The guardian's corpse should have stayed down.
Instead, the flesh split open. Veins writhed like snakes, bone cracked outward, and black ichor poured across the corridor floor. The chorus of screaming faces twisted together, merging into one grotesque maw that spread across its chest, jagged teeth erupting from raw flesh.
It rose. Taller. Heavier. Hungrier.
Argon staggered back, his legs barely holding him. His hacksaw hung limp in his bloody grip. His breath came ragged, shallow.
"…you've gotta be f*cking kidding me," he rasped.
The second form of the guardian opened its maw. The scream that followed was a tidal wave of agony, rattling his skull, making his vision blur.
The Beast Awakens
It struck.
The claw swiped with the force of a collapsing wall. Argon dove, the strike missing him by inches, but the shockwave sent him sprawling. He hit the floor hard, pain flaring through his already broken ribs.
Selene staggered forward, her shadows erupting violently. They lashed out, piercing into the guardian's torso. Black ichor burst, sizzling against the walls.
But Selene screamed too, blood gushing from her nose. Her power wasn't just hurting the beast—it was devouring her.
Argon crawled to his knees. "Selene! Stop before it kills you!"
She glared at him, teeth clenched. "Better… to die fighting… than live in your shadow!"
Her words cut deeper than any wound.
Vanessa's Cruel Hand
And then came the laughter.
Vanessa stepped forward, heels clicking against the pulsing floor, her eyes glowing faintly in the red light. She twirled her blade lazily, blood dripping from its tip.
"Mmm," she purred, "what a sight. One broken boy, one collapsing saint… and me. I could end this beast with a flick of my wrist. But where's the fun in that?"
"Vanessa!" Argon snarled, dragging himself to his feet. "If you've got power, then f*cking use it!"
She smiled, slow and sultry, stepping close enough for him to smell her—blood, sweat, and something intoxicating beneath. Her finger traced down his bloodstained cheek.
"Oh, darling," she whispered, lips brushing his ear, "say please. Beg me… and maybe I'll save you."
He froze. His heart thundered—not just from fear, but something darker, gnawing at his sanity.
The guardian's roar broke the moment, its claw swinging down again.
Blood and Survival
Argon shoved himself forward, the hacksaw biting into the beast's arm. The blade tore muscle, black ichor spraying across his face. It burned his skin, the stench choking him, but he didn't stop. He pushed, sawing deeper, screaming with every ounce of strength he had left.
The guardian shrieked, its maw gaping wide. Selene's shadows surged again, binding its legs, tearing chunks of flesh from its torso.
But she collapsed to her knees, coughing blood, her body convulsing under the strain.
"Selene!" Argon shouted, stumbling toward her.
The beast struck again. The claw ripped across his back, shredding flesh. Blood gushed, his vision went white, and he barely stayed upright.
Pain. Rage. Desperation. He couldn't stop. If he stopped, they were all dead.
The Labyrinth's Hunger
The walls of the corridor pulsed faster, veins glowing like fire. The floor writhed beneath them, soaking in the blood. Faces bulged from the walls—half-formed, screaming silently before melting back into the flesh.
The labyrinth was feeding on the fight. Feeding on them.
Argon stumbled, slipping in gore, barely catching himself. The guardian loomed above him, its maw dripping ichor.
He couldn't win. Not like this. Not broken and bleeding.
Vanessa's Temptation
Vanessa appeared at his side, sliding her hand across his chest. Her touch lingered over his torn flesh, nails digging lightly into his skin.
"You're dying, darling," she whispered, her voice soft and mocking all at once. "But I can give you strength. More than you've ever dreamed."
He shivered, both from pain and her closeness. "What… what are you talking about?"
Her smile widened, sultry and sharp. "Kiss me. Bleed with me. Bind yourself to me… and I'll give you the power to tear this beast apart."
His stomach twisted. Her lips hovered inches from his, her breath hot, her eyes glowing with something inhuman.
The guardian's roar shook the walls. Selene's scream echoed as her shadows lashed wildly, spiraling out of control.
Argon's heart pounded.
If he refused, they would all die. If he accepted… what would he become?
Cliffhanger
Vanessa leaned closer, her lips grazing his, her whisper cutting through the chaos.
"Choose me, Argon. Or die here in the dark."
Behind her, the guardian's claw rose, blotting out the light. Selene collapsed fully, her shadows unraveling.
Argon's bloodied hand trembled. His lips parted.
And the chapter ended in that frozen, impossible choice.
Next Chapter Preview
Argon's decision changes everything—whether he submits to Vanessa's dark offer or refuses, the labyrinth will claim its price. The guardian's second form won't wait, and Selene's life hangs by a thread.