23. Lyra

23

LYRA

W iping the sweat from my forehead, I take a deep breath and keep going. I can't believe I've made it this far. My limbs are screaming at me to stop, but I can't. I won't. Not when I'm so close to the finish.

Turning a corner, I take a step forward but quickly jump back once I realize what's awaiting in front of me.

My heart pounds in my chest as I face the narrow passage ahead. Gleaming metal blades swing back and forth, their edges catching the light with a deadly glint. I swallow hard, fighting the urge to turn back.

Sariel's voice echoes in my head. "Timing is everything, little nexari. Watch the pattern, find your moment."

I force myself to breathe, to focus. The blades move in a rhythm—left, right, center, pause. Left, right, center, pause. I can do this. I have to.

Taking a deep breath, I wait for my opening. As soon as the center blade swings away, I dart forward. The whoosh of air from the nearest blade makes me flinch, but I keep moving.

Duck. Roll. Pause.

My muscles burn as I contort my body, twisting to avoid the razor-sharp edges. Sweat drips into my eyes, but I don't dare wipe it away. One wrong move and I'm done for.

I can see the end of the passage. Just a few more steps.

The final blade swings towards me and I drop to the ground, sliding underneath it. My heart feels like it's going to burst out of my chest as I scramble to my feet on the other side.

I made it. I'm through.

Leaning against the wall, I take a shaky breath. My hands tremble as the adrenaline courses through me. I can't believe I did it. Not a scratch on me, just like Sariel taught me.

For a moment, I allow myself a small smile. But there's no time to rest. The labyrinth stretches on before me, more challenges waiting. I push off from the wall, steeling myself for whatever comes next.

I've barely caught my breath when the ground beneath me trembles. The walls around me groan and shift, stone grinding against stone. My heart leaps into my throat as I realize what's happening—the labyrinth is changing.

"Shit," I mutter, bracing myself.

The passage I just cleared vanishes, replaced by a solid wall. New openings appear, leading off in unfamiliar directions. I spin around, trying to get my bearings, but it's useless. Everything's different now.

A rumbling sound from my left catches my attention. I turn just in time to see a section of floor disappearing, revealing a pit of churning water below. The edge creeps closer, eating away at my safe ground.

No time to think. I bolt to the right, sprinting down a newly formed corridor. The sound of rushing water fades behind me, but I don't slow down. Who knows what other tricks this place has in store?

I round a corner and skid to a halt. In front of me stretches a shimmering wall of energy, pulsing with an eerie blue light. It spans the entire width of the passage, floor to ceiling. There's no way around it.

"Fuck," I hiss, frustration and fear battling inside me.

I reach out cautiously, my fingertips barely grazing the surface. A jolt of energy zaps through me, making me yelp and yank my hand back. Definitely not something I can just push through.

Sariel's lessons flash through my mind yet again. He's my saving grace amidst this absolute chaos. "Magic responds to magic," he'd said. "Sometimes the only way forward is to match energies."

I focus on his words and the memory of his golden gaze. The spell I need is complex, one I've only managed a handful of times in practice. But I have no choice. It's this or give up, and I've come too far to quit now.

Closing my eyes, I begin to weave the intricate patterns of energy with my hands. The air around me grows thick with magic, making the hairs on my arms stand up. I can feel the barrier's energy pulsing in response, pushing back against my spell.

The magic wants to slip away, to unravel, but I grit my teeth and hold on. Just a little more...

Suddenly, the resistance vanishes. My eyes fly open to see the barrier shimmer and fade, revealing a hidden path beyond. Relief floods through me, followed quickly by a surge of pride.

Fuck yes. I did it .

I spin around at the sound of low growls behind me. My blood runs cold as I see them—three monstrous beasts with razor-sharp claws and glowing red eyes. They prowl towards me, their massive bodies blocking any chance of escape.

"Shit, shit, shit," I mutter, backing away slowly.

My heart hammers in my chest as I realize I'm being herded into a corner. The beasts fan out, cutting off any hope of slipping past them. I glance behind me, seeing only the shimmering magical barrier I just passed through.

Panic starts to set in. I'm trapped between certain death and an impassable wall of energy. My mind races, trying to remember any spell that could help, but fear clouds my thoughts.

One of the beasts lunges forward, snapping its massive jaws. I stumble back, my shoulders hitting the barrier. A jolt of energy courses through me, making me cry out in pain.

Doubt creeps in, whispering that I'm not strong enough, that I've come this far only to fail. My hands shake as I try to summon my magic, but it slips away like smoke.

Then, movement catches my eye. High above, on one of the floating glass platforms, I see him. Sariel. His golden eyes are fixed on me, his face a mask of tension.

Our gazes lock, and suddenly, everything else fades away. The beasts, the barrier, my own doubts—they all become background noise. In that moment, I remember every lesson, every grueling training session, every word of encouragement Sariel gave me.

I also remember his lips on mine. His hands on my body. A thrill courses through my body at the thought of experiencing that again.

My breath hitches in my throat as a burst of energy courses through me. The magic responds, flowing like a river from my chest to my hands. I begin to weave the spell, my hands moving in intricate patterns.

The beasts charge, but I don't flinch. I pour every ounce of strength I have into the spell, feeling the barrier behind me pulse in response.

Just as the lead beast leaps, jaws open wide, the barrier shatters. I fall backward through the opening, the beast's claws missing me by inches.

I land hard on the other side, scrambling to my feet as the barrier reforms, trapping the enraged beasts on the other side. Their howls of frustration echo through the labyrinth as I catch my breath, hardly believing I made it.

With one last glance at where I saw Sariel, I steel myself and press on, deeper into the heart of the labyrinth.

I stumble forward, gasping as the air around me suddenly turns frigid. My breath comes out in white puffs, and I can feel the cold seeping into my bones. Just moments ago, I was sweating in sweltering heat. This labyrinth is relentless.

"Keep moving," I mutter to myself, rubbing my arms for warmth.

As I press on, the temperature plummets further. Ice crystals form on my eyelashes, and my fingers start to go numb. I grit my teeth, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

The icy chill vanishes as quickly as it came, replaced by a new, equally daunting challenge. My lungs burn as I gasp for air, the atmosphere suddenly thin and lacking oxygen. Each breath feels like I'm sucking through a straw, my chest heaving with the effort.

"Shit," I wheeze, groaning at the added exertion on my body. Black spots dance at the edges of my vision, threatening to overwhelm me. I force myself to keep moving, one agonizing step at a time.

A low growl cuts through the haze of my oxygen-deprived mind. I spin around, nearly losing my balance, to face a creature unlike anything I've ever seen. It's massive, with gleaming scales and razor-sharp claws. Its eyes lock onto me, predatory and hungry.

My heart pounds, using up what little oxygen I have left. I know I can't outrun it, not in this state. And I don't have the strength for a prolonged magical battle.

The creature lunges, its jaws snapping shut where I stood just a moment ago. I dive to the side, rolling across the ground. My vision swims, but I force myself to focus.

I remember Sariel's lessons on using an opponent's strength against them. As the creature turns for another attack, I grab a handful of loose stones from the ground.

It charges again, and I wait until the last possible second before hurling the stones at its eyes. The creature roars in pain and confusion, momentarily blinded.

Using the last of my strength, I dart between its legs, sliding underneath its massive body. As I emerge on the other side, I spot a narrow crevice in the wall—just big enough for me, but too small for the beast.

I throw myself into the opening, squeezing through just as the creature's claws swipe at the air where I'd been. Its roars reverberate behind me as I push deeper into the crevice, finally emerging on the other side.

Gasping and trembling, I collapse to my knees. My lungs burn as I gulp in air, the oxygen levels slowly returning to normal. Every part of me aches, pushed to the absolute limit.

But I'm alive. And I'm still moving forward.

With shaking legs, I force myself to stand. The center of the labyrinth has to be close now. It has to be.

Exhausted beyond measure, I press on, each step a monumental effort of will. The challenges keep coming, but so do I. I won't give up. Not now. Not ever.