The group’s separation hadn’t been by choice. The labyrinth had seen to that.

  At first, they had moved cautiously together, wary of the shifting tunnels and the unsettling sensation that the walls themselves were watching. The deeper they went, the more the air thickened with a strange energy, as if something ancient and unseen was pulling at the very fabric of reality.

  Then came the moment everything changed.

  It started with a deep, guttural tremor beneath their feet. Dust rained from the ceiling, and the walls groaned like a beast stirring from slumber. Before they could react, the ground buckled, and the space around them seemed to warp and twist. A sudden force, unseen yet undeniable, surged through the labyrinth, yanking them apart like leaves caught in a storm.

  Aric had reached for his companions, but the distance between them stretched unnaturally, as if space itself was folding. Riven was the first to disappear, vanishing into a shadowed corridor that hadn’t been there a second before. Elyndra’s cry echoed as she was pulled in the opposite direction, the glow of her magic flickering wildly before fading into darkness. Thalrin dug his heels into the stone, roaring in defiance, but even his immense strength was no match for whatever force was at play—he was dragged down a path that spiraled away like a serpent coiling into the abyss.

  Kael had tried to anchor himself, gripping the edge of a broken pillar, but the moment he looked up, his face paled. “This isn’t real,” he had whispered—right before he, too, was gone, pulled into a corridor that seemed to just appear and disappear in less than a second.

  Then, silence.

  Aric had stumbled forward, bracing himself against the trembling stone. The air around him felt heavier, pressing down on his chest like an invisible weight. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, torch flickering in his grasp, mind racing to make sense of it all.

  And that was when he saw them—the three corridors before him, identical in their deception. His friends were gone, scattered by the labyrinth’s will.

  But he was still here.

  And he was going to find them.

  Aric hesitated for a moment, the soft glow of his torch casting flickering shadows across the labyrinth’s jagged walls. The air was thick with tension, the muffled echoes of his companions’ steps fading as they ventured down their respective paths. Instinct told him there was more to this choice than met the eye.

  “This place is all about deception,” he muttered under his breath. With one last glance at the three visible corridors, he turned his focus to the walls and floor around him.

  Kneeling, Aric examined the stonework closely. Subtle scratches marred the floor leading toward the center of the chamber—a faint trail that seemed out of place. His eyes narrowed. He raised his torch higher, revealing faint etchings on the wall opposite the other paths. With a decisive step, he pressed his palm against the carvings, feeling a subtle vibration beneath his fingertips. The wall rumbled and slid open, revealing a narrow, hidden corridor.

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  “Got you,” Aric whispered. He drew his dagger and stepped cautiously into the passage.

  Thalrin trudged along the middle corridor, his greathammer resting on his shoulder. The tunnel widened into a circular chamber filled with scattered piles of rubble. At the center stood a massive stone golem, its glowing eyes locked onto Thalrin as he entered.

  The dwarf grinned, his knuckles tightening around his hammer. “A proper challenge.”

  The golem charged, each step shaking the ground. Thalrin ducked and rolled as a colossal fist slammed into the ground where he had stood moments before. He retaliated, his hammer striking the golem’s arm with a deafening crack, but the creature barely flinched.

  The trial wasn’t just brute strength—it was endurance and strategy. Thalrin had to outmaneuver the golem, striking weak points in its joints while avoiding its relentless attacks. His blows weakened its legs, forcing it to kneel, before a final, mighty swing shattered the glowing core embedded in its chest. The golem collapsed, leaving Thalrin panting amidst the debris.

  “Aye, that’s more like it,” he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow as he trudged onward.

  Elyndra’s chosen tunnel was narrow and oppressive, lined with glowing runes that pulsed ominously. The air hummed with arcane energy, and her every step triggered a faint ripple in the magic around her.

  The corridor opened into a room filled with floating platforms, each inscribed with shifting runes. A shimmering orb hovered at the far end, surrounded by a swirling vortex of energy.

  “A puzzle,” she murmured, studying the platforms. Each one seemed to react differently when touched, some glowing brighter while others dimmed. The wrong step could mean plummeting into the void below.

  Calling upon her magical expertise, Elyndra began deciphering the patterns. Her spells revealed faint clues: a sequence of symbols that formed a safe path. Yet as she progressed, the platforms shifted and reconfigured, forcing her to adapt. When she finally reached the orb, she channeled her magic to stabilize it, dispelling the vortex and unlocking the way forward.

  “This labyrinth won’t best me,” she said with a smirk, stepping through the newly revealed door.

  Liora’s path was shrouded in near-total darkness, her only guide the faint glow of her daggers. She moved silently, her footsteps barely stirring the dust on the ground. The corridor twisted and turned, leading her into a cavern filled with countless statues—each one lifelike and frozen in poses of terror.

  Her instincts screamed danger. She crouched low, her eyes scanning the room. At its center, a basilisk slithered, its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. One glance into its gaze would turn her to stone.

  Liora steadied her breathing, gripping her daggers tightly. She had to rely on her agility and cunning. Using the shadows to her advantage, she darted between statues, staying out of the creature’s line of sight. When she was close enough, she hurled a dagger at its head. The blade struck true, but the creature thrashed violently, forcing her to evade its tail as it lashed out.

  With a series of calculated strikes and acrobatics, Liora disabled the beast, her final dagger piercing its heart. She exhaled shakily, retrieving her weapons and moving forward, her path now clear.

  The hidden corridor led Aric to a chamber unlike any he had seen before. Its walls were covered in mirrored surfaces, reflecting countless versions of himself. At the center stood a pedestal bearing a single, ornate key. As he approached, the reflections shifted—each mirror now showing twisted, distorted versions of his companions, taunting him with accusations of failure and betrayal.

  “You don’t deserve their trust,” one reflection sneered.

  “You’ll lead them to ruin,” another hissed.

  Aric clenched his jaw, refusing to be swayed. “I know who I am,” he said firmly. “And I know my friends. You’re just illusions.”

  The mirrors cracked and warped, their voices growing louder as they tried to break his resolve. Aric focused, drawing on the memories of his companions’ faith in him. With a determined stride, he reached the pedestal and seized the key. The room fell silent, the mirrors shattering into shards of light.

  The corridor opened into a central chamber, where all the paths converged. One by one, his companions emerged.

  “Looks like we all made it,” Thalrin said, though his tone was gruff with exhaustion.

  Aric held up the key. “I think this is what we need to unlock the heart of the labyrinth.”

  “Then let’s finish this,” Liora said, her voice resolute.

  They gathered their strength and pressed onward, the key glowing faintly in Aric’s hand as they approached the final door. The labyrinth’s true secret awaited them, and they were ready to face it together.