The ruins twisted around Kael and Lyra as if alive. Every stone seemed to breathe, every shadow moved on its own. Rain still fell outside, but inside, the air was thick, warm, and humming with power. Kael tightened his grip on the glowing crystal, feeling it pulse like a heartbeat in his hand.
"I've never seen ruins like this," Kael whispered, his green eyes scanning every corner. His black hair stuck to his forehead, sweat mixing with rain, and his clothes clung damply to his lean frame. "It's… moving."
Lyra's silver hair shimmered under the faint light, her violet eyes scanning the shifting walls. "The Labyrinth responds to those who enter," she explained. "It's testing us… watching how we think, how we feel. One wrong step, and it will trap us—or worse."
Kael's stomach tightened. "Trap us? Worse than monsters?"
Lyra gave a small, serious nod. "Yes. The Labyrinth doesn't just test your strength. It tests your mind… your soul. We need to stay calm and think carefully."
They walked deeper, the walls twisting around them. Shadows darted past, but none attacked. Instead, they seemed to form shapes… symbols, letters, patterns Kael couldn't quite understand. He raised the crystal instinctively, trying to make sense of the glowing pulses within it. Images flickered in his mind: a doorway opening, a figure holding a glowing pendant, voices whispering riddles in a language he had never heard.
Suddenly, a deep rumble shook the ruins. A huge stone door slammed down ahead, cutting off their path. Kael jumped back. The crystal's light glowed stronger, reacting to the door's movement.
"Looks like our first trial," Lyra said, stepping closer. Her hand brushed Kael's shoulder, and he felt an unexpected warmth. "The Labyrinth always begins with a challenge to your perception."
Kael looked at the door. Strange symbols carved into it glowed faintly. They weren't letters he recognized, but the crystal's pulse seemed to react to them. He held it closer, and for a brief moment, he saw something in his mind—a memory of a boy standing in front of the door, reaching for a glowing crystal, and a shadow forming around him. The image vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Maybe it's a puzzle," Kael muttered. "Like… we need to do something in the right order?"
Lyra nodded. "Exactly. Watch the walls. The Labyrinth always gives clues… if you know how to look."
They studied the symbols, stepping closer to each one. Kael touched the first symbol with the crystal, and a faint blue light spread across the door. A part of the wall shifted, revealing another symbol. Each time Kael touched the right symbol, the door's glow strengthened.
"Keep going," Lyra whispered. "Your crystal will guide you."
Hours seemed to pass—or maybe only minutes. Kael's mind raced as he connected patterns, recalled the images from his memory-reading power, and tested his instincts. Sweat ran down his face, mixing with rainwater from his hair, and his lean muscles ached from tension and movement.
Finally, the last symbol glowed, and the huge stone door trembled. Dust fell from the ceiling as the door slowly swung open, revealing a circular chamber bathed in soft golden light. At the center floated a small pedestal, on which rested a crystal shard similar to the one Kael held.
"Another test?" Kael asked.
Lyra stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "Yes. But this one is more than a puzzle. The Labyrinth wants to see how you handle temptation."
Kael frowned. The shard pulsed in time with his own crystal. He could feel its power calling to him, whispering promises he didn't fully understand. A voice echoed faintly: "Take me… become stronger… rule the Skylands…"
He hesitated. The chamber felt alive, and shadows curled at the edges. Kael's green eyes glimmered, his black hair plastered to his forehead, sweat dripping down his temples. He felt a thrill of fear—and excitement.
Lyra placed a hand on his arm. "Kael… you have to resist. This is a test of control, not strength. The Labyrinth rewards patience and clarity of thought, not recklessness."
Kael took a deep breath. His heart raced. He studied the shard, the patterns on the walls, the faint whispers in the air. Slowly, carefully, he reached out… not to grab the shard immediately, but to place it in the correct pattern of symbols on the floor first.
The golden light shifted, brighter now, and the shadows recoiled. The chamber trembled. Then, in a flash of brilliant light, the shard floated up and merged with Kael's crystal in his hand. The warmth of power surged through him, stronger than before, and he felt his mind open slightly to new memories and possibilities.
Lyra stepped back, her violet eyes glowing faintly. "Well done, Kael. You passed your first trial."
Kael exhaled, shaking slightly, holding the crystal tighter. "I… I did it?"
"Yes," Lyra said, smiling faintly. "But remember… this is only the beginning. The Labyrinth will become harder, and the Horizon beyond these walls is filled with dangers you haven't even imagined yet."
Kael nodded, feeling a strange mix of excitement and fear. He wiped the sweat and rain from his face, his green eyes bright and determined. His black hair clung to his forehead, and he straightened his soaked shirt, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
The walls of the chamber shifted behind them again, whispering, moving, alive. Kael realized with a shiver that the Labyrinth wasn't just a place—it was a living, thinking entity. And it had already chosen him as its player.
He glanced at Lyra. She looked ready, confident, calm. And Kael knew one thing:
"If I survive this, I'll see the Skylands… and whatever lies beyond the Blue Horizon."