He opened the door and was immediately disappointed.
A plain white room greeted him. No grandeur, no ominous aura, no sign of the unimaginable trials he had endured just to reach this place. It was painfully simple, almost mocking his expectations. Perhaps he had imagined something greater, something worthy of the dangers he had faced.
But… everything changed the moment they stepped inside.
Horror, Dread and Hopelessness.
These emotions surged violently, crashing into Zephyr's mind and soul like an unstoppable tide.
Before him lay a world that defied reason.
Gargantuan maws, large enough to devour world, moved as if alive, their endless hunger distorting the very air around them. Countless pillars embedded into the ground stretched toward the unseen sky, each one filled with molten lava that pulsed like the veins of a dying god.
Each pillar was massive—impossibly so—but what truly made his skin crawl were the beings.
Countless beings.
They cried.They pleaded.They screamed.
From the smallest creatures to unexplainable horrors beyond comprehension—no one was spared.
Their voices overlapped into a symphony of despair, echoing endlessly across the domain.
Massive skulls and remains littered the land, refusing to melt despite the overwhelming heat. No one knew how these beings had died… but one thing was certain.
They had died.
From the east, molten lava flowed like a cascading waterfall, illuminating the land with a sinister glow.
From the west came a blizzard so violent it could freeze existence itself.
From the south raged tornadoes intertwined with lightning, tearing apart anything in their path.
And from the north…an endless void.
A darkness so profound it seemed to devour even the concept of light.
Yet, amidst all this chaos, one structure dominated everything.
At the center stood a temple.Upside down.
Its spires stretched downward, piercing into the abyss below. Its structure was intricate, regal, and terrifying all at once. Behemoth creatures guarded every corner, their presence alone enough to crush weaker beings into nothingness.
And then there was the gate.
Massive.Unyielding.Forged from a material that refused to corrode—even in a world that was the embodiment of hell itself.
The sheer existence of it radiated one undeniable truth:
Power...
Pure and overwhelming, absolute power.
Zephyr stood frozen.The feeling of insignificance consumed him. Compared to this… he was nothing.
Less than nothing.
But instead of breaking him…It ignited something within him.
The fear, dread, and hopelessness.All of it vanished, by something far more dangerous.
Greed,Desire and Hunger.
"This…" Zephyr whispered, his eyes trembling—not with fear, but with excitement. "This is what I want."
A manic laugh echoed through the space.
"Hahaha! That's what I want, Zep!!!" Maw's voice rang out, filled with unrestrained delight. "Those eyes that defy everything—even after being treated like an insignificant insect! Hahaha!!!"
Despite the madness in his voice, Maw somehow appeared almost… adorable, like a grotesque yet strangely cute creature.
Zephyr turned his head toward him.
"So… you are that being, huh? The one who helped me survive the trial."
"Heh… maybe I am, maybe not," Maw replied, laughing again.
Zephyr narrowed his eyes.He already understood the process.
Bonding with a wisp wasn't simple. It required understanding—true
understanding. One had to enter the very essence of the wisp, its Astral World. This place… this hellish domain… was the true reflection of Maw's existence.
Only when both parties acknowledged each other would the bond be complete.
"The desire for power… revenge… and stand at the top," Maw continued, his tone lowering slightly. "It's burning inside you. Keep that hunger, Zep. I will help you… but you will also help me."
Zephyr didn't hesitate.
"How?" Zephyr ask
Maw snorted."Seriously? You're just an insignificant insect right now. Don't think too much about it."
"…So you're willing to bond with me? Even though I'm weak?"
"Why not?" Maw grinned—if such a being could even be said to grin
"That hunger alone makes my skin crawl. Hahaha!" Maw continued
Zephyr stared at him."What are you, really?"
"You're too weak to know."
Zephyr clicked his tongue.
"Then let me rephrase. Why me? There were countless others with me. Some were far stronger—like the Minotaur."
Maw's laughter softened into something quieter… more deliberate.
"Simple. I don't need the strong ones." He paused. "I need those hungry enough to make the world tremble."
Zephyr fell silent.
He already knew the answer.The burning desire for revenge.The need to save his brother, that unrelenting drive it was what fueled him.
But wisps weren't drawn by desire alone.They saw deeper.They could peer into what was hidden beneath the surface.
Talent,Potential,and Will
It could be a faint flicker… or a blazing sun.
Maybe it was both that caught Maw's attention.
Or maybe…
Something else entirely.
Time passed as they exchanged questions and answers. The bonding process required mutual understanding, after all.
Eventually…
"One last question," Zephyr said.
"Hoh? What is it?"Maw tilted slightly
"…Why are you so talkative?"
Maw froze.His entire form seemed to crack in disbelief.
"What kind of nonsense question is that?!!"
Zephyr simply stared at him.
"…Well?" he insisted.
"Ahem… why not? It's boring otherwise, okay?!"Maw coughed awkwardly.
A brief silence followed.
Then Zephyr exhaled.
"Let's bond. Three hours are almost up, and I think we understand each other enough." His gaze hardened.
"I know you're hiding things from me. And I don't believe in free lunch—not in this world."His voice grew colder.
"I came from the outskirts. I've learned that much."He stepped forward.
"But that doesn't matter. What I want… is power. And I know you can give it to me." Zephyr continued
Maw was quiet for a moment.
"Close your eyes." Maw said
Zephyr obeyed.
He felt something touch his forehead the same place where Maw had marked him before.
Then comes the light. A blinding, overwhelming light consumed everything.
Within Zephyr's consciousness, something began to form.
A massive structure emerged.An upside-down temple.Intricate. Majestic. Terrifying.Its spires stretched endlessly into the abyss, and its massive doors seemed capable of devouring anything that dared approach.
It was identical to the temple in Maw's Astral World.A perfect replica.
Except…
The hellish environment was gone.
The guardians were missing.Only the temple remained.
"Whoa…" Zephyr muttered, standing within his own consciousness as he watched it take shape.
"Wisp Core," Maw's voice echoed.
"The foundation of every wisp."
Zephyr observed it carefully.
Every detail, line,and presence.
"Each core varies depending on the wisp and its rarity," Maw continued. "Some are nothing more than weeds…"
A pause...
"…and some are like this."
"Is this… normal?"Zephyr clenched his fist and ask.
Maw chuckled.
"Well…guess? Hahahaha."
Zephyr frowned at the vague answer.
"…Time will tell," he muttered to himself.
"But first… I need to survive."His eyes hardened once more.
"This world is cruel."
He wasn't naive enough to rely on anyone.Not even Maw. If anything, this wisp might one day throw him into a deeper hell.
And when that time came—He would be ready.
"First stage complete."
A mysterious voice echoed throughout the room, emotionless and absolute.
The bond…Had been formed.