I didn't even stop to catch my breath. The boss was gone—or at least, the massive torso had collapsed—but the labyrinth clearly didn't get the memo. Walls groaned, shifting slightly as if the entire structure was alive, and dozens of skeletons started crawling out of cracks and crevices.
"Seriously?" I muttered, backing away while keeping my sword and shield ready. "I beat the boss, and now you're telling me it's like… home alone in skeleton form?"
I sprinted forward, dodging a skeleton that lunged from a floor crack, then slashed another that jumped from a narrow wall gap. My legs were screaming, lungs burning, but I had no choice. Every step mattered.
Ahead, a faint glow hinted at a possible exit, but the labyrinth wasn't giving me a straight path. The floor trembled beneath me as small spikes shot upward from random tiles. I leapt, rolled, and swung my rope to vault over one trap, my heart hammering.
I realized quickly that these skeletons were different now. Without the boss's orb controlling them, they moved more erratically, unpredictable in their strikes. I slashed one in half, ducked under another, and kicked a third away, testing their movements. They weren't strong individually—but sheer numbers and unpredictability made them deadly.
I spotted a narrow ledge above me, maybe four feet wide, probably my best chance to gain some breathing room. I vaulted onto it, balancing precariously as skeletons reached up, snapping their jaws and clawing. My sword flashed, cutting through two at once, but I barely kept from tipping off the ledge.
The labyrinth itself seemed to retaliate. Sections of the wall slid forward, creating temporary dead ends and forcing me into tight spaces with skeletons on all sides. I had to improvise—throwing my rope to swing over one skeleton, rolling under a falling stone slab, and slashing as I landed.
My mind raced. Okay, think, Nolan. You survived the boss because you learned patterns. Same thing now. Observe, adapt, survive.
I ran through a narrow corridor and noticed something curious: small piles of bones embedded into the walls pulsing faintly green, like remnants of the orb's magic. Maybe I could destroy them to weaken the skeletons—or maybe it would trigger something worse. I ignored them for now.
The faint exit glow was still visible ahead, growing slowly brighter. I pushed myself harder, sprinting past traps and skeletons alike. My shield took several hits, my sword arm ached, and my boots were scuffed and bleeding from debris.
And then I reached a massive chasm. Across it, a stone platform, probably the last step toward the surface—or at least toward more light. The gap was wide, the floor crumbling in places, and the walls still shifting. Skeletons were climbing the sides, snapping and lunging at me as I prepared to leap.
I took a deep breath, coiled my rope, and ran forward, leaping for the other side, hoping my grip and timing were perfect.
I landed on the far platform with a grunt, rolling to absorb the impact. Skeletons clawed at my heels, snapping their jaws, but the fall seemed to jar them just enough for me to scramble upright and sprint toward the exit.
The walls around me had finally stopped shifting—or at least slowed enough to give me a clear path. I ran, dodging a few last skeletons leaping from narrow gaps, slashing those that dared follow. My chest burned, arms shaking from adrenaline and exhaustion, but I didn't stop. Not now. Not after everything.
Finally, light poured in from above. I burst through the final corridor of the labyrinth, gasping as I emerged into a cavernous space I recognized instantly: the chamber with the bridge and the massive stone platform. My legs trembled as I looked back at the path I'd just survived.
The platform sat there, the stone circle at its center faintly glowing from the carvings I had activated before entering the labyrinth. I stumbled toward it, hands gripping the edges, finally letting myself rest for a heartbeat. My body ached in every joint, sweat and dust coating me, but I was alive.
I climbed onto the platform carefully, every motion deliberate. The carvings around it pulsed faintly as if acknowledging my survival. I stepped fully onto the circle and pressed my foot against the center. The surface responded with a low hum, then a vibration that ran up my legs.
The platform shifted. Slowly, deliberately, it began to rise, creaking and grinding as it ascended along the stone columns that held it in place. My stomach lurched as I looked down—the labyrinth shrinking beneath me, dust and rubble marking the chaos I had endured.
Higher and higher it rose, the cavern walls stretching far below. The light from the surface grew brighter, a warm golden glow that made every scrape and bruise worth it. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear, but from relief and disbelief. I had actually made it out.
Finally, the platform broke through the ceiling of the cavern, sunlight spilling across my face. I squinted, shielding my eyes, and took a deep breath of fresh air. The wind felt good, real, alive—different from the gusts in the labyrinth. I glanced back, seeing the platform fully exposed now, hovering slightly above the ground, the bridge leading back to the cavern's entrance.
I collapsed to my knees on the platform, still holding my sword and shield, letting the warmth of the sun wash over me. My chest heaved as I thought about everything: the labyrinth, the boss, the countless skeletons, and all the cycles that had kept me alive.
I whispered to myself, voice hoarse: "I… I did it. I survived. I actually survived."
For a moment, I just stayed there, taking in the air, the sun, and the quiet that didn't come with the whisper of bones or the pulse of necrotic magic. The world outside the labyrinth was real. Alive. Mine, at least for now.
I stepped back onto the platform carefully, still shaking from adrenaline. The carvings pulsed faintly beneath my feet, as if acknowledging my final triumph. For a moment, I hesitated, half-expecting the labyrinth to throw one last surprise at me.
The platform shuddered slightly beneath my weight, dust trickling down from the cavern ceiling. Then, slowly, it began to rise. Not just a few feet, not just above the bridge—but all the way toward the surface. The wind rushed past me, carrying the scent of fresh air and sunlight.
I gripped my sword and shield, holding on as the platform creaked and groaned, climbing higher. The labyrinth, the bones, the traps—they all disappeared beneath me, shrinking into memory. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I could see the world outside the caves.
Sunlight broke over the horizon, warm and golden, washing over the landscape. Trees, hills, and open skies stretched out endlessly. There were no skeletons, no traps, no glowing orbs—just freedom.
I exhaled slowly, letting the relief sink in. My legs were trembling, my arms sore, my chest heaving—but for once, I was alive and outside. The caves were behind me. The labyrinth, the boss, the cycles—they existed only in memory now.
I stepped fully onto solid ground, feeling the grass beneath my boots, sunlight on my face, and wind on my skin. No magic, no danger, no rules—just freedom.
I dropped to my knees, letting myself breathe fully for the first time in weeks. I had survived. I had escaped. I was finally… free.
But somewhere deep in my mind, I couldn't shake the thought that the labyrinth, the cycles, and everything I'd endured had changed me. I wasn't the same Nolan who had stumbled into that forest. Not even close.
For now, though… it didn't matter. All that mattered was the air, the sun, and the fact that I'd made it out alive.
Before I could even begin to catch my breath, the voice spoke again.
"Stand up," it said—cold, sharp, and dangerously calm.
I froze. My legs were still shaking from the labyrinth, from the boss, from everything. "Uh… yeah… standing. Totally standing. No big deal. Totally not terrified," I muttered, almost wishing my voice would sound braver than it felt.
Then she appeared. Not from anywhere obvious—she simply materialized in front of me, sunlight glinting off her white armor, hair glinting like spun silver. My jaw dropped.
"Wait… who the hell are you?" I asked, pointing at her, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.
Her expression was calm, almost amused. "I am a saintess. I was sent to locate a transmigrator."
I blinked. "A… what? Someone… someone sent to find a transmigrator? You mean like… me?"
She nodded slightly. "Yes. Transmigrators and reincarnators aren't exactly rare. They're quite well-known among us. Unfortunately, most are intercepted by demons before we saints can locate them. That is why I fought the demon you saw before—the one that caused the fire. Luckily… it seems you survived."
I froze. "Hold on. What demon? Fire? You mean… that fire that was burning everything, the animals running, the—oh wait… that fire?! You caused that?"
She nodded again, her gaze unwavering. "Yes. I engaged it to protect you. It seems fate intended you to survive, so now… come with me. I will escort you back to the Kingdom of Lumen. There, you will be safe and perhaps learn more about your… abilities."
I swallowed hard, still in shock. "Wait… okay… wait a second. You mean the emperor… they know about transmigrators? Everyone knows? Even demons know? And you just… fought one for me?"
Her lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "Yes. That is why you survived the fire. Come. Time is precious, and the labyrinth is no longer safe for someone like you."
I blinked, trying to process everything. "Alright… yeah… let's go. I mean… I guess? Escort me back… kingdom… okay…"
With that, she gestured gracefully, and I followed her. My legs still a little wobbly, my mind racing faster than ever, but I had no choice. The labyrinth, the boss, the cycles—they were behind me now. Ahead was sunlight, the open world… and the Kingdom of Lumen.
For the first time in weeks, I realized: maybe freedom wasn't over yet.