Chapter 44: Touchback

  Alex burst through the last hedge wall and skidded to a halt.

  The maze had opened into a stone courtyard that was perfectly square, its edges lined with neat, polished flagstones. The air here was different, unnervingly still and carrying none of the floral stink that had haunted every path of the garden maze so far. At the far end, raised on a squat pedestal, rested a gem. It was quite small, but its glow permeated through the air, a shard of colored light pulsing like a living creature.

  Alex’s gut twisted about as he looked at it. That’s it.

  But Obby spoke up as his feet carried him a step forward. “Stop! You know better than that.”

  His eyes swept the courtyard again. The area was just smooth stone with no obvious markings. Alex felt that it was too clean, and seemingly far too easy. He knew that the System didn’t leave rewards lying bare like that. “No way this is just a grab-and-go,” Alex muttered under his breath. “This is a trap. A puzzle maybe. A gauntlet of some kind. Something, has to be.”

  Obby’s tone was laced with wry amusement. "Correct. As you already know, the System enjoys theatrics. And, immense pain."

  He took one cautious step forward, his footfall echoing across the flagstones. Nothing happened. Another step, slower. Yet, there still nothing. He looked up. The gem pulsed faintly in response, its glow brightening as if in challenge for him to come take it.

  Alex narrowed his eyes. The whole space was off in a way he couldn't quite articulate. It was too symmetrical, too pristine, perhaps. He could feel the faint thrum of aether woven under the floor. The energy was waiting like a patient snake watching for its prey to get to close. He clicked his tongue, and exhaled slowly. “A maneuvering puzzle then? Alright. Let’s see how you want to play it.”

  44:18...

  He crouched slightly, scanning the courtyard to begin measuring distances in his mind. Every step he took could be the wrong one. Every misstep could trigger a trap be it spikes, flame, or worse. His pulse rose in rhythm with the gem’s glow as he looked for a sign that hinted what he was supposed to do.

  He raised a hand and whispered to Obby. “I need to know… is it floor pressure triggered, a proximity trap, or some sort of magical rune?”

  “From what I can analyze, I'd say it's a bit of all three,” Obby replied. “But mostly its just going to test your reflexes. And your luck.”

  Alex smirked. Luck wasn’t exactly his strong suit, but a test of reflexes he could manage. He inched forward, letting the balls of his feet brush the flagstones softly. Just as before, nothing happened. It wasn't until he was a quarter of the way across that a very faint click resonated beneath his step, and a whisper of heat brushed his ankle. He froze, listening. The courtyard remained still, the gem pulsed brighter.

  He took another single step froward, and the click was much louder this time as a bolt of blazing white fire shot out in front of him, passing him by less than a single foot. Heat washed over his body, leaving his skin a tinge more pink than before. Alex frowned at this.

  The aether contained in the attack felt immensely compact, to the point that Alex assumed it was in the later stage of adept tier. The System was throwing Solid Stage Adept attacks at him!

  And he didn't know why, as he hadn't figured out the rules to this trap yet. He knelt down then, making sure not to touch any other floor tiles. He lowered he head, trying to get parallel with the floor, and scanned the ground at eye level. His focus flittered between the stone tiles, from the one directly in front of him, tot he ones far away, then back again. It took a minute, but Alex finally spotted it.

  “A pattern,” he whispered. He straightened back to his feet and started tracing the lines of the courtyard in his mind. He was able to see that the stones were arranged in a subtle spiral, each square was slightly raised at one corner—an almost imperceptible ridge. Stepping on the tile with the wrong corner raised meant the System would punish him with spell attacks that he didn't think his [Shield] spell could handle a direct hit, even if he overloaded it with aether.

  But he had to get moving, the timer was still ticking. A bead of sweat traced his temple. He adjusted his weight, shifting lightly from left to right as he followed the spiral, each step carefully chosen. The timer ticked down:

  43:52...

  He quickly reached the outer ring of the spiral and paused. “Almost there.”

  He leapt the final distance. It wasn't far, maybe a few feet, but he jumped with extra height just ensure he could clear the ridge without triggering any trap. He landed softly on the next square, and a faint shimmer of displaced aether rippled around him before dying away.

  “Impressive,” Obby remarked. “But the finale is rarely this simple.”

  Alex’s heart kicked up. He could see it now, the pedestal at the center of the courtyard, the final few steps. The gem’s glow was almost blinding now that he was so close. He focused, ignoring the sweat dripping into his eyes, and took the last stride…

  Then the courtyard shuddered. The ground beneath the pedestal split in a crackly line, and some kind of hidden mechanism clanged to life. From the edges of the courtyard, dozens of stone spikes erupted in silent, precise trajectories toward him.

  “Yeah,” Alex muttered, eyes widening, “definitely not simple.”

  He rolled forward, feeling the edge of a spike brush against his arm. A flash of aether sprung up around him, instinctively activating the defensive reflex Sylvaris had helped him refine. The air shimmered and a [Shield] barely deflecting the spikes as they zipped past before it shattered under the strain.

  He landed his roll, scrambled, and turned toward the pedestal. Heart hammered and his lungs burned, he took a moment to gauge the gem that sat a dozen yards away now. The glow had intensified even further.

  “Alright,” Alex muttered, grinning despite the panic, “let’s dance.”

  The courtyard had suddenly shifted from a simple puzzle into a lethal gauntlet, but he wasn’t about to be outmatched. He let the aether in his body move freely, flooding his aether channels and feeling it flow through every bone, every fiber of muscle in his body.

  “Active heads up mode engaged,” Obby reminded him as his vision began to be layered with highlighted traps, vector paths and other data. “You know what to do.”

  Alex’s hands and feet swept in a practiced motions. A shimmer of white-blue energy spiraled around his body as he activated [Flare], the concussive force erupting from his feet in controlled bursts. The sudden acceleration let him dodge the blistering white firebolts as they aimed to intercept him, his robes only getting barely singed as he changed his direction rapidly. At the same time, each pulse also disrupted the spike traps, sending shards of stone flying harmlessly into the air as they failed to maintain their momentum against his spell. Any spikes that his [Flare]s didn’t deal with, met angled [Shield]s instead, the barriers never took the spikes head on, flickering to life and disappearing just as quickly only enough to send them off course.

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  Had the attacks been cast by actual mages, Alex knew he wouldn't get away with what he was doing. They would have been able to control the aim and potency of the spells and pin him down within moments. But the traps didn't have thoughts and couldn't change their preset angles. They simply fired off the spells and that was it. So Alex could anticipate and predict what he was facing, and act accordingly. Obby's assistance made sure he never made a fatal mistake.

  He moved, timing each step with a precision born of instinct and calculation.

  42:31...

  A stone spike shot up from the left. Alex slammed his palm into the ground, sending a [Flare] burst ricocheting it sideways and pushing him away. Another spike from the right—he spun, shoulder brushing the ground, [Shield] springing up just in time, then dying away. The energy barrier knocked the metal-hard stone off course just enough to let him roll past. A firebolt was screaming towards him already, and another [Flare] shunted him to the side before it could reach him.

  He was getting closer.

  The gem pulsed violently, as though sensing how close he was now. The air around it shimmered, as tendrils of aether crawled along the flagstones.

  His [Flare] bursts became rapid-fire pulses, detonating just ahead of each firebolt, moving forward, back and sideways in complex dance, carving a path forward. [Shield] rippled with a protective glow, bending errant spikes, shielding his body from the courtyard’s deadly precision.

  42:12...

  He surged forward, boots pounding against the stones. A spike wall erupted between him and the pedestal as he closed the final distance; instinctively, he slammed both hands down, creating a concussive [Flare] that shattered the wall in a spray of rubble. Dust filled the air, glittering in the gem’s light.

  Alex launched himself over a final array of spikes, as he landed on the pedestal’s edge.

  42:07...

  The courtyard went silent. Aether throbbed in his veins and channel, the energy hot and aggitated. The gem pulsed once more, then dimmed as Alex took a final step. He reached out, fingers brushing the smooth surface. The moment he grasped it, a rush of energy—pure, untamed aether—flooded into him. His channels expanded, the pulse of the gem syncing with his soulgate. It bonded with him without Alex even getting a say in the matter.

  He stumbled back slightly, panting. The spikes had receded, and the firebolts stopped, the courtyard settling into stillness. The gem’s light now grew dim. He exhaled, grinning through exhaustion. “That… that was too close.”

  “Too close? You just made a light show that would have impressed all of Terraxum. And you survived, which is more than I was expecting.”

  Alex shook his head, letting the aether ebb down in his body. “Yeah… but next time? I want less fireworks and more getting the gem without nearly dying.”

  "Fat chance there, meatboy."

  He took a moment to let the adrenaline in his body settle down. The courtyard behind him was almost serene, but Obby pestered him from inside his mind, breaking the illusion of calm.

  “Path back to the main courtyard is still narrow, and treacherous. I’ve highlighted the safest route on your mental map.”

  With a nod he took off before Obby could elaborate further. He leapt over flagstones and vaulting low hedges that had survived the courtyard’s mechanisms. Every movement was precise, but the residual thrill of speed and danger made his senses sing. Then, in the shadows between the hedges and broken walls, movement stirred as serpentine shapes slithered with hostile purpose. Chimera serpents rushed from every pathway, slithering their way block him.

  He fought through them, fists meeting skulls at every opportunity he could manage. But it was becoming more difficult as every strike he had used on them earlier now met resistance from the chimera's annoying as hell adaptations. Muscles had thickened under their hard iridescent scales, blunting the concussive force of his spells and fists.

  He cursed under his breath, feeling the frustration rise. So that’s how you want to play…

  Another serpent lunged, fangs gleaming. Alex ducked, letting its momentum carry him past it. He struck with [Flare] enhanced kick, but the impact merely sent it flying away with a large wound, not killing it. Its scales vibrated under the blow, dissipating most of the energy before it could cause lethal damage. Another serpent came from the opposite direction. He struck again, earning the same result, vibrating scales absorbing the blow.

  Alex skidded to a halt, planting his feet. Time to try something new.

  The focus of his aether narrowed, he mentally coaxed the energy of his spell to fold over itself until it was a honed edge behind his fingertips. He extended his hand, fingers straight and together, forming the position that haunted every soldier who had once endured boot camp, the dreaded knife hand.

  As the nearest serpent lunged, Alex struck forward. The energy of his [Flare] released in a pinpointed, concentrated strike right at contact. It cut sharper than a dagger, its point smaller than a bullet—yet it was devastating. The moment his fingertips connected, the energy erupted like a miniature shotgun, tearing through flesh and muscle without resistance.

  The serpentine chimera shrieked, a horrifying, gurgling sound as its body split clean in two. Blood and aether-scented ichor sprayed across the path’s flagstones, the beast's twin halves thrashing helplessly before collapsing dead in moments.

  Alex didn’t pause another second. As the next serpent reared up to attack... knife hand, pinpoint [Flare], impact, sever. Another came, a third, all falling before him in rapid succession.

  “That’s… extraordinary. You’ve pierced through their heightened defenses entirely. That method of controlling your spell's shape, is rather good. And that form, how you have your hand, I feel some kind of terrifying intent within just the shape.” Obby’s voice was pitched high with excitement.

  Alex’s nodded an agreement, his fingers still tingling from the [Flare] discharge. “It’s… efficient,” he panted, scanning the path forward. “Back home, it was the most feared technique in all of the army.” He said. “But it won’t last forever. They’re learning faster now.”

  The hedges ended, revealing a faint glow ahead that Alex knew was the main courtyard. His team would be waiting there, their relief no doubt palpable once he reached them. A renewed surge of purpose burned through his him. He sprinted forward, [Knife-hand Flare] ready for whatever else the Chimera serpents would throw in his path. He sprinted through the last of the winding maze with confidence.

  Two more chimera serpents burst from the hedges. Alex barely had time to react, slashing with a knife-hand. The first serpent’s head was sheared from its body, the second’s midsection split clean, leaving it writhing uselessly on the stone.

  Alex skidded to a stop as he looked up. Between when he had looked last, and the attack by the two chimera's, he noticed his clear path to his friend was now somehow gone. He saw only plant life and more branching paths now.

  “Obby…” His said harshly. “Something’s… off. The maze, it’s changed. It shifted while I was fighting.”

  “Hmm… yes. Subtle adjustments,” Obby responded. “The System does not favor predictability or easy challenges.”

  “I fucking know. Guess we have to backtrack a few minutes to find the new path?”

  He ran once more, retracing his steps carefully. All the while, the maze was still a problem. He leapt over a low hedge, rolling past a flagstone that had shifted underfoot as if trying to trip him, then he pivoted sharply into a corridor that hadn’t been open before. The gem in his pocket throbbed with its own energy, almost as if it approved of his success, but Alex didn’t have time to admire it. The maze demanded his total focus.

  Finally, after a many tense minutes of recalculating paths, dodging residual traps, and sidestepping minor Chimeras when he could, the greenery opened again. The familiar square of the garden center came into view, high mountain ceiling lights falling over the central fountain.

  “Finally,” Alex muttered, pounding forward.

  The fountain itself glimmered, its runes were now visible as they shone with energy. His team was already gathered there, Garret leaning against a stone bench, Eric fiddling nervously with his martial robes, and Allie crouched near the fountain’s edge, inspecting its carvings as she appeared to write something in a notebook she held tightly in her hand. Henry—Tom-Tom still upon his shoulders—was standing like a stature beside Peter, who wore that proud, relieved expression Alex had learned to trust.

  Alex didn’t waste a second as he sprinted through the courtyard toward them. He reached the brim of the fountain and carefully slotted the gem into its carved recess. The gem’s glow pulsed once, then flashed outward, filling the fountain’s runes further with a spectrum of light that rippled across the garden. A soft chime echoed, confirming its placement, and he felt the bond that connected him to the item break.

  “Got it,” Alex panted, stepping back.

  Everyone turned to him, relief and admiration flashing across their faces. Garret whistled low. “Damn, Alex… you made that look… insane.”

  Allie frowned, surely pretending to be unimpressed but couldn’t hide her grin. “Seriously, though… how did you even—”

  Alex shook his head, still catching his breath. “Not... the time. Just… glad it’s in done.”

  Then his eyes swept the fountain, noting that all but one of the gems had been slotted in place. His eyes swept the courtyard, scanning the paths, and he froze. “Where’s Holly?”

  Allie’s expression tightened. “She hasn’t come back yet.”

  Alex’s heart sank. “She was supposed to meet us here… What happened?”

  He got no answer, Allie simply looked to the pathway Holly had entered the garden maze with him and shook her head.

  “Then we’re not done yet.” He vaulted over the edge of the fountain basin, energy once more filling his aether channels. “Let’s move. We will find her. No way we leave anyone behind.”

  The squad tensed a moment before shooting him various somber expressions.

  “Wait, Alex,” Eric said. "You can't go. She's on her own now."