"Panya! So you came!" Idir's face lit up with joy upon seeing his friend, and his warm smile was infectious. He approached her and patted her on the shoulder, his excitement palpable. Pointing toward the astral portal, he explained the upcoming adventure.

"This is a very interesting contraption called an astral portal. We'll be jumping in there to assist the ancient spirit. I'm thrilled to find out what kind of spirit awaits us. Whether it's an ancient beast or a warrior spirit, there's so much to learn. If it's anything other than that, well, I'm sure you'll find it fascinating, haha."

Idir's laughter filled the air as he took the lead, setting the party in motion. He reassured Panya with unwavering confidence.

"As always, you can rely on me, your sword. You're the brains for anything too complicated, my dear Panya. Now, let's embark on the hunt for the ancient spirit!" With those words, Idir stepped into the astral portal, ready for the mysteries and challenges that awaited them in the otherworldly realm. Assuming that Panya followed, once they stepped through the astral portal, they found themselves in a surreal and mesmerizing world that resembled the sands of ancient Egypt. The air was dry and arid, carrying a warm breeze that held the scent of desert sands. Above them, a vast, cloudless sky stretched out endlessly, its hue shifting between deep oranges and purples as the sun began its descent on the horizon.

The landscape before them was a breathtaking sight. Instead of the conventional pyramids that pointed towards the heavens, this strange realm featured pyramids that appeared to defy gravity, their tips buried deep in the sandy ground, leaving their wide bases pointing towards the sky. These inverted pyramids created a mesmerizing and otherworldly scene, casting peculiar, elongated shadows across the desert.

"Wait, is this .....right? Something doesn't seem right about that... shall we approach?" 

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Idir contemplated the peculiar nature of the astral world as he and Panya received an update on their mission from the mystical ghost-like figure, Nefurika, who possessed both human and feline features. The ancient spirit's story was one of tragedy and unintended consequences, involving a powerful sorceress from ancient Egypt who had a profound connection to the spirit world. Her quest to protect ancient knowledge and her involvement with the Devil's Triangle portals had led to her soul being trapped between realms, separated from her physical body.

The revelation shed light on the mystery of the upside-down pyramid and its connection to Nefurika's ritual. It seemed that her desire to safeguard sacred knowledge had inadvertently led to her current state of unrest.

"Alright, well that answers the question in regards to her unrest. Maybe that's why the pyramid looks that way. Through the ritual?" Idir mused, pondering the significance of the ritual and its impact on the astral world.

Observing the direction in which Nefurika pointed, Idir stretched briefly and then began to walk with determination. His words carried a sense of purpose.

"Alright, let's put her soul at ease, shall we?"


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Guided by Idir, Panya cautiously entered the first level of the reverse pyramid. As they traversed the interior, Idir suddenly halted and motioned for Panya to crouch beside him near the pyramid's entrance.

"Look," Idir whispered, "there seem to be some unexpected visitors." Their eyes were drawn to a bizarre scene: a mix of zombie-like feline creatures was navigating the maze, repairing it, and rebuilding it. However, each action they completed seemed to immediately unravel, as if they were trapped in a perpetual cycle, doomed to repeat their actions for all eternity.

"Have you ever used the reverse button on the remote control? You know, for those TV shows you missed. I did that, especially with National Geographic when I couldn't watch it live. Anyway, it seems like these creatures are stuck in a continuous loop. Could this be some kind of curse?"

To add to the peculiarity, the creatures were even speaking in reverse, further bewildering Idir. The question arose: could they hold a conversation with these beings if they were discovered?

Idir turned to Panya, seeking her opinion. "What's your take, Panya? Should we try to sneak past them?"

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"It's quite possible. " Idir said this as he took the words of Panya finding out that it was safe. It wasn't as if they decided not to interact with the new species, it was more like they couldn't do anything with them due to the curse that was going about within this temple. "Oh, it's quite surreal, but I wouldn't want to touch them in case something happens. " Idir said this as he observed the humanoids going off in their little world. Now that he was able to observe them up close, he did feel bad for them.

"Let's carry, on. Maybe during this adventure, we lift the curse?"

Moving forward, they entered the first part of the stage maze of regret. As they entered, the quest updated.

---

Mission update: stage 1 - To help Nefurika, the team must navigate through the maze, where each turn and corridor represents a pivotal moment in her life that led to her remorse. At each intersection, they must assist Nefurika in confronting and reconciling with her past actions.

---

"So we console her? I'll leave it to you to keep the ancient spirit stabilized Panya. I'll use my tracking skills to get us out of this maze. " With that, Idir led the way for the sake of navigating through. Panya would soon find that her senses would link with the spirit as they traveled, every turn recalled a bad moment in the ancient spirit's life. It was up to Panya as to what she would do with that information.


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Idir nodded as they walked, his gaze shifting between the spirit and Panya, who was tending to it. "A tragic history of rulers indeed, but trouble has a way of finding even those with the purest of intentions. We can't discount the possibility that enemies may have conspired against her, leading to these unfortunate events," Idir mused. He understood that jealousy often ran rampant in monarch-based societies, and Nefurika might have had her share of adversaries and assassins.

"Looks like this is the exit," Idir announced as they reached a pathway leading to a different area, causing the quest to update once more.

---

Stage 2: The Trial Of Forgiveness - In this ethereal realm, manifestations of individuals or entities affected by Nefurika's actions materialize as ethereal guardians. These guardians hold the keys to her forgiveness and redemption. Each guardian presents a unique challenge related to the harm caused by Nefurika's past mistakes. To help Nefurika seek forgiveness and make amends, both emotionally and spiritually, the team must overcome these challenges. If their efforts are sincere, the guardians will reveal the final path.

---

This time, the apparitions of individuals from Nefurika's kingdom appeared before them. They stood silently, their eyes glowing blue, as if waiting for Panya to address them. Idir scratched his head and turned to Panya, suggesting, "It seems like you need to convey a message to them. Try channeling the spirit's emotions again."

As Panya channeled Nefurika's persona and reached out to the ethereal crowd, her heartfelt speech began to resonate with the restless spirits. The once-agitated apparitions gradually calmed, their expressions shifting from anger to a more receptive understanding. Some nodded in acknowledgment of Nefurika's confession, while others engaged in whispered conversations among themselves.

As Panya concluded her speech with a plea for passage and an end to the spirits' torment, a solemn atmosphere enveloped the surroundings. The spirits appeared to deliberate for a moment, their collective mood transitioning from hostility to contemplation. It was clear that Nefurika's words had deeply affected them, connecting with their own experiences of past transgressions and regrets.

After a tense silence, a spectral figure with a regal bearing stepped forward from among the ethereal crowd. This figure had been particularly hostile initially, but now it regarded Panya with a softened gaze.

"You carry the weight of your past mistakes, Nefurika," the spirit declared, its voice resonating through the surreal landscape. "Your humility and acknowledgment of your errors have touched us. We grant you passage, for we too have borne the burden of regrets."

With a unanimous agreement among the spirits, they parted, allowing Panya and Idir to proceed on their journey to assist Nefurika in finding peace.

"That was beautiful, great job, my comrade," Idir praised with a smile, patting Panya on the back for encouragement. "You've really mastered this possession skill. Now you know how it feels when I transform into creatures; it's like an Uber rideshare."

With renewed determination, the group moved forward, facing their final challenge. It led them to a room filled with mechanisms adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphics that appeared quite heavy to manipulate.

---

Final Challenge - Utilize Nefurika's knowledge to turn the gears in the correct order to restore the ritual and enable the pyramid to ascend to its heavenly destination. A B-rank power or higher is required to turn the gears.

---

Cracking his knuckles, Idir turned to Panya and grinned. "Here's the final hurdle, and I'll handle the heavy lifting. Just instruct me on the degrees to turn each gear and the order in which to do it."


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