Just as they stepped into the new pathway, the ground beneath them trembled violently. A low, ominous grinding echoed through the maze, as if unseen gears hidden within the very walls of the labyrinth had begun turning. Then, all at once, the walls lurched and shifted, dragging themselves into new configurations like the living innards of some massive, ancient beast.
Ludwig barely had time to process what was happening before a massive stone barrier erupted from the ground between them, cutting off their new companion. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire
“What the hell?!” the guy shouted from the other side, his voice muffled by the thick wall that had suddenly divided them.
“SHIT!” they heard and soon the sound of the lion crashing against the wall made the guy suddenly quiet.
Minerva, still perched on his shoulder, shuddered. “I think we lost him.”
Ludwig clenched his jaw but didn’t have time to dwell on their sudden separation. Before them, the ground split apart, and a vast open chamber began forming. Walls rose from the ground, shifting and shaping themselves into a large square battlefield. There were four entrances, one on each wall.
Ludwig and Minerva stood at the southern entrance. Across from them, in the northern entryway, another hunter appeared. The other two entrances remained ominously empty—for now.
The moment Ludwig laid eyes on the structure of the room, his gut twisted.
“Shit,” he muttered. “This is a forced duel.”
The hunter across from them frowned, quickly glancing around as if only now realizing the situation. “Oi, isn’t this a bit unfair?” he called out.
Minerva slithered off Ludwig’s shoulder, dropping to the ground with an amused huff. “Unlike us,” she said, “you only need to touch one of us to win. So, if anything, I’d say the numbers are fair.”
“I guess,” the hunter muttered. But he wasted no time. In an instant, he lunged, targeting Minerva first.
The air cracked with the force of his movement. He was fast—too fast for Ludwig to intercept immediately.
“Oh, you’re coming after me because you think I’m weaker?” Minerva taunted.
she twisted her body in a split-second dodge, effortlessly slipping away from the hunter’s grasp.
Her eyes flashed. “Panic!”
The hunter’s charge came to a screeching halt. He staggered, then collapsed to his knees, his hands clawing at his temples as a guttural scream tore from his throat.
“ARRRHHHHGHHH!”
Ludwig didn’t hesitate. He extended his palm toward the incapacitated opponent and conjured a blazing fireball. The orb of fire shot forward like a comet, smashing directly into the hunter’s chest. The hunter was encased in a bubble and was transported out of the area.
Ludwig exhaled. “Well, that was easier than I thought.”
Minerva, however, remained tense. “Something isn’t right.”
Ludwig followed her gaze toward the two remaining entrances. A deep, rumbling noise echoed from within the passageways, followed by the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps. The temperature of the room seemed to drop, and Ludwig’s instincts screamed at him to be ready.
Then, they emerged two Stone Lions this time.
Ludwig cursed. “Oh, come on! That’s not fucking fair!”
The lions lunged without hesitation.
“Go left!” Ludwig barked.
Minerva didn’t argue. The moment Ludwig sprinted right, she veered left, following his command. The lions due to being focused on their respective pray already mid-charge, slammed into each other in their attempt to chase both targets at once.
Ludwig ran to the right most entrance that one of the lions had came from, seeing a long branching path ahead.
“Minerva! We’ll split here! Take that path and run!” he said as he hurled a fireball at the lion chasing after her.
Minerva was touched by the gesture and immediately nodded and sprinted the other way.
The two lions were both focused on Ludwig as they began running after him.
He didn’t help her out of the goodness of his heart, but because although there will be two lions chasing after him, it will actually be easier for him to run away from just one.
And just like Ludwig thought, the moment the first lion pounced on the entrance, the other Lion who was enraged by the fireball crashed into it.
They roared at each other for a second, but noticing Ludwig’s fading footsteps they immediately began hurrying after him.
Ludwig sprinted toward one of the maze’s corridors, weaving between the obstacles. The walls blurred past him as he pushed his speed to the limit. But even at full tilt, the thundering footfalls of his pursuers grew closer.
A loud ringing suddenly screeched in Ludwig’s ear.
His wrist beacon—the device marking his presence for the hunters—was going haywire, blaring and flashing a powerful light.
He noticed that one of the lions, which was closer to him suddenly have its ears scrunch down, perhaps the sound was too loud for it?
Ludwig made a mental note of that and continued running.
The maze began changing again, a wall suddenly began rising in front of Ludwig.
Ludwig wasn’t going to make it in time if he just sprinted. “Steadfast Leap!”
Ludwig’s body immediately flew forward with far more speed and power than any jump would allow him. The tyrant blade’s first move, though completely and utterly useless with a simple scimitar, it still allowed Ludwig to leap forward fast.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a smirk crossed his face.
He made it past the wall, and just as his smile began growing at the wall that rose up, he noticed something strange about this wall.
It didn’t have the same texture as the other walls. Just as he began processing the reason behind this, the whole damn wall burst apart as one of the lions plowed through it like if it was made of cardboard.
“SON OF A BITCH!” Ludwig roared.
Only half of the lion’s body made it out as it began clawing its way forward
He turned and began sprinting again.
The first lion was suddenly pushed forward as the second one crashed into him, cracks appeared on his face. The two now free began bounding after Ludwig.
Ludwig was fully focused on running, though currently his only path was straight forward. But since he made good distance, he should be able to reach the end of the path and take a turn before he is caught.
That was the case, but the chiming of a couple bells suddenly changed his entire situation.