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The labyrinth had a peculiar way of making time feel like it was both endless and fleeting. One moment, Kaelen felt like they had been walking for days, the oppressive air closing in on them. The next, the walls shifted again, pulling them into yet another trap, a new set of challenges designed to break their resolve.
This time, the change was immediate.
The stone underfoot gave way to a thick, almost tangible fog that clung to their legs and made each step feel like they were wading through a swamp. The oppressive heat that had once marked their journey had been replaced by a biting cold that sank into their bones. Kaelen shivered, though his Wrath Points burned steadily beneath his skin, a reminder that no matter what the labyrinth threw at him, he had power in his rage.
The narrow corridor ahead of them suddenly expanded, revealing an open area filled with a vast garden of twisting, thorn-covered vines that seemed to grow out of the stone itself. The plants shifted and hissed as though they were alive, their sharp, jagged thorns dripping with some kind of poisonous sap. The very air seemed thick with danger, a dark, unsettling beauty that made Kaelen's instincts scream for them to turn back.
"What the hell is this?" Ariella whispered, her eyes darting around the garden. Her sword was already drawn, its blade gleaming cold in the dim light.
Kaelen's hand tightened on his dagger, every fiber of his being on edge. "A test," he muttered. "The labyrinth loves its metaphors."
Seraphine stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the scene. "The labyrinth is showing us our weaknesses again. Thorned paths, impossible choices. It's trying to remind us that no matter how much power we get, we're still vulnerable."
Ariella scowled, brushing a hand against one of the vines. "I hate the way this place thinks. First, it tricks us with illusions of power and now this? I don't like it."
Kaelen grinned, though it was more out of defiance than amusement. "I've fought through worse. Let's see what it's got."
As they stepped further into the garden, the vines seemed to grow in response to their movements, twisting and shifting like they were alive, sensing their presence. Kaelen couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. It was almost as if the labyrinth itself had eyes, always lurking, always aware.
The air grew colder, the vines thicker, and Kaelen could feel his mind starting to cloud once again. He had to stay focused. He could feel his Wrath Points slowly rising, the anger inside of him growing with every step, as though it were feeding off his unease.
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**Wrath Points: 125 / 20.**
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Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the garden, sending a shiver up Kaelen's spine. From the thick mist ahead, a creature emerged, moving with the grace of a predator. It was tall, almost human in shape, but covered in jagged armor made from the thorns of the vines themselves. Its eyes were glowing red, its teeth sharp and gleaming.
The creature snarled and raised its arms, and the vines around them seemed to react in kind, reaching out like living snakes, hissing and twitching. Kaelen gritted his teeth, his heart pounding in his chest. This was no mere guardian. This was a challenge, a physical manifestation of the labyrinth's twisted desire to break them.
"I'm guessing it's not here to offer us a drink," Kaelen muttered.
Seraphine's expression tightened. "That thing is a manifestation of the labyrinth itself. The thorns, the vines—they're all part of it. We'll have to fight through."
Ariella stepped forward, her sword held tightly in both hands. "Then let's fight."
Kaelen couldn't help but smile at the fire in her eyes. She had always been ready to face any challenge head-on. But this time, it felt different. The vines weren't just obstacles—they were part of the creature. If they were to defeat it, they'd have to deal with both the physical and the metaphysical threat at once.
The creature raised its arm and with a roar, sent a surge of thorny vines rushing at them, aiming to bind and crush.
Kaelen acted immediately, his dagger flashing through the air as he sliced through the vines with precision. His anger surged in response to the creature's aggression, and the feeling was intoxicating. Every strike felt like a release of pent-up frustration.
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**Wrath Points: 130 / 20.**
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The vines recoiled, but the creature lunged forward, its thorns gleaming dangerously. It was fast—faster than Kaelen expected, its limbs moving with an unnatural speed. He barely managed to dodge the first strike, the sharp thorns scraping against his arm. The pain was immediate, but Kaelen gritted his teeth, ignoring the sting. His rage was all-consuming now, the world narrowing into a tunnel of focus.
"Kaelen, watch out!" Ariella shouted, but he didn't need her warning. He was already moving, sidestepping another vicious swipe from the creature.
The creature's eyes locked on Kaelen, its red gaze filled with malice. It was testing him, pushing him to the limit. But Kaelen wouldn't let it win. His Wrath Points were growing rapidly, filling him with a sense of power that made his senses sharper, his reflexes faster.
With a feral grin, Kaelen lunged forward, ducking under a sweeping thorn-covered arm. He found an opening and drove his dagger deep into the creature's side, right where its armor of thorns seemed weakest. The creature screeched in pain, but it didn't stop.
Ariella and Seraphine moved in together, flanking the creature on both sides. Seraphine's magic crackled in the air, sending arcs of energy flying at the creature's head. Ariella's blade shimmered in the low light as she struck at the vines that tried to restrain her.
But the creature wasn't done yet.
It roared, thrashing wildly, sending a wave of thorns in every direction. Kaelen barely managed to leap out of the way, but the vines wrapped around his legs, dragging him to the ground. He struggled, but they tightened, making it harder to breathe, harder to move.
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**Wrath Points: 140 / 20.**
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Kaelen's mind exploded with fury, the anger inside him a roaring tide that threatened to drown him. The vines were nothing. The creature was nothing. He would tear through them both.
With a scream, Kaelen's dagger glowed with the intensity of his Wrath Points. He slashed through the vines binding him, the blade cutting through them as if they were nothing but paper. The creature shrieked in fury, trying to charge him again, but Kaelen was ready.
He didn't need to think—he acted on instinct. With a final, savage blow, Kaelen drove his dagger through the creature's chest. It let out a bone-chilling cry before collapsing, its body disintegrating into dust as the vines shriveled and died.
The silence that followed was deafening.
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**Wrath Points: 150 / 20.**
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Kaelen stood over the creature's remains, panting heavily. His body ached from the battle, but he felt alive, more alive than ever. The labyrinth had thrown its worst at them, but they had made it through.
"Is it over?" Ariella asked, her voice wary but tinged with relief.
"For now," Seraphine said, glancing around. "But we know better than to think we're out of the woods yet."
Kaelen grinned, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. "Bring it on. I'm not done yet."
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