Both Harkus and Eric, having decided to make their way deeper and deeper into the darkness, did just that. Their steps where steady and firm, resolute on carrying out what they had decided.

  Though this determination wasn’t entirely natural, as it functioned as a way for the pair to focus on other things. For some reason, after the excitement of it all disappeared, the pair refused to talk about the angel skeleton encounter. Whether it was because Eric gave no answers or because Harkus wasn’t satisfied with said nonanswers was irrelevant. At the end of the day, both of them retreated into silence, their focus entirely on the sounds that came from the direction they were heading.

  That wasn’t to say that there was hostility, because there wasn’t. It was more like a pause and again, they had the perfect excuse to divert their focus.

  Thanks to their level of alertness, they were always able to prepare, if only a little, by the time they encountered another group of skeletons. These encounters were far shorter than the first one they had, and a big reason for that was because these skeletons weren’t accompanied by an angel skeleton. Though, their level of alertness toward the possibility never diminished.

  “Is it me or are their basically no skeletons anymore?” Eric asked, turning to face Harkus.

  “No, you’re right,” Harkus confirmed. “But I find it odd, considering that their numbers had suddenly gone up, right?”

  “Yes,” Eric answered, looking around.

  While the pair had gone deeper into the dark hallways, the increase was almost imperceptible. They still had more than enough light to fight comfortably and without issue.

  “Might’ve just passed a section where their numbers are greater,” Eric suggested.

  “Could be, could be,” Harkus said, mulling over the possibility. “Let’s get going, we’re too far in to turn back now.”

  The pair continued on their journey, eventually confirming that the skeletons were beyond infrequent, and were basically gone now. And to make matters more interesting, the darkness had now reached the part where they could only see a few feet in front of each other.

  “Too far in?” Eric asked.

  “Too far in,” Harkus repeated.

  After a couple more hallways, the darkness still pretty much the same, the darkness gained a certain property, a weight that pushed in from every direction, trying to crush them. That being said, the weight was barely noticeable and after exchanging looks, the pair continued onward.

  At some point, Eric’s right eye began to sting. It was barely a bother and with a rub, he forgot about it, but it did make his mind go back, reminiscing. And now that he stood before a completely black hallway, the memory came easier.

  It reminded him of the first time he entered the cafeteria turned dungeon back on Earth. It specifically brought back memories of the spider boss he killed and the area in which he did so: the music room.

  There was no electricity and the sunlight that made its way to the stairs didn’t make it to the second floor. So, the stairs were dark. But that was ordinary darkness, a level that he had encountered countless times before. But the level of darkness he was witnessing at this moment reminded him of the one he saw within the music room.

  A level of darkness that wasn’t only the absence of light, but also one that swallowed any light that it came into contact with. This might be worse, though, Eric thought as he moved to the edge of the barely lit hallway. Pressing his hand against the wall, he was about to take a step forward when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder.

  “It looks like you can’t feel the other effects that the darkness is having on me,” Harkus said, his voice flatter than before. “So, I’m going to have depend on you for a bit.”

  “What other—you know what, sure. I just want to get out of here,” Eric said, adjusting Harkus’s hand on his shoulder.

  It was only after Eric had been inside these incredibly dark tunnels for some time that he finally got an idea as to what Harkus might have been referring to.

  As he turned a corner, his hand still pressed against the wall, he felt something prod at his mind with a determined intensity. Ultimately, and easily, Eric dismissed the sensation, ignoring it completely and instead lifted his hand, rubbing his right eye with greater effort than before.

  More time passed and they turned another corner. Eric felt Harkus tighten his grip on his shoulder as they entered what he assumed was a darker tunnel, though again, he wasn’t sure because he couldn’t see. The prodding that Eric felt in his mind intensified, but he easily dismissed it as he advanced.

  It’s not just the prodding that’s increasing, it’s also the heaviness that is trying to crush us, Eric thought, but stopped there as his eye demanded attention once more.

  Eric stopped to rub his eye once more, taking the opportunity to check up on Harkus. “Hey, you, okay?” he asked, immediately regretting it.

  Harkus’s massive hand enveloped the entirety of Eric’s right shoulder and when he asked the question said hand closed in panic.

  “Wha—what—who is there?!” Harkus shrieked, panicked. Yet, his hand didn’t release Eric’s shoulder.

  “Hey, hey, it’s me, Eric,” Eric answered, fighting through the pain. “It’s just me,” he added, still feeling Harkus’s grip strengthen. “Are you okay?”

  Eric could sense some light shifting, but he was unsure since the darkness seemed to even devour sound.

  “I—I, I’m sorry,” Harkus said, his voice trembling. “If you have no problem, could we please walk in silence.”

  Not wanting to risk his shoulder getting destroyed, Eric only nodded and continued walking forward. Though this time, he made in effort to keep a consistent pace, not wanting to be the reason behind more sound being made.

  Some more hallways later, and Eric’s shoulders began to fight the natural urge to cave in, the weight of the darkness already testing the limits of their bodies. Still, Eric refused as he continued to walk forward as undisturbed as he had since he first ventured into the darkness.

  The only question he had was about how Harkus was doing. Eric couldn’t actually ask Harkus since he might die of a heart attack or accidentally squash him. The best he could do was hope that he was doing well, and the fact that he still felt his hand on his shoulder meant that Harkus was still behind him.

  Suddenly, Eric grunted in pain. “Aggh,” he said, trying to muffle his voice, but he knew that he had failed as Harkus’s grip on his shoulder tightened.

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  Eric ignored the pain in his shoulder and both of his hands shot toward his right eye, which was itching with an incredible intensity. He didn’t know what to do, so he only massaged it more, muffling any sound that would’ve escaped his lips. The itching turned to irritation and as he blinked repeatedly, trying to make the sensation go away, he discovered something he hadn’t expected.

  He could see now. It wasn’t like he couldn’t see through his right eye before, but now he could also see in the darkness, to a certain degree at least.

  It was nowhere near the same experience as seeing when there was light, it was a completely different beast. It was more like distinguishing different shades of black, except everything was black. There really wasn’t a difference between what he saw with his right eye and what he saw with his left eye, but he could feel it.

  It’s like black isn’t just black, but multiple shades of black, Eric thought, coming to a preliminary conclusion.

  Noting the difference but knowing that he had other and more urgent matters to attend to, he dismissed all the questions that he could feel were about to pop up in his mind and continued his walk.

  Not long after, he actually noticed a difference in his eyesight. His left eye only saw more darkness, just as dark and indistinguishable from the one he was already in, everything was the same. However, his right eye was different.

  He could actually distinguish a difference between where he was going and where he currently was. The passageway he was on led to two others, and he could actually distinguish which of them was darker.

  It’s the same darkness, but it’s like the more intense darkness has more of the same intense shades. While the lighter darkness had less of the same shades, and they are lighter as a whole.

  A small smirk crept onto his face, and he advanced toward the stronger darkness.

  As soon as his whole body entered the new, darker passage, he noticed something, but he only made a note of it, leaving it for later when he had a way to confirm it further. I wonder if this was how the earlier dark passages were, he thought to himself. Would they move us deeper faster than we are currently going?

  It was only after going into four darker passageways that he finally confirmed the idea that had sprouted right after he gained the ability to see. The heaviness of the darkness and its other effects intensified along with the darkness itself.

  Can’t really do much with that information, Eric thought. Unless I plan to retreat. He paused, noticing that Harkus’s grip had tightened further. No, I can’t, we’re already too far in. Plus, I’m sure we’re almost at wherever this leads.

  More time passed and after some mindless walking, Eric came to a conclusion. “It’s like all the tunnels lead toward the center,” he said absentmindedly, forgetting about Harkus. Just as he remembered, he almost fell to his knees because of the pain in his shoulder, but he endured.

  Gaining a steady footing once more, Eric went back to his original train of thought. I’m sure that every passageway will now lead toward the center of the labyrinth.

  A short time ago, he refused to enter what he assumed was the final room because the darkness seemed almost tangible. All the most intense shades of black and darkness converging into one sludge-like wall.

  Instead, he walked forward, turned the corner and found another opening, finding another sludge-like darkness. He repeated this until he basically mapped out the entire exterior of the square room and now, he was sure that he was at the center of the labyrinth, where all the darkness had guided him to.

  Shaking off any nervousness that he might’ve unconsciously accumulated, he ventured in, physically pulling the darkness open.

  It felt viscous, but also like it had too much water, it tried to run down his arms but stopped as droplets were about to form. He quickly noticed that it wouldn’t remain open, so taking a deep breath, he entered right through.

  For a moment, all his senses were overwhelmed with such intensity that he froze in place. His ears began to ring with a high-pitched noise that was only compounded by the fact that he hadn’t heard anything in what he could only assume had been hours.

  As the sound began to settle and he was about to continue, still in the middle of passing through the viscous darkness, he began to feel cold. He felt that something was slithering into his mind and grasping it firmly.

  He began to feel what he assumed Harkus had been feeling the entire time. It was dread, clear and unmistakable dread. It was creeping into his very bones, writhing under his skin. It wasn’t directed toward anything in particular; it was simply there. A feeling so invasive that it appeared to stretch time to make its presence more noticeable.

  But that was only the beginning. The dread was accompanied by the knowledge, the certainty that if he continued, it would only grow worse. It would burrow deeper; its reach would extend further. It wouldn’t be gradual; it would be an incredible increase. This was a promise.

  That wasn’t all. The dread was followed by a constant swarm of thoughts. Turn around. There is nothing for you here. These only brushed his consciousness, subtle but insistent. Yet slowly they grew louder and even more constant. Leave. Now. Leave. Leave. Leave. Leave. Now. Walk away. Now.

  As he tried to ignore the thoughts, the intensity grew. The message became clearer and more aggressive. Go back. Get out! You’re not supposed to be here. Leave! Some were even pleading. This place will kill you. Turn back before it’s too late.

  Finally, they turned aggressive. A promise of violence from the mere intensity behind them. Leave! Now! You will die! You will kill! Leave! Die!

  At the end, where Eric only expected more of the same, if a bit more intense, he got something completely unexpected. It was a small but noticeable laugh. It was something between a laugh and a hum. The vibrations made his entire body shake.

  Just as Eric thought that he was finally at the end of his ordeal, the screaming began. They came from everywhere. They came from his mind, as if memories. They assaulted his ears, making him feel like they would rupture. He even felt his throat vibrate, as if he himself was screaming.

  They were human screams, then they were animal, finally they were something he didn’t recognize. None of the screams were the same. Some carried an unmistakable weight of loss. Others a guttural and primal fear for something that approached, for something distant and for the unknown. They came in a wave that refused to end, lasting unbearably long.

  Then, his body crossed the threshold, and everything went silent. Everything that had assaulted him only moments ago, vanished into thin air as if they had never existed to begin with.

  He felt the hand that gripped his shoulder shudder uncontrollably. On instinct, Eric grasped the hand on his shoulder and yanked it forward, feeling a certain resistance as he did so. Applying more strength through mana reinforcement, he yanked Harkus free of the viscous darkness, hearing him fall beside him with a loud thud.

  Before Eric could turn to where he assumed Harkus had landed, that laugh that had appeared in his mind, made a reappearance. The entire labyrinth seemed to vibrate along with it.

  ----------

  Near a blindingly bright doorway, two figures paused as the labyrinth shook almost rhythmically.

  “What in the ten hells was that?” Mercer asked, his head turning frantically.

  “Some poor fools made it to the center,” Wu Ling answered, then she hit Mercer on the arm. “Don’t mention the hells, it might hear,” she added with visible worry in her expression.

  Mercer made a gesture with his hand. “May the seas guide your souls toward their intended shore,” he said solemnly. “Now let’s get the he—let’s get out of here. Now!”

  Both of them were covered in injuries. It wasn’t to the level that Neris was, with her arms almost being chopped off as she fought with a skeletal angel, but they were overwhelmed by a large number of skeleton warriors.

  Without wasting anymore time and wincing at the pain caused by his injuries, Mercer reached for Wu Ling’s arm and rushed into the doorway, glad to be free of the labyrinth.

  ----------

  Closer, I can feel them get closer. He could feel the presence of those that were approaching. Making their slow advance through the labyrinth. They were so unbearably close, yet not enough.

  My head hurts. My throat is dry. He began to assess his condition, preparing himself for what was to come. They were so close, unbearably so. Can they communicate? he asked himself, wondering about those that were approaching.

  What is a head? Throat? For a moment, his mind escaped him, even simple concepts and knowledge seemed to be out of reach.

  Ahh yes. body parts. But just as easily as they escaped him, he retrieved them.

  Oh, here they come. A small chuckle escaped him even though his mouth remained closed. Just get through. He could see every agonizing moment that the visitor was going through.

  A small instant stretched into a greater one. Through what? he asked himself, looking directly at the visitor.

  There! That’s one. When one crossed, his question vanished. What was a question in the presence of a visitor. That’s two. In the presence of two visitors, no questions mattered. Another chuckle escaped him, this time, much louder, his mouth opening slightly.