"You must walk this path alone."
"Okay. Walk alone. Got it," Ji'an muttered, bouncing slightly on her toes to keep her nerves in check. "Just a dark hallway. I've navigated walk-in freezers during a power outage. I can handle it."
"It is not just a dark hallway," Yan Zhaoge warned, reaching out and gripping her shoulder tightly. His fingers dug into her collarbone, emphasizing the absolute terror of his words.
"The Corridor of the Eclipse tests the anchor of your soul. As you walk, the darkness will attempt to drag you backward. It will not use physical force to do that. It will use your own mind."
He leaned closer, his voice an urgent, harsh whisper.
"It will manifest your deepest regrets. It will manifest your greatest fears. It will synthesize voices you thought you would never hear again. It will scream your name. It will beg for your help. It will sound exactly like the people you love being tortured in the dark behind you."
Ji'an's eyes widened.
