The six hopefuls stood together before the radiant obelisk, its pulsating glow casting a surreal luminescence over their tired forms. The hum emanating from its surface was louder now, resonating deep in their chests, as though the obelisk were alive and aware of their presence. For a moment, no one moved. Each person's gaze was fixed on the structure, its intensity demanding both awe and caution.
Aeryn was the first to break the silence. "It's probably just going to teleport us back, right? Like… this is the end. Maybe it's a beacon to mark that we're done." Her voice, though steady, carried an undertone of uncertainty.
Martice frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing at the obelisk. "Maybe. But look at it. The pulsing—it's not random. It's rhythmic, deliberate… like a heartbeat." He stepped closer, his curiosity battling his caution. "It doesn't feel like a simple teleportation device."
The quiet boy, who had been watching the obelisk with his signature detached calm, finally spoke. His voice was even, with just a trace of intrigue. "It's probably a construct. Guardians like this tend to exist at the ends of labyrinths. You've read about them in texts, seen them in legends. What better way to test us than to pit us against something like that?"
The word "labyrinth" hung in the air, rippling through the group like a spark igniting dry tinder. Aeryn straightened, her gaze snapping toward Martice. "That's it, isn't it? That's exactly what this has been. A labyrinth."
Kiran, who had been standing with his arms folded, nodded slowly. "It does make sense. Every platform, every puzzle, the waves of monsters… we've been clearing a labyrinth without realizing it."
Kaelen, leaning slightly on his staff, added thoughtfully, "And if this is a labyrinth, then this obelisk is its final chamber. Which means we're not just here to reach the end—we're here to prove we can face it."
The realization settled heavily over the group. No one needed to voice the unspoken agreement that something significant—and dangerous—awaited them.
Aeryn drew a deep breath, her expression shifting from thoughtful to resolute. "Alright. If there's a guardian, we need to be ready. We can't just wing this one. Let's start by figuring out who's doing what. What's everyone's element?"
"Fire," Elias said immediately, his flames flaring around his hands as if to punctuate the word.
"Sand," Kiran added succinctly.
"Earth," Martice replied, gesturing vaguely to the ground beneath their feet. "And sigils."
Kaelen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Time. But I'm running low. Between the last platforms and getting everyone up here, my well's nearly tapped. I can reverse time maybe twice—three times if I'm lucky."
Aeryn nodded, her eyes flicking toward the quiet boy. She hesitated, realizing she didn't know his name. "Wait. What about you? What's your name?"
The boy's lips curved into a contemplative grin. "You can call me Hush."
"Hush?" Aeryn echoed, blinking in surprise. The name seemed so incongruous with his composed demeanor that it caught her off guard.
"Yeah," he said with a slight shrug. "It fits, doesn't it?"
Elias raised an eyebrow, and Aeryn exchanged a baffled glance with Kiran, who simply shook his head. Martice, however, waved a dismissive hand. "We don't have time for this right now. Back to the plan."
Aeryn cleared her throat, refocusing. "Alright. Here's how we do this. Elias and I will take the front. Our job is to engage the guardian directly and keep its attention. Kiran and—" she paused, glancing at Hush before continuing, "Hush will form the rear guard. You'll provide covering fire and disrupt the guardian if it tries to focus on us. Martice, you're on support. Use your sigils to trap it, slow it down, or give us any advantage you can. Kaelen," she turned to him, her tone softer, "you're our fallback. If it looks like we're going to lose, reverse time and give us another shot."
Kaelen straightened slightly, though his exhaustion was evident in his posture. "Got it. But remember, every reversal drains what little I have left. If I use one, that leaves us with only one chance after that."
The group nodded in unison, a quiet determination settling over them. Despite their fatigue, there was no hesitation in their resolve.
"Alright. Positions," Aeryn ordered, her voice firm. She and Elias moved toward the obelisk, their footsteps steady despite the tension in the air. Kiran and Hush took opposite sides of the platform, their stances low and ready. Martice and Kaelen hung back, the former muttering under his breath as he began mentally preparing his sigils, while the latter observed the scene with quiet vigilance.
As Aeryn and Elias approached the obelisk, its glow intensified, the hum growing louder. The air felt charged, the mana surrounding them thick and tangible. Each step brought a mounting sense of anticipation.
"This is it," Elias murmured, flames flickering brighter around his hands. "Let's see what we're up against."
"Together," Aeryn replied, glancing at him with a determined nod.
The group held their breath as Aeryn and Elias extended their hands, their fingers mere inches from the obelisk's surface. The platform seemed to vibrate, a deep resonance that echoed through their bones.
From the rear, Martice muttered, "Brace yourselves."
Kiran tightened his grip on his wand, his sand already swirling faintly at his feet. Hush, true to his name, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the obelisk with unsettling focus.
As their hands made contact with the obelisk, a pulse of energy erupted outward, enveloping the platform in blinding light. The hum became a deafening roar, drowning out all other sounds. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, the group suspended in the brilliance of the obelisk's reaction.
Soon after however, a light surged, swallowing the platform in a blinding radiance as the air crackled with raw energy. Time seemed to hang suspended for a single, breathless moment—then, with an earth-shattering roar, the final of their obstacles revealed itself.