Damien's Masked mate

The sun hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over Oscar Island as the students stood on the edge of the labyrinth. The air was thick with anticipation, the murmur of hushed conversations blending with the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. Despite the brightness of the day, the maze before them seemed unnaturally dark, its towering hedges casting ominous shadows that swallowed the light.

Cora clenched her fists, her palms slick with sweat beneath her gloves. Her mask hid her expression, but the tension in her stance was unmistakable. Kevin and Amara stood beside her, the weight of the challenge pressing down on them.

Kevin adjusted his glasses, his expression pinched with worry. "So…anyone have a strategy? Or are we winging it?"

Amara shot him a sharp look, her dark eyes narrowing. "It's a maze, not rocket science. We stick together, keep track of where we've been, and move fast. Simple."

Cora nodded, grateful for Amara's no-nonsense approach. "Agreed. Let's not overthink it."

From the front of the group, Slayer raised his hand, signaling for silence. "The rules are simple. Enter the maze. Find the crow. Return with it. No shortcuts, no climbing the hedges, and absolutely no leaving your team behind. If you're caught breaking any rule, you're out. Understood?"

A collective murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Slayer's grin widened. "Good. Then let the Search begin."

With a sharp whistle, the teams surged forward, disappearing into the labyrinth's gaping mouth.

---

The moment Cora stepped into the maze, the temperature seemed to drop. The air was cooler, heavier, and carried a faint metallic tang that set her on edge. The hedges loomed high above, their tangled branches forming an impenetrable canopy that blocked out the sunlight. Shadows danced along the dirt path, twisting and shifting with every step.

"This place gives me the creeps," Kevin muttered, glancing nervously at their surroundings.

"Focus," Amara snapped, her tone clipped. She pulled a small notebook from her pocket and began sketching a crude map. "Left or right?"

Cora hesitated, her instincts warring with logic. The left path was narrower, the ground uneven and scattered with fallen leaves. The right path was wider, its surface smoother, but the shadows seemed darker, denser.

"Left," she decided, her voice firm.

Kevin groaned. "Why do I feel like we're walking into a horror movie?"

"Because we probably are," Amara replied, leading the way without hesitation.

As they moved deeper into the maze, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to grow. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant sound of other teams. Every now and then, Cora caught glimpses of movement out of the corner of her eye—a flicker of shadow, a flash of motion—but when she turned to look, there was nothing there.

Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears. She wasn't afraid of the maze itself—she'd faced worse than dark corridors and eerie silence. No, what unnerved her was the sense of being watched, as if unseen eyes were tracking their every move.

"Stop," Amara whispered, holding up a hand.

Kevin froze, his eyes wide. "What? What is it?"

"Listen," Amara said, her voice barely audible.

Cora strained her ears, her breath hitching as she caught the faintest sound—soft, shuffling footsteps.

"They're behind us," she murmured.

Amara nodded. "Move. Quickly."

They broke into a brisk jog, their footsteps crunching against the dirt path. The sound of movement behind them grew louder, closer.

Cora's mind raced. Was it another team? Or something else entirely?

"Split up!" Amara ordered, veering down a narrow side path. "We'll regroup at the next fork!"

Kevin hesitated, panic flashing across his face. "Wait—"

"Go!" Cora barked, pushing him toward another path. She took off in the opposite direction, her pulse thrumming in her ears.

The maze blurred around her as she ran, the shadows seeming to reach out, clawing at her as she passed. Her lungs burned, and her legs ached, but she didn't dare slow down.

Finally, she burst into a small clearing, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. The clearing was circular, the ground covered in soft moss. In the center stood a twisted tree, its gnarled branches stretching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.

Cora took a cautious step forward, her gaze scanning the area. The oppressive silence was back, heavy and suffocating. She felt the weight of the mask pressing against her skin, a constant reminder of her hidden identity.

A faint rustle drew her attention to the tree. Perched on one of its lower branches was a crow, its feathers sleek and black as midnight. Its beady eyes gleamed with an unsettling intelligence as it watched her.

Cora's breath caught. She'd found it.

But her relief was short-lived. From the higher branches of the tree, a soft chuckle echoed, low and rich, sending a chill down her spine.

"Impressive," a deep voice drawled. "I didn't expect you to get this far."

Her gaze shot upward, and there he was. Damien sat on one of the higher branches, his silhouette framed by the dappled light filtering through the canopy. His dark hair was tousled, his piercing black eyes glinting with amusement as he looked down at her. He leaned against the trunk with an air of casual dominance, as though he belonged there, as though he owned the maze itself.

"How—" She faltered, her voice catching in her throat.

He smirked, leaping gracefully from the branch to land a few feet away. His movements were fluid, predatory. "You should be more careful, little bird. The maze isn't as empty as it seems."

Cora's instincts screamed at her to run, but her feet refused to move. His presence was overwhelming, his aura a potent mix of danger and allure that held her captive.

"What do you want?" she demanded, her voice steadier than she felt.

"To talk," he said simply, his smirk softening into a smile that was no less unsettling. "You intrigue me, Cora Mercedes. And I don't like mysteries."

Her breath hitched at the sound of her name. How did he know who she was?

"Stay away from me," she warned, taking a step back.

His smile widened, but he made no move to follow. "I'm not your enemy, little bird. But this game we're playing? It's only just begun."

With that, he stepped into the shadows, disappearing as suddenly as he had appeared.