Chapter 21: Into the Shifting Labyrinth
Eren stepped through the glowing gate, his vision briefly overwhelmed by the searing white light. When it dimmed, he found himself standing in a strange, disorienting space. The ground beneath him shifted slightly, as though it were alive, and the air shimmered with a faint, otherworldly haze.
The labyrinth stretched out in all directions, its walls composed of a seamless mix of stone, metal, and translucent glass. Strange symbols pulsed faintly along the surfaces, casting shifting patterns of light that made it difficult to determine where one corridor ended and another began.
The system interface flickered into view, its tone colder than usual.
Floor Objective: Locate and Activate the Keystone
Hazard Level: Variable
Special Condition: Maze in Flux – Pathways Change Every Five Minutes
Eren's stomach tightened. A shifting maze wasn't something he'd prepared for, and the countdown in the corner of the interface—4:59 and counting—was an ominous reminder of the limited time he had to act before the labyrinth reconfigured itself.
"Time to move," he muttered, gripping his dagger and stepping into the maze.
The first few corridors were eerily silent, with no signs of life or danger. The floor beneath his boots felt oddly warm, and the glowing symbols on the walls seemed to pulse faster as he passed. Every five minutes, a low rumble reverberated through the labyrinth, and the pathways ahead and behind him shifted with an unnerving fluidity.
Eren kept his pace steady, relying on his crafted scanner to map his surroundings. The device struggled against the labyrinth's flux, but it provided just enough data to guide him toward areas of stronger energy signatures—the likely location of the Keystone.
The maze, however, wasn't entirely empty.
Eren rounded a corner and froze as a shadow moved ahead of him. From the darkness emerged a creature—a sleek, feline-like form with crystalline claws and eyes that glowed like molten gold. Its body shimmered as though it were partially out of phase with reality.
Entity Identified: Flux Predator
Threat Level: Moderate
Behavior: Hunts by detecting energy surges. Avoid prolonged engagement.
The predator locked onto him instantly, its body lowering into a predatory crouch. Eren tightened his grip on his dagger, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to waste time or energy in a drawn-out fight, especially with the maze constantly shifting around him.
The creature lunged, and Eren reacted instinctively, sidestepping and slashing with his dagger. The blade struck the predator's side, but its shimmering form seemed to absorb the blow, leaving only a faint scratch.
"Great. You're resilient," Eren muttered, backing away.
The predator hissed, circling him like a shark scenting blood. Eren quickly scanned the environment for an advantage, his eyes landing on a cluster of unstable symbols pulsing erratically on the nearby wall.
He smirked. "Let's see how you like this."
Luring the creature closer, Eren triggered the unstable symbols with a precise strike from his dagger. The wall flared brightly, releasing a surge of energy that caught the predator mid-leap. The creature let out a distorted screech as its shimmering form destabilized, then collapsed into a heap of fading light.
Eren exhaled sharply, glancing at the system interface.
Flux Predator Neutralized
Tokens Earned: 5
The countdown flashed again—1:32 remaining before the maze shifted.
"No rest for the weary," Eren muttered, breaking into a jog toward the strongest energy reading on his scanner.
The Keystone Chamber
After navigating through several more flux shifts and narrowly avoiding a second predator, Eren arrived at a massive chamber. The energy here was palpable, a thrumming sensation that reverberated through the air and made his skin tingle.
In the center of the chamber stood the Keystone—a large, intricately carved monolith of obsidian, its surface covered in glowing runes. The symbols seemed to react to his presence, their light intensifying as he approached.
But the room wasn't unguarded.
Two towering constructs flanked the Keystone, their bodies composed of the same shifting material as the maze walls. They moved in perfect unison, their glowing eyes locking onto Eren as he entered.
Entities Identified: Keystone Guardians
Threat Level: High
Objective: Defend the Keystone.
Eren's pulse quickened. He wasn't sure how much time he had before the maze shifted again, potentially cutting him off from this chamber. He'd have to act fast.
The guardians moved first, their heavy steps shaking the ground. Eren dodged to the side as one swung a massive arm toward him, the force of the blow shattering the floor where he'd been standing.
"Alright, big guys. Let's see what you've got," he muttered, drawing a mana shard from his belt.
With a quick toss, he hurled the shard at the closest guardian. The explosion of mana energy staggered the construct but didn't damage it significantly. The second guardian retaliated, releasing a blast of energy from its chest that Eren barely managed to dodge.
"This is going to be a problem," Eren muttered, glancing at the Keystone.
A plan began to form in his mind. The guardians were strong but slow, and their movements were clearly tied to the Keystone. If he could disable the monolith's power source, he might be able to shut them down.
He activated his grappling hook, launching himself toward the Keystone. The constructs roared in response, their movements becoming more erratic as they tried to intercept him. Eren landed on the monolith and quickly scanned its surface, searching for a weakness.
There—an array of unstable runes near its base.
With precision, Eren placed a series of mana charges along the runes and activated them. The Keystone emitted a high-pitched whine as the runes destabilized, and the energy around the room fluctuated wildly.
The constructs froze mid-motion, their glowing eyes flickering before dimming entirely.
Eren jumped down from the Keystone as it powered down, the chamber falling silent. The system interface appeared.
Keystone Deactivated
Floor Complete
Tokens Earned: 25
Before he could catch his breath, the ground beneath him trembled. The maze's shifting pathways began to dissolve, replaced by a new portal glowing faintly in the center of the room.
"On to the next one," Eren muttered, stepping toward the portal, his resolve stronger than ever.