Chapter 32 - The Labyrinth

Morning Whispers

The academy halls were abuzz with whispers even before the first bell rang. Kaiho walked through the corridor, munching on a bag of chips, his hoodie pulled up as he lazily scanned the crowd. It didn't take long for him to notice the hushed voices, stolen glances, and occasional nods toward the direction of the training room.

"What's with all the gossip?" he muttered to himself, flicking a chip into his mouth.

A group of students stood near his locker, their voices low but intense.

"Did you hear? The training room's trashed!" one boy said, his eyes wide with excitement.

"No way. What happened?" another girl leaned in closer.

"They're saying it was Athena. She completely lost it."

"Again?" the girl whispered, her tone laced with both fear and admiration. "But who would've pushed her that far?"

Kaiho stopped mid-step, his ears perking up. Athena? He glanced toward the group, but they scattered when they noticed him staring.

"Interesting," he said under his breath, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made his way toward class.

As he turned a corner, he nearly collided with Saito, who was hurrying toward the classroom.

"Yo, Saito, did you hear about the training room?" Kaiho asked.

Saito looked at him nervously. "Yeah, everyone's talking about it. They say Athena smashed it up after a fight or something."

"A fight? With who?" Kaiho pressed, his curiosity growing.

"No idea. But it must've been someone strong to push her to that point. I mean, she's Athena," Saito replied, lowering his voice as they entered the classroom.

Kaiho dropped into his seat, resting his chin on his hand as he replayed what he'd heard. Athena, huh? I wonder what really happened.

His thoughts were interrupted when Athena entered the room, her bandaged hands catching his eye. She didn't glance in his direction, her face unreadable as she made her way to her seat.

Kaiho narrowed his eyes.

Merlin stood in the grand hall, his usual composed demeanor giving way to a rare excitement. A glowing map floated before him, showing a maze of shifting corridors and traps.

"Today's task," Merlin announced, "is not just to test your individual skills, but to teach you the importance of working together. In the Labyrinth of Concord, you will face puzzles, traps, and enemies that will test your mind, body, and spirit. No one person can complete this task alone."

With a flick of his wrist, the map pulsed with light, revealing the labyrinth's twisting, constantly changing paths.

"I've assigned teams based on balance—strength, intellect, and adaptability. You three will form a team: Kaiho, Athena, and Lesser."

The group stood in stunned silence.

Kaiho blinked, glancing nervously at Athena. "Wait, I'm paired with her?" he said, his voice faltering.

Athena shot him a glare sharp enough to cut glass. "If you get in my way, I'll leave you behind," she warned, her tone cold.

Lesser, standing at the back of the group, sneered. "Tch, whatever. I don't need any of you."

Merlin raised his hand, cutting off the conversation. "Enough. You're a team now. Work together or fail together. The task is simple—retrieve the Phoenix feather

from the heart of the labyrinth. But you must rely on one another to succeed."

Inside the Labyrinth: The Trap Room

The labyrinth was a maze of ever-shifting walls and pressure plates that triggered magical traps. As the trio entered a narrow corridor, the air suddenly crackled with magic. The floor gave a low hum, and the walls shimmered ominously.

Athena, ever alert, dashed forward, her body a blur as she gracefully dodged the first set of spikes that shot from the floor. Her movements were precise and swift, each step calculated.

"Watch your step!" she called back to Kaiho and Lesser.

Kaiho, looking around nervously, spotted a metal thorn trap swinging toward Lesser. Without thinking, he leapt forward, shoving Lesser out of the way to protect him.

"Get down!" Kaiho shouted as he threw himself into the path of the incoming trap.

The sharp metal thorn grazed Kaiho's leg, and he yelped in pain as it scraped against his skin, but he was unable to fully avoid it. He staggered forward, too late to save himself. The thorn lodged into his side, and Kaiho collapsed to the ground with a sharp intake of breath.

Lesser, still shaken, barely had time to react. But Athena was already on the move. Seeing that Kaiho was down and unable to help himself, she stepped forward and, in a stunning display of strength, reached out and grabbed the metal thorn with her bare hands.

"Damn it, Kaiho! You're a fool," Athena muttered, her voice laced with frustration. With one swift motion, she ripped the thorn from the trap mechanism and threw it aside, effectively disarming the trap.

Athena glanced down at the injured Kaiho, who was crawling away from the danger zone. "If you're going to be that reckless, at least make sure it's not a waste."

Kaiho, breathless and wincing from the pain, managed to look up at her with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you…" he gasped, still trying to catch his breath.

Athena rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Save it," she said, her tone cool. "I just didn't want it to affect my results."

Kaiho, still struggling to get to his feet, gave a weak laugh. "Right. Got it."

The labyrinth was eerily quiet as the trio continued to venture deeper, their steps slow and careful. The air was thick with tension, each of them on high alert. Kaiho limped slightly, still favoring his injured leg, while Athena moved with quiet grace beside him, her sword ready in her grip. Lesser, always distant and calculating, kept his eyes fixed on the path ahead, his mind working quickly as he evaluated their situation.

As the group ventured deeper into the labyrinth, the oppressive air grew heavier, and the walls seemed to close in, shifting and grinding against each other like the labyrinth itself was alive. The dark stone corridors twisted and turned in impossible angles, and the eerie silence was punctuated only by the distant sounds of footsteps echoing in the gloom.

Kaiho limped slightly, still favoring his injured leg. Athena moved ahead with confident strides, her eyes scanning every corner, while Lesser, walking a few paces behind, barely acknowledged their presence. His eyes were sharp, calculating, scanning the environment for anything that could give him an advantage.

"I think I saw something," Lesser said, his voice low and disinterested, as he stopped by the side of the path. He crouched down, brushing aside some dry leaves and dirt to reveal a patch of vibrant green herbs growing in the shadows.

Kaiho and Athena paused and looked at him. Athena's gaze was skeptical, but Kaiho stepped forward, curious. "What is it?"

Lesser didn't look up from the herbs, his eyes focused on the plant's leaves. "This," he said with a rare hint of something approaching interest, "is a healing herb called Bloodroot. It'll help with pain and quicken the healing process. You both should take some."

Kaiho raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you know about plants too?"

Lesser's voice remained cold, but there was a faint edge of irritation in it. "I know a lot of things you don't. Unlike you two, I don't waste time with meaningless chatter."

Athena scoffed. "Whatever. We don't have time to argue." She walked over to the patch and picked some of the leaves, handing them to Kaiho.

Kaiho looked at them skeptically. "Are you sure this is safe?"

Lesser didn't even bother to answer, already moving to gather a few more for himself. "You'll be fine. Just chew it. It'll help with that leg of yours."

After taking the herbs, Kaiho felt a wave of relief wash over him as the pain in his leg began to ease. The burning sensation in his muscles dulled, and he could move with less discomfort. Athena, too, seemed to find some comfort in it, though her face remained stoic.

"Good," Athena muttered. "Now let's keep moving."

Then, suddenly, the ground beneath their feet shook violently. A low growl echoed through the corridor, followed by the unmistakable sound of something massive slithering toward them. Kaiho's heart raced as he turned to look behind them.

"Shit, what's that?" he asked, his voice a mix of fear and disbelief.

Athena's grip tightened around her sword as she scanned the shadows, her eyes narrowing. "I don't know, but we're about to find out."

A massive, multi-headed serpent, its scales shimmering in the dim light, burst out of the shadows with a terrifying roar. The hydra's eyes glowed with hunger, and its three heads snapped toward them, fangs bared.

Kaiho froze, unable to process what was happening. "What the hell is that thing?!"

Lesser's eyes flickered briefly toward the hydra. "A hydra,"