As the topiary wolf lunged, Dabria cackled with delight, her sword-whip lashing out with a sharp crack. She deliberately held back her power, toying with the creature, letting its serrated leaves scrape harmlessly against the ethereal shield she conjured around herself. The Crimson Lions, however, didn't wait to see how long her amusement would last. Ryker barked orders for the group to fall back, retreating down the twisting cobblestone path until they stumbled into a small clearing sheltered by a massive, twisted tree with violet leaves.
Breathing heavily, the Crimson Lions regrouped, their expressions a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. The miasma was growing stronger with every step, its effects gnawing at their strength. As they caught their breath, Visha stepped into the clearing, calm and composed as always, her black notebook tucked under one arm.
Dabria arrived moments later, brushing stray bits of leaves from her cloak with a grin that was far too wide. "Oh, that was exhilarating," she said brightly. "You should've seen how cute it looked when it realized it couldn't hurt me. Poor thing."
"'Cute' isn't the word I'd use," Kade muttered, glaring at her. "And thanks for distracting it, but maybe next time don't enjoy it so much."
Visha ignored the banter, although she secretly had to disagree with Kade. Her Dee was very cute when she was having fun. Stepping forward with a small sigh. "Here," she said, reaching into her spatial ring and pulling out several crystal-clear bottles. Each one gleamed faintly, the light inside shifting with subtle hues. She handed each member of the Crimson Lions two potions: one filled with a light turquoise liquid and the other with a deep, viscous maroon.
"What are these?" Ryker asked, holding the bottles up to the dim light, his wariness evident.
"The turquoise potion is a mana resistance elixir," Visha explained, her tone clinical. "It will help slow the effects of the miasma on your body. It's not a cure, but it'll stabilize your vitals for a time."
"And the maroon one?" Kalum asked, eyeing the thicker potion warily.
"An energy booster," Visha replied simply. "It's designed to counteract the fatigue the miasma causes, at least temporarily. It'll give you the strength to keep moving until we reach a proper safe zone."
Ox took a swig of the turquoise potion immediately, grimacing at its bitter taste. "Why didn't you give us these earlier? Back when we were sitting near that statue? We could've used them then."
Visha arched an elegant brow, her pale-green eyes cold. "I didn't give them to you earlier because I hadn't finished calibrating their effects," she said bluntly. "Had you taken them while you were resting, the potions would've amplified the miasma's effects instead of mitigating them. The energy booster, for example, requires your body to be in motion to metabolize correctly. You'd have collapsed in minutes."
Talia, holding her potions like fragile relics, stared at Visha in disbelief. "And you couldn't have told us this?"
"I didn't feel the need to explain myself," Visha replied with a faint smirk. "But rest assured, the next time you rest, I'll make a better batch. These are passable, but I'm already noting ways to refine them." She pulled her black notebook from her spatial ring and began jotting notes, completely unconcerned with their reactions.
Dabria leaned against the twisted tree, giggling softly. "Hehe. I bet Wifey's potions are one of a kind. If you're lucky, I'm sure she could make some that don't taste like misery and regret."
"Misery and regret?" Elias echoed, looking at the turquoise potion with even more suspicion. "What exactly is in this?"
Visha didn't even glance up. "You don't want to know."
Ryker sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You could work on your bedside manner, you know."
Visha shrugged, snapping her notebook shut. "I'm not here to coddle you. My potions will keep you alive. That's all that matters."
Kalum shook his head, uncorking the turquoise potion with a resigned sigh. "Fine, but if I drop dead after drinking this, I'm haunting you."
Dabria chuckled, her grin sharp. "Oh, darling, you wouldn't be the first."
As the Crimson Lions reluctantly downed their potions, Visha watched them with detached interest, already considering how she could improve her next batch. The labyrinth loomed ahead, its pathways dark and foreboding, but her mind was focused on the possibilities—the ways she could further perfect her craft, even in this poisoned paradise.
The Crimson Lions drank their potions reluctantly, their faces twisting into grimaces as the concoctions worked their way through their systems. The turquoise potion was bitter and cold, leaving a tingling sensation in their throats, while the maroon potion was thick and metallic, with a faintly spicy aftertaste that burned as it went down. Despite the unpleasant flavors, they could feel the effects almost immediately. Their breathing steadied, their hearts no longer felt like they were being squeezed, and the oppressive weight of the miasma seemed to lift slightly.
Kalum wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, grimacing. "That… was awful."
Talia coughed, shaking her head. "Terrible. But…" She flexed her fingers, testing the energy returning to her limbs. "It works. I feel less like I'm dying, so thanks, I guess?"
Visha nodded slightly, her attention already shifting to the path ahead. "You'll feel a bit lighter, but don't push yourselves too hard. These effects are temporary, and overexertion will still leave you vulnerable. Use the reprieve wisely."
Ryker studied his potion bottles for a moment before tucking them into his belt. "We'll take what we can get. If this helps us survive the labyrinth, then it's worth it." He looked up at the twisting, shadowed paths ahead. "But we need to keep moving. The longer we stay in one place, the greater the chance something finds us."
Dabria let out a soft, delighted laugh, stretching languidly against the tree she'd been leaning on. "Oh, Guild Master, always so serious. The garden's not going to devour us just yet." She turned to Visha, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief. "Wifey, are you ready to face more of Achlys's little pets? That wolf earlier was such a darling—though a bit rude, don't you think?"
Visha gave her a sidelong glance, her pale-green eyes betraying a flicker of amusement. "It's hardly my fault you decided to 'play' instead of eliminating it."
Dabria grinned, completely unrepentant. "Oh, come now. A little fun never hurt anyone."
Ryker cleared his throat loudly, cutting off their exchange. "If you're both done reminiscing, we need to decide on our next move."
Elias, who had been inspecting the faint glow emanating from the labyrinth's walls, spoke up. "The system mentioned 'pets of Achlys.' That wolf wasn't the only one. If the labyrinth is alive, the creatures here are likely tied to it. They might act as guardians or scouts."
Ox hefted his ax onto his shoulder, his voice low and steady. "Doesn't matter what they are. We deal with them as they come."
Kalum, still recovering from the potions, looked uneasily down the paths. "We just have to hope we don't run into anything worse than that wolf. If those statues up ahead move, we're in trouble."
Visha's gaze flicked to the path lined with grotesque topiary statues, her expression unreadable. "They'll move," she said simply, her voice devoid of emotion. "Achlys doesn't create obstacles for decoration. The question isn't if they'll attack—it's when."
Dabria clapped her hands together, her voice filled with mock cheer. "Oh, I do love a challenge! Shall we see how sharp their claws are?"
Ryker sighed heavily, his patience visibly wearing thin. "Dabria, I swear—"
"Save it," Visha interrupted, her tone curt. She turned on her heel, striding toward the center path without waiting for agreement. "We need to move. This isn't a debate."
The Crimson Lions exchanged wary glances before following her lead, their weapons drawn and their senses sharp. The air grew colder as they moved deeper into the labyrinth, the soft hum of energy growing louder with each step. The topiary statues loomed on either side of the path, their grotesque forms casting long, twisted shadows that seemed to move in the dim light.
As they passed the first statue—a snarling wolf with razor-sharp leaves for fur—Kalum couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder. For a moment, he thought he saw the statue's head tilt slightly, its hollow eyes glinting faintly.
"Did that…?" he started to say, but before he could finish, the growl came.
Low and guttural, it rumbled through the air like a warning. The group froze, their eyes snapping to the statues as the shadows around them shifted and writhed. The wolf's head turned fully now, its mouth opening to reveal rows of jagged, glistening thorns. One by one, the other statues began to move, their forms cracking and twisting as they came to life.
"Here we go," Ryker muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.
Visha's voice was calm, almost bored. "I did say they'd move."
The first wolf lunged, its thorn-covered body slicing through the air like a living weapon. Dabria stepped forward with a gleeful laugh, her sword-whip snapping out to intercept it. "Let's play, little pet!"
As the fight erupted around them, Visha stepped back slightly, her pale-green eyes glinting as she watched the chaos unfold. The Crimson Lions fought valiantly, their movements precise but strained as they worked to fend off the relentless attacks of the animated statues. Meanwhile, Visha activated her [Pestilent Insight], studying the patterns of the statues' movements and the faint energy lines connecting them to the labyrinth.
Her mind was already calculating, planning. She would let them fight for now, but when the time came, she would strike where it hurt the most.
The battle raged on, the animated statues attacking with relentless ferocity. Each movement of the topiary wolves was unnervingly precise, their jagged, leaf-covered bodies tearing through the air like living blades. Thorn-laden tails lashed out, their strikes cracking against stone and steel alike. The Crimson Lions fought hard, their coordinated strikes keeping the creatures at bay for now, but the oppressive miasma sapped their energy with every passing second.
Dabria, in stark contrast, seemed to revel in the chaos. Her sword-whip cracked through the air, slicing cleanly through the foliage of one wolf's legs, causing it to stumble. "Oh, look at them go!" she called out with a laugh, her dark eyes gleaming with delight. "Achlys certainly knows how to make her pets entertaining!"
Ryker was less amused, his teeth gritted as he parried a lunging attack from another wolf, its thorned claws scraping against his blade. "Dabria, stop playing with them and finish it already!" he barked, frustration seeping into his tone.
She tilted her head, pretending to consider his words as she sent her whip slicing through another wolf's midsection. "Hmm, finish it now… or let them suffer just a bit longer? Decisions, decisions."
Visha, standing a few paces back from the fray, remained calm, her pale-green eyes scanning the battlefield with analytical precision. Her [Pestilent Insight] illuminated the faint energy threads connecting the statues to the labyrinth itself. The lines pulsed faintly, spreading from a central point further ahead, deeper into the maze.
"They're tethered," she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible amidst the sounds of battle. "Their movements are linked to the labyrinth's core."
As one of the wolves lunged toward Kalum, who was beginning to falter, Visha raised a hand. With a flick of her wrist, a wave of shimmering green miasma flowed from her fingers, enveloping the creature in a cloud of decay. The wolf froze mid-attack, its foliage rapidly wilting and turning black under the corrosive power of her [Famine] skill. Within moments, the once-menacing statue crumbled into a pile of ash and twisted vines.
Kalum stumbled back, his breathing ragged, but managed a grateful nod in Visha's direction. "Thanks… I think."
Visha didn't respond, her attention already returning to the energy threads. She traced their faint glow with her eyes, her mind racing. "These are distractions," she said aloud, her voice cutting through the din. "The real threat lies ahead."
Ryker, mid-swing, managed a glare in her direction. "A little late for that observation, don't you think?"
"No," Visha replied coolly, stepping closer to the center of the clearing. "We need to end this quickly. Dabria."
At her name, Dabria perked up, her grin widening. "Yes, darling?"
Visha gestured toward the remaining wolves, her tone calm but firm. "Stop playing and finish them. Now."
Dabria pouted theatrically but didn't argue. With a flick of her wrist, her sword-whip coiled tightly around one wolf's neck, the sharp blades embedded in its edges slicing through with ease. She yanked hard, severing the head in a shower of leaves and thorns. "Fine, fine," she said with mock exasperation. "You're no fun, Wifey."
Within moments, the remaining wolves were dispatched, their animated forms reduced to piles of lifeless foliage. The clearing fell silent once more, save for the faint hum of energy resonating through the labyrinth.
The Crimson Lions regrouped, their breaths heavy as they took stock of their injuries. Ryker turned to Visha, his frustration evident. "If you knew they were distractions, why didn't you say something earlier?"
Visha's smirk was faint but unmistakable. "You were holding your own. It seemed unnecessary to intervene until now."
Talia let out a sharp laugh, wiping a streak of dirt from her face. "Unnecessary? We were getting shredded out there."
"You're still alive," Visha replied simply, her tone devoid of sympathy. "That's all that matters."
Dabria leaned casually against a nearby wall of foliage, twirling her sword-whip idly. "Oh, don't take it personally, little lions. Wifey just likes to let you flail a bit before swooping in to save the day."
Kalum, still catching his breath, muttered under his breath, "Flailing doesn't feel so great when it's your life on the line."
Ignoring the banter, Visha gestured toward the path ahead. "The energy lines converge further into the labyrinth. That's where we'll find the next challenge—and likely the Core. We need to move before the labyrinth adapts."
Elias frowned, adjusting his glasses as he glanced at the now-lifeless wolves. "Adapts? What do you mean?"
Visha's gaze was sharp. "This place is alive. The labyrinth isn't just a dungeon; it's a living entity tied to Achlys herself. Every second we waste gives it time to create new obstacles, new threats. The pets we just fought were only the beginning."
Ryker nodded grimly, sheathing his sword. "Then let's keep moving, but we really need to find a safe zone soon, otherwise Ox will collapse. He hasn't said a word since we entered the labyrinth." His gaze flicked toward the massive man, whose usually solid, unshakable presence now seemed diminished.
Ox stood slightly hunched, his breaths labored, a faint sheen of sweat glistening on his brow despite the cool, toxic air. His grip on his ax was still firm, but his silence was deafening. The man who typically spoke in low, steady grumbles now said nothing, and his pale complexion betrayed how much the miasma had affected him.
Kalum glanced at Ox, worry evident in his expression. "Yeah, I noticed that too. He hasn't even cracked one of his usual 'let's crush it' lines. That's… unsettling."
Talia frowned, moving closer to Ox. "Ox? You good? Say something."
Ox lifted his head slightly, his dark eyes meeting hers, but he remained silent. His lips parted as though he were about to speak, but the words didn't come. Instead, he gave a slow, heavy nod, his exhaustion written across his features.
Visha, observing the interaction, walked toward Ox with her usual detached calm. Her pale-green eyes scanned him from head to toe, her [Pestilent Insight] activating instinctively to analyze his condition. She clicked her tongue softly. "He's reaching his limit. The miasma is draining him faster than the rest of you."
Ryker's jaw tightened. "Why? Is it because of his size?"
"No," Visha replied, her tone clinical. "It's because he's been taking the brunt of the physical exertion. Carrying that ax, engaging the most in direct combat—it's taxing. The miasma amplifies fatigue and suppresses stamina regeneration. His resistance is faltering."
Dabria skipped over, leaning in close to Ox with an almost teasing expression. "Aw, poor Ox. Don't worry, big guy. We'll find you a nice, cozy spot to collapse soon."
Ryker shot her a glare. "This isn't the time, Dabria."
Dabria pouted dramatically. "Oh, relax. I'm just saying, Wifey and I will make sure he doesn't die. Probably."
Ignoring her, Visha reached into her spatial ring and pulled out another potion—this one a vivid emerald green, its contents swirling with faint flecks of gold. She handed it to Ox without ceremony. "Drink this."
Ox hesitated for a moment, then took the potion, his massive hands dwarfing the delicate bottle. "What… is it?" he finally rasped, his voice hoarse.
"A restorative elixir," Visha replied. "It won't fully counteract the miasma, but it will stabilize your stamina and give you enough strength to keep moving. Don't expect miracles—it's a patch, not a fix."
Ox uncorked the bottle and downed its contents in one gulp. He grimaced at the taste, but after a few moments, his breathing began to steady. Some of the color returned to his face, and his stance straightened slightly.
"Thanks," he muttered, his voice still rough but stronger than before.
Visha nodded curtly. "Don't waste it. The effects won't last long."
Ryker exhaled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Alright. Let's move, but we keep an eye out for a safe zone. If anyone sees anything remotely defensible, call it out."
The group pressed on, the oppressive labyrinth closing in around them with every step. The air grew heavier, the paths twisting in ways that defied logic, and the distant hum of energy grew louder, like a heartbeat echoing through the walls. The statues and plants seemed to watch them as they moved, their presence a constant reminder of the labyrinth's dangers.
Kalum fell in step beside Ryker, his voice low. "How much longer do you think we can keep this up? The miasma's getting worse."
Ryker's expression was grim. "I don't know. But we don't have a choice. We push forward, find the Core, and end this. That's the only way any of us get out of here alive."
From ahead, Visha's voice cut through the tension, calm and unbothered. "If you stop worrying and focus on the task at hand, you might surprise yourselves. Fear is only as powerful as you allow it to be."
Dabria laughed softly, her voice lilting. "Oh, Wifey, you do know how to inspire. Truly a motivational speech for the ages."
Ryker rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, but he didn't argue. Instead, he tightened his grip on his weapon and motioned for the group to keep moving. They didn't have time for fear—or rest. The labyrinth wouldn't allow it.