power, that gift was lost.This script was unlike anything he had ever seen… the letters themselves seemed to move, alive, twisting between the lines.
Azrael: No… I can't understand this language. (frowning, frustrated) Damn it! I forgot these worlds aren't the ones I used to know… (sighs, weary) In another time, I'd be asleep right now… somewhere in a forgotten realm.
Nevaeh: It's okay, Azrael. (smiles gently) I want to go back too, but look at it this way. this… all of this… it's a new experience. We used to be too powerful to feel anything real.Now, for the first time… we actually live.
Azrael looks at her for a long moment, then lets out a short, tired laugh.
Azrael: I don't know why you said all that, but… I guess it helped. (sighs) Whatever. Let's keep moving.
Nevaeh: That's the spirit! —claps her hands with a bright smile—
Null: Good… because we only have 197 hours left. —glances at the system clock, sighs— I don't mean to kill the mood, but… even if it sounds like a lot of time, we still have no idea where the Core of this damned place is.
Azrael and Nevaeh nod. The three walk down an endless corridor, the dim firelight flickering behind them.
Their footsteps echo through the darkness.And so… a new phase of their battle against Purgatory begins.