[ENG] Last Reader Standing

Chapitre 15: The Labyrinth of Echoes

The calm after the storm was but an illusion within the City of Mirrors, where reality slipped away like morning mist under the first rays of the sun. Jun, Calla, Sora, Miranda, Marcus, Lila, Aeliana, and Marco now tread on ground littered with memories of past confrontations, a land saturated with ancient magics savoring their triumphs and defeats.

As the new day dawned, gently embracing the darkness with its nascent light, Jun meditated on the growing influence of the Chronicles of the Immortal on his life. The abilities he unlocked stirred within him a symphony of emotions oscillating between burden and exhilaration. Around his neck, the Rose of the Winds, sparkling like a captured firefly, guided his thoughts toward unexplored horizons.

Calla, her spirit always connected to the subtleties of The Queen of the Night, moved with heightened finesse. Her gestures, once secretive and calculated, now seemed orchestrated by the very whispers of the shadows, which embraced her like a second breath.

Sora, the embodiment of the Wolf King, remained the unwavering guardian of this eclectic team, his ears attuned to the subtleties of shifting danger, always ready to leap between his companions and the misfortune that might brush against them.

Miranda, meanwhile, roamed the ruins as a living enigma. Her silhouette, haloed by energy, melded with the ancient stones whenever the words of Macbeth sprung to her lips, as if she were both the narrator and the narrative, the witch and the spell.

Together, they faced their most troubling quest: traversing the Labyrinth of Echoes, a structure that could have been woven from Alice's very dreams, but now served as the chaotic refuge of a single truth—the Master Book. This coveted artifact seemed to weave the threads of their destinies around its inscrutable pages.

The Labyrinth did not forgive those who uncovered its secrets, twisting and turning on itself, its walls whispering traps and enigmas. Yet it was within these tortuous corridors that our heroes found new companions in arms, lost souls like themselves, seeking light at the end of their journey.

Marcus, the sagacious man of arms, offered Jun timeless advice from The Art of War, while Lila, with the childlike spirit of Peter Pan, reminded everyone of the importance of innocence and ingenuity in the darkest moments.

Aeliana, sensing cosmic energies, uttered astrological formulas to guide their path, her powers amplified by starlight. Marco, expert in mysteries and ancient tales, shared crucial information, enriching their understanding of the labyrinth's traps and secrets.

The labyrinth's walls seemed alive, whispering secrets and warnings to those who ventured within. Ancient symbols, etched in stone, glowed faintly under the torchlight. Jun led the group with determination, his thoughts piecing together fragments of acquired knowledge.

« We must stay focused, » he murmured, his eyes scanning every detail around them. « One misstep could cost us dearly. »

« Don't worry, Jun, » Calla replied with a reassuring smile. « We've been through worse. »

Sora, with his keen perception, spotted hidden passages and potential traps. Miranda used her incantations to deactivate enchantments blocking their path. Marcus and Lila worked in tandem, using strategy and creativity to decipher the labyrinth's riddles.

But it was a mirror, simple and forgotten in a distant alcove, that held the key to their progress. In its reflection converged the entire history of the City of Mirrors, each shard reflecting a facet of the Rose of the Winds, an aspect of Jun's life, a fragment of their destiny.

« Look at this, » murmured Aeliana, pointing to the mirror. « It seems to show fragments of our past and future. »

« It's a test, » added Marco, his eyes gleaming with excitement. « We must face it to move forward. »

As they stood before the silent reflection, they knew the choice was theirs. To plunge through the illusion in pursuit of the Master Book or to turn back, letting go of the threads of a tale that awaited only them to be rewritten.

Jun took a deep breath, then turned to his companions. « Let's be ready. Once on the other side, we must stay united and determined. »

With a calm breath and eyes fixed on the reflection of their future, Jun stepped forward, leading his companions through the mirror into the mystery of their immortal epic.