With a tense face and a look that was more incisive and suspicious than ever, Koel walked down the ruined corridor, which Johes said was the inevitable result of Kriniela's black fury on his favorite victim, none other than Miron. Koel walked slowly, observing carefully everything around him, the slightest clue that could allow him to understand how Kriniela, despite all her power, had been able to cause such chaos, shaking the whole city of the shadow, Kriniela who since this alarming incident had completely, permanently disappeared, no trace of her aura, even imperceptible remained. For, as the others, and especially Sirkol, had repeatedly pointed out to him, it was his job to see the truth, even through frightful entanglements that were almost impossible to untangle. It was his gift. So much so that he had been able to create this unique eye that could see everything, and in that moment, he had unleashed it to help him know what had really happened, though deep down and despite his persistent denial, he could already guess.

Kneeling, Koel glowed and black symbols moved over his body, activating his eye. And when this eye finally allowed him to see the reality, the absolute and unimaginable power that had dragged one of their own into a bottomless pit, where she was dissolving in excruciating pain towards death, Koel, in a state of shock, felt his body freeze with rage, incomprehension, but above all terror in the face of this child whose uncontrollable nature and immeasurable power he had glimpsed from the beginning, and yet who still surpassed all understanding and imagination.

+++

Myrhes turned to Sirkol, looked at him with an impassive and haughty air, and spoke in a calm and deep voice.

"You see, I think Johes was right about me. I was a weak person, for the simple reason that I couldn't protect my old friend or accept your total decline. Even after seeing all the horrors you had committed in front of me, against such innocent and defenseless people, I still refused to realize it. Even when you had taken Karan away from me forever when he was not even old enough, simply to make me suffer, and even now when you had literally thrown me into this macabre game, where my only duty was to lose my life, persecuted and killed by dark creatures, only in order to provide you and your sinister guests, great pleasure, even in spite of all this, I still believed that something could change. Or maybe, to be really honest, I just wasn't sure enough that your actions deserved an irrevocable sentence."

Miron paused for a minute, shaking his head.

"But I must finally let go and accept the fact that it never will. I have to."

Then he pointed an imperious finger at Sirkol.

"The scum that you all are, and especially you Sirkol, since you are the one I know, playing with people's lives like toys until they are broken forever must, in turn, be destroyed. All our comrades, children like us, poor, sad and helpless, who had no way to leave this squalid place. They had no one else but you, from the moment they were cowardly, abominably abandoned by their loved ones, the only beings I would admit to being worse than you, which is a record, they had no choice but to live here, in this place of decay, to know nothing but suffering every day before ending up as meat for those horrible beasts and only to satisfy your body and soul. No one deserves such a fate. No one but you."

Sirkol smiled condescendingly.

"What does that mean?"

"What does that mean? To say that you are the director of this place when you have the stupidity to ask such a question shows the incredible depth of debility of your lackeys. But I'm going to answer you anyway so that everything is clear. I mean it's time for someone to finally compromise your destiny. And that someone is me."

Then at that moment, a distant clock sounded the twelve strokes of midnight. The sounds reverberated everywhere, like an omen of a sinister and unprecedented event. No sound was heard except the bells of this distant clock. But when it finally stopped, other deeper sounds resounded yet again, but this time, magical sounds, terrible, violent, impressive, invincible harbingers, tearing the space and the ears of all the creatures of the labyrinth as well as the mages present to make them mad with pain.

Great sounds produced by Miron.

Then they finally stopped too.

And a mighty wind rose and quickly became frighteningly violent, roaring like a vengeful, bloodthirsty beast. A raging, monstrous power far surpassing Sirkol's burst forth from Miron's body, a fiery, glowing aura enveloping the young prodigy's entire body, then spread through the labyrinth like a meteor trail, touching all the surrounding monsters and giving them extraordinary strength. The giant pale bistre beast with the divided colors received this flaming magic, then it shone in its turn, struggling for a moment with despair against this invincible magic, before admitting defeat and raising its head, screaming to the sky. Sirkol and the guests were stunned by this unprecedented show of force that they had not expected during the game, and simply not at all. They began to panic. Miron's powerful magic waves easily tore through the webs that held Kei. Kei, freed from his prison of sharp bars, fell heavily to the ground, just as stunned as the others. The beasts went wild and ran wildly in all directions, ravaging walls, spells, and magical barriers. Miron ran to Kei, helped him up, and ran after the colossal glowing beast. Kei glanced at his friend.

"What happened? What did you do to those beasts? They are totally unleashed!"

Miron shook his head, slightly dazed as well.

"I don't really know myself. But in the end, the important thing is that it works!"

"If you say so! But now, would you mind explaining to me why we keep following that monster!"

The young wizard grinned wryly.

"Because you don't have a better idea, so we have to follow mine!"

The yellowish monster destroyed everything in his path as his new one had ordered him to, infuriating the other creatures that stood in his way. He came out of the labyrinth and collided with a gigantic wall. A loud crash followed, sending both boys crashing to the ground. Quickly recovered, the beast changed direction and headed for the large terrace where Sirkol and his guests were standing. The director slowly stood up and faced the monster.

"Your rampages, while entertaining in their own way, end here."

He launched a powerful explosion at the monster. A second after the shock, the beast was still running, and then it was not long before it was blown to bits in a terrible explosion. Miron and Kei were brutally pushed back and crashed painfully against a nearly destroyed wall. Sirkol in his fury also blew up some of the beasts the young mage had manipulated, and petrified others with ease but still with furor.

The two young mages, in turn, were painfully stunned and struggled to regain their senses.

"I think I broke something, Miron. And it looks bad."

"You're not the only one, you idiot," Miron replied as he struggled to his feet.

Sirkol glowed and enveloped himself in a blue aura, then cooled the whole place down to create ice.

"I have to admit, we never had as much fun as we did today. It was just... spectacular. I already had a vague idea of your potential, but at this level, it's beyond enchanting, I congratulate you on everything, Miron."

"It would be a shame to stop the fun now Sirkol." One guest still had the unconsciousness to step forward.

"I know. I think so too," the black magician nodded. "But no matter. We'll stop here for tonight. I don't want to see any more unexpected events that I might not be able to control next time."

Without waiting, Sirkol created an entire army of light warriors, joined by a few guardians, and immediately directed them towards Miron and his friend. They approached the two boys at a breathtaking speed and surrounded them without delay. Kei panicked and looked at his enemies in horror.

"Miron, do something!"

"I'm doing what I can, Kei! But this time, I admit I'm at the end of my rope."

Miron had no idea what he was really saying, his mind still reeling from the violence of the shock and the considerable pressure of his own magic finally fully awake.

Kei swallowed his saliva

"So this is the end?"

Miron decided not to answer. He didn't need to. He was still trying hard to come to his senses. Helplessly, Kei watched as the warriors and guards stood up, surrounded them, and held out their hands. One of them grabbed Miron by the collar of his torn suit and pulled out a huge club to strike him, while another strangled Kei. Miron closed his eyes, trying to summon his magic again. His powerful wave rose, immobilizing and crushing the warriors under great pressure when a shocking noise caught everyone's attention.