Chapter 16:The Maze's Grasp(2)

The air in the corridor felt heavier, the faint glow of the runes barely holding back the oppressive shadows. The two remaining Shadowhounds circled the group like predators stalking their prey. Their glowing red eyes burned with an unnatural intensity, and their low growls sent shivers through the team.

Orin gripped his katana tightly, his chest heaving from the effort of taking down the first hound. The artifact embedded in him pulsed rhythmically, its warmth spreading through his body like a faint drumbeat.

"Stay sharp!" Orin barked. "Cassandra, keep flanking. Mira, don't let anything through to Kael. Finn, stick close to me."

The group moved into position, forming a loose defensive circle. Each member was exhausted, their breathing labored, but none of them dared to retreat.

Without warning, one of the hounds lunged forward, its massive claws aimed at Orin. He activated Spirit Step, his body blurring as he sidestepped the attack. The creature's claws slammed into the ground, sending cracks splintering through the stone floor.

Orin reappeared to the hound's side and slashed his katana downward. The blade cut into the beast's flank, but it wasn't a deep enough strike. Black ichor dripped from the wound as the creature snarled and turned to face him.

The second hound, seeing its opportunity, charged at Kael and Mira.

"Look out!" Kael shouted, stumbling back as the massive beast barreled toward them.

Mira stepped forward, her trembling hands tightening around the hilt of her sword. She raised her blade just in time to parry the creature's swipe, the impact sending a shockwave through her arms.

"I can't hold it!" Mira cried, her voice shaking with panic.

"You don't need to," Cassandra said sharply, darting in from the side. Her daggers flashed in the dim light as she struck at the hound's hind legs. The beast howled, its movements faltering as Cassandra's blades found their mark.

Kael steadied himself, raising his staff as the hound turned its attention back to him. He muttered a spell under his breath, his voice trembling but resolute. A bolt of lightning shot from his staff, striking the creature's shoulder.

The hound yelped, its body convulsing as sparks danced across its fur.

"Nice shot!" Finn called out, throwing one of his daggers into the creature's side for good measure.

Kael didn't respond, his focus already shifting to preparing another spell.

Meanwhile, Orin faced off against the first hound, which was now limping from its earlier wound. The creature growled low, its glowing red eyes locked onto him with deadly intent.

Orin tightened his grip on his katana, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to drag this out.

The artifact in his chest pulsed harder, its heat intensifying. He activated Aether Slash, channeling the artifact's energy into his blade. The katana glowed brightly, the light cutting through the darkness as he charged forward.

The hound lunged to meet him, its massive jaws snapping open. Orin ducked low at the last second, sliding beneath the creature's attack. As he passed under its body, he swung upward, his glowing blade slicing into the beast's underbelly.

The hound let out an ear-splitting howl, its body shuddering before collapsing into a pool of black mist.

Orin staggered to his feet, his chest heaving as the artifact's energy began to subside.

"One down," he muttered.

The last remaining hound, seeing its companion fall, became even more aggressive. It snarled viciously, its movements erratic as it lashed out at Cassandra and Mira.

"Mira, stay back!" Orin shouted, rushing to her side.

Mira hesitated, her grip on her sword tightening, but she obeyed, retreating to Kael's side.

Cassandra, meanwhile, danced around the hound, her movements quick and precise. She struck at its legs whenever it overextended, her daggers leaving shallow cuts along its joints.

"Orin, any bright ideas?" Cassandra called out, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the creature's claws.

Orin scanned the hound's movements, his mind working furiously. The artifact pulsed again, almost as if responding to his thoughts.

"Kael!" Orin shouted. "Can you hit it one more time? Aim for the head!"

Kael nodded, though his hands were trembling from exhaustion. He raised his staff, summoning the last of his mana. A crackling bolt of lightning shot forward, striking the hound square in the face.

The creature reeled, its body convulsing as sparks coursed through it.

"Now!" Orin yelled, charging forward.

Orin activated Spirit Step, closing the distance in an instant. The hound tried to recover, but its movements were sluggish from the lightning's effects. Orin leapt into the air, his katana glowing as he brought it down in a powerful overhead slash.

The blade pierced the creature's skull, splitting it down the middle. The hound let out a final, guttural growl before its body dissolved into black mist.

---

Mira sheathed her sword, her hands still trembling. "I thought… I thought we were done for."

"You held your ground," Orin said, turning to her. His voice was calm, steady. "You all did. That's why we're still alive."

Kael slumped against the wall, his staff clattering to the ground as he wiped sweat from his brow. "I'm completely out of mana… If we run into another fight like that, I won't be able to help."

"We'll figure it out," Orin said, glancing around at the exhausted faces of his team. He understood their fear. He felt it, too. But showing it now wouldn't help anyone.

"We should keep moving," Cassandra said, though her tone lacked its usual sharpness. "Lingering here isn't smart. The labyrinth doesn't wait for us to catch our breath."

"No," Orin said, shaking his head. "We're staying for now."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Staying?"

"We can't afford to push forward like this," Orin replied, his voice firm. "Kael's out of mana, Mira's barely holding on, and Finn's running out of weapons. If we keep going in this state, we'll get killed the moment something else shows up."

"And what if something finds us while we're resting?" Cassandra challenged.

"Then we'll deal with it," Orin said. "But if we don't recover, we won't stand a chance."

Cassandra studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Fair enough, fearless leader. You've got five minutes."

---

As the group settled down, Orin leaned against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment. The artifact in his chest pulsed faintly, its warmth a reminder of the power he'd drawn from it during the fight.

That power had saved them—but it had also left him drained. Each time he used it, the artifact seemed to take something from him in return. He couldn't ignore the growing connection between it and the labyrinth, either. The way it reacted to the monsters, to the traps—it was almost as if the artifact knew this place.

"What are you?" Orin murmured under his breath, his hand brushing over his chest. The artifact didn't answer, of course, but its steady pulse seemed to echo his thoughts.

---

When their brief rest was over, Orin stood and addressed the group.

"Alright," he said, his voice steady. "We're not out of this yet, but we made it through that fight. That means we can handle what's next."

"And what if what's next is worse?" Finn asked, his tone only half-joking.

"Then we'll deal with it," Orin said. He looked at each of them in turn—Kael, Mira, Finn, Cassandra—and saw the same thing in all their eyes: exhaustion, but also resolve.

"Let's go," Orin said.

The group fell into formation, their footsteps echoing in the dark as they pressed deeper into the labyrinth.