1 HOUR LATER.
In the present moment, the Hero's Party remained motionless and trapped within the suffocating grip of the encircling purple fog.
Argh!
Maximus jolted awake from the torment that had ensnared him, his breath ragged and his body slick with sweat.
He had managed to wrench himself free from the nightmarish hold that had clamped down on his mind.
Huff!
Huff!
With heavy pants, he gradually regained his composure. His eyes swept their surroundings, taking in the frozen scene.
The formidable guardian of this region had ensnared them all in a mental labyrinth, exploiting their deepest fears and vulnerabilities to shatter their resolve.
Amid the chilling tableau lay two lifeless bodies, their blood staining the frozen ground.
The towering figure of Pokawor, the Naga warrior, lay sprawled with his multiple spears piercing his own body.
