The monstrous tauric creature loomed before me, its grotesque form blocking the path to the gate. A low, guttural growl rumbled through its chest. My heart raced, and my breath came in frantic bursts as I desperately scanned my surroundings for any escape route. Any attempts to come up with a plan were ruined the moment it started swinging his giant blade.

  Everyone scattered. I jumped back and felt the wind from the weapon as it missed me. There were a few poor souls who didn’t get out of the way fast enough and were instantly bisected. Blood sprayed across the dirt, the sharp metallic scent cutting through the dust in the air.

  That was when everything broke down. The last few bystanders had gone from watching me to fleeing for their lives, screaming.

  “Rollow is rampaging!” someone shouted, their voice quickly getting lost the growing chaos.

  This thing was with Layith when I first arrived. And now I have to deal with it alone.

  The creature’s lobster-like hand twitched as it turned its massive head toward me. Its tiny eyes locked onto mine. And its drool production seemed to multiply and spill out from its toothy maw. Almost like it was waiting for me to run.

  I did.

  I turned on my toes and sprinted back the way I had come, away from the gate and deeper into the town. My feet slapped against the ground, every step kicking up puffs of dry sand. The people in front of me kicked up their own clouds of sand that I had to run through.

  Nobody bothered to try to catch me anymore as they started fleeing too. The creature let out a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver down my spine as it chased me. Its six thick legs propelled it forward with astonishing speed. Each step caused the ground to quake beneath its immense weight.

  I darted down a narrow alleyway that looked like it might be too small for it to follow me. That didn’t stop it. It barreled into the buildings, sending chunks of debris flying as it continued to follow me. Bricks flew past my head, skittering along the ground. A jagged piece almost poked out my eye.

  Even a stone building can’t stop this thing? Why do they keep it around?

  I kept running. It seemed like every corner I turned, I was met with more winding turns. All the dust and dry air burned in my lungs. The creature was relentless. Its enormous form burst through the narrow passages with wanton abandon. It wasn’t gaining on me. That was my only saving grace. Either the buildings were slowing it down, or I was simply faster.

  I need a plan, and I need it fast.

  The host should look ahead.

  As I sprinted through the labyrinthine streets, I spotted a towering stack of crates up ahead.

  Yeah. That could work. If I can’t out run or out manuver him, I’ll take a path he can’t possibly take.

  I changed direction and, without slowing, I leaped at them. My hands caught the rough wooden edges as I scrambled upward. Splinters jabbed into my palms, but I ignored the sting. My nanites pushed them out before I reached the top of the crates.

  I pulled myself onto the roof just as Rollow's claw slammed into the wall below, the impact shaking the building beneath me. I didn’t wait to see if it would hold him back. I ran, my boots thudding against the flat roof, and launched myself across the gap to the next building.

  The wind rushed against my face, carrying the dry heat of the desert. With the unprotected sun beating down on me, making things feel much hotter. Each step made me acutely aware of how little energy I had left.

  The creature let out a frustrated snort and started destroying the building with its blade and claw. I sprinted and jumped to the next building, circling back to the gate. It stopped destroying buildings as I got away even faster from it. But I could still hear it somewhere behind me.

  As I leaped from building to building, I could feel myself getting more and more exhausted. But I had made it close to the gate, and I was out of buildings to jump to.

  The coast was clear, so I jumped to the ground. My feet hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my knees as they buckled beneath me. I groaned, feeling the sharp ache, but my nanites kicked in without waiting for permission. No. Don’t heal that. Not yet.

  They nanites didn’t listen. Orange used the energy to heal me. My energy bar was about to start flashing. Layith was right, the gate was wide open. I staggered to my feet, just in time to hear the distant clang of metal. The gate was closing.

  I wanted to roll my eyes. I wanted to express how unfair this whole situation was, but that would have taken energy—energy I didn’t have to spare. And it sounded like Rollow had escaped the alleyways to catch sight of me again. The ground pound of his footsteps drove me to run faster.

  My vision blurred as I pumped my arms and legs faster. Breathing was difficult, and I knew I wasn’t breathing enough. The gate was halfway shut, the gap narrowing by the second. The door had nearly closed when I reached it, so I dove through at the last moment. I caught a face full of sand as I landed.

  All the sand scraped against my skin and stuck to my sweaty skin. What didn’t stick slid down into my clothes and got into some very uncomfortable places. But the sound of the metal gates clanging shut behind me told me I was safe.

  I rolled over to see nobody was around, and I watched the gate. There was a wheezing in my breath as I tried to catch it. My heart felt like it was going to explode, and my muscles were pushed well past their limit. But I was safe.

  Then, without warning, there was a heavy crash as something ran into the gate from the inside. The doors didn’t break, but I saw them deform as if something massive rammed into them. I stared at the warped black metal, feeling a cold dread settle in my stomach. That thing doesn’t know when to quit, does it?

  A second crash followed, but the doors held. Barely. Maybe I should get going and wait for Layith. I need those potions now more than ever. So I pulled myself to my feet and headed towards the expanse of desert.

  As I felt the world around me started shifting, I concentrated on the idea of the next level of the Nexus. Soon I was standing in front of a pyramid. A nice, simple pyramid. I saw pictures of the Egyptian Pyramids, but to see one in a fantasy world in person changes your perspective on them.

  They’re huge! Or at least this one is. It’s got to be at least a hundred feet tall. What is that on top of it? Something on top of the pyramid reflected the sun’s rays, making it seem brighter, like there was a star on it. Even my enhanced eyes couldn’t filter through the light and see what it was.

  Insufficient information. But the host should limit movements to conserve energy. If the individual known as Laylith doesn’t arrive the host will likely die.

  As intriguing as it was, I sat down and rested while I waited for Layith to show up. My efforts to extract the sand from places it didn’t belong was an exercise in futility. There was too much sweat on my, and until that dried, the sand just stuck and smeared even worse.

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  I sat down at the base of the pyramid, near the small entrance to it. There was a bit of shade, so I enjoyed it while it lasted. As I sat and waited, my mind wandered more than I liked to. My thoughts kept drifting to Killa’s death and to the look of her frozen face. Each time it did, tears fell down my face.

  Even though I’ve known her for such a short time, seeing her die hurts so much. She was a closer friend than I’ve ever had.

  The sun was directly above me, stealing away any shade I had earlier, when Layith showed up; Killa’s bag slung over his shoulder. I wanted to get up and greet him, but I felt extremely lethargic.

  “You made it.” Layith pulled the bag back over his shoulder. “After I heard that Rollow was rampaging, I thought he might have gotten you.”

  “No, he didn’t. He got close though.” I pointed at the bag. “Thanks for coming. Also, thank you for bringing that bag. A part of me believed that you wouldn’t show up and take the money and run.”

  Layith chuckled. “If it had been anyone else, they would have.” He dropped the bag next to me. “The potions are in the bag. I was able to haggle for eight of them. Each one is supposed to be worth five meals.”

  “I guess that’s fair,” I said as I opened the bag and reached in for a potion. “Keep the change.”

  I popped the top and gulped the potion as quickly as possible. I drank them so quickly I didn’t even taste them. Then I grabbed another and repeated the process until all but one of them were gone. Just in case. The nanites buzzed in my chest as they devoured the potions almost as quickly as I did.

  Layith shook his head. “There is something wrong with someone who just eats thirty-five meals without blinking.”

  I shrugged. “If that’s the worst thing wrong with me, I’ll be happy. Unfortunately, it’s not. Now I have to live with it.” I watched my energy bar fill up and then a third of the way up the next bar. “That should keep me covered for a while.”

  Layith turned and started leaving. “Now that I’ve done my good deed, I’ll go and calm Rollow down.” It felt like I should say something, but I didn’t know what to say. He stopped and turned his head. “Whatever your wish is, I hope this chaos is worth it.”

  He left before I could say anything.

  What is my life really worth? What is anyone’s?

  Despite my filled energy bar, Layith’s comment bugged me and I slowly headed into the pyramid. The air was cooler by virtue of the sun not beating down on me. The halls started dark, but then, after a short walk, torches lit up along the walls without me touching anything.

  Okay, that’s a red flag. I looked around for any sign of a trap. I don’t know why I bothered looking, because I didn’t know what to be looking for. Since the path is so conveniently lit, I might as well follow it. There’s nowhere else to go.

  As I ventured deeper into the pyramid, my footsteps echoed through the corridor as I followed the path. The air grew heavier, and I approached a large chamber. The room opened up to reveal a vast, dimly lit space. In the center, an imposing sphinx rested on a stone archway. The sphinx was sleeping as its tail swayed lazily across the oddly placed doorway.

  The tawny fur of the lioness’s body contrasted with her white feathered wings and a beautiful human head. She had short black hair on her human head, and she looked like she was dreaming as she smiled with her eyes shut tight.

  I gulped. Please don’t wake up. Please don’t wake up. There were no exits or paths out of the room, so I could only guess that the archway was important to going up to the next level of the Nexus. As I took my first step into the room, the sphinx lifted her head.

  The sphinx spoke, her voice echoing through the chamber in a melodious, rhythmic tone. “Welcome, traveler, to my home,” the sphinx began. She spoke with a weird cadence. “To ascend, you must first prove your wit. Answer my questions; fail, and in my belly you’ll fit. You must answer my questions three. Succeed, and the other side, you will see.”

  As if to punctuate her point, she tapped the top of the archway with her claws, and a pearlescent swirl of colors churned in the gate. That’s where I need to go. The sphinx stood up and stretched like a cat before hopping down in front of the gate, her wings spread out wide.

  “It seems you have some fame. But what is your name?”

  The simplicity of the question caught me off guard. It can’t be that easy, can it?

  It is.

  “Rina Lone.” I tried to sound confident, but the oddity of what it asked seemed far too easy.

  The sphinx’s eyes sparkled with approval. “Correct, but there’s more ahead, so you cannot rest. For what is your quest?”

  I furrowed my brow. Okay, something’s not right here.

  The sphinx can’t possibly know the host’s specific reason for climbing the Nexus. The answer must be far simpler than expected. We believe the host should answer with the reason every person comes to the Nexus to do: climb it.

  “To climb the Soul Nexus and reach the top,” I replied. “I have a wish that I want to be granted.”

  The sphinx grinned. Her teeth were sharp, like those of the lioness’ body she had. “Well done, traveler. But I find you most peculiar. One question remains for you to persist.”

  She dissolved into grains of sand, and I then felt something rest on my shoulder and press against my back. The sphinx was much larger than me, something I failed to realize with how far apart we were.

  “Why do you exist?” she purred in my ear.

  I almost blurted out an answer, but I stopped myself. The answers have been deceptively simple. But can she really know the answer to this question? It’s better to assume that she does. She knew my name, after all.

  Again, we suggest the host keep the answer simple.

  Don’t worry, Orange. I’ve got this one.

  I swallowed hard. “I exist because someone created me—an artificial soul.”

  The sphinx let out an almost imperceptible whine. “It seems your wit is true.” She then padded to my side and pointed to the gate with her wing. “But with no wings, can you fly higher than those greater than you? From this place, you are free. After all, you are hunted and must flee.”

  It’s creepy that she knows. But I’m not going to ask how either. Probably magic. She knew the other answers. But…

  I eyed the sphinx. “So what’s with the rhymes?”

  The sphinx had a playful glint in her eyes. She let out a soft, purring laugh. “Rhyming is my favorite game to play. It keeps my boredom at bay.” Her face beamed with a wide smile. “And though it may seem strange, it’s a tradition of my kind. Think of it as a way to test the minds that, through this realm, wind.”

  I couldn’t help but smile back. She’s bored. That’s not surprising, given that it looks like she spends all her time down here. “Can’t you get out from time to time?”

  Her wings and head drooped. “No.” She glared at me. “Now go.”

  I flinched back. Alright, point taken. Don’t aggravate the dangerous sphinx lady. I took a deep breath, and as I stepped closer to the gate, ready to cross the threshold to the next level of the Soul Nexus, something in the back of my mind tingled.

  This is the first floor I’m climbing. Even though this is the second floor, I’m truly beginning my journey through the Soul Nexus. And the first order of business is to reach the fifth floor so I can kill the one hunting me.

  I took one last look at my status and put the two points into power before stepping through the portal.

  My quest had only just begun.

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