Syras fell asleep the moment exhaustion overtook him.
When his eyes finally fluttered open, Edward was already standing over him, watching in silence.
He nudged Syras with his foot. "Up," he said.
Syras groaned and pushed himself upright. Edward gave a half-smirk, the flickering shadows dancing across his face.
"Welcome to the underworld, or you can call this place Hollowshade," he said. "The Underworld of Truth."
Still dazed, Syras staggered a few steps forward, and then stopped cold.
His breath caught.
They were inside a massive cave, impossibly high above the ground. Below them, nestled in what looked like the heart of the labyrinth itself, lay a village carved into the pit of the earth. There was no sky—only a yawning darkness stretching endlessly above. Yet the village glowed softly, lit by strange floating bulbs of pale green and gold.
These orbs drifted lazily through the air, hovering like spirits before sinking and attaching themselves to the rocky ground or the walls like living torches.
The village below was alive.
People moved like ants in narrow paths between clustered homes made from black stone and pale rocks. The entire settlement seemed to spiral downward, built in layers around the hollow's walls.
Enormous stone pillars, some wide as towers, rose up from the earth, supporting wooden bridges, hanging walkways, and open platforms like veins through a body.
It was as if someone had carved straight into the heart of the labyrinth, dug a massive crater, and dared to build a civilization in the wound it left behind.
Syras blinked. "How many people are there?"
Edward began walking. "A lot more than you'd think… around 20 thousand i think."
"Woah, that's a lot."
They made their way down a winding stone path, carved into the edge of the cave wall, with a worn rope railing sagging beside it.
The deeper they descended, the more Syras could hear the hum of life below, faint laughter, hurried footsteps, the clatter of tools against metal.
The air smelled of ash and earth.
At the base of the path, just before a narrow metal bridge, two tall figures stepped into their way.
Both wore long black robes that pooled at their feet. One of them raised a hand, palm flat.
"You stop here."
The guards stood firm, blocking their path.
Edward raised his hand calmly. "It's fine," he said. "He's new. I found him wandering the labyrinth."
The two figures exchanged a glance. Then, without a word, one of them stepped forward. The other followed.
Syras didn't move as both guards reached out and placed their gloved palms against his. A faint glow pulsed from their hands, soft and cold, like moonlight.
He flinched slightly. "What was that?"
Edward gave a casual shrug. "Memory trace. They can remember everyone who comes through. Your name, your Neba… even the feeling of your soul."
The guards pulled away and stepped back. One of them spoke, voice muffled behind the wolf-shaped mask.
"If you want to live here, and be protected by the village, you will need a role, outsider."
Syras blinked. "A… role?"
"No one survives here without one," the other guard said. "This is the Hollowshade Sanctum. We need everyone to do their own job."
Edward nodded. "He's right. Everyone contributes, or they don't last."
The first guard raised five fingers. "There are five paths here. Choose one."
He lowered one finger. "The first is No Role, for those with weak Neba. They help the others but have no specialty. They're at the bottom. It's a hard life."
Another finger lowered. "Second is Farmer. They scavenge the bodies of hollow insects, gather their cores, deliver food, and keep the village alive. It's dirty work, but without them, we would starve."
Third. "Defenders. They guard the tunnels, patrol the caves, and fend off anything that crawls out of the dark. Sometimes they're hired privately. Dangerous work, but necessary."
Fourth. "Builders. Those with skills in crafting, sewing, shaping weapons or armor. They're the ones who clothe us, arm us, and keep roofs over our heads."
Finally, the guard lowered the last finger. "And fifth… Explorers."
There was a pause.
Edward stepped in. "Explorers are the ones who risk their lives mapping the labyrinth. They leave markings behind. They try to find exits, or something close to hope. Every day, they go out into the unknown."
The guard's voice was colder now. "And every day, their numbers go down."
"Most people here don't like them. They say Explorers drain resources and give nothing in return. They rarely find anything… and when they do, it usually dies with them."
Syras looked at the ground. A long silence stretched between them.
"You'll have to choose soon," one of the guards said. "No one lives long in the Hollowshade without a purpose."
Syras stood silent for a long moment, his thoughts tangled. The five roles echoed in his mind, each one a life sealed by limits, boxed into survival.
Then, he spoke.
"…I'll take Explorer."
Edward's expression froze. His eyes narrowed, and then he let out a quiet, almost frustrated breath.
The guards said nothing at first. But the subtle way they turned their heads away, the slight dip of their shoulders, it was disappointment.
Edward stepped closer, voice low. "Why that one?"
Syras didn't answer right away. He looked at his own hands. Then slowly raised his head.
"Because the others…" he began, voice steady, "are for people who've already given up."
He glanced at the guards, then back at Edward.
"They don't want to live, they just want to survive. They've accepted that they can't escape. I haven't. I'm not staying here. I'm not dying in a cave waiting for food or hiding from insects." He exhaled sharply. "I will find the way out."
A silence followed.
The guards stared at him a moment longer… and then, wordlessly, stepped aside.
"The black pillar at the end of the village." one of them said, pointing toward the far end of the village. "That's where Explorers reside. You'll find your new life there."
Edward walked forward without a word. Syras followed.
As they disappeared into the winding path down into the village, one of the guards murmured to the other:
"They all say that at first. Every new Whisper. Brave, hopeful…"
The second guard nodded slowly.
"But after a while, they all choose something else."