The heavy metal door slammed shut behind them with a dull, final thud, sealing Alden and Scott within the bowels of the Labyrinth of Echoes.
The darkness was instantly denser, more palpable than that of a mere basement.
The air, thick with a complex smell of ancient dust, pungent ozone likely due to the unstable matronic fields and a subtle but persistent metallic and organic scent, seemed to vibrate with latent energy.
The silence, after the crash of the door, was almost deafening, broken only by the steady drip of water leaking from unseen conduits somewhere in the walls and the distant, deep hum of unknown machines, the beating heart of this artificial maze.
Alden stood motionless for a moment, letting his senses adjust to this new reality.
His eyes, even without an external light source, were already beginning to discern the vague outlines of the corridor stretching before them an ability he attributed to his unique nature, or perhaps a residual effect of his awakening as a "Player."
The corridor was constructed from a dark metal alloy, dotted with patches of rust and what looked like crude welds, evidence of successive repairs or modifications over the ages. Cables hung from the ceiling like dead vines, some with energy faintly intermittently.
"Charming place for a post-meal stroll, isn't it, Khan?" Scott's gravelly voice echoed with information in the confined space.
He had pulled a small flashlight from his own satchel, sweeping its narrow beam ahead of them.
"I hope you have a better sense of direction than the last batch of rookies they sent in here for a simulation. Took us three days to find their terminals. Them, a bit longer."
Alden ignored the provocation, though he noted Scott's slightly more serious tone now that they were actually inside.
"Professor FallenDawn mentioned a beacon. Our terminals should pick up its signal when we're close enough. For now, let's proceed with caution. This place is known for its… surprises."
He discreetly activated his System interface.
"System, analysis of the immediate environment. Potential threats? And activate 'Labyrinth Sense,' even if it's rudimentary."
[Analyzing environment… No active biological or Manassique threats detected within a fifty-meter radius. However, intense matronic energy fluctuations are present, indicating potential structural instability and the possibility of energy traps or local reconfigurations. Labyrinth Sense (Rudimentary) activated. Perception of basic energy flows and minor structural anomalies available.]
Alden felt that slight shift in his perception, as if part of his mind had become more sensitive to the invisible currents of the Labyrinth.
It wasn't a map, but a kind of intuition, a prickling sensation when energy stagnated or fluctuated abnormally.
"I'll take the lead," Alden said, starting to move slowly forward.
"Your experience might be useful for identifying more conventional traps, Scott. Stay alert."
Scott grunted in acknowledgment and followed, his flashlight beam sweeping the blind spots. "Don't worry about me, kid. I usually know where I'm putting my feet. Usually."
They progressed like this for about ten minutes, the main corridor branching into several narrower passages. Alden relied as much on his "Labyrinth Sense" as on the fragmented information Lie had provided. He chose passages where the energy seemed more stable, where the air was less confined.
"This place has a funny smell, don't you think?" Scott murmured after a moment, sniffing the air. "Not just rust and dust. Something else… like overheated metal, and… spoiled meat?" Alden had also perceived this more unsettling olfactory note, which seemed to intensify as they delved deeper.
"Possibly the 'local specimens' the Professor mentioned," he replied. "Or the leftovers from their meals."
Suddenly, Alden's "Labyrinth Sense" sent him a more precise warning a strong concentration of unstable energy just ahead, around a bend.
"Stop!" he hissed, raising his hand. Scott froze instantly, his expression becoming more serious, his flashlight fixing on the turn.
Alden approached with extreme caution, leaning in to look.
The corridor seemed to end in a dead end, but the far wall shimmered with a strange, intermittent blue light, and miniature electrical arcs crackled across its surface.
"A faulty stasis field, or an active energy barrier," Scott whispered, recognizing the danger. "If we touch that, we're fried to a crisp. We need to find another way."
Alden shook his head.
"Wait."
He concentrated, trying to decipher the impressions from his "Labyrinth Sense."
The energy was intense, but there was a kind of… rhythm to its pulsations, a flaw.
"There's a break in the flow, very brief, about every seven seconds. If we're fast enough…"
"Are you crazy, Khan?" Scott retorted.
"Trying to pass through that? That's suicide."
"Perhaps," Alden admitted. "
But all the other passages we've encountered seemed to lead to even more unstable areas, or were too narrow to be safe. This one, if it's passable, could save us time. The beacon is our objective."
He watched the energy wall intently.
The electrical arcs danced, the blue light pulsed.
One…
two…
three…
four…
five…
six…
seven…
For an infinitesimal fraction of a second, the barrier seemed to flicker, its luminosity dimming almost imperceptibly.
"It's now or never," Alden thought. He had no time to debate.
Before Scott could protest further, Alden took a deep breath and launched himself forward. He ran the few meters separating him from the barrier, timing his move perfectly.
At the precise moment he felt the pulsation weaken, he threw himself forward, performing a quick roll under what should have been the lowest point of the energy discharge.
He felt an intense heat brush his back, the smell of ozone filling his nostrils, and the hairs on his neck stood on end, but he passed.
He got up on the other side, his heart pounding, but unharmed. The corridor continued, darker and quieter.
He turned back. Scott was looking at him from the other side of the energy barrier, eyes wide, a mixture of disbelief and grudging respect on his scarred face.
"So, Scott?" Alden called out, a faint smile on his lips.
"Are you coming to take notes, or do you prefer to wait for the Labyrinth to reconfigure?"
Scott swore under his breath, then observed the barrier's cycle himself. After a few pulsations, he took a running start and, with surprising agility for his build, dived through at the opportune moment, landing a little less gracefully than Alden, but safe and sound.
"You're lucky, kid," he grumbled, getting up and dusting off his clothes.
"Or else you're completely reckless. Probably both."
"Audacity is part of ' a genuis,' isn't it?" Alden retorted.
"Let's keep moving. Time is pressing."
They resumed their progress, the mutual respect, though unexpressed, having slightly increased between the cynical veteran and the first-year "genius."