Crown King: Return of The Labyrinth | ✓

Chapter 13: Changing Realms

Will-o'-the-wisps kept on emerging every step you took. It felt as if the lights were guiding you on the way as your feet met with the murky waters. The lights then disappear, and then appears again when they felt your presence.

The Labyrinth. It felt overwhelming and frightening at the same time, knowing this place could actually lead to a person's biggest fears.

Slowly, more lights glowed. You stood and looked around, amazed of the astounding field of will-o'-the-wisps stretching across the pitch mirrored waters. Colors of blue, purple, pink, red, green, and yellow all flickered at once in perfect sync. All at once, and then slowly, all lights, sparked at a moment's pause. In the blink of an eye, the colors ignited, like a flame bursting to life— like a ball of fire growing and growing.

Without any signal, the ball exploded, producing a blinding light that casted the eternal darkness away, making your eyes shut close. You opened them again, this time to find yourself standing in the midst of fields of yellow. The wind seemed gentler, yet the feeling was strange . . . odd. An odd nostalgic feeling. It felt as if you were back in a place you've missed so much. You looked up to the blue sky stretched across the heavens, as the heat of the midday sun mixed with the warmth of air.

Miraculously, all the exhaustion had disappeared from your body. The soothing wind tells you to rest, lulling you to sleep.

That's right . . . Rest. Go to rest.

"Y-yeah. . ." Your vision slowly blurred, the world around you becoming subtler. Your body swayed back and forth; the earth itself seemed to swallow you in.

Rest, my dear. It's time for slumber . . . A deep, slumber.

Your lids came to a fluttering close, when through your blurred vision emerged a dark haired girl from the yellow field. Her face was dull and unclear but the feeling . . . was familiar but melancholic.

"Go to sleep, (Y/N)."

That voice . . . You forced your eyes open, but as you did, she was gone. Like she vanished out of thin air, or swept by the wind like dandelion puffs.

"WATCH OUT!"

The voice, you couldn't tell how, had unknowingly made you duck, and at the same time you felt a strong, sharp wind pass through above you. You looked up immediately to see a giant, dark winged creature contrasting to the bright field.

Red eyes, dark furred skin, sharp and long claws, and a long, slithering tail. The winged lioness with long curled horns shrieked back at you, pawing down at the ground.

"Hey!"

You turned around. "Cloud!"

"Is that really you (Y/N)?" He halted, taking off his hood. His eyes scanned you from head to toe. "Where? How?"

"I don't know, but there's one thing I know that we should be careful of. We're stuck in this old labyrinth. A maze of complicated networks, something like that. We have to get out of here." You spared the creature a glance.

"Where are the others?"

You grimaced. "Cayla . . . She's dead. And— Ether . . . I didn't know. She betrayed us."

He frowned. "That's horrible."

The creature seemed to lung at the two of you now.

"Where's Seth?"

"I don't know. We found the nomads, but they said they got no clue. Seth and I were on our way back when he suddenly disappeared. I didn't know where he is now. Just found myself here."

You tilted your head, staring at his blank face, not knowing what could possibly be inside his thoughts.

"Hey?"

"Let's get out of here." Cloud gaped towards the creature. Like a signal, the pulling of his sword causes the monster to attack. "Come on!"

You watched him charge towards it and raise his sword high. Of course, I shouldn't just do nothing standing here. Gotta help, you thought looking for any elevated plane. A small hill, approximately forty meters away caught your eye. That's it, you warped automatically towards the hill.

You spotted Cloud and the monster far away from where you were standing. The distance was not too far, but it would allow impact if the arrow had been released from an elevated position. It surely would dig deeply into the creature's skin.

You knelt and summoned a bow and arrow, then positioned the arrow onto the string. Slowly, you pulled the string, narrowing your eyes at the creature's staggering figure.

Focus.

Its shriek suddenly released a ball of fire. Cloud's small figure easily dodged the dangerous gas.

It's breathing fire. Great.

"(Y/N). NOW!"

You thanked yourself for having sharping hearing senses. The arrow breaks free from the string and spun towards the creature. The tip of the arrow had a light that successfully attracted the monster, and as its attention was drawn to it, it wailed so suddenly, the deafening noise echoing throughout the clearing.

You stood, lowering your bow. Cloud had sliced the creature's head off in one swing. The lion head dropped off down to the ground, the impact sending a mild shake of the ground. You warped towards the headless body's place. Blood of pond green spilled, soaking the soil.

"Now what?" Cloud wipes the blood off the blade.

"Where do you think it'll bring us?"

"I don't know."

You swallowed. If it were to bring you somewhere safe, it would be a moment of relief, but what if not?

Thunder boomed overhead.

You shot your head towards the blue sky drastically changing to a shade of grey. The trees whispered of malicious noises, and the wind swirls like a tornado. You blinked fast— the world is spinning.

"Cloud—"

A hand grasped yours, knowing it was his hand. "I won't let go of you, don't worry."

You closed your eyes.

"We'll get out of here soon."

"I hope so."

The world continued to spin. You readied yourself— to see what realm you would find yourself in and whether you would be facing danger or not.