[Gradion City-Central Hospital]
"How is he?" Wanda asked Norman in a tearful voice. She held his hand and looked into his eyes, searching for some hope.
"Doctors said they don't know what happened to him." Norman replied in a grave tone. He shook his head and sighed, feeling helpless and angry.
They gazed at their son, lying still and lifeless, surrounded by wires and tubes. He was pale and bruised, and he had bandages all over his body.
Wanda sat beside him and gently stroked his hair. The news of his severe injuries was hard for her to believe; she always remembered him as strong and undefeated.
Norman couldn't bear to see his son on the bed any longer. He walked out of the room and headed towards the room where Ethan's team was resting.
"Are you all okay?" Norman asked them as he entered the room. He saw them sitting on the couches, looking tired and sad.
"..Yes, sir." Leo muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"Can you tell me what happened in the Labyrinth?" Norman wanted to know what could harm his son.
Ethan's team was silent. They couldn't find the courage to speak about what they had witnessed there. They had seen things that they couldn't explain, things that they wished they could forget.
“Everything was going alright. We cleared one floor, then moved to the next.” Emily continued, trying to sound calm.
“We reached the final floor, where we faced Agroth. He was the Gatekeeper of the temple, a powerful and evil being. We fought him with all our might, but it was futile. He was too strong. Ethan was the only one who fought him with determination and managed to create a crack in his armor. But then..."
She paused, recalling the horror of the fight. She shivered and closed her eyes, as if she was reliving it.
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"He pierced his heart with his spear." Mike continued, his voice breaking.
"After that, something strange happened. Something that we don't understand."
"What happened?" Norman asked, his voice trembling.
"Agroth went inside the temple. We prepared ourselves to fight him, but the centaurs started carrying Ethan inside the temple. We followed him."
"There, Agroth placed him inside some sort of magic circle, and casted some spell. The spear turned into fine particles and started surrounding Ethan's body."
"Then, all of sudden, Agroth chanted something and pierced his own heart. He also turned into particles."
"A message of Labyrinth cleared popped up and we all got teleported out of the Labyrinth and its portal also disappeared as if it never existed."
"What do you mean?" Norman asked, not understanding what Mike was trying to say. He felt confused and shocked, and a million questions in his head.
"Even I have no idea what happened there, but I think it is something that only Young Master knows." Mike suggested.
"What could it be?" Norman wondered. He felt worried and anxious, and a sinking feeling in his heart.
"Sir, Commander Gorgon has arrived." Butler informed him. He knocked on the door and entered the room, looking serious and respectful.
"Okay, tell him I'm coming soon." Norman said.
"He said he has answers for your questions and wants you to hurry up." Butler added. He looked urgent and concerned, and a hint of fear in his voice.
"What do you mean?" Norman asked. He felt curious and a sense of urgency in his mind.
"I don't know, sir. He has also brought the Association leader with him." Butler said. He looked surprised and puzzled, and a trace of doubt in his eyes.
"Okay, let's go." Norman said before turning to Emily. "Emily, you should stay with Wanda."
"Okay, Uncle." Emily said. She felt sad and lonely, and a tear in her eye.
Norman and the rest of Ethan's team exited the hospital and reached their car. They got in and drove away, hoping to find some answers.
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[Phoenix Headquarters – Meeting Hall]
"You all stay here." Trevor said to Ethan's team as they arrived at the headquarters.
"Okay, sir." they all nodded. They felt nervous and restless, and they waited outside the meeting hall.
Norman and Trevor went inside the meeting hall and saw Hans, Andrew, Gorgon, and Lucien waiting for them.
"You're here, Mr. Ryoko." Gorgon greeted Norman.
"Commander Gorgon, can you tell me what you know about Ethan’s condition?" Norman asked.
"You can find all the answers to your questions on this pen drive." Gorgon handed him a pen drive and continued, "But right now, we have a bigger problem over our head."
"What do you mean?" Norman asked. He took the pen drive and looked at it, wondering what it contained.
"It seems like the demon guild have decided to attack Ethan while he is injured." Lucien said.
"Is it true?" Norman turned to Hans.
"Yes. We have also noticed some suspicious movements from them." Hans said.
"We have formed a plan to deal with them, but we would need your help." Gorgon said.
"What is your plan?" Norman asked.
Gorgon explained his plan. He spoke with confidence and clarity, as if he had a solution.
"But this would put you in a lot of danger." Norman said as he heard the plan. He looked at Gorgon and shook his head, as if he disagreed.
"Don't worry; I'm ready to face any danger." Gorgon said.
"Okay, I'm with your plan, but may I ask you one thing?" Norman said. He looked at Gorgon and raised his eyebrow.
"Yes, please go ahead." Gorgon said.
"Why are you going so far to help my son?" Norman asked.
"Because he deserves a good life." Gorgon said in a mysterious tone. He looked at Norman and smiled, as if he knew something.
Norman didn't understand what he was trying to say. He looked at Gorgon and felt that there was a deeper connection between Ethan's condition and him.