The maze had settled, its twisting walls now silent and still, as if the Pyramid itself was waiting, watching for Alastor’s next move. He could still feel the lingering weight of his surrender, the way the maze had shifted only after he relinquished control. It had been a battle of wills as much as a test of survival, and he wasn’t sure whether he had passed or merely survived.

Beside him, Nyx moved with unnerving calm, her expression as unreadable as ever. The glow from the hieroglyphs on the walls illuminated her sharp features, casting her in a strange, ethereal light. She had been a steady presence during the trial, guiding him out of the mental traps, but something about her calmness felt deeper than just her usual confidence.

As they walked further into the now-straightened path of the maze, Alastor’s mind lingered on the cryptic things Nyx had said during the trial. Her words, her knowledge of the Pyramid, had been too precise, too personal.

He glanced at her, unable to shake the feeling that there was something she wasn’t telling him. "You knew how to get through that trial," he said, his voice low but sharp. "More than just instinct or skill. You knew exactly what it was. You’ve been here before, haven’t you?"

Nyx’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes. She didn’t slow her pace, simply continuing forward as if his question was expected.

"Let’s just say I’ve walked these paths before," she replied, her voice cool, almost casual.

"That’s not an answer." Alastor stopped walking, forcing her to pause and face him. His eyes narrowed, his suspicions now confirmed. "You’ve been holding back. You know more about the Pyramid than you’ve let on."

For a moment, Nyx remained silent, her eyes studying him with that familiar, dangerous glint. Then, she sighed, tilting her head slightly, as if deciding how much to reveal.

"Do you think I became this good by accident?" she asked, her tone shifting to something darker, more serious. "Do you think I just picked up these skills overnight?" She stepped closer, her gaze locking with his. "You don’t survive in this world without being part of something bigger. Something ancient."

Alastor’s pulse quickened, but he didn’t flinch. "What are you talking about?"

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Nyx’s smile was thin, humorless. "The Pyramid isn’t just a shadow organization that kills for power. It’s a legacy. A bloodline. And some of us…" she hesitated, her eyes flicking to the hieroglyphs on the wall, "some of us are born into it."

Alastor’s mind raced, piecing together the implications of her words. Nyx wasn’t just a skilled assassin—she had a direct connection to the Pyramid itself. That’s why she had known so much, why she had been able to navigate the trials so effortlessly. She wasn’t just another player in this deadly game. She had been trained for it.

"My family," Nyx continued, her voice softer now, almost wistful, "was part of the Pyramid for generations. We were assassins, bound by blood to serve the order. We were born into the trials, raised to understand the ancient ways. To live and die by the will of the gods."

Alastor felt a chill run down his spine. He had always sensed something dangerous about Nyx, something beyond her skill with poisons and stealth, but he hadn’t realized just how deep her ties went. "So, why leave? Why work alone?"

Nyx’s jaw tightened, her gaze darkening. "My family wasn’t content with just serving. They wanted more. They thought they could rise higher than the gods, take control of the Pyramid itself. But the Pyramid doesn’t tolerate ambition like that." She turned away, her voice colder now. "They were erased. Every single one of them."

Alastor stared at her, understanding dawning on him. She hadn’t just survived in this world—she had been hunted by the very people who had trained her. The Pyramid had tried to wipe her out, just as they had wiped out her family. And yet, here she was, still standing.

"How did you survive?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Nyx’s eyes flashed, a mixture of defiance and something else—something darker. "I learned their game. I played by their rules. I became what they feared. And now, I’m playing a different game. One they don’t even see coming."

Alastor’s mind buzzed with the implications. Nyx had been trained by the very organization that now hunted him, but she had outlasted them, had found a way to carve out her own path in the shadows. She wasn’t just dangerous—she was a walking time bomb, one who knew the Pyramid’s inner workings better than anyone.

"Why are you helping me?" Alastor asked, his suspicion still lingering. "If you could do all of this on your own, why bother with me?"

Nyx’s smile returned, but this time it was sharper, more dangerous. "Because, Alastor, you’re not like the others. You’re not just some pawn in their game. You’ve already died and come back. That makes you valuable. And if we’re going to bring the Pyramid down, we need to play this smart."

Her eyes gleamed with something dark, something that both excited and terrified Alastor. She had her own motives, her own goals, and he knew better than to trust her completely. But for now, their interests aligned.

"I’ve been playing this game far longer than you realize, Alastor," Nyx whispered, stepping closer, her breath warm against his ear. "But with you… we might finally change the rules."