Following the demise of the Elves, the area around us was eerily quiet, the once lush meadow now a somber graveyard.
The wind carried a bitter cold, whipping across the barren wasteland left in the wake of our destructive battle. The charred remains of once towering trees stood as stark reminders of the clash that had occurred here.
Aria had painstakingly dug graves for each of her siblings near the entrance to the Despero Labyrinth, mourning them in silence. Larry and Drake offered what comfort they could, but the grief etched on Aria's face told me words were of little solace.
As I observed the scene, a twinge of impatience gnawed at me.
'We need to continue our journey...'
My goal of saving Karlia hanging in the balance. Every second delayed was one I couldn't bear to stand, and I wanted more than anything to express the swirling exasperation within me.
But I swallowed the words. This wasn't the time to press.
"Aria," I said, striding over to where she knelt by the fresh mounds of earth.
"The Arcanas. They possess extraordinary power." I paused, glancing at Larry, whose own hopes rested on the fabled artifacts. "They're said to control even life and death."
Her eyes met mine, and I was taken aback by the depth of despair in them. But as my words registered, a flicker of hope ignited within them.
"Really?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
I nodded, hoping my reassurances weren't hollow promises. "With them, Larry hopes to bring back his family. You could...you could do the same for your siblings."
Her gaze remained locked with mine, the despair slowly giving way to a glimmer of something akin to hope.
I felt a pang of guilt, because even if I knew the Arcanas held such power, I wasn't particularly supportive or invested in bringing back her dead ones.
'Considering the fact that I am the one who killed them, it makes me feel more like a hypocrite.'
But I needed Aria focused and moving forward, not trapped in her sorrow.
Larry and Drake thanked me quietly, gratitude shining in their eyes for the ray of hope I'd provided.
However, I didn't feel like a hero.
I'd said what I needed to, to get us moving again. And I was still worried about the journey ahead.
We'd made powerful enemies, and the path we'd chosen was fraught with peril.
'If not for the fact that these three are useful, I might have already abandoned them... perhaps...'
I wasn't too sure myself. Perhaps I could never be certain of the choice I would make.
But I simply smiled in response, masking my own concerns.
As I gazed at the mournful scene, I couldn't help but wonder if I deserved any of the praise being offered to me.
Yet, even as doubt gnawed at me, I steeled myself. We had a mission to accomplish, and no matter the cost, we would see it through.
'That's what I should focus on. That's all that should matter.'
*********
[One Month Later]
The weeks that followed the death of Aria's sisters were a blur of desperate escape, shadowed pursuit, and sleepless nights.
We pushed ourselves to the limit, stealth and speed our only allies in avoiding the relentless sentries. The journey seemed to stretch on forever, an endless trek through dense forests and harsh terrains.
The world around us was as gray as the emotions etched on our faces.
We were shadows flitting through the wilderness, hunted, constantly on the move.
A grim silence clung to us, like a shroud wrapping us in its dreary embrace.
A whole month of this ceaseless wandering finally brought us to our destination - the Mors Labyrinth.
A chill of foreboding ran down my spine at the sight.
Situated in the heart of a festering swamp, the labyrinth was a monstrous monument to despair.
Its presence loomed in the air like an unspoken death sentence.
The name 'Dead End' wasn't just a title; it felt like a tangible entity, an unseen specter of death waiting to claim the unwary.
"Mors... a dead end," Larry mumbled, his eyes fixed on the entrance. "The records weren't exaggerating in the slightest."
The entrance to the labyrinth was a gaping maw swallowed in the eerie silence of the surrounding swamp. Thick mist clung to the ground, cloaking the dark path that lay ahead in mystery.
Aria was silent, her face set in a determined scowl.
I could see the subtle twitch of her hand on her blade, an unspoken declaration of her readiness to face whatever lay ahead.
Drake and Larry echoed her grim determination, their eyes reflecting a mixture of apprehension and resolve.
I pulled the collar of my coat closer, the damp chill of the swamp seeping into my bones.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I looked at my companions, their faces etched with weary resilience.
"Remember," I began, meeting their eyes. "We've come this far, faced obstacles that would break most. The Mors Labyrinth is no different."
Everyone nodded as I spoke, staring at the overwhelming sight before us.
"We get in, retrieve what we need, and get out. Stick together, watch each other's backs, and never lose sight of our goal."
With those words hanging in the chilling air, we ventured forth into the belly of the beast, the shrouded darkness of the Mors Labyrinth swallowing us whole.
The tension was palpable as we stepped over the threshold, the labyrinth seemingly breathing around us, ready to test our resolve, our unity, and our will to survive.
If only I knew at that moment that venturing inside was a mistake.
... A costly one.
