Thanh Lam's hoarse voice echoed in the dark, cold corridor, cutting through the fear that was freezing Duy An: "Focus! You must 'close' it! Now!"
An looked at the Shadow Demon. It had stretched out from the colossal "mirror stain," a part of its viscous body already extending into reality, like a malignant tumor poised to devour everything. Its shadowy, indistinct yet terrifyingly powerful tendrils continuously reached towards An, as if to grasp his soul. The whispers of thousands of imprisoned souls within that black mass became clearer, screaming, pleading, and even cursing, striking directly at An's mind, attempting to weaken his will.
"Your will, Duy An! You opened it, you are the only one who can close it!" Thanh Lam stood firm, her eyes intensely focused, looking directly at An, not the demon. She was channeling energy to An, not through words, but through her powerful presence.
An took a deep breath, clutching the Memory Crystal necklace. It was scorching hot in his hand, like a burning ember, channeling an unusual surge of strength and calm into him. He closed his eyes, trying to block out all noise, all fear. He focused on a single intention: Close this door. Lock it. Do not let it escape.
In An's mind, the image of the colossal Shadow Demon remained vividly clear. It tried to penetrate his soul, sowing fear, pain, and the despair of My Tam, Minh, and Duy. An saw the horrifying scene of Dr. Minh's "decomposition," his flesh sagging, bones exposed. He saw Nguyen Duc Duy huddled, his entire body "frozen and shattered," blood frozen into a spiderweb beneath his skin. The pain, horror, and resentment from those memories crashed into An like tidal waves, threatening to drown him.
"You... will be mine!" A guttural, chaotic voice, not from his ears but from deep within An's mind, echoed like a reverberation from hell. "Your sight... will open... everything!"
An gritted his teeth, hot blood welling up in his mouth. He couldn't lose. He couldn't become the next victim. He couldn't let this demon fully escape.
An poured all his willpower into the Memory Crystal. The blue-purple crystal suddenly shone brilliantly, its light spreading around An, forming a faint halo. He visualized a colossal, imposing stone wall, carved with ancient runes, beginning to slam down. Not just one wall, but thousands of walls, thousands of layers of seals piling up, locking that gateway shut.
"Close it! Close it! Close it!" An silently screamed in his mind, repeating it like a mantra.
The Shadow Demon roared in anger, its black mass twisting wildly, its tendrils lashing through the air, trying to pierce An's shield of light. The immense mental pressure was so intense that An felt blood start to stream from his nose, his temples throbbing as if torn apart. He saw chaotic images of the Shadow Demon, the distorted faces of the victims, and other nameless souls being devoured by it.
Thanh Lam stood silently, her sharp eyes seemingly observing the battle within An's mind. She knew she couldn't directly intervene in this battle of wills. This was An's test, a path he had to walk alone.
A moment. Just one more moment. An felt like he was standing on the edge of an abyss. His energy was drained, exhausted down to every cell. But he didn't give up. He remembered what he had seen: My Tam's agony, Minh's horror, Duy's despair. He had to help them. He had to stop this demon.
With a final, furious growl, the Shadow Demon suddenly recoiled. Its black tendrils writhed, and its mass was pulled back into the "mirror stain" as if sucked by an invisible force.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
A terrifying sound echoed. Not a physical sound, but a shattering in the Mirror World, the sound of severed connections. An saw the colossal stone walls in his mind slam shut, locking, completely sealing the gateway. The light from the Memory Crystal flickered out.
An collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath, his whole body trembling as if about to faint. Blood from his nose soaked his shirt. He looked towards the wall.
The colossal "mirror stain" was gone. The old, stained wall remained, dark and lifeless. There was no longer any sign of the Shadow Demon. The air returned to normal, cold, but without the disgusting, putrid stench.
Thanh Lam walked over, kneeling beside An, her eyes revealing a rare hint of relief. "You did it, Duy An. You sealed it yourself. You saved yourself. And you gave those souls a temporary peace."
An looked up, his face pale. "It... it won't come back, will it?"
Thanh Lam shook her head. "It won't be able to escape from there anymore, at least not this way. But it's still there. And it will always find other ways. Its memories and energy are closely linked to My Tam and the others. To truly free them, you still need to find out what really happened, and resolve My Tam's deep-seated resentment."
"So... why did you help me?" An asked, looking at Thanh Lam. She had been there, guided him, but did not directly intervene.
Thanh Lam stood up, her gaze fixed on the darkness of the corridor. "I was once like you, Duy An. I once opened doors without knowing how to close them. And I lost loved ones because of my ignorance. I don't want that to happen to you."
She paused, then continued. "And because I believe not every soul needs to be obliterated. There are souls that need to be understood, to be freed. You have the potential to do that. Now, get some rest. You've fought a great battle."
An nodded, trying to stand up. He knew this was just the beginning of a long and dangerous journey. But at least, he wasn't alone. And he had passed his first test.