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Erik, his face drenched with sweat, let out a sharp breath. "There's too many of them. We need to break through that door, and fast."

I cast a quick glance at the intricate lock mechanism on the door, the glowing runes practically pulsing with energy. It was a puzzle, undoubtedly a key to moving forward, but we had to clear these creatures out first or risk being overrun.

"I'll handle the door," Zara volunteered, her voice steady despite the pressure. Her focus remained on maintaining the shimmering barrier while studying the lock. "But I'll need some time. Can you hold them off?"

"Don't worry," Alina said with a grin, flames sparking in her eyes. "We've got this." She whirled around, her sword dancing through the air, leaving a trail of fire in its wake as she carved through the shadowy forms. "I'm not letting these things stop us now."

Erik shifted his stance, summoning even larger earthen spikes that erupted from the ground, impaling any creature that came too close. "Samael, you better have a plan."

I smiled slightly, stepping forward, the surge of power within me responding to the intensity of the situation. The labyrinth wanted to play a game? Fine. It was time to show it what happened when it pushed me too far.

The vines that had wrapped around the creatures tightened, and I infused them with my Nature magic. In an instant, thorns sprouted from the vines, piercing through the shadowy figures, and causing them to writhe in pain. But that wasn't enough. I needed to escalate.

"Alina! Erik! fall back to Zara, Focus on protecting her while she works on the door mechanism!" I called out, my voice firm. "I'll handle the rest."

Alina glanced at me, her eyes narrowing for a split second before she nodded and dashed back toward Zara, flames still flickering around her. Erik grunted, quickly retreating and raising another earthen wall to shield Zara and Alina from the creatures as they swarmed in.

With the others secured, I turned my attention fully to the creatures and, by extension, the labyrinth. It wanted to test me, to see how far I could go. Time to oblige.

I could feel my team's gaze on me, So only Lightning and Nature are the only affinities I could use to maintain my cover, but that would be more than enough. The labyrinth's twisted creatures surged toward me in a final, desperate wave.

I raised my hand, calling forth a surge of power from my Lightning affinity. A crackle filled the air as bolts of pure electricity coiled around my arm, arcing outward. With a sharp motion, I sent a pulse of lightning into the ground, and in an instant, it spread like wildfire, arcing from one shadowy creature to another.

The creatures spasmed and contorted as the electricity coursed through them, their distorted forms flickering in and out of existence before finally dissipating into the air.

But the labyrinth wasn't giving up. As soon as the first wave fell, another group appeared from the shadows, faster and more aggressive, their forms less substantial but more dangerous. They moved like ghosts, darting through the room with unnatural speed, their claws gleaming with dark energy.

I clenched my fist, summoning my Nature magic once more. The vines and roots responded to my will, surging up from the ground to create a massive, living barrier between the creatures and the others. Thorned tendrils shot out, whipping through the air and ensnaring the shadowy figures. The vines tightened, squeezing until the creatures disintegrated under the pressure.

The labyrinth recoiled again, its presence pulling back like a wounded animal. I could feel it watching, hesitating as it reconsidered its next move.

"Zara, how's it going?" I called out, my eyes never leaving the mass of creatures still forming at the edges of the chamber.

"I've almost got it!" Zara shouted back, her voice strained with focus. The glowing runes on the door shifted and rotated, the intricate lock slowly unwinding under her careful manipulation.

I nodded, keeping my senses sharp. The creatures were slowing down, as if the labyrinth was running out of options. But I knew better than to let my guard down. The labyrinth was alive, and it was cunning. It wouldn't go down without a fight.

Suddenly, the room shuddered, and a deep, resonant sound echoed through the chamber. The green light intensified, flooding the room as the stone door began to open. A cold, otherworldly breeze swept through, carrying with it the unmistakable sense of danger.

"Well," Alina said, her voice full of anticipation as the door creaked open. "That can't be good."

"No, it's not," I muttered, stepping back toward the others, preparing for whatever was coming next. The labyrinth was far from finished.

The door finally slid open, revealing a dark, yawning abyss beyond. From within, a low growl echoed, shaking the very ground beneath our feet. Something powerful—something far more dangerous than the shadow creatures—was waiting on the other side.

Erik glanced at me, his expression grim. "Whatever's in there, it's not gonna be easy, is it?"

I smirked, gripping my blade tighter. "No. But that's the fun part."

"Yeah, But only you would call something dangerous being fun," Erik muttered, shaking his head with a nervous chuckle.

The oppressive darkness beyond the door stirred, shifting like a living entity. Whatever lurked inside was no ordinary challenge. My instincts flared, warning me that this next trial would be on a whole different level than the creatures we'd just faced.

"Zara, stay back with Alina and Erik," I ordered. "This one feels... different."

Zara frowned, her eyes flicking toward the abyss. "What is it? Can you sense it?"

I paused, the eerie silence from the darkness drawing closer. "Not exactly. But whatever it is, it's powerful. Strong enough that even the labyrinth is wary."

Alina stepped forward, her fiery sword at the ready. "Then we take it down. Together."

I shook my head. "No, this one's for me. The labyrinth wants me to prove something, and I don't think it'll let us all through unscathed if we don't play by its rules."

Erik groaned. "You always have to be the hero, don't you?"

"Not a hero," I replied, my gaze fixed on the shifting void ahead. "Just trying to stay ahead of the game."

With one last glance at the group, I stepped into the abyss.

The moment I crossed the threshold, the temperature dropped sharply. A heavy weight settled on my shoulders as though the very air pressed down with immense pressure. The space around me twisted, warping reality. It was as if I'd entered the heart of the labyrinth itself, where the boundaries of existence were thin, and the rules were rewritten.

Growl~

A menacing low growl reverberated through the chamber, its sound vibrating against the walls and floor as if the very ground was alive with menace. Shadows coiled around me, twisting into grotesque shapes that flickered and danced on the periphery of my vision. The air grew colder, thick with an almost tangible sense of dread.

I tightened my grip on my sword, its edge crackling with lightning, and took a cautious step forward. The growl echoed again, louder this time, accompanied by a deep rumble that seemed to come from the very bowels of the labyrinth. The darkness ahead seemed to pulse with a life of its own, almost like a living entity waiting for its moment to strike.

A feline figure could be barely made out in the swirling darkness. It emerged from the shadows, a massive, spectral panther with eyes like molten gold. Its form was both majestic and terrifying, with ethereal fur that seemed to ripple with the very essence of the abyss. The panther's growl was a low, resonant sound that seemed to reverberate through every corner of the chamber.

The creature's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I felt as though it was peering directly into my soul, assessing my worth. Its presence exuded an aura of primal power, and I knew this would be no ordinary foe. The labyrinth had conjured a guardian, a beast of both shadow and substance, to test my resolve.

But a smirk made its way onto my lips, This is way too easy~

The panther's molten eyes glowed brighter as it stepped forward, its massive form moving with a grace that belied its size. Each step it took seemed to distort the space around it, as if reality itself was bending under its presence.

I raised my sword, the lightning crackling more fiercely as I prepared to engage. "Let's see what you've got," I muttered, feeling the surge of adrenaline and the thrill of the upcoming battle.

The spectral panther let out a deafening roar, and the chamber trembled. Shadows erupted from its form, swirling and coalescing into razor-sharp tendrils that lashed out towards me with frightening speed.

I leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the first strike, and countered with a bolt of lightning that arced through the air and struck one of the tendrils, causing it to disintegrate in a flash of energy.

The panther charged, its eyes burning with fierce determination. I met its charge head-on, meeting its powerful claws with a swift parry from my sword. The impact reverberated through my arms, and I felt the sheer strength of the beast. The clash of our energies sent a shockwave through the chamber, making the shadows flicker and writhe.

I retaliated with a focused surge of Nature magic, calling forth a barrage of thorned vines that erupted from the ground and ensnared the panther's legs. The creature roared in pain, its form writhing as the thorns dug in. But it wasn't defeated yet; with a powerful burst of energy, it shattered the vines and surged forward again.

Determined to end this quickly, I unleashed a massive Lightning Strike, directing it straight at the panther. The electricity crackled through the air, and the panther let out a spine-chilling roar as the lightning coursed through its ethereal body. It staggered, its form flickering and momentarily losing cohesion.

But the labyrinth was relentless. The chamber's shadows surged, gathering around the panther to heal its wounds and fortify its defenses. It was a continuous cycle of attack and recovery, a battle of attrition that required not just power but strategy.

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[To Be Continued]

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