After leaving Odin's temple, Taufik did not return directly to the Saranjana Kingdom.
When the portal opened, he stepped through.
Darkness greeted him.
Not the absence of light, but a presence. Thick. Absolute. As though illumination itself was unwelcome here.
There was no ground beneath his feet that he could see, yet he stood without falling. No sky above. No horizon. Only endless black stretching in every direction.
Taufik glanced around slowly.
"Hm?" he murmured. "What happened here?"
His voice did not echo.
It was swallowed.
"Death," he called calmly. "Where are you?"
No answer came.
He frowned slightly.
"This place is darker than the last time I was here. I know you are the embodiment of Death, but this is excessive…"
"Oh~ do you not like my place, darling?"
The voice drifted behind him, soft and amused.
Before he could turn, a pair of snow-white arms wrapped around him from behind.
Cool.
Not freezing.
But unmistakably devoid of warmth.
