A man fought viciously in the dark, his sword flashing as the undead closed in. Fire danced along the hall, forcing the undead back before his blade struck, slicing them apart with precise thrusts that left them immobilized. He exhaled, fatigued, before composing to finish them by lighting their bodies aflame, watching them burn to ash, granting them final rest.
Tobi was now in the maze. He staggered before continuing to walk, holding himself together despite his circumstances. He had not perished when he fell from the atmosphere just a few hours ago despite the burn that lingered, searing his skin. Here he was, surrounded by the remnants of undead corpses. He sighed, pushing his shoulder back into place with a sharp pop, chuckling bitterly at his own struggle to stay alive in this hell.
The sword he wielded was looted from a corpse he found in this dreaded maze. Among the many he'd come across, this one was steel, not just some ceremonial relic like the others made of gold. Only a day had passed since he returned to Earth, and he had already fought through a gauntlet that this tree graciously provided him. He had managed to rest briefly after reaching the third floor, where a wooden circular room offered the safest refuge. That reprieve, however, was extremely short-lived, as he woke up to find himself attacked by what appeared to be an invisible wolf.
"It's nostalgic," he laughed dryly as he continued to see a glint, a puddle shimmering on the smooth wooden floor. as he heated the water with his charred fist, channelling fire into it. His burned skin throbbed viciously, but he paid it no mind. Humming quietly, he crouched near the puddle, waiting for the water to cool. He had heated it just enough to purify it; his actions instinctual. Yet his memories remained clouded.
One thing that gnawed at his mind. There was someone he couldn't lose sight of. His light. A woman he had cherished deeply. And yet, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't recall her face. He thought of her constantly, but she remained elusive, a whisper lost in the void of his mindscape.
At last, the water cooled enough to drink. He cupped the water in his palms and lifted it to his lips and drank deeply, relieved. Afterward, he used the rest to freshen himself, revelling in the fleeting sensation of cleanliness in this new world.
What now? Tobi thought to himself, unsure. He had been hanging on the thinnest thread and now it seemed to be cut by the god that he no longer had. He paid it no mind at the moment simply running his cloak down his blade and pouring just a little water over his sword, wiping away the blood, his gaze drifting to the mirrored walls around him.
They always move.
He thought as he continued to clean, watching the blade gleam under his effort. And yet, something lingered in the reflection of his sword. There was something watching him. He looked back to the reflective maze wall to find nothing. He needed to find Amais before sleep would take him. Especially with that thing lurking in the mirrors. Amais didn't need to sleep anymore so he could stand guard.
Tobi walked onward. The maze was strange, with endless corridors, occasional creatures lurking in the dark, and reflections everywhere. He was a human once more, reliant on his experience, his endurance, and his pain tolerance, which all came from a distant future he had yet to remember. He now descended another staircase, the fourth one he had reached thus far.
Amais felt drained as he moved down yet another staircase. This had been the ninth one. Bit by bit, he was making progress. The wooden, dome-like room ahead felt like a checkpoint, and he allowed himself a brief moment of much-needed rest.
Just a little break. Not too bad, right? he thought. He wondered if Tobi was still fighting that god plant thing or maybe he was done; to be honest, he wasn't too sure it was a god right but Tobi had a god so maybe. He lay back, closing his eyes for just a moment. Sorry, Tobi. I imagine you're well. You're the enigmatic, experienced hunter. You'll win, I hope, he thought, exhausted.
Even if he wasn't physically exhausted, he was mentally spent. Everything in this maze clawed at his sanity, especially since he's been at it for a week straight now. And this place, this dome, felt so foreign, different from the mirrored corridors he'd gotten used to and loathed. There were no reflections here, just regular old nice wood. He had grown to hate seeing his own image staring back at him. Even if he was a handsome devil. The ichor or god's blood, ensured that, luckily.
There are multiple gods, so… I wonder whose blood I was lucky enough to get, Amais wondered excitedly. Hopefully, it was a cool one. Maybe he'd get powers. "Wouldn't that be nice?" he said, wistfully tired, a small grin crawling on his face before scowling and looking down once more, knowing he shouldn't waste time and sighed, then stood. No point in delaying any further; he had a place he had to go. He descended through this labyrinth once more; Tobi's stalling couldn't go to waste.