[This chapter is being edited. The author is taking a rest.]
The dust had barely settled when the Labyrinth shifted again. The star-etched walls pulsed with new light, as if acknowledging her victory—but offering no reprieve.
A low hum vibrated through the ground. Then, without warning, the floor beneath her gave way.
She fell.
Not far. Maybe a dozen feet, but the sudden drop stole the breath from her lungs. She landed hard on a circular platform inscribed with spinning glyphs. Astral winds whipped around her, the scent of ozone thick and burning.
A deep, metallic voice echoed through the chamber.
[SECOND PHASE INITIATED]
Individual Path: Starforged Reckoning
Objective: Endure. Adapt. Ascend.
The walls parted like curtains, revealing a new expanse: a mirrored battlefield. The floor shimmered like liquid glass, reflecting constellations overhead. Across from her stood... herself.
