Chapter 12: Into the Depths

The air is colder in this part of the labyrinth.

The hum of the machines that filled the other rooms is fainter here, almost as if I've wandered far enough that the lab itself is quieting down. I can't tell if that's a good sign or not. The metallic walls stretch ahead, the light dim and flickering like it's about to give out entirely. There's no sound except the echo of my own footsteps, light but constant.

The place seems endless, one corridor blending into another. The further I go, the more everything looks the same. It's like the labyrinth itself is playing tricks on my mind, trying to keep me lost.

But I'm not giving up. Not yet.

I've been through too much already. My body aches, not from hunger this time but from the sheer effort of moving forward, of surviving. The fight with the elves, the orcs... it left me battered and bruised. Even with my body healing, I can still feel the weight of every injury.

But ahead, there's something different. The metallic walls give way to a large, reinforced door. It stands out in this endless maze, almost gleaming against the dull surroundings.

It's a door that looks like it leads *out*.

I stop, staring at it. For a moment, I'm hesitant. My eyes scan the area around the door, looking for signs of a trap, for any reason why this could be a mistake. But nothing happens. There's just the door, silent and waiting.

*Could this be it?*

My heart pounds in my chest as I step toward it. Every instinct I have is screaming at me to be careful, but my legs carry me forward anyway. I can't turn back now. Not after everything. If there's even the slightest chance that this door leads to freedom, I have to take it.

I reach the door and find a panel beside it. The symbols on it are foreign, incomprehensible, but I don't care. I press my hand against the panel, trying to make something happen, hoping for any kind of reaction.

The door stays closed.

I press harder, almost growling in frustration. There has to be a way out. *There has to be.*

A soft click echoes through the hall, and for a brief second, I think the door is about to open.

But then the alarm sounds.

A loud, blaring noise erupts from the walls, the sound deafening. Red lights flash overhead, casting the corridor in a sickly glow, and I step back instinctively, my pulse quickening. It's loud—so loud that it's all I can hear, like the walls themselves are screaming.

A door on the far side of the hall slides open, and armed figures flood into the room.

They're not like the humans I encountered before. These ones are different. They're covered in armor, sleek and black, their faces hidden behind masks. They don't hesitate. They don't scream or shout. They move with precision, their weapons raised, their movements controlled.

I don't need to understand their language to know that they're here to kill me.

The first shot rings out, and I barely dodge in time. A blast of energy slams into the wall behind me, leaving a smoking hole in the metal. They're not using ordinary guns—these weapons are something else, something more dangerous.

I don't have time to think. My body moves on instinct, diving to the side as another blast tears through the air. I hit the ground hard, rolling to my feet as I search for cover. There's nothing. Just the cold, metallic walls and the flashing red lights.

They're closing in fast. Their footsteps echo through the hall, getting louder with every second. I can hear the soft hum of their weapons charging, ready to fire again. My heart is pounding in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins. I can't fight them. Not like this.

I have to run.

I push myself off the ground, my legs burning with the effort, and sprint down the corridor. The heavy sound of boots follows me, the guards moving in unison, their weapons firing in quick succession. I dodge to the left, then the right, barely avoiding the blasts of energy that tear through the air.

The corridor twists and turns, and I follow it blindly, not caring where it leads as long as it takes me away from them. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my body screaming at me to stop, but I don't. I *can't*.

The blasts grow louder, closer, and I feel a sharp sting as one of them grazes my arm. I stumble, nearly falling, but I catch myself before I hit the ground. The pain flares through me, but I shove it down. There's no time to feel pain.

I need to *survive*.

I reach the end of the corridor, and another door stands in my way. There's no time to think. I slam my hand against the panel, hoping it will open. The door slides open with a hiss, and I throw myself inside just as another blast echoes behind me.

The room is small, cramped, filled with strange equipment and screens that flicker with unfamiliar symbols. It's a dead end.

I turn, my heart racing. The door is already sliding open behind me, and I catch a glimpse of the guards—black armor, weapons raised. They're coming for me. They're not going to stop until I'm dead.

There's nowhere left to run. I have to fight.

I grab the nearest piece of equipment—a long, metal rod that looks like it's part of some machine—and hold it in front of me. It's a pathetic weapon, but it's all I have. My hands tremble as I grip it, my body still weak from the chase, from the endless battle to survive.

The first guard steps through the door, his weapon aimed at my chest.

I swing.

The metal rod connects with his head, and there's a satisfying crack as his helmet shatters. He stumbles back, disoriented, and I take the opportunity to lunge at him. My hands wrap around his neck, and I squeeze, feeling the armor crack beneath my fingers.

But the other guards are already moving. One of them grabs me from behind, pulling me off the first guard, and throws me against the wall. The impact knocks the air from my lungs, and I gasp, struggling to breathe as I hit the floor.

They're too strong.

The second guard raises his weapon, and I barely manage to roll out of the way as another blast of energy scorches the floor where I was lying. My body is screaming at me to stop, to give up, but I can't. I *won't*.

I scramble to my feet, the metal rod still clutched in my hand, and swing it at the nearest guard. He blocks it with his weapon, and the force of the blow nearly knocks the rod out of my hands. I grit my teeth, tightening my grip, and swing again.

This time, I connect. The guard stumbles back, his weapon falling from his hands, and I don't hesitate. I slam the rod into his chest, over and over, until he collapses to the ground, motionless.

But there are still more of them.

The third guard fires, and I feel the blast hit me square in the chest. The pain is immediate, searing through my body like fire. I collapse to the ground, gasping for breath, my vision swimming as the room tilts around me.

I can hear the guards moving toward me, their footsteps heavy and deliberate. I try to push myself up, but my arms won't cooperate. The pain is too much.

I'm going to die here.

But then something snaps inside me. A raw, primal instinct kicks in, and suddenly I'm moving again. My body surges with a strength I didn't know I had, driven by pure desperation. I leap to my feet, ignoring the pain, and throw myself at the guards with everything I have left.

I slam into the nearest one, knocking him to the ground, my fists pounding into his armor with relentless fury. I can feel the metal give in beneath my hands, the sound of bones breaking echoing in the small room, but I don't stop. I *can't* stop.

But the others are too fast. Too organized.

I feel a hand grab me by the back of my neck, yanking me off the guard and slamming me into the wall. The impact rattles through my bones, and I can barely breathe as I hit the ground again. My body feels like it's on fire, every muscle screaming in agony.

I try to get up, but this time I can't. My vision blurs, dark spots dancing in front of my eyes, and the world tilts dangerously around me.

I hear one of the guards speak, his voice muffled behind the mask, but I can't make out the words. They're surrounding me now, their weapons aimed at my head.

This is it.

But then, in the chaos, I see it—another door, half-hidden behind the equipment. It's smaller than the others, barely noticeable, but it's open. A way out.

I force myself to move, crawling across

the floor, my fingers digging into the cold metal as I drag myself toward the door. The guards shout something, but I don't care. I don't stop.

I reach the door just as another blast of energy slams into the floor behind me, and I throw myself through the opening, landing hard on the other side.

The door slides shut behind me, sealing me in darkness. The air is thick, heavy with the stench of sweat and blood, and I can barely breathe. My chest burns with every ragged breath, and my body is shaking, on the verge of collapse.

But I'm alive.

For now.

I lie there for a moment, gasping for air, my body trembling as the adrenaline fades. The pain in my chest is unbearable, every movement sending a fresh wave of agony through me, but I have to keep moving. I can't stay here.

I push myself to my feet, swaying unsteadily as I take in my surroundings.

It's another corridor, darker than the last, the walls covered in strange, pulsing lights that seem to flicker in time with my heartbeat. The air here feels different—colder, more oppressive, like the walls themselves are closing in.

But there's no time to think about that. The guards are still out there, and they'll be coming for me.

I start moving, my legs trembling with every step. My vision blurs, and I can feel the blood seeping through my clothes, the wound in my chest still fresh and raw. But I keep going. I have to.

The corridor twists and turns, each corner looking the same as the last. I can't tell if I'm going deeper into the labyrinth or just walking in circles, but it doesn't matter. I have to keep moving.

I don't know how long I walk. Minutes? Hours? Time doesn't seem to exist in this place.

But eventually, I see it—a faint light at the end of the corridor.

I stumble toward it, my body screaming in protest with every step. The light grows brighter, and for a brief moment, I feel a flicker of hope.

But when I reach the end of the corridor, I stop.

It's not an exit.

It's another room.

The room is massive, far larger than any of the others I've been in. The walls are lined with strange machines, their surfaces glowing with an eerie, blue light. In the center of the room, there's something else—something that makes my blood run cold.

A creature.

It's huge, larger than any of the monsters I've faced so far. Its body is twisted and misshapen, like it's been stitched together from the parts of different creatures. Its skin is pale, almost translucent, and its eyes glow with a sickly, yellow light.

It's watching me.

I take a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. I can't fight this thing. Not in my current state. I'm too weak, too injured.

But before I can move, the door behind me slams shut.

I'm trapped.