Kael followed, his hand instinctively brushing the edge of his dagger. The shard’s presence burned in his mind like a lingering ember, but he forced himself to focus on the shifting walls ahead. The labyrinth wasn’t just a trap—it was alive, adapting to their every move.
Kael barely kept pace as the corridor shifted underfoot, its stone floor groaning with each tremor. Elira moved ahead with practiced ease, her steps precise and deliberate despite the chaos around them. Kael, meanwhile, found himself tripping over loose debris and struggling to stay upright.
"Would it kill this place to stay still for five seconds?" he muttered, narrowly dodging a falling chunk of ceiling.
Elira shot him a withering glance over her shoulder. "Stop whining and keep moving. Unless you want to see how far the floor drops when it gives way."
[System Alert: Spatial Disruption Intensified]
Effect: -30% path predictability. Hostile encounters more likely.
Kael groaned. “Of course it’s getting worse.”
They reached an intersection where the labyrinth split into three jagged paths. Each corridor flickered with an eerie light, as if the stones themselves were undecided about their form. Runes along the walls pulsed erratically, their glow dim and untrustworthy.
“Which way?” Kael asked, panting.
Elira studied the paths, her sharp gaze darting between the unstable corridors. “None of them look good, but this one—” she pointed to the middle path, where the glow was slightly more stable—“might not kill us immediately.”
“That’s reassuring,” Kael said, but followed her lead.
The moment they stepped into the passage, the labyrinth seemed to respond. The walls closed in slightly, the air thickening with an oppressive hum. Kael’s shadow twisted unnaturally against the jagged walls, its movements no longer mirroring his own.
“Elira,” he whispered, his voice tight. “Something’s wrong.”
“I noticed,” she replied tersely, her bow already nocked.
[Enemy Detected: Glitched Constructs x3]
Level: 3
HP: 100 each.
The constructs emerged from the shadows, their forms a jagged mess of flickering polygons and static. They moved with jerky, unnatural speed, their sharp limbs scraping against the walls.
“More glitches,” Kael muttered, drawing his dagger. “Fantastic.”
Elira loosed an arrow before the first construct could close the distance, the projectile striking it squarely in the chest. The creature let out a distorted screech, its form dissolving into sparks and digital fragments.
[Critical Hit! Enemy HP: 0.]
The other two constructs surged forward, their jagged limbs slashing through the air. Kael ducked under one’s strike, rolling to the side as its claws scraped the wall where his head had been. He retaliated with a quick slash to its midsection, but his dagger barely penetrated its glitching surface.
[Damage Dealt: 15 HP. Enemy HP Remaining: 85.]
“They’re tougher than they look!” Kael shouted, backing away.
“Because you’re doing it wrong,” Elira snapped, loosing another arrow. Her shot hit the second construct in a weak point, causing it to stagger. “Go for the joints—they’re less stable!”
Kael grimaced but adjusted his approach. As the first construct lunged again, he aimed for its flickering knee joint. His dagger struck true, the creature collapsing into a sparking heap.
[Enemy Defeated! XP Gained: 50.]
The final construct hesitated, its distorted form flickering erratically. Before it could decide on its next move, Elira loosed another arrow, finishing it off with surgical precision.
[Battle Complete! XP Gained: 50. Total XP: 550/600.]
Kael leaned against the wall, catching his breath. “You make that look way too easy,” he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Because I know what I’m doing,” Elira replied, lowering her bow. “Try learning from it.”
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Before Kael could retort, the ground beneath them trembled violently. The walls groaned as deep cracks spiderwebbed across their surface.
[System Notification: Critical Collapse Detected. Evacuate Immediately.]
“Run!” Elira barked, already sprinting toward the far end of the passage.
Kael forced his aching legs to move, each step a battle against the unstable terrain. Behind them, the corridor crumbled, chunks of stone falling into the growing void. The oppressive hum grew louder, resonating in his chest like a drumbeat.
They burst into a wider chamber just as the passage behind them collapsed entirely. Kael stumbled to a stop, gasping for air.
“That was... way too close,” he panted.
Elira, unfazed, scanned the room with her bow still drawn. The chamber was larger than any they’d encountered so far, its walls etched with more intricate runes that glowed faintly. At its center stood a massive, circular platform, its surface inscribed with symbols that pulsed in time with the labyrinth’s heartbeat.
“We’re not out of danger yet,” she said, her voice grim. “Something about this place feels... wrong.”
Kael straightened, his eyes narrowing as he studied the platform. “What do you mean?”
Elira didn’t answer immediately, her sharp gaze fixed on the runes. “Just be ready,” she said at last. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
Kael’s chest still heaved from their mad dash through the collapsing corridor as he scanned the chamber. The massive circular platform at its center radiated a faint blue glow, its carved symbols shifting in a slow, rhythmic pulse. It felt alive, much like the labyrinth itself.
Elira stood nearby, her bow drawn but lowered, her sharp eyes darting between the platform and the walls. “Stay sharp,” she warned. “Places like this always have a catch.”
Kael smirked faintly, though his grip on his dagger remained firm. “You think it’s trapped?”
Elira gave him a sidelong glance. “When isn’t it?”
A soft vibration hummed through the air as Kael stepped cautiously toward the platform. The symbols on its surface flared brighter with each step, responding to his presence.
[System Alert: Node Synchronization Detected]
Environmental Stability: Moderately Increased.
The message blinked in Kael’s vision, and the oppressive hum of the labyrinth seemed to recede slightly. He glanced back at Elira. “It’s doing something.”
“Let’s hope it’s the good kind of something,” she muttered, inching closer.
Kael knelt, brushing his fingers over the edge of the platform. The surface was cool to the touch, despite the energy pulsing through it. As he concentrated, a new notification appeared.
[Priority Quest Progress: Node Core Restoration - 2/3 Fragments Acquired.]
Synchronize remaining fragments to complete restoration.
Kael frowned. “Two out of three? What’s the last piece?”
Elira joined him, her expression darkening as she read the notification on her own interface. “The System’s not exactly known for giving straight answers.”
Before Kael could respond, the room trembled slightly, and the glowing runes on the platform shifted, converging toward a single point. A faint, ethereal figure appeared above the platform, its outline hazy and unstable.
[System Avatar Detected: Support Unit - Corrupted]
Status: Incomplete. Requesting Stabilization.
The figure’s voice crackled to life, distorted but intelligible. “Edgeweaver. Ranger. Synchronization is critical. Stabilize or face complete collapse.”
Kael raised an eyebrow at Elira. “That doesn’t sound ominous at all.”
Elira’s jaw tightened, her eyes never leaving the flickering figure. “What kind of stabilization?”
The figure wavered, its outline fracturing. “Energy levels insufficient. Synchronization with primary Node required. Warning: Hostile interference imminent.”
Kael sighed. “Hostile interference. Naturally.”
The figure dissipated abruptly, leaving the room in silence for a brief moment. Then, the walls of the chamber flared with light, runes flashing erratically as the oppressive hum returned with a vengeance.
[System Notification: Hostile Entities Approaching]
Threat Level: Moderate.
Kael groaned, rising to his feet. “Here we go again.”
The first creature emerged from a dark corner of the chamber, its form glitching as it dragged itself into the light. It resembled a hound, but its body was jagged and unstable, its movements erratic. Behind it, two more followed, their glowing eyes locking onto Kael and Elira.
[Enemy Detected: Corrupted Hounds x3]
Level: 4. HP: 150 each.
Elira nocked an arrow, her movements fluid. “I’ll take the two on the left. Keep the other one off me.”
Kael activated Shadow Stitch, dark tendrils unraveling from his feet and lashing toward the lead hound. The threads coiled around its limbs, halting its charge.
[Skill Activated: Shadow Stitch - Restraint Mode]
Effect: Reduces mobility by 40%. Duration: 8 seconds.
“Got it!” Kael called, focusing on holding the creature in place.
Elira loosed an arrow, the projectile striking one of the hounds cleanly in its chest. The creature howled as its form fractured, its HP bar dropping sharply.
[Critical Hit! Enemy HP: 50/150.]
Kael darted toward the restrained hound, driving his dagger into its flickering form. The creature let out a distorted screech before collapsing into static.
[Enemy Defeated! XP Gained: 75.]
“Next!” Kael shouted, turning to see Elira finishing off her second target with a precise headshot. The last hound lunged at her, but she sidestepped smoothly, delivering a quick strike with her dagger to its side.
Kael moved to assist, but before he could close the distance, the creature dissolved into static under Elira’s final blow.
[Battle Complete! XP Gained: 75. Level Up Achieved: 2 → 3.]
Kael felt a surge of energy as his interface flashed with new notifications.
[Level Up! Skill Point Acquired. Attribute Increase: +1 Agility, +1 Mana.]
Elira lowered her bow, glancing at Kael. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” he replied, flexing his fingers as he studied the glowing platform. “But I think this thing’s just getting started.”