Eternal Labyrinth

Blackgate couldn't understand it.

He had used his gates all his life, in every battle he'd faced. They had collapsed countless times, against overwhelming force, when his control slipped, or when he pushed them beyond their limits.

He had seen them break under pressure from opponents stronger than him, shatter when he misjudged the flow of mana, and collapse when faced with overwhelming attacks.

But this… this was different.

With just a single flicker of his eyes, Atticus had collapsed his gate. No overwhelming force, no drawn-out battle, just one moment, and it was gone.

No, it wasn't that he couldn't comprehend it. His mind was just finding it hard to accept. Blackgate could understand it in theory. Atticus had seized control of the gate, manipulating it from the inside and forcing it to collapse.

It was insane.

The fact that Atticus had taken control of his power so easily made Blackgate's pride burn.