Born To Die

We meet percy once again

The labyrinth wasn't just a place; it was alive, and it hated us. The further we pressed on, the more it seemed to target us—not just physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

The paths twisted and shifted behind us, sealing off every exit. Whispers echoed through the air, indistinct but familiar, tugging at our thoughts. The walls sometimes flickered, revealing flashes of memories, regrets, fears.

The first to go was a giant, dragged into the shadows by an unseen force. His screams were cut short, leaving the rest of us frozen in place, gripping our weapons tightly.

"This place is trying to break us," Heavenly said, her voice trembling. Her magic flickered faintly, as if even her power was waning.

"It won't," Luke said firmly, though his voice lacked its usual conviction. He was trying to stay strong for the rest of us, but I could see the cracks forming.

As we moved deeper, Luke and I stayed close—too close, perhaps. I clung to him, my hand brushing against his arm as if I needed the contact to remind myself he was still there. And he did the same, his eyes darting to me constantly, like he was afraid I'd vanish if he looked away too long.

Kelli, of course, couldn't help but stir the pot.

She sidled up to Luke every chance she got, her movements calculated, her tone syrupy. "You know, Luke, if we weren't in this death trap, I could show you some tricks to make this whole 'conquering the world' thing a lot easier."

I rolled my eyes, tightening my grip on my blade. "Kelli, unless your tricks include a map out of here, save it."

She flashed her fanged smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Isla."

I ignored her, but my patience was wearing thin.

Luke didn't engage, his focus entirely on me and the labyrinth. At one point, Kelli tried to wrap an arm around his, but he brushed her off with an irritated, "Not now, Kelli."

I couldn't help the small, smug smile that crept onto my face, even in the middle of the nightmare we were in.

The labyrinth's tricks only grew worse.

Evan was the next to fall victim. As we moved through a dark corridor, he suddenly stopped, his eyes widening.

"Evan?" Sadia asked, stepping closer.

"I see... something. Someone..." His voice trailed off, and before we could stop him, he darted into a side passage.

"Evan, wait!" Vincent shouted, but the walls slammed shut behind him, sealing him off from the rest of us.

We pounded on the stone, but it didn't budge. After a few minutes, the faint sound of Evan's screams echoed through the air, then silence.

Nora and Sadia were next.

We entered a chamber filled with mirrors, their surfaces distorted and rippling like water. As we stepped inside, the reflections began to shift, showing us scenes that weren't real—or maybe they were.

Nora's reflection laughed, stepping out of the mirror and dragging her screaming twin inside. No amount of magic or brute force could save Sadia as the mirror solidified, leaving only our haunted faces staring back at us.

"Don't look at them!" Heavenly shouted, smashing one of the mirrors with her staff. "They feed on your fears—don't let them in!"

We moved on, but the weight of every loss pressed down on us.

By the time we stopped to rest, there were only six of us left: Luke, me, Heavenly, Vincent, Kelli, and one remaining giant.

The labyrinth hadn't stopped shifting, and the oppressive atmosphere was getting worse. Even the air felt heavy, as if it was pressing down on our chests.