Into the Abyss: The Rise of the Malevolent Player

Chapter 7: Escape the Labyrinth

Aiden’s POV

"Keep moving!" I barked, gripping Kara’s arm and dragging her forward as the ground behind us crumbled.

"I’m moving, I’m moving!" Kara snapped, her voice sharp with panic. "But maybe slow down before I break my ankle!"

The labyrinth was alive, twisting and groaning as if the very walls were trying to swallow us whole. The red glow illuminating the jagged stone gave everything an ominous, blood-soaked hue. Every step felt like it might be our last.

"You hear that?" she hissed, glancing behind us.

I nodded. The rhythmic clinking of boots on stone was growing louder, closer. Seraph’s operatives were relentless, hunting us like predators stalking their prey.

"They’re not giving up," I muttered, scanning the corridor ahead. The map on my HUD was fragmented, glitching out with static. But a faint waypoint still flickered in the corner of my vision, pulling me forward like a beacon.

"Where are we even going, Aiden?" Kara demanded. "You seem awfully confident for a guy running blind."

"I’m not blind," I replied, forcing calm into my voice. "There’s something up ahead. I can feel it."

She shot me a skeptical look. "Feel it? Or is that just Malrik messing with your head again?"

Before I could answer, a faint sound stopped me in my tracks.

"Aiden," a voice whispered, soft and haunting.

I froze, my heart pounding. The voice was unmistakable.

"Mila?"

Kara grabbed my arm, her eyes wide. "What did you just say?"

"I… I heard her," I stammered, scanning the shadows. "She’s here."

"No, she’s not," Kara said firmly, shaking her head. "Whatever you’re hearing, it’s not real. Malrik’s playing with you."

"How do you know that?" I shot back, frustration bubbling in my chest.

She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Because that’s exactly what I’d do if I were him. Get inside your head, make you doubt everything. He’s trying to distract you, Aiden. Don’t let him."

But the voice came again, clearer this time.

"Aiden… follow me."

It was Mila. I knew it. And she wasn’t just some trick of my mind—she was guiding me.

"This way," I said, breaking into a run.

"Damn it, Aiden!" Kara called after me, but she didn’t stop following.

The corridors grew narrower, the walls closing in like the ribs of a dying beast. The air was thick, heavy with the metallic tang of blood and decay. My footsteps echoed loudly, each one a reminder of how far we’d fallen into Malrik’s trap.

The voice guided me, always just out of reach. "Almost there, Aiden," it whispered, pulling me deeper into the labyrinth.

Kara’s footsteps lagged behind me, her breathing harsh. "If this gets us killed, I’m haunting you," she muttered.

"Noted," I replied, barely listening.

The waypoint on my HUD pulsed brighter as we turned a final corner, revealing a hidden chamber bathed in soft blue light.

"What is this?" Kara breathed, stepping beside me.

The room was unlike anything else in the labyrinth. Smooth, metallic walls replaced the jagged stone, and in the center stood an ancient terminal, its surface covered in glowing runes and faint holographic screens.

"It’s a sanctuary," I said, the words escaping me without thought.

Kara frowned. "A sanctuary? For what?"

I approached the terminal cautiously, my fingers brushing against the cool metal. The screens flickered to life at my touch, displaying lines of unfamiliar code.

"This is connected to Rhea Valen," I murmured, realization dawning. "It’s a gateway."

Kara’s eyes widened. "To what? Answers? Mila?"

I nodded. "Maybe all of it."

She hesitated, glancing around the room. "This feels too convenient, Aiden. Like it was left here for us to find."

"Maybe it was," I said, already working to decipher the terminal.

"Or maybe it’s a trap," she countered, her voice laced with suspicion.

---

As I delved into the terminal’s interface, the room began to hum softly, a vibration that resonated deep in my chest. The glitches in my HUD intensified, symbols and fragments of text flashing faster than I could process.

And then, the voice returned.

"You’re close, Aiden. So close."

I froze, my hands hovering over the terminal.

"What is it now?" Kara demanded, noticing my hesitation.

"She’s here," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can feel her."

"You don’t even know what you’re feeling anymore!" she snapped, grabbing my shoulder and forcing me to look at her. "This is exactly what Malrik wants—to keep you chasing ghosts while he tightens the noose."

I pulled away from her grip. "I have to know," I said, my tone firm. "If there’s even a chance she’s alive, I have to try."

Before Kara could respond, the terminal emitted a sharp beep, and the room’s hum grew louder. The screens shifted, displaying a single line of text:

"Catalyst recognized. Prepare for synchronization."

Kara stepped back, her eyes wide with alarm. "What the hell does that mean?"

The air grew heavier, the glow from the terminal intensifying until it bathed the entire room in light. I felt a sudden, overwhelming pull, like something was reaching into me, connecting with my very core.

"Aiden, stop!" Kara shouted, but it was too late.

The terminal’s energy surged, and the world around us began to fracture.