"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge. "
― Plato
"Be careful!" Ven waved as the group of seven stepped through the gate. He would leap through himself, if they called for help, but his gut told him it wasn't time for him to appear in the labyrinth. "Now… let's find a hidden corner and catch up on the many years of missed programming…"
A tremble in space brought him pause, a wave of familiar power that forced a sigh from his lips. Ven turned to face the sun as a mighty flare rose from its surface like a spear. A roar travelled the void and shook the Earths in the system star's orbit.
"HUSBAND… YOU HAVE RETURNED!!!" The head of a planet sized dragon pushed above the solar fire. It swivelled, as if scenting the air, before its eyes locked onto Ven's position. "I'M COMING, MY LOVE!!!"
Huan's mighty form exploded free of the sun, aimed at Ven's position like a missile. A smile touched his lips as he teleported closer, into space and away from the vulnerable Avalon. She had certainly grown up, a true dragon in every way.
Crystalline scales over glass clear flesh. The blood in her veins circled with every pulse of her heart, golden rivers visible to the naked eye. Four vast wings opened at her back, spread wide as she charged. The power in her body raised Ven's eyebrows. Huan had gone beyond the strength of most in his realm, a celestial dragon that stood equal to any of the top ten.
"Hello, Huan," Ven's aura extended to catch the woman's violent approach. He guided her to a stop, where she shrank down into the humanoid figure he remembered. "It's been a long time…"
"Look how strong I am, Husband!" Huan flexed her arms in a body builder's pose, still held imobile by Ven's aura. "Only Min and the Older Sister in the sun can defeat me…" She glanced at the shadow which stopped her advance. "And Husband, of course! You've grown powerful as well!"
"We've both definitely taken a step forward," Ven dismissed his aura and squinted at Huan, a gaze that looked within. "How did you get so powerful, so quickly?"
Huan had great potential, but she was far behind many of the others when he went to sleep. The draconic woman grinned, an image that brought to mind a hungry predator.
"Grandmother has been helping me purify the bloodlines inside me," Huan placed a hand over her heart. "She thinks I've got a real chance to become the kind of dragon the Gods feared," a flash of flame touched her eyes as she raised her fists. "I'm going to return glory to my people, with my Husband by my side!"
– – – –
"So, this is the gate to the lower levels…" Brull frowned at the icy portal, suspended in the air like an open wound. "Not exactly welcoming…"
"Indeed," Lucifer snorted as he probed the gateway with a pulse of shadow. "The lower we travel, the less fit for mortals the environment becomes… closer to the early days when creation was still in chaos."
"Let's move forward," Cain swept past the others and rose to meet the portal. His robe took on a red hue, eyes already crimson. "I want to see if cultivating under that star has returned me to my prime!"
"Seconded!" Fenrir's voice snarled from Lyra's throat. "My power must be tested, free of the sandbox of Ven's realm."
"We should still be careful," Brull frowned. He was somehow the most responsible one in his team, a bad sign for the future. "None of us actually know what's deeper than this abyss…"
The countries of the Relic World had delved deep, but this layer of demonic fire was always the end of their travels. Lucifer's palace was a safe zone, or it used to be. A place to trade resources between the first ten floors of the labyrinth. No kingdom had ever succeeded in delving lower. All who journeyed further down never returned.
"We have our escape keys, if we run into trouble," Lyra flashed an eager grin, lined up behind Cain. "Come on, aren't you interested in a real test of your strength?"
Brull sighed and moved to join the group, ready to step through the gate. His goals had changed over the years. All he wanted was safety and freedom for the inhabitants of Avalon's empire. This expedition was a way to test themselves, but it also endangered his home.
"Just remember, if we poke something strong enough, it might be able to follow us home," Brull settled Excalibur on his waist. He would be a liar if he said that he didn't want to test his ability, but his priorities were clear. "The Gate on this level leads to the heart of Avalon…"
A swarm of microscopic drones interrupted his warning. The Hive had arrived, already engaged in the construction of a fortress around the Gate. The industrious race of machines would provide some early notice, if anything crawled from the icy level below.
"Lighten up, young Brull," Lucifer slapped the knight's shoulders and guided the group forward. "Adventure awaits, and caution is best measured with action!" A shove and the Devil ushered them all into the cool embrace of the portal. "Let's see what purpose this labyrinth serves!"
– – – –
"Something's wrong…" Rafe crouched, hidden in the shadow of a tree in the third layer. This pace was the centre of activity in the labyrinth, yet only wild beasts roamed the forests. "Where are all the collection groups?"
The resources of this floor were the backbone of any Empire with access to the labyrinth, In this single position, hundreds of valuable herbs and magically charged items sat unharvested.
"The spirit of the land in this place is very quiet…" Christopher whispered from Rafe's side. His axe was ready in hand, sharp eyes on the lands ahead. "It's afraid of something, but it refuses to speak…"
"Let's move silent and slow," Rafe blended into the surroundings, invisible even to his friend. "We'll visit the frontier town and see if we can learn more…"