As Alan and his companions crossed the threshold into the unknown depths of Relic Castle, their hearts brimmed with anticipation. They yearned for a vista beyond their wildest imaginations, something otherworldly, straight out of myths and legends.
However, what lay before them shattered their lofty expectations.
Instead of the ethereal beauty they had envisioned, they were met with a somber sight: a labyrinth of ancient stone and weathered brick. The air hung heavy with silence, devoid of even the faintest whisper of wind. Torches, ensconced in crystal casings with perforated holes, cast feeble light upon the desolate expanse, revealing nothing but shadows and darkness.
The underwhelming scene before Alan left him feeling disheartened. He had braced himself for an adventure filled with mystery and wonder, but instead found himself confronted by the mundane reality of a stone and brick labyrinth.
Despite his initial excitement, all he could discern was the circular shape of the structure they were standing in, with a ceiling looming at least twenty-five feet above the floor. In the distance, a silhouette hinted at an iron gate, reminiscent of the one they had passed through to enter.
This scene felt eerily familiar to Alan, reminiscent of past expeditions into similar structures. His gaze wandered aimlessly, landing on a wall illuminated by a solitary torch. In bold letters, the inscription "FLOOR 1" confirmed their current level. Different from the rest of carving, clearly manmade.
A sudden thud reverberated through the labyrinth, causing everyone to jump in surprise. As they turned to identify the source of the noise, Felix stepped forward from the group, easing their tension with a simple explanation.
"Don't fret, it's just the sound of gates shutting," Felix announced, alleviating their tension but leaving them disheartened nonetheless.
Aurelia, visibly disappointed, stepped forward and hurled a pebble into the labyrinth's expanse. "Well, this is a whole lot of nothing," she remarked, her frustration palpable.
Her sentiments resonated with the group, though no one voiced their agreement. Silence lingered until Felix broke it once more, his tone a blend of wisdom and mockery.
"What did you expect?" he asked. "It's just as the manual described. The starting floor resembles manmade labyrinths. Any treasure or monsters here were likely slain and collected long ago. Didn't you read it?"
Felix shared his insights, assuming they were common knowledge among the group, as he glanced at Aurelia with a puzzled expression. Aurelia, realizing her lack of familiarity with the information, attempted to mask her embarrassment with a forced smile and flimsy justification.
"Well... of course we knew!" she insisted unconvincingly. "It's just that we were expecting something more."
Felix, sensing her discomfort, probed further, "Yeah, like what?"
However, Aurelia, unable to face the scrutiny, turned away in frustration, feigning indifference to his questions.
Chuckling at Aurelia's reaction, Felix glanced around the surroundings and gestured to Cesar, saying, "C'mon, Cesar, let's not waste any more time here. We need to cross this terrain as quickly as possible."
Responding to Felix's cryptic remark, Cesar began walking, following Felix as they pressed forward into the vast expanse of the labyrinth.
Lyco stepped forward, a sizable knapsack slung over his shoulder, observing as Felix and Cesar vanished into the labyrinth's vast expanse. He turned to Armis, his voice expectant and stern.
"So, leader... any plans?" Lyco inquired, his gaze fixed on Armis, who suddenly seemed startled by the question. Armis glanced around anxiously, searching for a response, while Aurelia and Lyco watched him with hopeful anticipation.
Then suddenly, Alan interjected, "I think Felix is right. We should try to cover as much distance or floor as we can before nightfall."
Relieved by Alan's wisdom, Armis visibly relaxed. "Yeah, Alan is right. Let's go, everyone." With an attempt at enthusiasm, albeit somewhat forced, Armis placed his knapsack on his shoulders and began leading the way, trying to conceal his earlier lapse in confidence.
As Alan led the way, Aurelia scanned the surroundings, hoping to stumble upon something exciting. With Lyco walking ahead of him, Alan noticed Lyco's persistent glances toward the entrance they had come from. Understanding Lyco's lingering hope for his friend's arrival, Alan attempted to offer some solace, saying, "Maybe she got stuck somewhere and is running late."
Lyco's eyes lit up with hope at Alan's words. "Do you really think so?" he asked eagerly.
Before Alan could respond, Relecta bounded over to Lyco, chiming in, "Absolutely! The boss says hope makes us stronger for tomorrow."
Lyco regarded Relecta with a puzzled expression, unsure of how to interpret her advice. "I'm not sure how that applies to me," he admitted, "but if you say so."
Lyco, now partially cheered up, moved forward, leaving Relecta gazing at Alan with a puzzled expression. Alan simply smiled, reassuring her without saying a word, and that was enough to ease her confusion.
Meanwhile Aurelia hastened her pace and joined Armis by his side, sensing his earlier anxiety. In an attempt to lift his spirits, she asked, "So, Armis, how will we know when it's nighttime?"
However, Aurelia's strategy backfired, only managing to confuse Armis further. With a forced air of confidence, he blurted out, "Um... when we get sleepy... yeah, we'll know when we get sleepy."
With that, Armis hurried forward, trying to mask his embarrassment. Aurelia stood still, feeling disappointed and perplexed with herself. Lyco passed her, wearing a mocking expression, and clapped sarcastically. "Wow, Aurelia, way to go!" he taunted.
Annoyed, Aurelia caught up to Lyco and playfully pinched his cheek in retaliation for his teasing. Alan and Relecta followed behind them, continuing their journey through the labyrinth.
After 30 minutes of walking, Alan spotted the same iron door he had noticed earlier, with Felix and Cesar waiting for them in front of it. Approaching the gate, Alan and Armis beheld its imposing stature, nearly ten feet tall, its sides adorned with overgrown Venata herbs. Other than that, the gate appeared plain and unremarkable, much like the rest of the labyrinth.
Felix turned to Alan and Armis, breaking the silence. "I believe this is the way to the second floor. Let's lend a hand in opening the gate. Considering the poisonous herbs, it might be risky to attempt it alone."
Without hesitation, Alan and Armis nodded in agreement with Felix's prudent suggestion. Moving closer to the gate, they placed their hands on it, careful to avoid the toxic herbs. With a concerted effort, they pushed against the gate with all their might, the sound of iron scraping against stone echoing through the corridor. Gradually, the gate swung open, revealing a staircase leading to the next floor.
The group hurriedly ascended the stairway, the sound of the gate closing behind them echoing through the air. Glancing back, Alan found himself captivated by the strange yet intriguing phenomenon of the gates closing on their own—a small detail that added to the allure of Relic Castle.
As they reached the next floor, each member held onto a glimmer of hope for something new and exciting. However, their anticipation quickly waned as they were met with the same mundane sight of brick walls and stone floors, illuminated by torchlight. The only noticeable change was the marking beside the first torch on the wall, now indicating the obvious—"Second Floor.
Aurelia let out a frustrated stomp, her gaze falling to the ground once more. Meanwhile, Felix and Cesar continued forward without so much as a reaction. Sensing the need to take charge, Armis rallied the group with a sense of urgency.
"Let's move, team! We can't afford to waste any more time," Armis urged, setting a determined pace as he led the way.
Behind him, Lyco chimed in with teasing enthusiasm, egging on their leader with exaggerated excitement.
"Yes, Leader!" Lyco exclaimed, trying to goad Aurelia, who remained disheartened until Alan and Relecta intervened, with Relecta gently pushing Aurelia forward from behind, urging her to keep pace with the group.
FIFTH FLOOR
"Ugh, not again!" Aurelia's frustration erupted into the air, her voice echoing through the dimly lit corridor. After hours of walking and climbing three floors without encountering anything new but the monotony of bricks and stone, illuminated by flickering torches, exhaustion weighed heavily on her. Collapsing to her knees, she vented her frustrations.
"I'm tired, I'm hungry! When will this end?!" she exclaimed in exasperation.
Despite his facade of leadership, fueled by his own anxiety, Armis pressed on, ignoring Aurelia's outburst. "Come on, team! There's still much ground to cover. We can't afford to—"
"Enough, Armis!" Aurelia's outburst cut through Armis's encouragement, snapping him out of his act. He blinked, turning to assess the situation, realizing the extent of everyone's exhaustion, even catching Alan struggling to catch his breath.
Armis felt the weight of the heavy silence pressing down on him, urging him to do something to boost morale. However, before he could gather his thoughts and find the right words, Relecta's voice shattered the stillness, instantly capturing everyone's attention-
"Hey, look, a rat!" Relecta exclaimed, attempting to boost morale in her own unique way, as she pointed towards a giant rat near the wall. Aurelia's gaze, which had momentarily lifted, dropped again as she sarcastically remarked on Relecta's find.
"Wow, a rat, how thrilling," she muttered, but Relecta paid no heed. Like a curious cat, she approached the rat cautiously. As she neared it, the rat took notice, sniffing curiously in her direction. It seemed harmless, almost cute.
But Alan, sensing an unease in the air, squinted his eyes, trying to discern movement in the darkness beyond the rat, near the threshold.
Alan's eyes widened in alarm as he leaped to his feet, his voice booming across the chamber as he shouted a warning to Relecta, "Relecta, get back!"
Without hesitation, the seemingly harmless rat transformed before their eyes, baring its sharp fangs and lunging at Relecta. With lightning speed, Alan closed the distance, launching himself forward with a powerful kick that sent the rat tumbling into the darkness ahead.
Grabbing Relecta protectively, Alan swiftly backed away from the advancing threat, his voice ringing out with urgency, "Everyone, on your feet!"
Reacting to Alan's command, Armis, Aurelia, and Lyco sprang up, their senses heightened as they scanned the shadows ahead. The rat that was slunk away into the darkness, ominous red eyes began to glow, eliciting a thrill of anticipation from Aurelia, who exclaimed, "Finally, some action!"
Tension thickened in the air as the group braced themselves for the impending threat lurking in the darkness. Suddenly, a chill ran down their spines when a swarm of hundreds of rats descended upon them in a frenzied frenzy. Aurelia's excitement quickly dissipated, replaced by fear, mirrored by the rest of the group, realising the overwhelming number of rats with their razor-sharp fangs poised to attack.
In a swift motion, Alan gathered Relecta into his arms, joining the others in a desperate retreat towards the safety of the gate they had entered from. But as they drew closer, the gate slammed shut before them, sealing their fate and trapping them within the chamber with horde of rats.
With no escape in sight, the group turned to face the oncoming onslaught of rodents. Alan shielded Relecta behind him, bracing himself to confront the ferocious creatures head-on, knowing that they had no other choice but to stand their ground against the relentless tide of teeth and claws.
As Alan took up his defensive stance, Armis swiftly joined him, poised to summon his armor at a moment's notice. Aurelia and Lyco, though uncertain of their survival, stood ready beside them, their determination wavering but present nonetheless. Bracing themselves for the imminent attack of the relentless rodents, the group stood their ground.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the labyrinth, causing the rat army to pause in their tracks. Their attention diverted, they turned to see a man clad in white overall and brown armor, clutching a drenched sack in his hand. With a shout, he waved the sack in the air, enticing the rats away from Alan and the others.
"Hey, you overgrown pests! Look what I've got!" he shouted, hurling the sack in a different direction. The rats, drawn by the scent, pounced on the sack, tearing it apart in a frenzy. Seizing the opportunity, the man urged them on. "Now's our chance!" he cried, darting ahead.
Understanding the opportunity before them, Alan and the others wasted no time, sprinting after the man as he led them through the labyrinth at full speed, away from the relentless horde of rodents.
As they sprinted at full tilt, Alan glanced over his shoulder and saw the rats, their attention diverted momentarily by the torn sack, now refocusing on the fleeing group with renewed ferocity. Determined to outrun the horde, Alan hastened his pace and called out to the man leading the way ahead.
"Hey! What's the plan?!" Alan shouted, his voice echoing in the labyrinth.
The man briefly glanced back at Alan before gesturing ahead. Following his gaze, Alan spotted a woman waving to them from the open doorway leading to the next floor. Realizing their chance, Alan swiftly scooped up Relecta and issued a command to the rest of the group.
"Everyone, follow the man!" he declared, urgency lacing his words.
Responding to Alan's directive, the group accelerated their pace. Armis, assessing the situation, stole a glance behind them and saw the rodents gaining ground, their menacing fangs appearing even more daunting, as if a moment's pause would result in swift and merciless attack, leaving nothing but bones in their wake.
Armis quickly grabbed Aurelia and lifted her into his arms, while Lyco clambered onto his shoulders. Determined to prove his mettle, Armis summoned all his strength and bolted forward with lightning speed, his long strides almost leaping across the floor.
Witnessing Armis's burst of speed, Alan matched his pace, sprinting alongside him as they closed the distance to the gate in under a minute.
Approaching the gate, they slipped through just in time, leaving the boy who had saved them behind, bewildered and confused. His partner waited for him to catch up before shutting the gate in the face of the rat horde.