章 99: Crimson Awakening. The Trials of Isolation and Betrayal.

Ethan braced himself as he stepped through the blinding light. For a moment, the world felt weightless, as if he were floating in a void. Then the sensation shifted, the ground solidifying beneath his feet. He opened his eyes to find himself standing in a vast expanse of barren wasteland.

The sky above was an oppressive gray, swirling with ominous clouds. The air was still, unnervingly so, and the only sound was the faint crunch of dry earth beneath Ethan's boots as he moved. The horizon stretched endlessly in every direction, devoid of landmarks or life.

"Isolation," Ethan muttered, his voice swallowed by the silence. He didn't know how but it felt somewhat familiar. In fact, all he had been experiencing now was familiar but he was sure he'd never personally experienced them.

The word carried a weight that made his chest tighten. He had been alone before—physically, in moments of solitude, or emotionally. But this was different. This was total.