Journey into the Unknown
The group, now including Altharus—whom they knew as Ereleon—resumed their journey through the labyrinth. The air was thick with tension, and the walls of the ancient stone labyrinth were covered in luminescent moss that cast an eerie glow. Shadows flickered and danced around them as they walked, the silence only broken by the distant drip of water and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. The cold seemed to seep into their bones, an ever-present chill that hinted at the dangers lurking in the darkness.
They moved with purpose, guided by the woman who unsurprisingly turned out to be the leader, named Eclipsa. With Eclipsa's and Kieran's keen sense of direction they seemed to be on right path to their destination which was clear: find the Harbinger Seed.
As they traversed the winding corridors, they encountered a series of minor traps and puzzles. Arrows shot from hidden crevices in the walls, forcing them to duck and dodge with reflexes honed by constant vigilance. Trapdoors opened suddenly beneath their feet, but they managed to avoid falling into the abyss below. These minor challenges, while dangerous, were quickly and quite easily dealt with.
They came upon a door with a series of buttons arranged in a peculiar pattern. Kieran examined it closely. "This looks like a simple sequence puzzle," he said, his fingers tracing the symbols. "We just need to press the buttons in the right order."
After a brief discussion, they deduced the correct sequence and began pressing the buttons. As the door started to open slowly, it suddenly slammed shut, and from the ceiling a trap door silently opened and from it a monstrous creature fell from above. The beast was unlike anything they had seen before: a grotesque hybrid of a giant spider and a bat, its body covered in matted fur with leathery wings stretching out from its sides. The creature's many eyes glowed a sinister red as it landed directly on one of the group members, killing him instantly.
The group sprang into action, weapons drawn. The creature reared up, its wings spreading wide as it let out a blood-curdling screech. Its multiple eyes locked onto the remaining members of the group. Its fangs, dripping with a corrosive poison, glinted ominously in the dim light.
Ragnar, with his massive shield, stepped forward to confront the beast head-on. The creature lunged at him, its fangs bared. Ragnar raised his shield just in time, the impact sending him staggering back a few steps but holding firm. The sound of its fangs scraping against the metal was like nails on a chalkboard, and the corrosive poison began to eat away at the edges of his shield, hissing and bubbling.
"Eclipsa, flank it!" Kieran shouted, his daggers flashing as he moved in to attack the creature's legs. He slashed at its joints, trying to hamper its movements. The creature hissed in pain, its attention momentarily diverted.
Finn, the lead ranged attacker, positioned himself at a distance, his bowstring taut. He and the rest of the ranged attackers released a volley of arrows, each one aimed at the creature's eyes and weak spots. His precision strikes blinded one of its many eyes, causing the beast to thrash in fury.
Eclipsa moved swiftly, her spear a blur as she struck at the creature's side. Her first thrust found a gap in its defense, drawing a spray of dark green blood. The creature roared, its attention divided between Ragnar and the new threat.
Altharus saw his opportunity. He swung the longer chain on his left hand, aiming for the creature's wings. The six-meter chain wrapped around one of the leathery appendages, and with a powerful yank, he managed to pin the wing against the ground. The creature screeched in frustration, struggling to free itself. Altharus felt the strain in his muscles as he pulled with all his might. The weight of the creature was immense, and he could feel the rough metal of the chain digging into his wrist, causing it to bleed.
The other group members joined the fray. Thane, the remaining tank, charged at the creature with his axe, aiming for its hind legs. The blow landed with a sickening crunch, crippling the beast's mobility. Lyra, the lithe damage dealer, darted in and out, her twin swords slashing at the creature's flanks.
The beast retaliated with a swipe of its massive claws, narrowly missing Eclipsa but catching another member of the group, sending them crashing into the wall. The air filled with the sounds of battle—grunts of exertion, the clang of metal, and the creature's enraged roars.
Ragnar pushed forward, using his shield to bash the creature's head, disorienting it. "Now, Eclipsa!" he bellowed.
Eclipsa didn't hesitate. She drove her spear into the creature's exposed belly, twisting the blade to maximize the damage. The creature howled in pain, its thrashing becoming more frantic. One of its fangs managed to graze Ragnar's shield again, the corrosive poison further weakening it.
Altharus tightened his grip on the chain, using his weight to keep the wing pinned. He felt the strain in his muscles but held firm, knowing that if the creature took flight, they would be at a severe disadvantage. His wrist throbbed with pain, the metal cutting deeper into his flesh with each passing moment. Blood trickled down his arm.
The beast's movements became more erratic as it weakened, its blood pooling on the ground. Kieran continued to slash at its legs, his daggers moving with deadly precision. Lyra and Thane coordinated their attacks, striking at the creature's weak points with calculated blows.
Finn, seeing an opportunity, released another arrow that struck the creature's remaining eye. The beast roared, now completely blinded. It thrashed wildly, its movements growing more desperate and disoriented.
The healer, a young woman named Elara, moved through the group, giving it her best to mend to wounded with her first aid kits that she pulled out of her backpack, while her spells using Numina could only heal minor cuts since she isn't yet an Ascendant so her spells is still extremely weak.
Finally, seeing an opening, Ragnar swung his sword in a powerful arc, severing one of the creature's legs. The beast collapsed, its balance lost. Eclipsa moved in for the kill, her spear striking true and piercing the creature's heart. The beast let out one final, pitiful screech before falling silent, its body convulsing briefly before going still.
The group took a moment to catch their breath, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins. The creature lay dead at their feet, its dark green blood pooling on the ground. Altharus released his grip on the chain, his wrist throbbing with pain as he flexed his fingers, trying to restore some feeling to his numb and bleeding hand.
Eclipsa wiped her spear clean, her expression unreadable. "Is everyone alright?" she asked, her voice steady.
Elara moved quickly, checking on the injured. The member who had been thrown against the wall groaned, clutching their side. Elara knelt beside them, applying a bandage and murmuring soothing words. "You'll be fine," she said, her tone reassuring. "Just a few broken ribs."
Ragnar inspected his shield, grimacing at the damage. "This won't hold up much longer," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "We need to find that Seed and get out of here."
Kieran sheathed his daggers, his eyes scanning the chamber for any other threats. "Let's keep moving," he said. "We can't afford to stay in one place for too long."
The group pressed on, their pace quickened.
As they traveled through the labyrinth, Altharus got to know more about the group. Kieran, with his sharp eyes and quick reflexes, talked about his background as a scout and his ability to detect traps. He shared that he used to be a mercenary before being hired to join Eclipsa on her journey to close her first Seed and clear her first trial so she could become an Ascendant.
Eclipsa revealed that she was the daughter of the clan head of the once prestigious clan "Eternal Snow." Now, she was the only survivor of the clan. She didn't seem to want to talk about it further.
Ragnar spoke of his past as a blacksmith, attributing his strength to years of hard labor. He was in his mid-30s and had already cleared his first trial meaning he is already an ascendant. His rough hands and calm demeanor spoke of a man who had seen much and survived more.
Finn, a skilled archer, discussed his experience as a thief, explaining how his quick reflexes and survival skills had served him well in the labyrinth. He had a mischievous glint in his eye, and despite the dire circumstances, he often lightened the mood with a well-timed joke or a sarcastic comment.
As they navigated the twisting corridors and continued their conversations and introductions, they came across another room. This one was filled with a strange, almost ethereal light. As they stepped inside, they suddenly felt a shift in gravity. The sensation was disorienting; they began to float as if there was no gravity.
"What the...?" Finn muttered, his voice tinged with both awe and confusion as he started to float upwards.
"There's no gravity here," Kieran observed, pushing himself off the wall and drifting into the corner of the room. "Stay close to the walls."
The group began to drift through the chamber, pushing off the walls and each other to navigate. The lack of gravity made movement difficult. They soon found themselves examining the carvings for clues. Strange symbols and inscriptions seemed to hint at certain bricks on the walls, ceiling, and floor that needed to be pressed in a specific sequence.
They began to follow the clues, pressing the indicated bricks one by one. Each press resulted in a soft click, but nothing else seemed to happen. After completing the sequence, they found themselves back where they started, with no change in the chamber.
"Did we miss something?" Thane asked, scratching his head.
"Let's try it again." Finn suggested.
They repeated the process, following the clues and pressing the bricks in the same order. Once again, they ended up back at the beginning, with no visible effect.
"This doesn't make any sense," Lyra said, frustration creeping into her voice. "We're just going in circles."
Altharus floated in the middle of the chamber, looking at the symbols from a different angle. "Maybe the clues are meant to mislead us," he said thoughtfully.
The group began to search the chamber more thoroughly, feeling along the walls, ceiling, and floor for any hidden mechanisms or passages. Darius, one of the quieter members, moved carefully, his hands gliding over the carvings.
As Darius explored, he accidentally phased through the roof, disappearing from sight.
"Did anyone else see that?" Altharus asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
"He just vanished," Lyra said, her voice tinged with awe.
A moment later, Darius's voice echoed back down to them. "There's an exit up here! You have to phase through the roof!"
The group followed his instructions, pushing themselves upward until they too phased through the roof, emerging into a new corridor. The puzzle had been deceptive in its simplicity, and while it was annoying it was quite the interesting concept.
After they all exited the room, Finn said giddily. "Well, that was fun." with an annoying smile on his face.
They continued through the labyrinth, their spirits lifted slightly by their success. However, their relief was short-lived. As they entered another room, they came across a bridge spanning a dark chasm. The bridge looked sturdy enough, and without much thought, one of the members, a young man named Torin, stepped onto it while chatting with another.
The moment his foot touched the bridge, it gave way, and he plummeted through it. The group watched in horror as he fell, his scream echoing up from the depths of the chasm until it was abruptly cut off.
"Torin!" Elara screamed, her face pale with shock.
Kieran knelt at the edge of the chasm and touched the bridge, but his hand phased through it, looking down into the darkness. "It's an illusion," he said grimly. "The bridge was never there."
"We need to be more careful," Eclipsa said, her voice hard. "No more mistakes."
The group carefully navigated around the edges of the room, using the walls to guide them safely to the other side.
After what felt like days of traveling through the labyrinth, they came across a peculiar chamber. At its center was a dark purple object, pulsating with a sinister glow. Dark veins spread out from it, creating an intricate web that covered the floor around it.
"This must be it," Eclipsa said, her voice filled with both awe and dread. "The Harbinger Seed."
Altharus approached it cautiously, his eyes fixed on the veins. "What are those?" he asked, pointing to the dark lines.
Ragnar stepped forward, his expression serious. "Those veins indicate how many times the trial needs to be cleared. This one has eight veins, meaning it requires eight clearings in total."
"Eight?" Altharus echoed, a sense of foreboding settling over him. "What happens if we don't clear it in time, or if someone fails during the trial?"
"The Seed will bloom," Kieran explained. "And when it does, it opens a gate for Ancient Creatures to enter our world. The fatality rate inside a Seed is extremely high, over ninety-seven percent. Even if eight people enter at the same time, if one dies inside, someone else has to go in and clear it, basically each person clears 1 vein."
"How do we begin?" Altharus asked.
"We step into the Seed," Eclipsa said simply. "And hope for the best."
Before they could enter the Seed, the ground beneath them began to tremble. From the shadows emerged a pack of Ancient Creatures, their twisted forms and glowing red eyes a terrifying sight.
"Eclipsa, Ragnar, to the front!" Kieran shouted. "Everyone else, form up and prepare for battle!"
The group quickly fell into formation. Ragnar and Thane took the front lines, their shields raised. Eclipsa and the other damage dealers flanked them, ready to strike. The ranged attackers, including Finn, took positions at the back, arrows and spells at the ready. Altharus, still not revealing his dagger, stood at the rear with his chains ready.
The creatures attacked with ferocity, their guttural growls filling the chamber. Ragnar's shield took the brunt of the initial assault, the metal buckling under the force. Eclipsa's spear flashed out, striking a creature in the throat and sending it crashing to the ground.
Altharus swung his chain, wrapping it around one of the creature's legs and yanking it off balance. The creature fell, and Lyra was quick to strike, her twin swords slicing through its neck.
Finn's arrows flew true, finding their marks in the eyes and throats of the creatures. Kieran moved with deadly precision, his daggers flashing as he struck at the vulnerable points.
Despite their coordinated efforts, the creatures were relentless. One managed to break through the front lines, heading straight for Altharus. He swung his chain, but the creature was too quick, dodging the attack and lunging at him. Just as it was about to reach him, he swung his shorter chain right into its mouth making it bite the hard chain and then an arrow from Finn struck it in the eye, killing it instantly.
"Thanks," Altharus said, nodding to Finn.
"Don't mention it," Finn replied, not taking his eyes off the battle.
The fight was brutal, the group pushing themselves to their limits. The healer, Elara, moved through the group, doing her best to keep everyone alive with her limited healing abilities. She bandaged wounds and cast minor healing spells, her face a mask of concentration.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the creatures fell. The group stood panting, bloodied but victorious. They took a moment to catch their breath, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins.