Eyes In The Shadow

The wind rushed past their ears as Dune and Syras sprinted across the narrow stone walls of the labyrinth, high above the black void and beast-infested maze below. 

Each wall was wide enough to hold them both, they moved like it was open land, balanced, quick and focused.

"This is insane," Syras shouted, leaping over a crumbling section. "Do you see the glowing eyes? Dune!"

"Don't trip," Dune called back, eyes sharp, legs moving fast.

Something shifted. Dune's instincts kicked in.

"Left!"

The wall ahead buckled.

Beneath them, the stone snapped open with a roar, and from the darkness below, a massive mouth erupted. 

It was almost shapeless, just a swirling mass of black flesh, lined with spiraling rings of long, jagged teeth. Like a vortex built to devour everything. It opened directly beneath their path.

Dune and Syras didn't stop.

They jumped.

"Holy shit!" Syras shouted mid-air, barely clearing the creature's snapping jaws.

The maw clamped shut below them with a thunderous slam, vanishing into the abyss seconds later.

They landed hard on the next section of the wall, but had no time to breathe. From the cracks of the surrounding labyrinth, creatures poured out.

Insectoid beasts, some like pigeon sized ants, others the size of wolves with glowing green eyes and twitching blade-like legs, crawled up the sides of the walls. 

Some flew, winged things that shimmered with acid green and moved with impossible speed.

Dune flipped over one that lunged, his foot catching the edge as he twisted in mid-air and kicked it mid-fall. 

Syras spun low, dodging a flying claws before throwing a smaller hollow straight into the void.

"They're swarming!" Dune shouted.

"Too many of them" Syras replied, sliding beneath a flurry of wings.

They danced through the chaos, running across the tops of the maze like two ghosts dodging death. 

Their hands shimmered with quick strikes, Every motion counted leaps from wall to wall, rolls, ducks, flips. It was a performance of survival.

A long black tentacle whipped out from below and coiled tightly around Syras's leg mid-run.

"Syras!" Dune shouted, skidding to a halt.

The force yanked Syras off his feet, dragging him toward the edge.

"Shit—!" Syras reached out, Dune grabbed his arm before he could fall.

The two strained against the pull.

"It's not letting go," Syras hissed. "Dune, let me go!"

"No."

"If you don't, it'll rip my leg or your arm off. If i lose my leg im definitely dead here, and if you lose your hand it'll be bad. Pick one!"

Dune's eyes darted for a plan, but nothing. The tentacle tightened.

"DUNE!"

Dune's grip trembled. He stared at his friend, teeth clenched.

"I'll handle this!" Syras snapped. "It's pulling too hard, just let go!"

Below them, more beasts surged toward the wall, claws scratching as they climbed.

Dune looked from them, to Syras.

He let go.

"Don't die!" he shouted.

"I won't!" Syras called as he dropped into the shadowed pit.

Dune turned and ran.

Don't die, Syras…

He leapt from wall to wall, running at full speed. A winged creature swiped past his head, but he ducked low and rolled forward. Another beast leapt, he slid beneath it and kicked off the next ledge. No hesitation. No pause.

Only the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. And the memory of Syras's voice echoing behind him.

As Dune ran his breath grew heavier with each step, boots pounding across the narrow stone walls of the labyrinth. 

The vast expanse beneath him was hidden by shadow and wild overgrowth, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Syras…

He couldn't see him. Not a glimpse. Just the memory of his friend being pulled down into the mess of twisting roots and hungry mouths.

Should I go down there? His mind screamed for a decision. Jump in, fight through, find him… Or is that just suicide?

He scanned the dark mass below. A jungle trapped inside stone. He clenched his fists.

There has to be a way to help him.

But before he could move, a voice broke through the thick air.

"DUUUNE!"

Dune stopped, feet sliding slightly on the wall's edge. "Syras?!"

"I'm here!" came the shout again, a little rougher. "I'll follow your voice, just keep calling! If you change direction, tell me! Every minute!"

Dune breathed out through his nose, steadying his thoughts. "Alright. I'm above you! Keep north… this is north right… damn it, i don't even know." 

"I can't even see north! It's all ferns and trees and water, hah, it's like a cursed forest swallowed this place!"

Dune quickened his pace, peering down as much as he could. "Straight line from me. I'll call every few seconds. Just listen."

Syras grunted something like agreement, followed by the sound of splashing and rapid footsteps. Then, silence.

"Syras?"

"…Still here. Just killed something ugly. Sorry. Was mid-fight."

Dune smirked faintly despite himself. "Don't scare me like that."

"Blame the hollow," Syras shouted.

They kept going like that, Dune shouting down directions, Syras following blindly through the wilds, sometimes responding, sometimes going worryingly quiet.

At one point, Dune stopped. "Syras, say something."

A pause. Then:

"…Still alive. Still running. One second."

Dune could hear the difference now. Syras's voice was strained, breath harder to catch. He didn't say it, but Dune could hear it.

"You're wounded."

"I can heal," Syras said quickly, but the crack in his voice betrayed the truth. "It's not that bad…"

Dune clenched his jaw. He didn't believe that.

"Syras—"

"I said I can heal. Just keep moving. If you stop shouting, I might run the wrong way and end up as a lunch."

Dune hesitated… but nodded. "Fine. Stay with me."

They pressed on. The forest above and below seemed to breathe with them. Every call was a lifeline.

Until Dune reached the end.

His boots hit the final stone. Ahead of him was open forest again, lush trees, jagged rocks, a steep slope descending into mist. But behind him…

He looked back. No path out. Just the massive wall. No gate. No stairs. No break.

"Syras," he called. "I'm at the end. Where are you?"

Silence.

Then, the scream.

"RUN! DUNE, RUN!"

Dune's body turned before his brain caught up.

Too late.

Thok!

Spear slammed through his shoulder like lightning. He shouted, staggered, and almost fell, barely catching the edge of the wall. Blood streamed freely from the wound.

With a grunt, he pulled himself up and turned.

Below, two glowing green eyes stared up from the dark overgrowth.

A Neba lit up, seething, shimmering like poison mist.

"Shit—"

He jumped, just as another spear cut the air beside him. His body fell fast, crashing into the downhill slope. He tumbled through moss and leaves, groaning, before rolling to a halt at the bottom.

Dune lay there for a second, breathing through his teeth. Then his eyes fell on the spear that hit him, It landed next to him. 

Not wood. Not steel.

Human hands. Tangled together, twisted like rope. Fingers fused into a sharp, clawed point. Nails glowing faintly. He stared in horror, heartbeat pounding.

He turned toward the labyrinth wall again. So massive. So still.

"Syras…" he whispered.

No answer.

"Syras?! Damn it.. say something… Syras!" he called louder.

Only wind and silence.