Chapter 26: The Labyrinth 1 Entering another world, the dark being

The heavy footsteps of a group moving through the halls filled the air.

Their voices echoed through the corridor as they laughed, joked, and shoved one another playfully. Most of their conversations revolved around the other students, particularly those they had bullied, humiliated, or taunted over the past few days.

They seemed to derive genuine joy from it.

All except Edmund.

The large boy led the group with a grim expression, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

It did not go unnoticed.

Clara, his sister, watched him from within the group, concern evident in her eyes.

Several times she opened her mouth to speak.

Several times she stopped herself.

She already knew what would happen.

Edmund would brush her concerns aside and insist everything was fine.

Just as he always did.

’Ever since Edmund started coming here...’

Her thoughts paused as the group finally stopped before a large polished wooden door.

’He has changed for the worse.’

Without a word, Edmund separated from the group.

He approached the door, knocked several times, and entered.

The office beyond was cloaked in darkness.

By now Edmund had grown accustomed to it.

Without hesitation, he walked toward a particular chair he had become familiar with and lowered himself into it, folding his arms while reclining against the softened cushions.

Silence followed.

The only indication that he wasn’t alone was the steady sound of pen scratching against paper somewhere within the darkness.

Time passed.

Eventually, Edmund grew tired of waiting.

"How are you even able to work in this darkness?"

The scribbling stopped.

Silence followed.

Then—

Click.

The lights came on.

Brilliant white light flooded the office.

Edmund immediately jerked backward, throwing up both hands to shield his eyes.

"The hell..." he muttered.

It took several moments before his vision adjusted.

Slowly lowering his hands, his frown deepened.

His gaze instinctively swept across the office.

The pristine white marble floor.

The elaborate tapestries hanging upon obsidian walls.

The black ceiling above, where an enormous dragon had been carved directly into the stone, its wings spread wide as though it watched over the room.

Even after numerous visits, the office remained mesmerizing.

Then his eyes settled on the massive work desk.

Beyond the mountain of documents sat the man who always hid within the darkness.

The moment Edmund saw his face, his heart grew cold.

His throat tightened.

His voice came out almost as a whisper.

"Lieutenant Harold."

Harold’s lips curled slightly.

Only for the expression to vanish moments later.

What remained was a monstrous stare.

His eyes looked sunken.

His face gaunt.

The scars crossing his features seemed deeper somehow, as though he hadn’t slept—or eaten properly—for days.

"You’ve been a useful pawn," Harold said calmly. "So I suppose revealing my identity shouldn’t be an issue."

Edmund immediately nodded.

"You called for me?"

Harold leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"Yes."

His fingers tapped the armrest lazily.

"I have a mission for you this weekend."

"A mission?"

Edmund’s voice turned cautious.

"Yes."

Harold bent slightly and reached beneath the desk.

A moment later he lifted a large duffel bag with one hand.

Then he hurled it.

The bag crashed onto the floor several feet from Edmund with a thunderous metallic clatter.

Edmund’s eyes widened.

He immediately rose to his feet and grabbed one of the straps.

Attempting to lift it.

The moment he did, his expression changed.

The thing was absurdly heavy.

His muscles bulged beneath the effort.

Veins rose across his arms.

Even after activating his magic, he still struggled to lift it completely.

"Don’t hug it all to yourself. There’s enough for everyone."

Harold’s voice carried a trace of amusement.

Edmund slowly lowered the bag.

His expression grew wary.

His gaze shifted between the duffel bag and Harold.

"What’s inside?"

Harold’s lips stretched into a grin.

Then he laughed.

A long.

Morbid.

Unsettling laugh.

The kind of laugh that carried disastrous intent behind it.

The sound alone made Edmund’s skin crawl.

"That bastard’s spawn has made it clear he isn’t joining us."

Harold leaned even further into his chair, his eyes drifting upward toward the dragon carved into the ceiling.

"So I’ve decided to leave it all in your hands."

A dangerous smile spread across his face.

"Do whatever you wish with him."

Edmund remained silent.

Then Harold continued.

"As for what’s inside that bag..."

He paused.

"...it’s meant to kill a very special person."

His hand rose.

Between his fingers was a single sheet of paper.

The document appeared old.

Very old.

Parts of the writing had already faded with age.

Yet the information Harold needed remained perfectly visible.

His grin widened.

Another laugh escaped him.

"What a coincidence."

His eyes gleamed.

"This is even easier than I thought."

As Harold laughed, an icy feeling spread through Edmund’s body.

His breathing tightened.

His frame seemed to shrink despite his size.

’What is he so amused about?’

Harold finally released the paper.

The sheet drifted through the cool air of the office before landing softly upon the floor.

And written upon it were the words:

Name: Terrence Vale Gravemont.

Status: Third Son of the Gravemont Family.

Mission: Kill the Heir to the Throne.

---

Today was finally the day Finn had been waiting for.

The academy’s free day.

A day where recruits could spend their time however they pleased.

Most had already made their way toward the Academy Carnival Center.

Terrence and Doram had left early that morning, both eager to explore the mysteries, attractions, and hidden wonders the academy had to offer beyond its endless cycle of suffering and training.

Finn had refused to accompany them.

Claiming he wanted additional training instead.

After hearing that, neither Terrence nor Doram pushed the issue.

Why would they?

They were far more interested in the carnival than anything else.

Just like every other recruit.

Within minutes, they had left.

Finn waited a while longer before departing from the cottage himself.

Leaving the barracks behind, he ventured deeper into the surrounding woods.

Eventually, he stopped.

"This should be good enough."

He slowly looked around.

He was far enough from the prying eyes of curious recruits.

Yet close enough to retrace his path back to the academy.

"If everything goes well, I’ll still have enough time to visit the carnival afterward."

His mouth watered.

"And maybe find a stall that sells green mushroom stew."

At that moment, the ancient sword resting within his scabbard pulsed softly.

Estes’ voice emerged alongside a tired yawn.

"Is this where you want to do it?"

Finn inhaled deeply.

Held the breath.

Then released it.

"Let’s just get it over with."

His hand closed around the sword’s hilt.

Slowly.

Firmly.

He drew the blade.

The instant it left the scabbard, the ancient weapon dissolved into countless particles of shimmering light.

The lights swirled together.

Twisting.

Dancing.

Until they formed the breathtaking figure of the guardian herself.

Estes.

Her beauty seemed almost unreal beneath the forest canopy.

She raised a hand.

Pointing toward an empty space several meters away.

Then she began speaking.

The words sounded ancient.

Foreign.

Almost impossible to comprehend.

"Elki..."

A pulse rippled through the air.

"Duronk..."

The space ahead distorted.

"Yitiri..."

BOOM!

A deep crack echoed through the forest.

A brilliant white light emerged several feet away.

At first it appeared no larger than a crack in reality.

Then it expanded.

Growing wider.

Larger and brighter.

Another thunderous crack followed.

This time reality itself seemed to splinter.

The edges surrounding the white light shattered like glass.

Fragments drifted through the air.

Each shard reflected frozen moments of the world around them.

Trees.

Sky.

Leaves.

Finn.

At first they moved rapidly.

Then suddenly stopped.

As though time itself had frozen.

"What... is this?"

Finn’s eyes widened as he stared at the impossible spectacle.

Estes smiled.

Patting him gently on the back.

"That is a gateway to the Labyrinth."

Her smile widened.

"Unlike the Library, which belongs to your power, this one is mostly mine."

She gestured toward the phenomenon.

"So it’s a bit more physical."

Finn slowly approached.

His gaze moved across the floating fragments of shattered reality.

Curiosity overwhelmed caution.

He reached out.

Touching one.

His hand passed directly through it.

Like touching air.

The moment he withdrew, the fragment returned to its original position.

Perfect.

Untouched.

"This is amazing."

Estes giggled.

Then vanished.

Only to reappear directly before the gateway.

Her silver hair drifted behind her like moonlight.

"Come quickly, Finn."

She smiled.

"Your fate awaits."

With that, she stepped into the tear.

Her figure vanished into the radiant white light.

Finn continued forward.

Step after step.

Until he stood directly before the gateway.

For a moment he turned around.

Looking one final time at the world behind him.

The trees.

The forest.

The academy in the distance.

The life he knew.

Then he faced forward.

And walked into the tear.

Disappearing within its embrace.