Finally, a Monarch had come to him. Finally. Finally, one of those who had cursed the world had come to end what they had created.
Subject One welcomed Reigan Shen with open arms. The Monarch was close, and would be here soon. He would close off the labyrinth from the pursuers, so they could not interfere.
For the Slumbering Wraith hungered for all things. Even death.
“Out!” Lindon shouted. He tried to shove everyone out the door, but it had already blurred closed.
They were surrounded by nothing but featureless stone. Eithan had theorized earlier that the labyrinth couldn’t lock them in; it had to move on set paths in certain patterns. Ozriel’s remaining dream tablet had suggested the same.
But now, the labyrinth had broken its own rules to turn against them.
And they were trapped.
19
“There’s no way this can stay locked for long,” Lindon said, as he scanned the sealed room they were crammed into.
If Orthos had been his normal size, they wouldn’t have all been able to fit into this room at all. Now, they were packed around Subject One’s birth pod, and Lindon had Ziel’s hammer jammed up against his jaw and Yerin’s back pushing into his.
Orthos and Little Blue had scrambled to the top of his head, and Blue was ringing like a panicked bell.
Eithan nudged Mercy’s staff away from his face and spoke. “It’s too bad that time is of the essence, because I don’t know if the labyrinth can seal us in here for minutes or for days.”
Lindon, of course, had no idea either. But it was clear to him that the labyrinth had been twisted out of its natural patterns. Not only did it make sense logically, but he could feel it. The labyrinth’s controller had twisted space to lock them here, which couldn’t last forever.
He looked to the wall a few feet away. “What does that script do?”
There was a slight indentation in the wall, which held a script at about head-height. Ziel answered him. “It’s a spatial transfer script, like the ones on a transport anchor. I’m no Sage, so I don’t know exactly how it works, but it’s written like a one-way trip.”
Lindon guessed that made sense, and Dross chuckled along with his thoughts.
[Yes, they had to ditch their failures somewhere, didn’t they? Those inferior beasts who couldn’t properly adapt to the energy must have been shipped off to the surface.]
“At least there’s a way out!” Mercy said.
Eithan sat on one ledge of the tank. “If I didn’t know better, I would think the labyrinth was trying to kick us out.”
They were being rejected, and Lindon knew it. Subject One had chosen Reigan Shen, so it was blocking their way forward. There was nothing for them to do but retreat.
Or…
Lindon tapped the floor with his foot. “It will be difficult, and I can’t make any promises. But I think I can break through the floor.”
“If that doesn’t wring your spirit dry, I’ll dig through the next floor with my teeth.” Yerin gave him a frown over her shoulder.
Ziel sighed, and leaned his head back against the wall. “What do you think we’re going to do to Reigan Shen if we catch up to him and you’re out of power? You think Arelius is going to smile him to death?”
“I’ve done it before!”
Smoke blew down into Lindon’s eyes, and he blinked it away.
“Very well,” Orthos said solemnly. “I’ll do it.”
Lindon considered very carefully how to refuse without destroying Orthos’ feelings. But before he came to a conclusion, Dross laughed out loud.
[Ridiculous! What can an Underlord sacred beast do to the stone of the labyrinth? Can you sense the layers of aura and authority embedded in this stone? You could not burn away the dust!]
Lindon couldn’t see Orthos, but he could feel the glare that the turtle directed toward the smug, floating spirit.
“Before Lindon fixes you,” Orthos said, “I hope he lets me bite you one time.”
[Try it, beast! I am only as physical as I choose to be!]
Even that conversation tied his stomach in knots, because it reminded Lindon that he might not be able to fix Dross. But he distracted himself with the problem at hand.
“Orthos, are you suggesting you transfer your power to me?”
“It hasn’t been much use since you outgrew me, but yes. I’ll lend you what I can, and then you can send me back to the surface.”
It wasn’t a terrible idea. Lindon still had Blackflame scales left, but every source of power would be helpful. And he wanted an excuse to send Orthos back anyway. This was a relief; now, at least, he would be safe.