Chapter 167. Nightmarish Aftermath

Third-Person POV

When Kaien finally opened his eyes, he realized at once that the world around him had shifted drastically from the familiar grove of white-barked birch trees. He and Miranda now found themselves in an oppressive, otherworldly realm.

The sky was entirely consumed by darkness, save for a single, flickering purple flame that hovered high above them. Its eerie glow cast the landscape into stark relief, revealing fields of black grass that swayed like shadowy tongues in an unfelt breeze. Jagged amethyst-colored rocks jutted from the ground, their crystalline faces catching that unearthly violet light and scattering it across the barren expanse.

Standing not far away was Gloria, her posture relaxed yet dignified. A faint smirk curved her lips as she beckoned them forward.

“Welcome to Horror Land,” she announced, her voice echoing oddly in the strange atmosphere. “This,” she gestured around herself, “is my ability.”

Miranda frowned, b