The entire Alaronor Labyrinth was an intricate labyrinth formation painstakingly laid out by a sixth-level Radiant Moon Wizard, requiring any intruding wizard to advance through its stages in the order the creator had set, clearing every corridor before one could reach the end.
But now, after the earlier unknown shockwave and Leilin's deliberate second strike, the entire labyrinth had begun to collapse.
Crack by crack, the walls split open, the glowing runes within crumbling to dust.
The lava lake that had once filled the chamber slowly drained away, revealing a ground riddled with fractures.
The corridors were disintegrating as well, the destruction radiating outward from this central point like ripples across a pond.
"The Alaronor Labyrinth is collapsing? That's a bit sooner than I expected." Melinda furrowed her elegant brows and sank into thought.
Meanwhile, wisps of dark phantoms were rushing toward the labyrinth's center at even greater speed.
Within the endless gaps between worlds, beyond the world membrane, lay the flame world blazing like a sun, and surrounding it — the solemn and imposing Alaronor Labyrinth.
Without warning, the entire labyrinth groaned under unbearable strain, and cracks began to spread across it inch by inch.
Once the foundation had completely given way, the colossal structures above came crashing down in thunderous ruin, and hordes of fire elementals scattered in every direction, fleeing in panic.
**Rumble!**
Amid the deafening roar, the labyrinth from before completely disintegrated, revealing a hidden demiplane at its very core.
**Crack!** A flash of light split the void, and Melinda was the first to step into the demiplane.
A demiplane — much like the Morning Star spaces from before — was simply an immature world. This particular one was noticeably smaller than even a Morning Star space, consisting of a single layer of structure; one could see its boundary at a single glance.
At that very first glance, Melinda spotted it — seated upon a crimson-gold throne at the demiplane's center, a figure wreathed in flame!
At the same instant, the flame figure turned its head, locking eyes with Melinda.
A terrifying fluctuation at the sixth level erupted from its body, an oppressive aura of dread swirling ceaselessly around it.
Sixth level! A Radiant Moon Wizard! A Throne-tier powerhouse!
Seated upon that crimson-gold throne was none other than the Radiant Moon Wizard who commanded a portion of the power of the Laws of Flame — the ruler of vast territories, the one who had very nearly driven bloodline warlocks to extinction — the Flame Throne!
"You've come?" The Flame Throne's eyes gazed at Melinda, its voice perfectly neutral, impossible to identify as either male or female.
"Yes! I've returned — to take back everything that belongs to me!" Melinda murmured, her tone growing steadily firmer with each word.
"You are nothing more than the emotions I deliberately shed to advance to the Radiant Moon tier — the garbage I threw away. What could you possibly take back?"
The flames parted, revealing the figure of the Wizard seated upon the throne.
But this Wizard was unmistakably a woman, her features bearing a striking resemblance to Melinda's own.
"No! I am the true primary consciousness — you are nothing but a thief who stole my body! A despicable thief!"
Melinda's face flushed crimson in an instant.
"So that's why you seized this opportunity to try and reclaim everything?" The witch upon the throne smiled, as if watching a naughty child throwing a tantrum before her. "But I must admit — the allies you recruited are remarkably capable Wizards. Powerful, and possessing the potential to advance further still. In the future, they may well become several new Thrones!"
"It's all over! Give back everything that's mine!"
Melinda stepped forward, the aura around her body surging violently, threatening even to surpass the peak of the fifth level!
"Without me, you are currently at the lowest ebb of your strength — and the stronger I become, the weaker you grow!"
Melinda advanced several more steps, sharp light flickering ceaselessly in her eyes.
"Once I suppress you, I will have everything!"
Crimson-gold flames blazed upward once more, and the witch upon the Flame Throne slowly rose to her feet: "You are wrong! Even the weakest Radiant Moon Wizard remains a Radiant Moon Wizard for all eternity! And more than three thousand years have passed — in all that time, did you truly believe I would sit idle?"
"It was merely a matter concerning the soul. With the empowerment of the Flame Primal Force, supplemented and enriched by the accumulated knowledge of the entire Wizard World, having lost only a portion of my true spirit, I long ago found a way to make myself whole..."
As if to validate her words, a golden sun suddenly materialized behind the witch.
Searing true spirit energy began to ripple throughout the entire plane, radiating waves so oppressive that Melinda could barely breathe.
This was true spirit power of the Radiant Moon level! Once cold moonlight, it had been utterly transformed into terrifying, searing radiance — its volume and destructive force both having reached their absolute peak!
"You... you've recovered?" Melinda halted abruptly in her tracks.
"Not recovered — ascended to an even greater peak!"