Kael and Mareth sat by the dying glow of the molten rivers, their bodies battered, their breaths shallow. The chamber where they had faced the molten beast was eerily quiet now, the oppressive heat subsiding as the creature's shattered remains cooled into lifeless obsidian.
"Another day, another near-death experience," Mareth muttered, his voice tinged with a mixture of exhaustion and dark humor. He flexed his fingers, wincing as the gash on his arm throbbed painfully.
Kael didn't respond immediately. His gaze was fixed on the shard in his hand a pulsating fragment of dark energy that felt both empowering and foreboding. It seemed to radiate a faint hum, resonating with the labyrinth itself.
"Do you feel that?" Kael finally asked, his voice low.
Mareth glanced at the shard. "Feel what?"
Kael held it up slightly, his eyes narrowing. "The power in this thing.
Mareth shivered despite the lingering warmth in the air. "Great. That's exactly what I needed to hear right now. You sure you don't want to say something comforting instead?"
Kael smirked faintly, his face streaked with dried blood and soot. "Would it help?"
"Not at all," Mareth replied, leaning back against a cracked pillar. He closed his eyes for a moment, the tension in his body finally easing as he let himself rest.
The faint glow of their sigils had faded to almost nothing. Their mana reserves were dangerously low, and the healing potions they had barely patched up their wounds.
"How long do you think we have before the labyrinth throws something else at us?" Mareth asked, cracking one eye open to glance at Kael.
"Not long," Kael said grimly, standing and sheathing his sword. His body ached with every movement, but his resolve remained unshaken. "We need to recover quickly. The fifth floor is the core of this labyrinth, and whatever's waiting there... it's going to be worse than anything we've faced so far."
Mareth groaned, dragging himself to his feet. "Worse than a molten beast the size of a house? Fantastic."
Kael ignored the comment, his eyes scanning the room for a safe spot to rest. At the far edge of the chamber, there was a jagged outcropping of cooled obsidian that offered some cover. "Over there. We'll rest for an hour, then move on."
Mareth grumbled but followed, clutching his side as he walked. Once they settled into the relative safety of the outcropping, Kael pulled out what remained of their supplies a single mana recovery potion and a few scraps of dried rations.
"Not exactly a feast," Mareth said, eyeing the meager rations.
"It's enough to keep us moving," Kael replied, handing Mareth half of the food. He uncorked the mana potion, taking a small sip before passing it over. "We'll split this too. No point in either of us burning out completely."
Mareth took the bottle, downing the rest in one gulp. "Better than nothing," he muttered, leaning back against the stone.
For a while, they sat in silence, the only sound the faint crackle of cooling rock. Despite the calm, the tension in the air was palpable. The weight of the labyrinth pressed down on them, a constant reminder that this brief respite was all they could afford.
Kael finally broke the silence. "The fifth floor is the core. That means it's where the labyrinth draws its power from. If we destroy it, the entire structure might collapse."
Mareth raised an eyebrow. "Might collapse? As in, we might be buried alive?"
Kael shrugged. "It's a risk."
"Fantastic," Mareth said, shaking his head. "And here I thought things couldn't get worse."
Kael allowed himself a small smile. "You've survived this long, haven't you?"
"Barely," Mareth shot back. He sighed, running a hand through his sweat-matted hair. "What do you think is down there? Another monster? Some kind of... core guardian?"
"Probably both," Kael said. "Whatever it is, it'll be powerful. And it'll do everything it can to stop us."
Mareth nodded slowly, his expression grim. "Then we'd better be ready."
As their brief rest came to an end, they began preparing for the descent. Kael inspected his sword, the blade still faintly glowing with residual energy from the battle. It had served him well so far, but he knew it wouldn't last forever.
Mareth checked his armor, tightening the straps and wiping away the worst of the blood and grime. "No point in looking pretty," he muttered, "but I'd like to keep my guts inside, thanks."
Kael smirked faintly but said nothing.
Finally, they stood at the edge of the chamber, staring down at the massive, spiral staircase that led to the fifth floor. The air grew colder as they approached, a stark contrast to the blazing heat they'd endured earlier.
"This is it," Kael said, his voice steady despite the tension in his shoulders. "No turning back now."
Mareth gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles white. "You always know how to give the worst pep talks."
Kael glanced at him, his expression softening slightly. "Just stay close. We'll get through this."
Mareth gave a small nod, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Right behind you."
With that, they began their descent, the darkness of the labyrinth's core swallowing them whole. Every step echoed ominously, the air growing heavier with each passing moment.