The rise of the unorthodox

We had just passed the riddle phase, though I wasn't entirely sure if there would be more challenges waiting ahead. Not that it mattered right now—something far more pressing had my attention.

A sharp tingle shot through my horn, ominous and foreboding. It wasn't the good kind of tingle, the one that meant magic was bubbling up to help me. No, this was different. Darker.

"Delight," I called, my voice steady but urgent. "Can you scout ahead and see what's in front of us?"

She tilted her head, her soft, honey-colored curls bouncing. "Why, though? I still remember the route. We just turn left at the next split."

Daniel grunted in agreement, already impatient. "Time's ticking, Beatrix. We can't stop every five minutes to 'check things out.' We need to keep moving."

I rolled my eyes. Typical Daniel, always treating himself like the leader of this ragtag group. "Sure, whatever," I said dryly, waving them off.

They began marching forward, their backs to me. I stayed behind with Devin, who walked at a leisurely pace, his arms crossed as always.

"You know," he drawled, his voice laced with that usual mix of mockery and amusement, "you could just use your hair to take a peek over the walls. Saves us the time and the drama."

I paused, blinking. Why hadn't I thought of that? Annoyed at myself, I shot him a begrudging nod. "For once, you're right. Not a genius, but close enough."

Devin smirked, stepping aside to let me work.

With a sharp inhale, I commanded my hair. The black strands shimmered, flowing like liquid as they coiled together into a twisting, sturdy pillar. It churned with power, lifting me high above the labyrinth walls. The sound of its movement caught the others' attention, and they stopped, craning their necks to look up at me.

"What is she doing now?" Daniel muttered, his tone exasperated.

"Probably something cool," Delight chirped, ever the optimist.

I ignored them, focusing on the scene unfolding ahead. And there it was—the source of that dreadful tingle. A massive shadow loomed, its grotesque form shrouded in the maze's misty light. I couldn't make out all the details, but the sheer size of it was enough to make my stomach churn.

A monster.

I descended quickly, my hair spiraling me back down with precision.

The second my feet hit the ground, Daniel was in my face. "What the hell, Beatrix? We agreed—no unnecessary stops!" His voice was sharp, his green eyes blazing.

Delight stepped between us, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Daniel. Let her explain."

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "Oh, I'll explain, alright. There's a monster up ahead. Couldn't see all of it, but trust me, it's huge. We need to prepare."

Daniel hesitated, his jaw tightening. Finally, he nodded, though his frustration still simmered beneath the surface. "Fine. Weapons out, everyone. Stay sharp."

With practiced ease, I tapped the discs at my hips, summoning my chakrams. The twin blades gleamed in the dim light, their edges lined with sharp, spiked teeth. These weren't my first set—those had been destroyed during a particularly brutal training session months ago. These would have to do.

Around me, the others armed themselves. Devin activated his gauntlets, their metal surfaces humming with latent power. Delight retrieved her bow, nocking an arrow with graceful precision, while Daniel's whip elongated, shifting into a sleek, glowing blade.

We advanced cautiously, the labyrinth walls groaning and shifting as if alive, twisting the path ahead.

Then, without warning, a massive foot slammed into the ground in front of us, shaking the labyrinth's walls with a deafening crack.

The creature was here.

I didn't need to look up to feel the weight of its presence pressing down on us. But still, I did, my heart skipping a beat at the sight. The monster's limbs were unnaturally human, but they were twisted, covered in grotesque lumps and bruises. Its pale skin was marred by cruel, sickening patches. Its torso was a grotesque, matted mass of hair that seemed to ripple with every labored breath it took. The creature's head was a bloated, nightmarish dome, with multiple eyes scattered across its face, each glowing an angry, bloodshot red. Its mouth stretched wide, impossibly so, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and its tongue—forked, like a serpent's—whipped out, dripping with venom.

It was a living nightmare, and the ominous tingle in my horn flared even brighter. This thing was dangerous.

"Now!" Daniel barked, his voice cold and commanding.

Without missing a beat, we all sprang into action.

Delight was the first to move. Her body shimmered as she called on her wolf. In an instant, her form blurred, shifting into a massive, sleek wolf, hybrid its fur aglow with raw energy. With a snarl, Delight launched herself at the monster's face, her claws slashing through the air. Her massive paws struck like hammers, tearing into the monster's many eyes. The creature howled, its deep voice a mix of rage and agony, and it staggered back, its massive form thrashing uncontrollably.

The creature's fists smashed into the ground, sending debris flying in every direction.

Devin was already on the move. He leapt forward, his gauntlets humming with power, his eyes locked onto the creature's vulnerable side. His enhanced strength sent him soaring into the air, and with a twist of his body, he landed on top of its massive arm. His gauntlets crackled, and with a quick motion, he mimicked a gunshot, his fingers pointed directly at the creature's chest.

A flash of blinding light exploded from his hands, and the deafening bang of a flash-bang resonated through the labyrinth.

The monster shrieked, stumbling backward as a hole appeared in its chest. It reeled, but it was far from defeated. Its grotesque eyes locked onto us in fury.

Now, it was Daniel's turn.

He whipped his weapon through the air, and in an instant, his whip transformed into a gleaming sword, its blue aura flickering with dangerous energy. Without hesitation, Daniel swung it at the beast, the blade cutting through the air with the precision of a master. Blue waves of aura followed the sword's path, slicing into the monster's already wounded form. The creature's body shuddered with each strike, the force of the blows cutting deep into its flesh.

But still, the beast fought on, thrashing and roaring, its claws swinging wildly toward us.

It was my turn to finish this.

I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins as I stepped forward, my chakrams now in my hands. They gleamed under the dim light, deadly and sharp, their spiked edges ready for action.

I threw them with everything I had, the blades spinning through the air, cutting the wind with a deadly whistle. They flew toward the monster's head, but I wasn't done. I stretched my hair out, commanding it to coil and twist, following the trajectory of the chakrams. My hair wrapped around the blades, guiding them with unnatural force. The chakrams struck their target, sinking deep into the creature's skull with a sickening crunch.

The monster screamed in agony, its head jerking back. It staggered, its body wavering. With one final, powerful tug, I willed my hair to tighten, pulling the chakrams deeper into its skull. The creature faltered, then fell forward with a heavy thud, its massive body crashing to the ground with an earth-shaking force.

The air grew still, the echo of our battle slowly fading into the labyrinth's cold silence.

For a long moment, we stood there, panting and exhausted, our eyes locked on the fallen beast.

"Nice work, team," Daniel said, his voice low and approving.

Delight, still in wolf form, bounded toward us with a joyful bark. "We make a great team!"

Devin deactivated his gauntlets, his arms folding across his chest as he surveyed the aftermath. "Don't get too comfortable. We still have an hour to finish this and get out of here. Let's move."

As if on cue, a booming voice echoed overhead, the announcement filling the labyrinth.

"One hour remaining. No contestants have crossed the finish line. Disappointing."

That was a good sign. We still had time.

I couldn't help but glance at the dark corridors ahead, my thoughts turning to the cloaked figure. Whoever they were, I needed answers and I wasn't going to stop until I got them.

As we kept up the journey I sighed, "im literally always right".