Daniel moved deeper into the twisting hallways of the Astral Verge. The air here was thick, making every breath feel like a chore.
He was alone, and for the first time in a long while, he truly wanted to be.
The memory of the ranking ceremony burned in his mind. Number six. That number felt like a brand on his skin. He knew he was stronger than the others. He knew he had faced dangers they could not even imagine.
However, he had played it safe. He had hidden his power to protect a team that was already doomed.
"Never again," Daniel whispered to the shadows. "No more distractions. No more holding back."
He touched the grey stone of the wall. It pulsed under his fingers. The walls in the Astral Verge were not dead stone. They moved. They shifted when he wasn't looking, changing the path and turning the hallways into a living maze.
