The tunnel opened into a vast maze, its walls made of shimmering crystal that refracted the faint glow of Veyra's hands into a dizzying array of colors. The gene-seeds in her pack pulsed stronger, their warmth a steady guide, but the maze felt alive, its paths twisting in ways that defied logic.
*Another trial,*
she thought, her stomach tightening.
*How many more can I survive, am I gonna die after everything?*
Her senses tingled with a strange energy, and she knew this was a test—not of strength, but of instinct.
The air hummed with power, and the crystals shifted, the passages rearranging with a low groan. Veyra's heart raced as a path closed behind her, forcing her forward.
*It's like the maze wants me to keep going… but where?*
She moved cautiously, her boots echoing softly against the crystal floor. The gene-seeds' energy resonated with the walls, as if they were connected, but the maze wasn't empty. Shadows moved in the corners of her vision—smaller versions of the guardian she'd faced, their forms jagged, their eyes glowing with a cold light.
*More of them?*
Her throat tightened.
*I barely survived the last one.*
One creature lunged, its claws slashing through the air. Veyra dodged, her enhanced reflexes kicking in, but her movements felt sluggish, her body still aching from the last trial, her breath hitching.
She fired a burst of light, the beam shattering the creature into shards of crystal. Another attacked, and she struck again, her hands trembling.
*I'm faster than them… I have to be.*
Each kill drained her, but the gene-seeds' energy surged, pushing her forward.
*I should have stayed at of this *
She gritted her teeth
The maze shifted again, a new path opening ahead. Veyra pressed on, her mind racing.
*I can't keep fighting like this. There has to be a way out.*
She reached a central chamber, its floor a massive crystal glowing with a deep violet light. The gene-seeds pulsed in sync, and Veyra felt a surge of energy, like a heartbeat echoing through her. Kaelor's voice spoke, its tone steady.
"This is the Crystal Heart. Align the seeds' power with the heart, and you will unlock the next stage of your evolution."
Veyra hesitated, her hands hovering over the gene-seeds.
But she had no choice—the maze was closing in, the shadows growing bolder. She placed the gene-seeds on the crystal, their light merging with its glow. A wave of power surged through her, her body trembling as her senses expanded.
She could feel the maze, its energy, its purpose.
*I'm stronger now… but am I still me?*
The thought scared her, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The maze stopped shifting, and a new path opened. Veyra retrieved the gene-seeds, her body humming with energy, a flicker of pride cutting through her fear.
*I'm not just a scavenger anymore.*
She stepped into the new tunnel, her resolve hardening. The Void might be watching, but she wouldn't let it win—not yet.
*I'll keep going. I have to.*