The spiral staircase stretched downward into nothingness, each step groaning under their boots as though carved from the bones of giants. A sickly violet glow pulsed faintly from cracks in the stone, illuminating fragments of runes that writhed like living serpents.
None of them spoke. The echoes of their footsteps seemed to multiply, as if countless unseen figures marched beside them in silence.
At last, the stairs ended in a vast cavern.
The ceiling arched high above, veined with faint light, but the floor stretched like an endless labyrinth of shifting black stone. Obelisks floated in the air, spinning slowly, each engraved with symbols that pulsed in rhythm with the Helm's voice.
"Unity is illusion. Trust is weakness. Prove me wrong — or perish."
The ground shook. Pathways slid into place, forming a jagged corridor leading into the labyrinth.
Carlos tightened his grip on his sword. "It's testing us again," he muttered.
"Not with steel this time," Rina observed, her eyes narrowing as she studied the shifting paths. "This is a puzzle."
They moved forward cautiously, but the labyrinth was alive.
Walls shifted, closing behind them. Doorways opened ahead, revealing forks where only one path was safe. Shadows slithered across the floor like spilled ink, hissing when touched by their light.
At the first fork, two paths appeared identical — smooth obsidian halls stretching into darkness. Above, glowing runes flickered: Trust the Archer.
The others turned to Lys.
Her heart pounded. She hated decisions like this — when lives depended on her instincts. She stepped forward, closing her eyes, letting her senses stretch. The faint whisper of wind stirred one hall. The other was deathly still.
"This way," she said, pointing left.
Carlos nodded without hesitation. The others followed.
Moments later, the right-hand corridor collapsed into a pit of writhing spikes.
The second trial came swiftly. A chamber of mirrors awaited, dozens of warped panels reflecting their faces — though each reflection showed them dying in a different way.
The words burned into the air: Trust the Rogue.
Rina smirked faintly, though unease flickered behind her eyes. "Figures."
She paced among the mirrors, studying them. Each reflected death was gruesome — Carlos crushed, Lys impaled, Thalor drowned in steel, Maren consumed by fire. But one panel showed nothing at all.
"Here," she said finally, pressing her dagger into the empty mirror. The glass shattered, revealing a narrow passage.
The others hesitated. Could they trust her?
Carlos stepped first, not looking back. "If Rina says it's safe, it's safe."
The others followed — and the rest of the mirrors shattered behind them, raining glass like jagged rain.
The third trial was cruelest.
They entered a circular chamber with five pedestals, each glowing faintly. On each pedestal rested an orb of light, pulsing with a heartbeat rhythm.
The runes shifted overhead: Only one may proceed. The others must surrender.
They froze.
"What does it mean, 'surrender'?" Thalor growled.
The Helm's voice answered: One will walk forward. The others must give their light willingly — or all will fall.
The orbs brightened. The cavern trembled.
Maren stepped forward first. "It should be me. I have the strongest magic. If only one goes, I can—"
"No," Carlos interrupted sharply. His eyes burned with defiance. "It's me. I started this. I'll finish it."
"No," Thalor rumbled. "You are all needed. This is a trick."
The ground cracked. The orbs flared, threatening to explode.
Rina's eyes narrowed. She turned to the others, her voice sharp. "Listen to me. It doesn't matter who steps forward. What matters is if we all choose to give. That's what it wants — not division. Unity."
The others hesitated. Then, one by one, they placed their hands on their orbs.
Carlos first. Then Lys. Then Maren, trembling but resolute. Thalor pressed his hand last, his jaw tight.
Light blazed.
The orbs merged, their brilliance fusing into a single radiant sphere. It floated upward, shattering the ceiling, revealing a staircase of pure light.
The Helm's voice hissed, furious: You defy me. You twist my trials. This unity cannot last.
Carlos looked up at the glowing path. "Maybe it won't," he muttered, "but it's enough for now."
They ascended together.
At the top, a vast set of double doors loomed, carved with writhing serpents. Behind them pulsed a heartbeat so loud it shook their bones.
The next trial awaited.