Alex shot out of the fissure like a bullet, his body twisting midair before slamming down onto the rough stone. His boots struck with such force that sparks scraped across the ground, and the impact sent a ripple of dust bursting outward in a wide ring. He landed heavy, knees bending to absorb the shock, but there was no hesitation in his movement—instinct snapped his head around at the sound behind him.
The cave mouth convulsed with a grinding roar as jagged slabs sheared loose from the ceiling, crashing down one after another in a deafening cascade. Within seconds, the passage was gone, sealed under tons of fractured rock. The realization hit him as he watched the stone settle into place: the maze hadn't been a labyrinth sprawled across the mountain's interior but a hollow carved into its very heart—and that heart was now collapsing in on itself.
