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Ray and Alkan stepped out of their shelter, their movements tense with anticipation. The dim, shifting corridors of the labyrinth stretched before them, the bioluminescent veins along the jagged walls casting eerie, pulsating glows. The air was thick with dampness, carrying a faint metallic scent that had become far too familiar.
They had to reach the gate—the one Alkan had seen in his vision. It was their only way forward.
Even though they had glimpsed it before, retracing their steps was impossible. The labyrinth never remained the same. Paths twisted, walls shifted, and what was once an open passage could now be an impassable dead end. Worse, Alkan’s future vision—his only way of predicting the safest route—was failing him. The closer he got to reawakening, the more unreliable his power became.
Ray cast a glance at his companion. Alkan moved with quiet determination, but Ray could see the tension in his jaw, the way his remaining hand clenched and unclenched. His body was reaching its limits.
“This way,” Ray muttered, keeping his voice low. Alkan followed without hesitation, though each step seemed heavier than the last.
They walked for nearly an hour, every step a battle against the disorienting nature of the labyrinth. The oppressive silence was broken only by the faint echoes of their movements. Then, without warning, the walls trembled. A guttural growl rumbled through the passage ahead—low, menacing, primal.
Ray’s breath caught in his throat.
A Fallen Outer.
Its grotesque form emerged from the darkness—twisted limbs, sinew exposed in patches where its flesh had been eaten away by time. Empty sockets stared in their direction, glowing faintly with something unnatural. It was a beast—lacking the intelligence of the higher-ranked creatures—but that wouldn’t make it any less lethal.
Ray didn’t hesitate. “Run.”
They turned on their heels, sprinting in the opposite direction. The beast let out an earsplitting screech and lunged forward. Despite its size, it moved unnervingly fast, its elongated limbs propelling it through the ever-shifting corridors.
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Ray’s heart pounded in his chest. The labyrinth twisted around them, forcing them to change directions constantly. Passages that should have led to safety instead turned into dead ends. No matter which way they ran, the beast was always just a step behind.
Ray’s mind raced. We’re not going to outrun it.
His grip tightened around his chokutō. “Alkan,” he panted, glancing at his companion. “We have to slow it down.”
Alkan grimaced. He understood what needed to be done, but Ray knew he wasn’t in any condition to fight. Not like this.
“I’ll handle it,” Ray said before Alkan could protest. “You focus on staying alive.”
Then he pivoted sharply, lunging at the beast. It reacted instantly, swiping at him with claws as long as daggers. Ray ducked, rolling beneath the attack. His body screamed in protest, but he pushed through the pain, using his momentum to drive his blade upward—straight into the beast’s only eye.
A shriek tore through the air. The creature thrashed violently, black ichor spraying across the walls as it stumbled back. Ray yanked his blade free and turned to Alkan.
“Now!”
Ray didn’t waste another second. He grabbed Alkan and threw him onto his back, gripping his legs tightly before bolting away.
Even blind, the beast still pursued them. It tracked them through scent, through sound, through the faint presence of their essence. The labyrinth itself conspired against them, shifting unpredictably, but Ray pressed on. He ran until his legs burned, until his vision blurred from exhaustion.
Then, a sharp cry of pain.
Alkan tensed, his fingers digging into Ray’s shoulder. “It’s… my soul core…” His voice was strained, barely above a whisper.
Ray’s stomach dropped.
Alkan’s body went limp. His breathing grew shallow.
Not now. Not now!
Ray adjusted his grip, forcing himself to move faster. But he couldn’t outrun this thing forever. He needed to do something.
Desperation clawed at his mind. He needed to awaken.
If he could circulate his soul essence—even a little—it might give him the strength to keep going.
Ray grit his teeth, focusing inward. He tried to grasp the essence within him, to guide it, to force it to move. But it was like trying to hold onto smoke. It slipped through his grasp, untamed and unyielding.
Pain exploded in his skull. His vision blurred. The labyrinth twisted into a chaotic storm of colors and shifting shadows. Every nerve in his body screamed.
And then—
Nothing.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
The next thing he knew, he was on the ground.
His body refused to move. His head throbbed, a dull ache spreading through every inch of him. His consciousness flickered, the world tilting around him.
Then—
A voice.
“…Ray.”
His eyes fluttered open, barely making out the dimly lit ceiling of a cavern. A shadow loomed over him.
Alkan.
Ray’s breath hitched. “You’re… awake?”
Alkan nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “I woke up and found you like this. You passed out.”
Ray groaned, forcing himself upright. His limbs felt like lead. “The beast?”
“Gone. For now.”
Ray exhaled shakily. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but they were still alive. Barely.
Alkan sat beside him, his back against the cold stone wall. His breathing was steady, but his face was pale, strained. “You carried me the whole way, didn’t you?”
Ray managed a tired grin. “Wasn’t gonna leave you behind.”
Alkan huffed a small laugh. “Idiot.”
Despite everything, Ray felt a flicker
of relief. They had survived. But their journey wasn’t over yet.
The gate was still waiting.
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