While Ethan was on his way to the portal...
Far away, in a dimly lit room at an unknown location;
A man stood, his silhouette broad and commanding even in the shadows.
His physique was nothing short of monstrous — towering height, every muscle carved with the hardness of steel, as though sculpted by war itself. His presence alone seemed to press against the walls, heavy and suffocating. His hair was dark, streaked faintly with silver at the temples, and his eyes — even in the low light — gleamed with a cold, piercing sharpness that could strip a man's will bare. His face was chiseled, severe, and devoid of softness, as if it had forgotten how to smile. His very breath seemed to ripple the air.
This man… was Gareth Drakethorne. The Labyrinth Overlord. And more than that — Ethan's father.
Kneeling before him on one knee, with head bowed in deep respect, was a woman clothed entirely in black.
