Extra’s Survival: Reincarnated with a Doomed Bloodline

The jungle around them was alive with sounds - bird calls, rustling leaves, the distant roar of something large crashing through the underbrush. Ancient trees stretched toward the blue sky, their trunks so massive it would take a dozen people to wrap their arms around even the smaller ones. Bright flowers bloomed everywhere, and the air smelled sweet and earthy.

The expedition moved carefully through this paradise. Captain Lyralei led from the front, her years of experience letting her spot signs of dangerous wildlife that the others might miss. Behind her, the team stayed in formation to protect each other while trying not to disturb too much of the environment around them.

They'd been walking for almost two hours when Fenix started noticing something. Alfred the ship's pilot had been doing a lot to help them as they moved through the forest - they'd seen plenty beasts from the ship - and yet they hadn't run into a single fight.

Maya leaned over to Kai during a rest break. "This doesn't make sense," she whispered. "How is he doing this?."

Abel had noticed the same thing. "Either we're really lucky, or he has eyes in the sky."

The answer came when Thorne caught strange ripples in the mana around their group. Following the energy back to its source, he found Alfred walking near the back of their formation. The guy's mana was carefully controlled, but there were telltale signs of active technique use.

"He's using telepathy," Thorne muttered to Elena. "Reading the minds of every dangerous beasts in the area, letting us know where to go to avoid them, it's the Montclair family's bloodline ability."

Elena nodded with grudging respect. "Smart. Can't trust the guy, but his abilities are keeping us alive."

One by one, the whole team figured out what Alfred was doing. Even Fenix, who'd been suspicious of their pilot from day one, had to admit the man's telepathic abilities were proving invaluable.

The silent acknowledgment was clear - whatever Alfred's real agenda, his mind-reading was essential for getting them to the temple without costly battles that could end their mission before it really began.

What none of them realized was that Alfred could also read their thoughts just as clearly as he could read beasts' minds. Captain Lyralei's Master rank protected her somewhat, making her thoughts fuzzy and hard to interpret. But the rest of them? He knew exactly what they were thinking about him, their mission, and each other.

He just didn't see any reason to mention it.

---

The temple kept getting bigger as they walked through the jungle. What had looked massive from their landing spot was actually colossal - a structure that made every building back home look like a child's toy. It rose from the earth like a golden mountain, with spires and towers jutting out in patterns that looked both natural and designed.

"Finally," Jully said, staring up at the thing. "After all this traveling and planning, we're actually here."

Kai's hand moved toward his axe without thinking. "It's bigger than anything back home. Whoever built this had serious resources."

The team stopped at the forest's edge, everyone taking a moment to process what they were about to attempt. This place had stood for who knows how long, defended by creatures that had killed previous expeditions in ways nobody really understood.

Captain Lyralei held up her hand to stop them from going further. "Before we head up there, there's stuff about this place you need to know. Information that could keep you alive."

Everyone settled in to listen, understanding that veteran knowledge was about to be shared.

"What do you think this temple actually is?" Lyralei asked.

Maya spoke first. "Some kind of religious center with really good defenses? That would explain why it's still standing when everything else from that time period got destroyed."

Gareth nodded. "Maybe a fortress disguised as a temple. Keep the spiritual significance while making it nearly impossible to attack."

Abel thought about it from multiple angles. "Could be a storage facility for advanced knowledge or technology. Use religious significance to make sure people treat it with proper respect."

Thorne studied the engineering. "Monument to whoever ruled here, but with practical purposes that justified spending this much on construction."

Elena considered it from her medical background. "Healing center? Somewhere they practiced advanced techniques that required isolation from normal society."

Jully tried to think strategically. "Probably all of the above. Multi-purpose facility that served religious, defensive, technological, and administrative functions."

Kai and Fenix stayed quiet, knowing their lack of expedition experience made their guesses less valuable.

Alfred kept his military bearing and didn't contribute, even though he obviously had opinions.

Lyralei listened to each theory with professional attention. "Good guesses," she said when they finished. "But you're all wrong."

She gestured toward the golden mountain dominating their view. "The Viraldean Temple is a labyrinth."

The words hit everyone like a slap. The veterans went pale immediately, understanding what that meant. But the newer team members just looked confused.

"For those who don't know," Lyralei continued, "a labyrinth isn't just a maze. It's a comprehensive death trap designed to kill intruders through systematic elimination."

She started pacing, nervous energy showing. "Labyrinths have multiple layers of danger. Maze-like passages to confuse you, trap mechanisms that kill instantly or disable you for the guardians to finish off later, environmental hazards that test your endurance and supplies."

Her expression got darker. "But the real dangers are active. Guardian creatures that hunt you through corridors they know better than you ever will. Magic that messes with your perception, memory, or decision-making. Puzzle locks you have to solve while other things try to kill you."

The newer team members exchanged worried glances as they began understanding why labyrinth expeditions were considered suicide missions.

"The Viraldean Temple is a particularly nasty example," Lyralei concluded. "Which brings us to why it exists and what we might find if we're lucky enough to survive it."

She gestured again toward the towering structure. "This labyrinth is the tomb of one of Aethralis's greatest legends. Someone so influential his impact crossed racial boundaries and inspired people long after he died. Nobody knows who he was exactly, but the stories suggest someone whose achievements went beyond normal limits."

The team listened intently as their understanding of the mission shifted from exploration to archaeological pilgrimage.

"According to legend, this guy collected treasures, relics, and artifacts his whole extraordinary life. When he knew death was coming, he chose this place as his final resting spot and built the labyrinth as both tomb and treasure vault."

Lyralei's smile mixed anticipation with healthy fear. "The stories say successfully navigating the labyrinth leads to a chamber containing wealth that could reshape kingdoms. Whether that's true remains to be seen."

She paused to let that sink in. "I should mention these are stories passed down through generations. Could be embellished or completely fictional. No guarantee the treasures exist, or that previous expeditions didn't already claim them."

Her expression grew serious. "But even if the legends are false, the labyrinth itself represents archaeological significance that could provide invaluable insights into ancient civilizations."

Elena raised her hand. "If this is really a tomb, are we grave robbing?"

"Unknown," Lyralei replied honestly. "The culture that built this has been extinct for centuries. Whether they'd consider exploration desecration or appropriate recognition is impossible to determine."

They talked for several more minutes, everyone processing what they were about to attempt. A labyrinth meant challenges beyond normal combat or environmental hazards. Success would require perfect teamwork, resource management, and problem-solving skills that could mean the difference between discovery and death.

Finally, they resumed approaching the temple's base.

---

The stone steps were incredible up close. Each one was carved from single blocks of the same golden material as the temple, perfectly preserved despite obvious age. The craftsmanship was so good it bordered on artwork.

Partway up the steps, they found something that stopped them cold.

A stone pillar rose from the golden stairs like a guard post. About eight feet tall and perfectly round, with a single carved depression unmistakably shaped for a human palm. The carving showed individual finger positions, deep enough to require serious pressure for contact.

"Checkpoint," Maya observed.

Alfred probed the pillar carefully, his senses detecting sophisticated magical integration. "Active mana throughout the structure. This isn't decoration - it's functional."

They gathered around the mysterious pillar, each contributing their expertise.

Thorne studied the engineering. "Construction integrates seamlessly with the steps. Original design, not added later."

Elena examined the palm depression. "Sizing suggests it accommodates multiple races, not just humans. Whoever built this expected diverse visitors."

Gareth focused on tactical implications. "Checkpoint placement forces anyone approaching to interact directly. No bypassing without engaging whatever systems it controls."

Jully was already thinking strategically. "If this is a checkpoint, there are probably others. Each one likely serves different functions in the overall defensive network."

Lyralei studied the pillar with the attention of someone whose previous encounters had taught her to recognize dangerous patterns.

Before she could voice her conclusions, they discovered the pillar wasn't unique.

At the temple's base, massive doors thirty feet tall stood carved from the same golden material. Their surfaces were covered with designs that seemed to flow and shift in changing light.

Most importantly, another identical pillar stood directly before the doors, its palm depression positioned to require interaction before the temple could be accessed.

Two pillars. Two palm depressions. Two chances for the expedition to engage whatever controlled access to the labyrinth.

Lyralei gathered her team around her. "This confirms what I suspected. The temple's access system requires actions that will change our team composition."

She gestured toward both pillars. "Based on my previous encounters with similar systems, these represent one of the temple laws I mentioned. Two members of our expedition won't be permitted to enter the labyrinth. They have to stay outside while the rest proceed."

The announcement hit like a physical blow.

"Why?" Abel asked.

"Unknown," Lyralei replied. "Maybe to prevent overwhelming internal systems with too many intruders. Maybe to ensure some expedition members remain for rescue if the internal team gets trapped. Or maybe just arbitrary limitation by builders whose reasoning we can't understand."

The discussion that followed was intense as team members worked through who would continue and who would stay behind.

Combat capability, expedition experience, specialization, and team dynamics all influenced the debate.

Alfred's Master+ capabilities made him valuable for the internal team, but his questionable loyalties made several members reluctant to bring him into sensitive areas. Thorne's explosives could prove crucial for bypassing obstacles, but they were also the best tools for breaching the temple's walls if rescue became necessary.

After nearly an hour, consensus emerged.

Thorne would remain outside, his explosives providing the best chance for forced entry if the internal team got trapped. Alfred would also stay behind, his telepathy providing early warning about threats while his combat capability offered protection for their fallback position. The team's distrust made him a logical choice for external support.

With the decision made, Lyralei positioned herself at the pillar before the temple doors while Maya went to the checkpoint on the steps. Both understood activation would likely require simultaneous input.

"On my count," Lyralei called out. "Three... two... one... activate."

Both men pressed their palms into the carved depressions while channeling their varying energies into the ancient systems.

The response was immediate and overwhelming.

Energy flowed through the pillars like liquid lightning, pulsing through ancient networks that had waited centuries for activation. Mana pathways carved within the temple blazed to life, creating patterns of illumination that raced across golden surfaces like controlled wildfire.

A deep rumble shook the temple steps, followed by the crack of earth as forces shifted into new configurations. The air vibrated with released energy as systems designed by master craftsmen proved their continued functionality.

The massive temple doors split along their center, each half swinging slowly outward to reveal darkness that seemed to have weight and substance. The opening was perfectly smooth, controlled by mechanisms that operated without visible stress.

As the doors completed their arc, artificial illumination blazed to life inside. Crystalline formations in walls and ceiling began glowing with soft radiance that revealed corridors stretching beyond normal vision.

"Finally," Kai whispered. "Progress."

Without ceremony, the eight remaining expedition members - Lyralei, Maya, Gareth, Elena, Fenix, Kai, Abel, Kate, and Jully - stepped through the temple doors into the labyrinth that had claimed countless lives.

Behind them, the massive doors swung shut with the finality of prison gates, sealing them within ancient defenses designed to test the worthiness of those seeking legendary treasures hidden in the tomb's deepest chambers.

Alfred and Thorne remained outside, guardians of their retreat and protectors of possibilities that might determine whether this expedition ended in triumph or became another cautionary tale.

Inside the labyrinth, eight warriors began their descent into darkness that had swallowed heroes and legends, carrying hope that determination and skill might prove sufficient to overcome challenges that had defeated everyone before them.

The Viraldean Temple had accepted their offering. Now it would test whether they possessed the strength to claim whatever secrets lay waiting in its heart.