After Shio was sent somewhere through the portal, Morana and others found themselves in a strange place near the lake.
This place looked devoid of any life with black trees that didn't even have a single leaf on them and even the lake itself was murky.
as Morana looked around she found that the place was even devoid of radiant colors.
It was obviously daytime but the sky had a dirty tint to it and the whole place was covered in a barely noticeable mist.
"Where are we?" Asked Emir as he couldn't help shivering.
This place gave everyone a deep ominous feeling.
"I don't know but it feels ominous and dangerous. We should first get out from the clearing and start looking for Shio." Said Zoel.
Currently Shio was just a little baby about 1 year old, vulnerable and unprotected.
So, even though Zoel knew that this was just Shio's memory and everything happened in the past, he couldn't help but worry about his friend.
Finding Shio wasn't hard, they soon noticed a huge black wolf holding him with his mouth and running somewhere.
The group quickly reacted and started following them.
Morana knew she couldn't help Shio right now as he was still a baby, but they still needed to keep a close eye on him and wait before he grew up a bit.
3 years passed like that. The group observed as Shio was brought up by the wolves. They also started to have a new understanding of the place they were in.
For the past couple of years they met countless dangerous monsters in this place. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this place only inhabited monsters and different weird beings that fight and slaughter each other every day for one reason or another.
They themselves had to fight countless times and today was no different.
Currently they were fighting against a monster that looked like a minotaur from the myth. A being with bulging toned muscles with a head of a bull. He was holding a heavy double headed axe that was almost as tall as the being itself.
Anna and Morana met the monster while they came near the river to get some fresh water. They noticed that something was wrong pretty soon as the place was too quiet and sure enough they were soon attacked by the minotaur.
Morana tried to use her fire ability, but it had no effect on the monster. And instead just annoyed him.
Anna tried to use her wind affinity to cut its skin with compreywind blades but this also didn't work.
As their attacks fell one after another while the two skilfully evaded the attacks directed at them, they found out that nothing worked.
"Fu*k" Anna finally couldn't hold herself back and cursed out loud as she tried to catch her breath.
"It must be immune to mana or something like that." Said Morana, but she wasn't sure as she couldn't use her 'seer' ability in the trials as it brought her headaches.
"What now?" Asked Anna helplessly.
Morana didn't answer her, but the next second weird looking weapon appeared in her hands.
Morana was someone very good at using countless weapons but the weapon she loved the most wasn't a sword, gun or a dagger it was this pair of strange sharp discs with a handle in the middle that were connected by the long chain.
As Morana held it she didn't look awkward at all but it seemed like the combination was the most natural thing. Even the air around her turned weird as if she was in some kind of zone or a trance.
Anna didn't have time to react much less ask any questions as Morana started attacking the minotaur.
She didn't use her space ability but her movements were so fast they only left faint blurs behind.
At first the beast was fully dominated as more and more wounds appeared on its body from Moranas constant attacks.
But the annoyed beast quickly got a handle of the situation and soon Morana's weapon and his axe started colliding, making sharp sounds.
'Cling Clank'
The sounds dominated the surroundings for the next couple of minutes as Morana and the beast collided and separated and again and again.
Soon both of them vigilantly stood opposite each other trying to catch their breath as they observed one another without blinking.
This whole time Anna could only observe from the side as no matter how hard she tried she was unable to join the fight.
The more she watched the more her blood boiled but she could only helplessly sign and calm herself down.
After three similar rounds of battles between Morana and the minotaur she finally managed to get an upper hand as the beast was unable to lift his hand, that held the weapon, from exhaustion.
In the split moment Morana quickly wrapped the chains of the weapon around his neck and pushed the button near the right handle. Sharp spikes appeared on the chains and plunged right into the beast's skin.
Morana stood behind him as she balanced herself by bushing her left leg on the back of the beast while she pulled the chains with all her might.
Finally, the head was cut off and the beast stopped breathing.
As Morana rested near the river Anna gathered all the water they needed and the duo headed back to the group.
After they came back Morana and Anna were greeted with the first surprise in a long time. The first good news.
Emir and Zoel found a certain dark witches lair and found out about a way out of this place and what it was exactly.
"So, you are saying we are in a place called purgatory, And we need to defeat two gatekeepers in order to obtain two parts of the keys that open a portal out of this place?" Asked Anna with uncertainty.
"Hmm." Nodded Emir.
"Okay, let's do it." Said Morana with determination.