The labyrinth sprang to life around them, a dizzying maze of shifting crystal walls that pulsed with an otherworldly light. The air shimmered with a faint hum, like the sound of a distant, vibrating wire, making the atmosphere feel alive and unnervingly watchful. Alex turned in a slow circle, trying to make sense of the ever-changing terrain.
“This place is like one of those carnival funhouses, except it’s definitely not fun,” Alex muttered, gripping his energy blade. “And where’s the exit? Because I’d like to file a complaint.”
Amira was already studying the shifting walls, her mind working to identify a pattern. “Focus, Alex,” she said sharply. “This isn’t a joke. That woman said we had to prove ourselves, and I don’t think we’ll get a second chance if we fail.”
“Great, no pressure,” Alex said, taking a deep breath. “Do you think this ‘prove yourself’ nonsense involves fighting more of those oversized lizards?”
As if in response to his question, a guttural growl echoed through the labyrinth, followed by the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against crystal. Amira tightened her grip on her weapon, her eyes scanning their surroundings for movement.
“Looks like you just answered your own question,” she said grimly.
The growling grew louder, and then, from around the corner of one of the walls, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared. The creature from before—or perhaps another of its kind—stalked into view, its black-scaled body blending eerily with the shadows cast by the glowing crystals.
“Of course it’s back,” Alex muttered, backing up as the creature advanced. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
The beast let out a deafening roar and charged, its claws tearing into the crystal ground as it closed the distance between them. Amira fired her sidearm, but the bolts merely glanced off the creature’s thick scales.
“Alex, move!” she shouted, sidestepping as the beast lunged.
Alex dove to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the creature’s snapping jaws. He hit the ground hard, groaning as he scrambled to his feet. “Okay, plan A isn’t working! What’s plan B?”
Amira didn’t answer. Instead, she scanned the labyrinth, her sharp eyes catching the faint glow of a blue crystal embedded in one of the walls. The woman’s words echoed in her mind: Help is earned, not given.
“We need to find those crystals,” Amira said, dodging another swipe from the beast. “I think they’re part of the trial.”
“Great,” Alex said, darting away from the creature. “How do we do that while not becoming lizard food?”
“Keep it distracted,” Amira said. “I’ll handle the crystals.”
“Distracted?” Alex repeated, his voice rising an octave. “You want me to babysit the murder monster?”
Amira didn’t answer. She was already sprinting toward the glowing blue crystal, leaving Alex to fend off the creature. He let out a resigned sigh, brandishing his energy blade.
“Okay, big guy,” he said, his voice shaky but defiant. “It’s just you and me. Let’s dance.”
Amira reached the crystal and immediately noticed the intricate markings etched into its surface. They were similar to the runes on Aros’s staff, though far more complex. As she studied the crystal, it began to pulse in rhythm with her heartbeat, as if responding to her presence.
“Come on, come on,” she muttered, reaching out to touch it. The moment her fingers made contact, a surge of energy coursed through her body, and the crystal’s glow intensified. A series of runic symbols lit up, projecting a faint beam of light toward the center of the labyrinth.
“Got it!” she shouted over her shoulder.
Alex, who was still dodging the creature’s attacks, risked a glance at her. “That’s great! Now what about the other ten crystals we probably need to find?”
Amira ignored his sarcasm, scanning the labyrinth for more glowing crystals. Sure enough, she spotted another one—this time a green crystal—embedded in the wall several yards away. But reaching it meant crossing paths with the creature again.
“Alex, keep it busy!” she yelled, already moving toward the next crystal.
Alex groaned but held his ground, waving his energy blade at the beast. “Hey! Over here, you overgrown gecko!” he shouted, slashing at the air to keep its attention.
The creature roared and lunged at him, forcing Alex to dive out of the way once more. “I am so regretting my life choices right now,” he muttered under his breath.
Amira reached the green crystal and repeated the process, her heart racing as she activated it. Another beam of light shot toward the labyrinth’s center, joining the first. The air around them seemed to shift, and for a moment, the walls of the labyrinth paused their movement.
“Two down,” she said, turning back to Alex. “We’re making progress.”
“Progress?” Alex shouted, narrowly avoiding the creature’s claws. “It still wants to eat me, Amira!”
Before she could respond, the ground beneath them trembled, and a second creature emerged from the shadows. This one was slightly smaller but just as menacing, its glowing red eyes locking onto Amira.
“Now there are two of them?” Alex exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic. “This is officially the worst trial ever!”
Amira raised her weapon, her jaw set. “We’ve come too far to give up now,” she said. “Keep moving. I’ll handle this one.”
Alex didn’t argue. He sprinted toward the next glowing crystal, cursing under his breath as he ran. The first creature gave chase, its claws scraping against the ground with a bone-chilling sound.
Amira, meanwhile, faced off against the second creature, her mind racing. She knew she couldn’t take it down with brute force, but perhaps she could outsmart it. She fired her weapon at the crystal walls behind the creature, causing a section of the labyrinth to collapse and cut off its path.
“That should buy me some time,” she muttered, turning her attention back to the crystals.
As the minutes dragged on, Alex and Amira worked together to activate the remaining crystals, their movements a desperate dance of survival and determination. Each new beam of light brought them closer to their goal, but the creatures grew more relentless with every step.
Finally, they activated the last crystal, and the beams of light converged at the labyrinth’s center. The ground shook violently, and the crystalline walls began to crumble, revealing a massive, glowing door.
“That’s our way out!” Amira shouted, running toward the door.
Alex followed, the creatures hot on their heels. “I hope this thing works, because I am not sticking around to find out what happens if it doesn’t!”
The door began to open as they approached, its light washing over them in a blinding wave. The creatures let out enraged roars, but the light forced them back, their forms dissolving into the shadows.
Alex and Amira stumbled through the door just as it sealed shut behind them, cutting off the labyrinth and its horrors. They collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
“Well,” Alex said after a long silence, “that was… character-building.”
Amira gave him a tired smile. “We survived. That’s what matters.”
As they caught their breath, the shimmering figure of the silver-haired woman reappeared before them. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a hint of approval in her piercing blue eyes.
“You have proven your worth,” she said. “But the true test lies ahead.”
Before they could respond, the ground beneath them began to shift again, and they were plunged into darkness once more.