Maze of Illusions

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Attribute Sharing) Is in effect]

"Huh?" I gazed upon the golden motes of mana coalescing over me and Izzy.

"Huff, huff…" She panted as she groaned, scratching at her face as it happened.

[Y^*re no!hing bUt a c?r&d ch!Ld !!]

"Kgha!" A sharp pang echoed through my mind as glitching visions entered my sight.

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is in effect]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-214-612-Izzy]

"Ha, ah…" One last shuddering breath escaped her lips as she moved her arms away from her face, her eyes clearing away, as if she had regained her consciousness.

What was that earlier… Was it what she was suffering from?

If so, then that makes it clear why she behaves grumpily, one cannot be your happy-go-lucky person with a past such as that.

"Are you alright, dear?" Cleare asked as she wiped Izzy's face with water on her hands, making her gasp for air.

"Y-Yes, I'm better now… something helped me and I don't know what it was."

She's probably talking about my attribute.

"Sigh," I let out a lengthy breath, "Shall we get to moving then? Our time is limited."

[Time Limit: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 40 Minutes, 33 Seconds]

"Yeah, let's do it." Izzy nodded as she stood up, patting her clothes to shake off dust as she grinned once.

I smirked, "That's what I like to see."

"What the fuck was I supposed to do here?" Smool, as a man, pondered.

"What happened to the 'third point of view' way of speaking?"

"Bwah, that's cringy and I got tired of that act."

"Sounds like you."

***

The aftermath of the Room of Reflections left us all somber, but there was no time to dwell on our emotions.

We had to press forward, for the Enigmatic Labyrinth held more trials for us to conquer.

Izzy's breakdown weighed heavily on my mind, and I vowed to support her as we ventured into the next challenge.

A system window was resting on top of a gate inside the Labyrinth.

[Maze of Illusions]

"Hah…" I breathed in heavily, "Let's get to it!"

As we entered the Maze of Illusions, the world around us seemed to shift and waver like a mirage.

Walls appeared and vanished before our eyes, and the once-familiar pathways twisted and morphed into something unrecognizable.

It was as if the very fabric of reality was playing tricks on us.

"Bleh, I feel like I'm going to puke…" Evie the archeologist held her stomach as the world flickered with colors.

"We must stay focused and rely on our intuition," I said, addressing the group.

I closed my eyes and reached for the sense to feel the mana surrounding us, "From what I can tell, the Maze of Illusions will test our ability to adapt and overcome the unknown even in a state of confusion."

Cleare nodded, her resolve unwavering.

Smool placed a reassuring hand on Izzy's shoulder, offering silent encouragement.

Maya's kind eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to discern patterns in the ever-changing maze.

Marcus adjusted his grip on his weapon, prepared for any danger that might come our way.

Alaric clutched his spellbook tightly, ready to use whatever magic he could to aid us.

As we walked, Evie remained vigilant, cautious of any hidden traps.

Bash took the lead, his thief instincts honed to protect us all.

Rivera, always a mystery, seemed to blend effortlessly with the shifting landscape, their presence comforting yet mysterious.

The maze was relentless, and with every turn, it seemed to erode our memories, clouding our judgment.

"What am I even here for…?" I whispered to myself.

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is strengthening its effect]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Attribute Sharing) Is strengthening its effect]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-214-612-Izzy]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-2-612-Smool]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-92-612-Marcus]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-892-612-Maya]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-164-612-Evie]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-3692-612-Alaric]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-33-612-Cleare]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-1723-612-Bash]

[Mythical Race Attribute: (Rationality) Is being shared with Player-18-612-Rivera]

It became difficult to recall our reasons for embarking on this journey, although, it eased a little as my Attribute was shared with the others and strengthened itself.

"Hah… It sure takes a toll on me though." I whispered to myself.

"Izzy, stay with us," I urged gently, recognizing the signs of her distress. "We need your brilliant mind in this labyrinth."

"I-I'm trying," Izzy stammered, rubbing the sides of her head as if trying to keep her thoughts intact. "It's just so overwhelming. I can't... I can't focus."

"Listen to my voice," Cleare said, her voice soothing. "We are here with you, Izzy. You are not alone. Together, we'll find our way."

The Maze of Illusions sought to break us apart, to weaken our resolve by stealing our memories.

But I refuse to succumb to its illusions. Instead, I'll rely on the strengthened attribute of my mythical race.

X Rivera suddenly spoke up, his voice cutting through the confusion like a beacon of clarity. "Focus on the moments that have shaped us," he advised.

"Our victories, our struggles, the laughter and tears we've shared throughout our lives. Hold onto those memories even if they're good or bad ones; they are the true essence of who we are."

Their words struck a chord within me, and I began to recount the memories we had created together – the battles we had won, the challenges we had gone through— Yeah, right. I was a damned solo adventurer.

"Bwhahaha." I couldn't help but laugh out at the irony of his words.

"Didn't know you were such a poetic guy, X, but it is funny so thanks for the words."

"… Shut up!" His face flushed as others also broke into a laugh without breaking our rhythm of walkings.

As we moved forward, the Maze of Illusions intensified its assault on our minds.

The illusions grew stronger, and doubts began to creep into our thoughts. But we persevered, drawing strength from one another, and using our collective skills to navigate the shifting maze.

Should I try raising my MP stat… the attribute is sucking me dry.

Step by step, we pressed on, breaking through solid walls, phasing through them, flipping on the moving grounds, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, we reached the heart of the Maze of Illusions.

The shifting walls stabilized, and a serene sense of clarity washed over us.

"Bwah~!" I gasped for air, deactivating my attributes forcefully.

Activating two attributes at the same time was very exhausting, to the point I slumped to the ground when I let go of the sheer intensity posed on my mind and body.

"This must be it… hah…" I wiped beads of sweat from my forehead as I gazed up into the next gate.

[The Trial of Elements]