It had been two days now that we were searching through this ocean of fog and branches. The only thing we had found were countless monstrous creatures. Minolas and I had almost lost our lives on multiple occasions. I was starting to lose hope, and I knew that only Minolas' loyalty was keeping her by my side. She no longer believed in the success of my quest and seemed to be worn down by the heavy atmosphere of our environment. The fog was everywhere, in the trees, in the rivers, in our clothes, and even creeping into our thoughts. My desire to find the gray flower to cure my father was fading. In a final burst of energy, I convinced Minolas to follow me one last time, and if we didn't find the flower soon, we could finally take a break and rest for good.
We walked, walked, and walked some more. The sound of our footsteps seemed to have disappeared long ago. The trees were now all uniform, and I had a fleeting thought that I was disappearing…
Minolas touched my shoulder and told me to look ahead, as if she saw something other than the omnipresent gray. Concentrating, I realized that indeed, an arch seemed to rise in front of us.
Hope surged within me, and the lethargy of my mind quickly faded. I walked faster and faster, always with Minolas by my side.
The arch was large, and the interior contained an immeasurable void. Upon closer inspection, this void seemed to be calling out to me. I grabbed my servant's hand and moved forward. An unknown sensation enveloped me and just as quickly disappeared. I found myself in what appeared to be a store. The white floor was in stark contrast to the cosmic landscape that surrounded us. Astonished by this sudden change of environment, I tried to understand what was happening.
"Hello there," said a deep and ancient voice. "Welcome to the Void Mall..."
Turning my attention to the source of this mysterious voice, I couldn't help but take a few steps back, finding myself pressed against the gate.
In front of me stood an obscure and indescribable silhouette, a total absence of form or tangible substance. It evoked in me a sense of infinite emptiness, absolute nothingness, which chilled me to the bone and filled me with unspeakable terror, while a smile formed on its face.
His smile is all the more unsettling because it lacks warmth, emotion, or light. It's a cold and eerie smile that seems to emanate from the depths of existence. There is no glimmer of humanity in that smile, only a cosmic madness that defies understanding and seems to mock my insignificant self.
The effect only lasts for a few seconds before disappearing completely, revealing a young man. Confused, I turned around slowly to look at Minolas. She is sweaty, her gaze lost, but she regains her composure upon seeing me touch her shoulder. I look back at the man and all the unpleasant sensations have vanished. We approach him and he stands up from his stool, walks around the big desk, and comes towards us...