The labyrinth - Part 11

Find and collect: The five rings of light

5/5 rings found

And then everything became really urgent for us all. As a message appeared in front of each of us, I start to panic. I think the others might be slightly worried too since we don't know how many more people might be stuck here. The mission of the labyrinth might be complete but that doesn't mean that our work is actually done here. Since the portal is now going to close without everyone being safe. The person is probably someone who's with Russel. It also sucks that this text can't be studied in person now. Which is a shame since who knows what information might be on here. Information that won't be complete because I doubt a phone camera would be able to capture everything. But at least the message of completion of the mission gives some good news. Since it does show that we have some time left to explore all of this.

Congratulations: All the rings have been found

Return to the portal within 3 hours

Time remaining: 3:00

"We still have some time left to get people out of here. We seem to be at the end of the labyrinth already which makes it easier to get everyone out. Or at least gives us the chance to check everything. We can all take one of the hallways no one came out of to make sure that people aren't stuck here. There are still around three hallways left. I think Olive already informed the other two and went into the last hallway by now. The other two are probably halfway done by now. If each of us takes one of those hallways we might be able to clear them out without much trouble." Emily explains as she walks up to one of the hallways. I think it was pretty clear that Jeon should take the hallway that no one walked in before Olive. But Jeon is seemingly taking some pictures of the writing again before running into that hallway.

"I will take that hallway then." I say to no one in particular since Emily and Jeon already disappeared into the labyrinth again. I decide to run as well as it seems like the safest thing to do. I might be less thorough in my search in the halls but right now I'm not searching for moss or some other weird plants. But at this point, I have to assume that half of this hallway is cleared already. This means I can go through all the hallways while assuming the other person is carefully checking the beginning of the hallway.

"Is anyone around here?" I shout out as I run deeper and deeper inside the labyrinth again. Or would this be considered running out of the labyrinth? But I hope people hear my shouting since that might help to get people out of here. I however don't hear anyone shout back. Nor do I see anyone around here when I run through these halls. I don't see any markings on the walls either. So they might not have gotten to this part yet or aren't using charcoal. I don't understand how I'm running better though. Is this just a reality for me that I just run better now? And that running tires me out less.

I don't mind if this is a permanent change though. Being able to run faster and get everywhere quicker is quite good if you ask me. I would consider this quite a positive change. It actually feels like I'm doing something. Would I have been able to clear out a lot more if I just ran through the labyrinth? Maybe I would've encountered more of those guys who were with Russel. Maybe they were more reasonable than Russel was. I sometimes look at the time to see how I'm coming along here.

Time remaining: 2:30

Things were going too well of course. Because as soon as I become pretty comfortable running and turn in a hallway I feel quite a smack in my face. If I didn't put more points into strength or one of my other stats I would probably be knocked out. It does however hurt a bit but I for sure didn't run into a wall. As I look up it looks like I ran into someone's arm. "I didn't know you actually ran this fast." I hear an unfamiliar voice say to me.

"Wait a second." I say as I catch my breath a bit. I realise that this person had probably done this on purpose or something. "What was that for even?" I ask as I look at the person and still don't recognise the person. But just from his body language, he reminds me of Russel. Also, I do think this guy might be around his strength too, just by the way he's looking at me. If I had to guess, I would guess that he's around F+ rank. Now that the shock is over I notice that I don't really feel it. I probably have a light bruise but that's about it I think.

"Well, let's just say that this is a message. A message that you should not talk back to Rus like that." This guy proclaims as I have absolutely no clue who this person is. But by the message, it's clear that he's someone who sides with Russel. Probably someone pretty close to Russel considering the nickname. I knew I pissed him off but I didn't think he would put his goons on me. I didn't think that my saying that he was wrong would justify wanting me beat up. I knew I was actually kind of rude but he did seem to deserve it. At least a tad bit if you ask me. I was just saying the truth and the truth can come over harshly.

"He knows perfectly well what he was doing." I hear someone say behind me. I didn't even realise that some walked behind me before he was there. As I go to look behind me I feel a hit against my head. I felt the clear feeling of wood smacking against my head. Did this person just smack a baseball bat against my head? Before I could say anything about it. I felt another hit on my head which knocks me out.

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It does take quite a bit of time for me to gain conscience again. All I know is that my head just hurts. Which would be pretty normal I think considering I was hit there twice quite hard. It will probably swell up and hurt for the next couple of days. I go to feel it as I want to make sure I wasn't bleeding. But that doesn't seem to be the case which is at least a relief. What however does worry me is the clock. The time seems dangerously low.

Time remaining: 0:30

It seems I was knocked out cold for around two hours. Which is a lot of time just lost. How did I get knocked out for so long again? I really have to be more careful with people attacking me from behind; Because I might be getting stronger but obviously not strong enough to not be knocked out. I should probably put points in either stamina or strength. I don't know which one would actually give me more durability since that's what I need right now. But first things first, getting out of here.

As I look around I notice one important thing missing. "Where the hell is my rope?" I shout at myself as I notice that it has disappeared. Those guys took my rope with them to trap me here or something? Well, it has to be because I doubt that anyone else would just take that rope out. So it must have been those guys right? They put me in the situation that civilians were in just a few hours ago. Except that, I don't have hours left to get out. I only have thirty minutes so I need to be as quick as possible. And I can sadly enough only think of one way to do so.

I'm luckily enough still in the exact location that I was knocked out in. Which I would consider an advantage since I know where to go. I'm just around the corner of a main hallway which would make it easy to get back to the writing room. I don't want to risk that this is actually a weird hallway and get lost because I didn't play it safe. It would be more unsafe trying to navigate unknown hallways. But in the writing room, I can find the hallway I came out of which has a lot of arrows written on the walls. I doubt that the rope would be around there either. I think they probably used it to get out themselves. But I should get going since just thinking and waking up caused me to waste five minutes already.

Time remaining: 0:30

I stand up and start running. It seems I'm too dizzy to run as quickly as I was running before. Which isn't great since I have to get out of here. I don't know whether or not the fact that I see the time is a good or a bad thing. On the one hand, its good to see how much time I have left. On the other hand, it's distracting and feels like I'm being to slow. I don't want to get discouraged because of this. I have to get out of here. As I keep on running I finally see the writing room. I take a look at the time again which makes me worry even more.

Time remaining: 0:22

I needed fifteen minutes to clear that entire path before. I only got seven extra minutes to get through there. I have to make it out of here. I just start running in the hallway since I have to get out. I don't want to get trapped inside this thing. I shouldn't be looking at that damned clock. It will only bring me down right now. I only have to follow the arrows to know where I am.

I just focus on running, feeling the air move my hair back because of how fast I seem to be going again. It seems like I'm running as fast as before again. Which is certainly welcome in a situation like this. The only thing I shouldn't do is look at that timer that is just out of sight. I will probably panic and stop running if I do so. It would cause me to get stuck in an F ranked portal of all portals. While all I had to do was get out of the labyrinth and out of the portal.

And then finally I see it. I finally see the end of this labyrinth. However, I feel like this might be an even closer call for me than yesterday. And that way already too close of a call if you ask me. I don't know what I would do if I actually got out and see the faces of the people who did this to me. I don't know if I would even recognise them. The one who actually knocked me out I didn't even see. I only heard his voice which doesn't make it any easier. But I was nearly trapped in this portal because of them. If I actually get out.

Time remaining: 0:01

I finally see the portal as I run through it. I didn't have any second to spare. I don't know if I wanted to scream more or cry more. But neither was really happening. As I see worries and surprised faces on the other side. I don't know who's more surprised to see me get out. Because I'm honestly surprised that I even made it out of there. From the faces I recognise I see Emily looking relieved. I do however notice the person who knocked me in the face first looked rather disappointed. And he seems to be standing next to someone who seems disappointed too. I don't have to guess who he is even.

The labyrinth - Part 11

Complete

You got an ability card:

Fire ability (Basic)

Known users: Alex Henderson

Rank required: E rank

Known spells:

- Fire ball: Summons a fireball that can be thrown at the enemy. The amount of fireballs summoned depends on rank

- Fire blade: Create a sword of fire that can be used by the creator as a regular sword. Wounds created by the sword do leave scorch marks on the target.

- Control flame: Control already created flames