The darkness was absolute.
Rey descended into the Labyrinth of Darkness, his spatial displacement depositing him hundreds of meters below the surface in passages that had never seen natural light. The walls around him radiated Chaos Energy so dense that it created a physical pressure against his enhanced perception, making even basic environmental awareness difficult.
He activated a minor illumination Artifact—a crystalline orb that emitted soft blue light—and immediately regretted it.
The light revealed architecture that shouldn't exist.
The passage he'd landed in wasn't a natural cave formation. Carved stone walls stretched in both directions, their surfaces covered in intricate patterns that predated any construction style Rey recognized from his knowledge of the Nether Realm. Geometric designs interlocked with organic motifs, creating visual complexity that suggested both mathematical precision and artistic expression.
