The trees whispered, but not like the ones she knew.
Ramona stumbled through thick, tangled roots, her shoes barely holding together. There was no sun above — only a heavy sky that pressed down like a lid, locking her in. Her hands, still stained from the fight, twitched slightly. Her body didn't ache. She didn't feel exhausted. Not even cold. No hunger. No fear. No emotion at all.
"This isn't normal," she muttered. But her voice didn't tremble.
Her mind was blank, like something had wiped away every trace of panic or pain. She looked around, hoping for a path, a sign — anything. But all she saw was more forest. Black, twisted, endless.
Am I in hell?
She wouldn't be surprised.
The forest felt wrong. The air was too quiet, too heavy. Shadows crept even where there should've been light. It was dark — unnaturally so — but her feet kept moving deeper as if her heart itself was being pulled forward.
Unbeknownst to her, this cursed place had a name: Shadowfen Threshold. A forbidden land. Rumored to be where devils lived, hunted, ruled. No humans ever dared enter.
And yet, she was here.
Further and further she walked, the trees arching over like claws, until the forest gave way — to something worse.
A realm below.
The Abyss.
She didn't know when she crossed the line. But the devils knew the moment she stepped foot inside. Hundreds of red eyes opened in the dark, gleaming with confusion... then hunger.
A low growl rippled through the void. And then — they came.
Grinning. Crawling. Laughing. Dozens of them, some with wings, some with horns, some just shadows with eyes. They bared their teeth, circling her like wolves.
But Ramona didn't scream.
Her hands lifted on instinct. The Tenibris — the darkness that had awakened inside her — answered the call.
She moved like a phantom. A flash here. A strike there. The devils lunged, but she cut through them — not with weapons, but with will. Pure, sharp, unshakable will. No fear. No hesitation.
They didn't even touch her.
The battle lasted hours. Maybe days. Time didn't make sense here. But when the dust settled, Ramona stood alone.
All of them knelt before her.
Not because she asked.
Because they had to.
Her words became law. Her voice, an unbreakable command. And without needing to be told, the devils began introducing themselves, one by one. Their names, their roles, their powers. It went on forever — or so it felt. Like an endless ceremony of submission.
But Ramona didn't care about most of them.
Her attention locked onto only one.
A devil who hadn't moved when she arrived. He didn't attack. Didn't kneel first. Just watched.
Tall, with dark horns that curved back like a crown, and cold amber eyes that didn't flinch.
She approached.
He looked straight at her. Calm. Almost... tired.
"I knew I didn't stand a chance," he said, voice low.
"I'm not interested in fighting you. But I want something."
Ramona narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"I want to go with you. To the upper world. If you allow it, I'll help you with everything you're going through."
She blinked. "And how would you know I'm going through anything?"
He smiled faintly. Not mockingly — more like he understood something she didn't yet.
"What do you mean by that?"
He stayed quiet for a moment before responding.
"My deepest apologies, Your Highness. Unfortunately, I cannot divulge the details of that matter due to certain circumstances. However, when the time is right, I believe we will understand each other once we reach the Upperworld."
"understood, it seems i had no chance to assist you in upperworld"
"I didn't say that. If you manage to find your way there on your own, then you may look for me. But as for you… I don't care about you or what happens to you. I'll go alone, and I suggest you don't follow me."
Ramona's eyes caught something—a faint thread in the air, leading her forward. It was like a path laid out just for her, guiding her with invisible hands. As she followed it, she heard a soft voice, barely a whisper, like an incantation being spoken. Before her, a dimensional door appeared, opening into a distant space, leading her somewhere far away.