Lord Of The Lost

The words were familiar, this was the same arrangement that had first tied William to Calcifer.

He turned to the Forum Master and the others. They exchanged glances, nodding in silent agreement.

None of them truly understood what they were walking into. The Lost Labyrinth remained a colossal mystery, its depths unfathomable, its dangers unknowable.

And yet, they had no choice but to dive in.

For years, extraordinary beings have ventured into the labyrinth, collecting priceless knowledge that cannot be bought with gold or power. Such hard-won insights are the lifeblood of those seeking to navigate its treacherous depths.

With the deal finalized, Calcifer raised his hand, and a shimmering portal came to life.

The golden-rimmed, semi-circular arch floated mid-air, exuding an otherworldly glow.

Players had gained some understanding of magic by now. They knew the basics: once a spell was learned, casting required expending energy from the body. A Sequence 9 magician could master all basic spells, but medium- and high-level magic demanded immense skill and preparation.

Teleportation arrays, for example, were high-level magic. And solidifying a stable portal? That was a feat requiring even greater mastery.

Yet Calcifer performed it effortlessly. He didn't even use a wand. His movements were fluid, almost elegant, like a maestro conducting a symphony.

---

"Sofia, stay here while we scout ahead," William said, turning to her.

This was part of their prior agreement. But Sofia, arms crossed and lips pouted, glared at him. "If you dare leave me behind, I'll never forgive you."

William simply smiled, leaving her complaint unanswered.

With his spear in hand, he stepped forward and leapt into the glowing portal alongside the other players.

Swish!

The group vanished in an instant, swallowed by the golden light. The portal, once blazing with brilliance, dimmed slightly, its power stabilizing.

---

Calcifer returned to his tea, sipping leisurely. His expression betrayed a faint amusement. "If these people truly intend to carve out their own paths, their potential could be limitless. They might even become the prototypes of gods themselves… but," he chuckled softly, "the extraordinary path is far more dangerous than they realize. Talent alone will never be enough."

His musings were interrupted by a stare.

Turning, he found Sofia watching him intently, her wine-red eyes glinting with curiosity.

"Would you care for some tea?" Calcifer offered.

Without a word, Sofia sat down across from him. A teacup slid across the table toward her, followed by an enchanted teapot, which poured steaming black tea into her cup.

Calcifer's demeanor remained polite, even pleasant.

Sofia tilted her head, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Calcifer," she began, "even if they do find the Kingdom of Dreams, do you really think those greenhorns, who've barely become extraordinary beings, are going to help you?"

Calcifer raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Sofia nearly laughed at him but caught herself, remembering who she was speaking to. Calcifer's power and identity demanded respect. Instead, she snorted, masking her amusement.

"Do you think those rookies can guard the Abyss and stand against higher demons?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Calcifer shook his head with a faint smile. "The Abyss is far too harsh. Even the church's demon hunters can't endure it for long. Whether they go or not makes no difference to the Abyss."

Sofia took a sip of her tea and shrugged. "Good. At least you know that much."

Calcifer's smile deepened. "My focus isn't on the Abyss. I simply hope they'll help me with the Witch of the Wilderness."

Sofia froze mid-sip, and a second later, she spat her tea out; only for the droplets to halt in mid-air, suspended by magic.

Calcifer's eerie laugh echoed through the room.

"It seems Wolf Lord Iris never told you the full truth about Blizzard Fortress," Calcifer said, his voice like a blade sliding through silk. "The fortress that has protected this land for 800 years is about to fall… and become nothing more than a ruin."

Sofia's hands tightened around her cup, the weight of his words settling like a storm on the horizon. Calcifer's grin widened. He had just added another piece to the growing puzzle, one that Sofia wasn't sure she wanted to solve.

The war of the gods left a scar upon the world, so deep that it sank the very earth beneath them.

During this divine conflict, the Moonlight Goddess emerged, initially serving as a subordinate deity to the Original Moon. But five hundred years ago, the Original Moon fell, and with it, the werewolves lost their faith.

In its place, the Moonlight Goddess ascended, becoming one of the new gods, though her presence has always been intertwined with the ancient labyrinth below. Together, the labyrinth and the Moonlight Goddess share a history cloaked in mystery, bound by the echoes of the divine.

Today, the labyrinth, long buried and shrouded in secrets, welcomed a group of unwelcome guests.

---

[Map Notification: You have arrived at the Lost Labyrinth.]

[Lost Labyrinth Description: Once an ancient and powerful kingdom, this land fell into ruin and sank into the earth. Here, gods perished, and the chaotic energies of their death intermingled, transforming this place into the most dangerous of forbidden zones. Even living gods hesitate to set foot within its cursed borders.]

---

The golden portal shimmered in mid-air as William and the others emerged, falling from a height of twenty meters. Below them stretched a twisted, dark forest.

A strong wind whipped at their faces as they descended, and William caught sight of the vast underground world that lay before them.

The sky above was not truly a sky but a canopy of shadowy void. The only light came from bioluminescent plants and faintly glowing ruins scattered across the labyrinth. Broken towers and crumbled city walls hinted at a once-great civilization, now nothing more than a haunting reminder of its fall.

Far off in the distance, the vast Dark Forest loomed, shrouded in mist. The air was heavy with the guttural roars of unseen beasts echoing through the ruins.

Danger.

That was William's immediate impression, and it hit him like a physical blow. His instincts flared, and the innate [Desperate Situation] feature of his path automatically activated, sharpening his senses to the myriad threats closing in from every direction.

---

Reacting quickly, William unfurled his black wings and grabbed both the Forum Master and Metatron, bringing them to a safe landing. Nearby, Alex activated his [Shadow Cloak], wrapping himself and the gambler in its dark embrace. They vanished into the shadows of the forest below, silent as ghosts.

The forest was unsettling. Its trees were devoid of leaves, with gnarled, twisted branches that reached skyward like clawing hands. Their exposed roots sprawled across the ground like serpents, giving the impression that the trees had migrated here from some alien place.

"Tree Demon Forest," the Forum Master whispered, his voice tight with fear.

"This isn't a place to linger," William said grimly.

The group moved swiftly, darting through the dark woods. The trees seemed alive, their branches stretching unnaturally to block the way.

But they were too slow.

William's speed, enhanced by his path, carried him ahead like a blur, while Alex used his Shadow Cloak to blend seamlessly with the darkness, slipping past the grasping branches.

---

A deafening roar erupted behind them, followed by a brilliant flash of light. A powerful beam sliced through the air, tearing into the tree demons, exposing their twisted insides, and obliterating them in a fiery explosion.

The beam then turned toward the golden portal.

But the archway, shimmering faintly, merely rippled under the attack, undisturbed by the chaos.

---

A new threat emerged from the ruins, its movements predatory and relentless. William felt a chill creep up his spine.

"At least Sequence 8…" he muttered, the sheer presence of the creature making his scalp tingle.

Without hesitation, William activated the [Invisibility Cloak], the rare item shrouding all five of them in a veil of concealment. Its [Secret] ability fully masked their presence, rendering them invisible.

The creature paused, its grotesque form looming over the area, searching for its prey. After a moment, it turned and disappeared into the shadows.

---

The group exhaled collectively as the danger passed, finally able to take in the creature's form.

It was a fallen gargoyle, its body grotesquely twisted from centuries of corruption.

The Lost Labyrinth was filled with such horrors, beings that may have once been noble or harmless but had been warped over time by the lingering power of fallen gods. The divine energy that saturated the labyrinth distorted everything it touched, warping life into monstrous forms.

---

"This place is littered with the remnants of battlefields," William observed. "Even after all this time, the power of the gods here is still twisting everything into madness."

Corruption. Decay. Despair.

The labyrinth's edge was daunting enough, but William couldn't help but think of what lay deeper within.

Calcifer had likely placed them on the outer fringes of this underground world, far from the central labyrinth. Navigating to the heart of this cursed maze, where the true secrets lay buried, would be no easy task.

And yet, the challenge had only just begun.