From the silence, a figure emerged.
His red skin gleamed like blood under moonlight, and his eyes burned with an eerie, malevolent glow.
He stepped out slowly, towering and composed, his presence oozing confidence.
Annie stopped, her eyes narrowing.
"Who are you?" the figure asked, voice calm yet thunderous, resonating through the cavern like a warning drum.
She raised her chin slightly. "The so-called 'witch' by other humans."
The figure's expression barely shifted. But then, he tilted his head slightly. "From the Overworld, huh? You're strong. But are you strong enough… to survive me?"
Annie's jaw tightened. "With everything happening in Purgatory lately, I figured one of you had to be behind it. But more than one Purgatorist? That's excessive."
She stopped, watching him closely.
The figure smirked. "Oh, there are many of us now," he said evenly. "So get used to it."
His name echoed in her thoughts—Vel'Zorath. The one tied to Castle Creation.
A deep bang ripped through the silence. The ground trembled violently beneath her boots.
Wind surged through the hollow, and then—boom—a portion of the cavern collapsed in on itself as a structure erupted behind the Purgatorist.
Vel'Zorath grinned.
"Purgatorist Creation: Castle."
Stone erupted from the ground like a beast rising from slumber. Giant walls slammed into place, forming a jagged fortress. Towering spires twisted upward, enclosing the entire battlefield.
The gates slammed shut with a final, deafening clang.
"Welcome," he said mockingly, "to my domain."
Annie remained still, her sword glowing softly. "Not bad," she said, almost impressed. "But I don't intend to be a guest for long."
Vel'Zorath lifted his arm again.
"Castle's Swallow."
The very walls of the fortress stirred. Long, stone tendrils uncoiled and lunged toward her. She danced between them, her sword slicing cleanly through two.
Sparks flew. Dust scattered. More tendrils rose.
Her eyes remained fixed on Vel'Zorath. "You really think you can keep me here?"
He smirked. "You're not my prisoner. You're my test."
Annie moved faster now, dashing through the shifting courtyard.
As the tendrils struck, she parried with clean, precise movements—never overextending, never wasting energy. She wasn't struggling. She was calculating.
Then a roar tore through the air.
Annie turned sharply. Behind her—Menma.
He wasn't the same. His monstrous form stood tall, trembling. Claws like obsidian blades scraped the stone. His skin twitched and split in places, demonic energy crackling across his body.
Zorath started talking "Ah yes. Your friend, I met him a bit earlier, he was quite eager to hug me."
"Menma…" Annie whispered.
He was lost in the storm of his transformation. His eyes were wild, red and unfocused. His breath came in ragged gasps.
"They killed her…" he growled. "They killed Lilith…"
His voice was broken, filled with agony.
Annie's chest tightened. She reached him quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll avenge her, I promise," she said gently. "But right now, I need you. I need you to fight."
But the berserk energy within him surged.
Vel'Zorath stood above them, arms crossed, observing.
"Poor thing," he said. "The demon's breaking apart. You shouldn't have brought him here."
Annie clenched her jaw. She turned back toward him.
"Castle Crush."
The walls groaned. Stone twisted inward, encroaching with crushing force. The air grew dense with pressure. Annie's knees bent slightly from the tension—but she didn't falter.
She stabbed her sword into the ground, anchoring herself.
Light radiated from her blade, pushing against the oppressive force. The stone quivered but held.
Annie looked back. Menma was thrashing now, his claws tearing at the floor, walls, even himself.
"Hold on," she whispered, her voice cracking as she stepped in front of him. "I've got you."
Above them, Vel'Zorath raised both hands.
"Purgatorist Creation: King's Command."
The very foundation of the castle twisted.
Rooms shattered and reformed. The walls moved like sliding slabs, changing direction constantly. The air spun, and the ground convulsed beneath her.
Annie was flung into another room, landing hard but rolling back onto her feet. Her sword flashed out, cutting through a collapsing wall just in time.
Menma was thrown as well, roaring, his claws digging into a wall as he held on. His body shook, but Annie watched him—worried, not afraid.
"MENMA!" she shouted.
He met her eyes for a second—just a second—and it grounded him.
Vel'Zorath's laughter echoed through the chaos. "You're strong. I'll give you that. But this isn't just a castle—it's a weapon. It bends to my will."
Annie's sword glowed brighter. Her eyes locked onto the ceiling as it split open, revealing another chamber above, and another slab of stone falling fast toward her.
She jumped, slicing clean through it.
"I don't care what this place is," she muttered. "It won't stop me."
More walls folded in, but Annie slipped between them. The floor cracked and rose in jagged spikes—but she dashed along them like stepping stones, always a step ahead.
Still, her gaze kept returning to Menma.
He was losing himself again. His screams echoed. The blood, the madness, the grief—it was tearing him apart.
She stopped moving, just for a breath.
She knew she had to act fast. She focused her creation , her fingers trembling as she prepared her next move. She raised her hands to the sky, summoning the purest form of her creation—the light.
"Witch creation // wings of light," she whispered.
A shimmering light enveloped her body, the ethereal wings forming behind her. They weren't physical, but the pure energy they radiated was undeniable.
Annie took a deep breath and, with a single, powerful movement, summoned the wings to carry her. The wings of light flared brightly, the glow casting everything in a blinding radiance.
She dashed forward, her light wings propelling her through the chaotic scene. The shifting walls and ceilings couldn't stop her now.
She moved through the space with an otherworldly speed, cutting through the storm of daggers and rocks that surrounded them.
Menma, still on the ground and struggling to rise, looked up at Annie as she approached him. His body was covered in bruises, his movements sluggish. The rage in his eyes was still there, but it was clear that he was no longer in control.
"Annie," he muttered weakly, his voice barely audible.
Without another word, Annie bent down, her wings flaring as she wrapped her arms around Menma. She lifted him up effortlessly, her wings propelling them both upward through the air.
The rocks and debris continued to rain down around them, but Annie's light shielded them from the onslaught, creating a barrier that deflected the projectiles.
She soared upward, the light wings carrying them higher and higher, escaping the chaos below.
The shifting rooms and stone pillars seemed to lose their grip on them as they flew further away from the battlefield.
Behind them, Vel'Zorath watched, his lips curling into a sneer as he saw Annie and Menma break free.
"Running away? Pathetic," Vel'Zorath hissed, but he knew this was not the end. They would meet again.
Annie didn't look back as she soared higher into the unknown, the light wings carrying them toward the distant horizon.
Her heart raced, but she knew she had made the right decision. They weren't safe yet, but they were alive.
As she said sorry to her friends and her last remaining guardian " im sorry Lilith , everyone one else , i will avenge you!"
After some flying she reached the rest of the witches.
"My queen" They started running to her , as Annie fell to the ground, with Menma on her hands...
"Quickly, bring healing potions" as they gave the potions to them , and after a bit , they started taking effect.
Annie was the first one to wake up " The... The Purgatorist they came and killed Lilith" said one witch while sobbing
"Yes I know, there are 4 of them, they almost killed Menma as well" said Annie
"I will make sure each of them pay, for what they did... but not today, we need to gear up!"said Annie with a strong voice, as they started walking towards the portal
Menma who was still getting carried by Annie , woke up" where is Lilith" he said with a weak and tired voice.