The Floor Above
The crimson mist of the Blood-Touched Floor faded as Zero ascended the jagged staircase, his gray eyes scanning every shadow. The air grew cooler, cleaner, almost sterile—yet there was a weight to it, an invisible pressure that pressed against his mind and body.
At the top, the staircase opened into a vast, seemingly endless expanse: the Obsidian Labyrinth. Towering black walls twisted in impossible angles, corridors branching in every direction, some fading into shadow, others disappearing into glowing cracks that revealed faint glimpses of deeper floors.
The Tower's voice echoed once more, calm yet omnipresent:
"Welcome to the third floor: The Obsidian Labyrinth. Here, survival is dictated not by strength alone, but by foresight, adaptability, and perception. Many will become lost… or worse."
Zero stepped forward, every movement precise, controlled. The labyrinth wasn't just a maze—it was a predator, a living entity designed to exploit hesitation.
First Encounter
No sooner had they entered than the floor reacted. Shadows along the walls twisted into humanoid shapes, their features indistinct, movements jerky and unnatural. They attacked in silence, overwhelming those who moved without caution.
Zero barely flinched, anticipating the strikes. With a single, fluid motion, he drew his sword, deflecting an attack and slashing at the creature's energy core embedded in its chest. It dissolved into black mist.
Arven, trailing closely, blocked a strike from another shadow-creature, then countered with a precise blow that shattered its form.
Zero's gray eyes scanned the labyrinth. "These aren't mindless enemies. They respond to perception. Observe first, strike second."
The Tower's Trickery
As they advanced, the labyrinth shifted. Corridors rearranged themselves, walls bending impossibly, paths that had existed moments before vanishing entirely. Faint whispers echoed, mimicking voices of climbers they knew—or feared—trying to draw them into traps.
Kalen's voice trembled from behind a corner. "Zero… which way? I—I can't tell anymore…"
Zero's gaze swept the twisting passages. "Ignore the whispers. Focus on patterns in the environment, not fear. The Tower preys on hesitation."
A Test of Mind and Body
The labyrinth introduced new hazards: floors that crumbled under misstep, walls that exuded energy pulses when touched, and shadow-creatures that could mimic Zero or Arven's movements, forcing them to predict not just attacks but intentions.
Every step demanded calculation. Every strike was measured. One lapse, one emotional reaction, one hesitation—any would mean death.
Zero moved through the corridors with uncanny precision, predicting traps before they activated, exploiting weaknesses in the shadow-creatures' mimicry. Arven followed, learning from each maneuver, adapting, surviving—but always a fraction slower, a fraction less precise.
A Glimpse of the Guide
At the heart of the labyrinth, the walls opened into a massive chamber, black stone polished to a mirror-like finish. At its center floated a faint glow—the energy signature of the floor's core.
And there, in the shadows, a figure watched: the Guide. Her silver cloak shimmered faintly, her eyes glowing with the same calm authority as before.
"You climb swiftly," she said softly, her voice carrying without movement. "But the Tower has eyes everywhere. Floors above will test not only your body but the very essence of your soul. Clarity… and resolve… will be your only allies."
Zero's gray eyes met hers, unwavering. "Then I will not falter. Not again."
The labyrinth shifted behind him, ready to challenge him further, each corridor a potential battlefield, each shadow a new threat.
The third floor had begun in earnest, and Zero's climb was far from over.