The Labyrinth Keys

The feeling of waking up in an unfamiliar location is not going to get any easier. The first thing I notice is the stiffness in my back. I assume we were only out for an hour or so, but it feels so much worse as I steady myself off the floor. The ground feels hollow under my hands, and a slight queasiness passes through my gut. Rin is already up, her black boots tapping on the floor as she seems to be gauging her surroundings. Rin didn't sleep and honestly looks just as alert as she did earlier. There's an air of confidence about her that she didn't have before the trial. I want to ask her how her trial was, but I have a feeling that can wait.

Almost as if responding to my idle thoughts, the now-familiar AI voice resonates through the room with an unsettling calm: "Vital signs detected. Pacts confirmed. Sacrifices may leave the containment area. Participation reward awaits at the exit. Congratulations, hosts."

I snort. "Oh, we even get a little participation trophy from this Last Valley Corporation. How wonderful."

Rin adds, "Wonder if we can tell them to shove it up their ass."

We notice that the wall on the far western side is now open, so we make our way to the hallway. This place is almost endless, and I can't help but imagine how many demons are silently cursing us for not picking them. The long hallway is bathed in green pulsing lights, guiding us toward the end.

The air is thick, as if the walls themselves are breathing, a soft hum vibrating through the soles of our boots. I can't help but feel the weight of every step, like the hallway is a living thing, judging our every movement. Rin doesn't seem bothered, her pace steady and confident, her boots clicking against the floor with an almost rhythmic precision. It's like she's been here before, or maybe it's just the change in her demeanor since the trial. Either way, she's no longer the same person I met in that other world.

At the end of the hallway, a door suddenly materializes, its surface smooth and unyielding—the kind of door you expect to find in a dream, or a nightmare. The pulsing lights slow as we approach, almost as if giving us a moment to brace ourselves. Rin doesn't hesitate. She steps forward, her hand outstretched, and I follow her, my heartbeat matching the growing rhythm of the lights.

We pass through the door without a word, and instantly, the temperature shifts. The air is cooler here, crisp and sterile, like a hospital room or a research facility. The space opens up, revealing what looks like a massive control room, but everything inside seems... off. Machines hum and buzz in the background, but there's no one in sight. It feels like we've walked into a forgotten place—something abandoned, or worse, something being watched. I try to activate some of the consoles, but after a bit of meddling, it proves pointless. They are password-protected. Some part of me wishes Finn could be here to help us, but I know that life is behind us. The room itself seems ransacked—drawers are open, and there is smoke on the white floors. The room isn't very big, but I can tell it's been a long time since anyone's been here.

I discover some supplies by a small soot-covered wooden door. Most of the stuff is expired, but a few things are salvageable. Thankfully, there's water preserved in small thermoses. My fingers graze something stiff and papery, and I pull it free: a folded map, smudged and brittle, its edges fraying.

Unfolding it, I find a series of hand-drawn lines and symbols scattered across a grid-like layout. The words "Path to the Keys" are printed at the top corner in sharp, mechanical font. The map is recognizable—it shows the entire country of Lana. Locations are marked, each indicated by different colors. A note is tucked alongside it, the handwriting clinical, almost cold.

"Found something," I say, holding them up. Rin strides over, frowning as she takes the map from my hands. I take a look at the note the words are printed, and the note itself looks unaged, and fresh. She scans the map with a scowl while I open the note and read it aloud: