Labyrinth Lord: Redemption of the Cursed Heir of Worlds

Chapter 2

Swallowed by a whirlwind of colors and sensations, Eiren was catapulted through a dizzying tunnel of light and shadow. Panic gripped him, and in a moment of dark humor, he wondered if this might have been a less favorable alternative to his more morbid thoughts earlier.

"Well, this is new," he thought sardonically as he hurtled through the kaleidoscopic void. "Maybe I've already slit my wrists and this is some kind of messed up afterlife."

He pondered the poetic injustice of escaping the hell that was his daily life only to be plunged into a psychedelic limbo. The cosmic forces of the universe must have a twisted sense of humor.

As he tumbled weightlessly through the void, brief flashes of his miserable existence mocked him. The jeering bullies, his deformed face in the mirror, his grandfather's mournful eyes - each vision stabbed at him before dissolving into the swirling colors.

"Huh, so my life does flash before my eyes," Eiren mused. "Can't say I'll miss any of it."

He wondered if anyone would even notice his absence. Perhaps Maya, with her doe-eyed empathy, would be momentarily troubled. But soon his cursed existence would fade from memory, like a disturbing dream upon waking.

Eiren felt a twinge of regret. If only he had known compassion like Maya's, or had a chance to use his wealth for good. But the currents of fate had other plans, it seemed.

The tunnel shuddered, reality fragmenting around him, and an involuntary yelp escaped Eiren's lips. Laughter bubbled up inside him.

"Well, guess this joyride is coming to an end," he thought. "Time to see what fresh hell awaits on the other side."

Eiren braced himself as the kaleidoscopic colors blurred sickeningly. This was some trip - he wondered what kind of mushrooms he'd eaten to hallucinate so intensely. Maybe the portal would dump him straight into a psyche ward, strapped to a gurney for his own safety. Now wouldn't that be an ironic twist?

The tunnel convulsed violently and a thunderous force wrenched Eiren forward, his vision going white. He felt his body hurtling out of the void, the white-hot glow searing his eyes.

Well, at least he was still in one piece - if slightly singed around the edges. Eiren blinked rapidly, his vision slowly adjusting to take in his new surroundings. Wherever the cosmic toilet flush had deposited him, it sure wasn't the afterlife he'd been expecting.

The portal sent Eiren sprawling onto a cold stone floor, the dust swirling in the dim light. He coughed and tried to rise.

He was in an ancient room, with rows of artifacts and books lining the walls. Arched windows let in some light, but it was still dim. The air was heavy with the smell of old parchment.

Eiren got to his feet, wincing at the pain of his earlier injuries. They seemed minor compared to the mystery of this place.

He began to walk, his feet making little noise on the stone floor. None of the artifacts looked familiar. Strange metal and glass instruments, ancient texts with swirling symbols, maps of lands he'd never seen.

"Well, this is new," Eiren said. "Trading one dusty old room for another. Some upgrade."

He ran his fingers along the books. At least books were something he recognized, even if he couldn't read them.

There was something warm about the room, despite its atmosphere. Eiren felt a strange sense of belonging, as if this place had been waiting for him.

"Right, because creepy magic portals always lead somewhere cheery," he said, though he didn't feel very sarcastic. This place resonated with him, and he didn't know why.

The artifacts were carefully arranged on shelves and pedestals. Strange spheres that swirled with colored smoke, candles etched with glowing runes, blades forged from a metal that rippled like liquid. Eiren wanted to reach out and touch them, to understand their use. But he held back. Best not to touch anything in a place like this.

Instead, he moved to the books. The texts were filled with symbols, recipes, incantations and illustrations that made no sense. Diagrams of creatures that couldn't possibly exist.

"Nope, still no clue where I am," Eiren sighed, and pushed the book back in place. This place only made him more confused.

He walked between the artifacts, running his fingers along the shelves. This room reminded him of his grandfather's study, filled with knowledge and treasures gathered over a lifetime. But where his grandfather's collection had felt grounded, these objects felt otherworldly.

As he walked, he noticed patterns in the placements of the objects, like constellations hinting at some greater meaning. The artifacts were connected, placed just so, aligned with precision. Even the dust motes were exactly where they were supposed to be.

"What is this place?" he asked. The room held its breath, waiting for something. Eiren blinked. "It's waiting for something, isn't it?"

Eiren's eyes landed on a mirror in the center of the room. He wondered why he didn't notice it until now. The mirror was a plain tall oval one, similar to what someone might see at a clothes shop, yet this looking glass possessed an aura of mystery.

Eiren looked into the mirror, expecting to see his own reflection staring back. Instead, he was met with the visage of a beautiful young woman. He jolted back in shock, a chill running up his spine. For a brief moment, he felt as though he had stepped into a ghost story.

The initial surprise quickly faded, replaced by awe as he took in the woman's appearance. She possessed an ethereal beauty, with flowing dark locks that shimmered like stardust and eyes that held centuries of wisdom. Eiren found himself stunned by her graceful features and luminous presence. He had never encountered someone so lovely.

Eiren tried to rationalize. "I must have hit my head when I came through that portal. This is clearly just a hallucination brought on by trauma."

He waved a hand in front of the mirror, but the woman was still there, watching him with an expression of patience. "Or maybe I'm still passed out on the floor of my room and this is all just a vivid dream." As much as he wanted to deny it, there was something about the woman that was compelling.

"Well, if mirrors have suddenly started showing me what I want to see, I'd prefer a pizza over ancient specters, no offense."

The woman's soft red lips turned up in a hint of a smile, though she said nothing. Eiren couldn't take his eyes off of her. There was something about her that was comforting, something that made him want to trust her. But that was ridiculous. "Who are you?" he asked.

The woman inclined her head. "I am Lyria Anael Mystier, sworn protector of the Hisper bloodline, and guardian of the Labyrinth."

Eiren's eyebrows shot up. "Protector? Labyrinth? This is a Labyrinth?" he gestured at the room.

Lyria nodded. "Yes. This is the antechamber of the Labyrinth, meant only for those of the Hisper blood. Your grandfather was the last to walk these halls before you. I have waited many years for your arrival."

Eiren tried to process this. "So this isn't a dream or hallucination? My family has some connection to this place, and you're what, a magical guardian?"

He couldn't help but sound skeptical. After everything he had been through, the idea that he was part of some great magical legacy was hard to swallow.

Lyria's eyes were patient. "I know you have suffered much, and have no reason to trust. In time, you will come to understand your family's history, and the power that lies within you."

She held out her hand. "If you would like more proof, take my hand, and I will show you a brief glimpse of what has been, what is, and what may be."

Eiren hesitated. It was all impossible, but there was something about Lyria that rang true. Slowly, he reached his hand out to the mirror. Just before he touched it, he caught a glimpse of eternity in her eyes. Taking a breath, he placed his fingertips on the mirror.