Veyra sat in the alcove, her body trembling as the adrenaline faded.
The gene-seeds in her pack pulsed softly, their warmth spreading through her chest. She didn't know what they were doing to her, but she could feel the changes—her senses sharper, her body stronger, her mind clearer.
The guardian's attack had nearly killed her, but the second gene-seed had saved her, merging with the first to push her evolution further. She didn't understand it, but she knew she couldn't stay still for long.She stood, her legs steadier now, and moved deeper into the tunnel.
The air grew colder, the scent of moss returning as the ozone faded. The tunnel branched again, and Veyra chose the right path, her instincts guiding her. The gene-seeds' energy seemed to hum in response, as if approving her choice.
She didn't know if she could trust them, but they were the only lead she had.The tunnel widened, and the air grew warmer, the walls slick with moisture.
Veyra's boots splashed through shallow puddles, the sound echoing softly. She kept her hand on her knife, her senses on high alert. Krynn's labyrinth was notorious for its dangers—collapsing passages, toxic gas pockets, even creatures like the guardian.
She'd heard stories of scavengers disappearing down here, never to be seen again.A faint light appeared ahead, a soft red glow that pulsed erratically. Veyra slowed, her heart quickening. She rounded a corner and stopped. The tunnel opened into a larger chamber, its ceiling studded with red crystals that pulsed like a warning. In the center was a pool of black liquid, its surface rippling as if something were moving beneath it.
Veyra's instincts screamed at her to turn back, but the gene-seeds in her pack pulsed stronger, their energy drawing her toward the pool.
She took a tentative step forward, her hand hovering over her knife. The pool's surface broke, and a tendril of black liquid shot out, wrapping around her ankle. Veyra screamed, slashing at it with her knife, but the blade passed through it like smoke. The tendril tightened, pulling her toward the pool.
Her hands glowed, and she summoned a burst of light, severing the tendril. She stumbled back, her breath coming in gasps.The pool churned, more tendrils rising, and Veyra knew she couldn't fight this—not yet.
She turned to run, but the tendrils were faster, lashing out like whips. She dodged, her enhanced reflexes saving her, but one tendril caught her arm, its touch burning like acid. Veyra cried out, firing another burst of light.
The tendril released her, and she stumbled back, her arm throbbing.She retreated to the tunnel, her mind racing. The pool was guarding something—she could feel it. The gene-seeds' energy was stronger here, as if they were reacting to whatever lay beneath the liquid.
But she wasn't strong enough to face it, not after the guardian. She needed to find another way, a safer path through the labyrinth. She turned back, choosing a different tunnel, her heart pounding as the pool's tendrils receded.The new tunnel was narrower, the air colder.
Veyra moved quickly, her senses on high alert. She didn't know what lay ahead, but she knew she couldn't go back. The Gene Lords were still out there, and the labyrinth held more dangers than she could imagine. She had to keep moving, to find a way out—or a way to harness the gene-seeds' power before it was too late