The Final Guest

4

An encounter with the shadows

Sky felt a sudden lurch as the floor beneath her gave way, dropping her into an abyss. At first, it felt like free-falling through endless sky, her body hurtling through space as if in a skydive. The sensation was surreal: the rush of wind against her face, the weightless plummet. But there was no open sky above her—only the darkened, shifting ceiling from which she’d fallen. Her instincts flared, her hands clawing at the empty air, but there was nothing to hold onto.

Just as she began to brace for impact, she crashed into something soft but solid—tall, thick grass that cushioned her fall. She lay still for a moment, catching her breath and grounding herself. The air was thick and strangely cool, carrying an earthy smell. She pushed herself up to her knees, the blades of grass tickling her arms as she surveyed her surroundings.

As she took her first steps, she realized she was in a maze, but unlike any she’d ever seen. The walls around her were not made of stone or hedges but of enormous mirrors, towering high above her head, each panel gleaming in the faint ambient light. Shadows twisted and danced in her reflection, creating an unsettling effect—her image refracted, multiplied, each version of herself seeming to watch her with an almost sentient gaze.

Sky’s first instinct was to find the way out, but as she took a few tentative steps forward, a whisper floated toward her, echoing through the maze.

"Where will you turn, Sky? Do you know yourself well enough to choose?"

She spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but only her reflections greeted her, each one with an expression of doubt, anger, or defiance. She took a steadying breath, forcing herself to keep calm. This was all part of the game. She had been in mind games before, though never like this—but she wasn’t going to let herself unravel.

Ahead of her, two mirrors emerged, standing side-by-side, each showing a different version of herself. She stepped forward, examining the reflections closely.

The mirror on the left revealed a version of herself that was visibly worn down. Her face was lined with exhaustion, but her gaze was sharp, focused, and unyielding—a warrior hardened by experience. She looked as if she had survived countless battles but bore the scars, both visible and hidden, from each one.

In the mirror on the right, she saw a different version of herself—a poised, composed woman with an air of ruthless determination. This Sky was unscathed, radiating confidence, almost arrogance. Her expression was colder, detached, as if she had discarded any weakness along the way.

A whisper drifted through the silence: "Choose wisely, for each path will take something from you."

Sky hesitated. She didn’t know where either choice would lead, but she couldn’t ignore the gnawing instinct telling her to pick carefully. She settled on the left, drawn to the hardened, weathered version of herself—the survivor.

She stepped through the threshold, and the walls shifted around her, reshaping the labyrinth. It felt like the maze had absorbed her decision, warping itself to reflect her choice. The ambient light dimmed, casting an eerie glow across the floor.

As she moved deeper into the maze, her own image continued to follow her, flickering from one panel to another. At times, the reflections seemed to move independently, each version of herself shifting between smiles, frowns, and looks of fear. It was as if the maze was testing her, mirroring different facets of her psyche to throw her off balance.

Suddenly, she came to a dead-end where a single mirror stood, its surface rippling as if she were looking at water instead of glass. Her reflection in this mirror didn’t match her movements. Instead, it stared back at her with wide eyes, lips parting in a silent scream.

“Do you fear yourself, Sky?” the reflection mouthed.

Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to keep her composure. "No. I know myself well enough."

The reflection’s mouth twisted into a grin. "We’ll see about that."

The lights flickered, and a new pathway opened to her left. As she turned to follow it, she became aware of another presence—a shadow slipping through the mirrors, moving faster than her own reflections. Her heart began to race. She tried to make out the figure’s details, but every time she looked directly at it, it vanished, reappearing just out of view.

Sky pressed forward, her senses on high alert. She could feel eyes on her—whether they belonged to her reflections or something else lurking in the maze, she didn’t know. The whispers grew louder, fragments of her past mistakes echoing around her. Each misstep, every failure, was thrown back at her by the voices, twisting her memories.

At last, she came upon another set of mirrors. This time, they didn’t show versions of herself but rather scenes from her life—moments she had long buried and refused to revisit. Her childhood, a pivotal story she had never spoken of, a lost love, a painful betrayal. Each memory was laid out before her, and the maze forced her to confront them, one by one.

As she navigated through the memories, another whisper filled the air. "Accept what lies within, or be lost to it."

She understood now—this maze was not just about physical navigation but an inward journey, forcing her to face every fear and regret she had tried to ignore. Each step deeper into the labyrinth demanded she acknowledge and accept these moments or risk being trapped within her own mind.

After what felt like hours, she arrived at the center of the maze. In front of her stood a final mirror, and this one showed her as she was now—no illusions, no distortions. But as she stared at her reflection, it began to speak.

"Do you think you can survive this game?" the reflection asked, its voice mirroring her own but dripping with a cruel undertone.

"I do," Sky replied, her tone steady. "I’ve survived worse."

The reflection smirked. "Perhaps. But survival comes with a cost. Are you ready to pay it?"

She held her gaze, unflinching. "Whatever it takes."

The mirror’s surface rippled and dissolved, revealing a door behind it—the exit. With one last steadying breath, she walked forward, stepping through the doorway and out of the labyrinth.

As she crossed the threshold, the maze vanished behind her. She was back in the room where she had started, but something had changed within her. The labyrinth had stripped away her defenses, leaving her feeling raw, vulnerable—but also stronger, resolute.