The Labyrinth Keys

I practically stumble out of Falastor's prison and back into the main room. I feel amazing, like my veins are humming with raw power, but it's tempered by a bone-deep exhaustion. My legs wobble beneath me, and the room tilts dangerously. Every step feels heavier than the last, my body screaming for rest.

The dim glow of the central chamber greets me, its foreboding stillness broken only by the faint echoes of my uneven breathing. My eyes fall on Rin, collapsed in the center of the room. Her form is small, fragile against the vast expanse of the floor, but even unconscious, there's a quiet resilience in the way she lies there.

"Rin," I manage to croak, my throat dry and voice strained. My legs buckle, and I fall to my knees beside her. Reaching out, I brush a stray lock of hair from her face. She doesn't stir. Her breathing is steady, but it's clear she's just as drained as I am—maybe more.

I settle back, leaning heavily against the cool stone floor. My limbs feel like they've been weighed down by lead, and every breath is a struggle. "Guess we're both out of gas," I mutter, half to myself, half to her.

Lying down next to Rin feels like surrender, but I can't stay upright anymore. My body has made the decision for me. I stretch out on the cold floor, close enough that our shoulders almost touch. I fall asleep next to her, my body shutting down like someone pulled the plug. I slip into a hazy dream. I'm in my house, the walls yellow, and in my haze, I spot someone sitting at my small circular kitchen table. The figure in front of me is tapping impatiently—no, they are tapping nervously.

I come into full view in my kitchen, and I spot a worried Rin. Her eyes are different, they seem more mature somehow. Rin's glare relaxes when she spots me. "About damn time you showed up." Something about her seems off in an impossible way. My mind has perfectly captured her every little twitch, facial expression, and quirk. This version of Rin is unnatural in a dream, and I am fully aware of the uncanny nature of her.

Rin sighs when she sees my puzzled face. "You're not dreaming, dumbass. Our minds seem connected right now. Nyr has called us here."

I sit down near her. "Does that mean you formed a pact with her?"

Rin smirks triumphantly, her pride shining through her exhaustion. "Damn right. And let me guess—you managed to seal the deal too?"

I lean back with a teasing grin. "What can I say? I'm the one host who's ever earned Falastor's approval. Guess that makes me special."

Wait a second, speaking of pacts, "I thought the terms of your pact were that you couldn't sleep?"

Rin goes to open her mouth, but the chair next to her turns to shadows and an entity forms from the veil of darkness. I assume this is Nyr. The woman is a lot scarier looking than Falastor. She has 9-inch nails, a pale face so haunting she almost looks undead, and her violet hair is ethereal in the light. Her orange eyes pierce through my very skin as she smiles faintly. Nyr chimes in, "That is exactly the price of her pact. To which I might add is the reason she is not asleep. Rin is fully conscious, and I have summoned her to your dreamscape."

I look at her questioningly. "Might I be so humble as to ask why?"

Nyr's faint smile falters, her piercing orange eyes narrowing as the shadows around her shift uneasily. Before she can respond to my question, a blinding light explodes to my right, forcing me to shield my eyes. The brightness is oppressive, suffusing every corner of the dreamscape and drowning out even the darkness Nyr commands.

From the light emerges Falastor. His form is grand and imposing, a stark contrast to the ethereal menace of Nyr. His silhouette ripples with energy, like a flame encased in human form, but his eyes—two glowing embers—focus with unrelenting intensity on Nyr. The air between them feels electric, charged with the weight of their rivalry.

"Afraid, are we, Nyr?" Falastor's voice booms, deep and resonant, echoing as though it comes from every direction at once. He crosses his legs, unbothered by the scowl now on Nyr's face. His face is amused now, unlike during the trial. "It hasn't even been an hour since I got a host and already you're shaking. Why is that? Afraid of the light?"

Nyr practically growls at him, her tone sharp and cold. "I have no patience for your twisted humor. My concern is justified—I've just formed a pact and would prefer not to lose my host so soon. Unlike you, I take no pleasure in being bound to those chains."

Falastor smirks, seemingly unfazed by her ire. His attention shifts to me, and I notice, for the first time, that he's dressed surprisingly casually—a faded band T-shirt and jeans, a stark contrast to his imposing aura. His ember-like eyes glint with amusement as he catches my curious expression.

"Oh, you noticed?" he says, ignoring Nyr entirely. "Yes, I borrowed this look from your memories. Quite comfortable, I must admit. Much better than that gloomy attire Nyr wraps herself in. And this band—Red Seagull, was it?—has a certain charm. Your world has its merits, I'll give it that."

The tension in the room doesn't dissipate entirely, but his unexpected commentary on modern fashion and music adds an odd layer of levity to the moment. It's disarming—uncomfortably so—making me wonder if it's a calculated move to keep us off balance.

Nyr's eyes narrow, her expression a mix of disgust and exasperation. "Borrowed, is that what you call it?" she sneers, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Must be nice, digging through someone else's mind for cheap entertainment while ignoring the real issues at hand. You've always had a talent for wasting time."

She crosses her arms, her violet hair flickering faintly like a restless flame as she turns to address me. "Why did you have to pact with him, boy?"

I shift under her piercing stare, but my newfound confidence keeps me from backing down completely. "He reminded me of myself," I say, my voice steady despite the tension. "Outcast, rejected... someone carrying a weight they never asked for. His so-called 'price' didn't even feel like a price—it felt like a part of him, something he couldn't shake even if he wanted to."

I glance at Falastor, his ever-present grin making it clear he's enjoying every word. "It wasn't just about power or opportunity," I continue, turning back to Nyr. "It was about finding someone who understood what it's like to be on the outside looking in."

Falastor's grin widens, smug and self-satisfied. "See? Kindred spirits, Nyr. It's not manipulation—it's resonance."

Nyr's lip curls in disdain. "Resonance? Is that what you call exploiting someone's pain? You preyed on his vulnerability, just like you always do. It's sickening."

Falastor shrugs, entirely unbothered. "Call it what you want. He made his choice, and I made mine. That's the nature of a pact, isn't it? Plus, my page hasn't invited many others in. In fact, he is one of the few who took the chance."

Nyr steps forward, her presence almost suffocating. "You're playing a dangerous game, Falastor. And when this spirals out of control, don't think for a second that I'll clean up your mess."

Falastor chuckles. "Nor do I expect you to. Now let's get to the matter at hand—why you called us here."

Rin, who has been mostly quiet, chimes in, "This is about Jack's new... effect, isn't it? Even in here, I can feel it."

Nyr nods, her expression turning grim. "Yes, unfortunately, your little friend here has quite the troublesome companion. Not only will his bothersome miasma cloud your thoughts, but it's strong enough to melt into my own thoughts too. Which is why I have a somewhat easy solution. I wanted your permission to do so. I obviously can't nullify Falastor's miasma. No demon can grant that. However, I will alter your perspective of Jack. You will see Jack as you always have, and through your eyes, so will I."

Nyr continues, her voice steady but laced with an eerie calm. "This alteration will not erase the miasma entirely, but it will shield you from its corrosive effects. The haze will still be there, but you won't feel it. Your mind will be free to think as you always have, unaffected by its subtle influence. You will be able to think clearly, make decisions without interference, and even interact with Jack without the burden of the miasma clouding your judgment."

She steps forward, her violet eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the dreamscape. "The price is small but significant. You will be permanently attuned to the subtle traces of Jack's power. You won't see it as a threat, but you will always know when it's near. It will become a part of your perception, but not enough to overwhelm you, not unless you let it. Are you willing to live with that, Rin?"

Rin tilts her head, weighing the offer carefully. "What happens if I don't accept? What if I leave things as they are?"

Nyr's expression hardens, her lips twisting into a faint smile. "Then, unfortunately, you will suffer the consequences of having Jack's miasma always clouding your mind. Even you won't be immune to its effects over time, and soon enough, it will erode your clarity. I'm offering you a way to protect yourself from that fate, but it's up to you to decide if the risk is worth the reward. Think of that boy's miasma as the sun. Stare directly and you will become blind. You can block the light with your hand, but you will always feel the light just at the edges."

Rin looks between the two of them, the decision heavy on her shoulders. Rin eventually sighs, "So I can either succumb to the light of the sun and eventually become blind to everything that isn't Jack, or I can put on a hat and pretend I don't see the rays of light trying to blind me? Somehow that doesn't seem that hard of a choice." Rin looks at me with a playful smile, "Sorry, Jacky, I like my alone time and I don't like losing my freedom."

Rin nods at Nyr, "One hat on the house, please."

Nyr's lips curl into a satisfied grin, her violet eyes flashing with something resembling approval. "Wise choice," she murmurs. "Consider yourself protected, but don't mistake this for a perfect shield. There is nothing in this world unbreakable."

Nyr extends a hand, her fingers glowing faintly with an eerie violet light. Shadows coil and twist around Rin, enveloping her in a cocoon of darkness that seems to hum with power. Rin tenses for a moment, her eyes fluttering shut as the shadows seep into her form like ink into water. Then, as quickly as they appeared, the shadows vanish, leaving Rin standing a little straighter, her expression steady.

Rin rolls her shoulders, testing the sensation, her usual smirk returning, though it's tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "Well, that wasn't so bad. If anything, I feel... lighter."

Falastor leans back casually, his ember-like eyes sparkling with amusement as he glances at Rin. "A block on my miasma, huh? Well, isn't that adorable. It's like putting curtains over a window and thinking you've stopped the sun."

Falastor's playful grin softens, and for a fleeting moment, there's something almost genuine in his expression. "Though, I suppose I can't blame you. Too much of a good thing has a way of making people uneasy, doesn't it? Maybe this will let you see me for more than just the... glow."

The dreamscape begins to dissolve around us, the light and shadow blending into a haze of indistinct shapes and muted colors. Falastor's expression shifts to something unreadable as he leans back, his fiery aura dimming slightly. He shoots me a quick, sidelong glance, his ember-like eyes still glinting with amusement.

Falastor smiles at me now, glinting with a mix of seriousness and expectation. "We'll be in contact, mortal," he says, his voice dripping with a casual arrogance that somehow feels more ominous than his earlier theatrics. "Don't disappoint me."

Nyr lets out an irritated sigh, her sharp glare flicking between the two of us. "You're insufferable," she mutters at him before her orange eyes settle on both Rin and I, her expression more relaxed, "You're a beacon now, boy. Don't drag my host down with you. The road you've chosen is perilous. Tread carefully."

Before I can respond, the dreamscape begins to crumble, fragments of shadow and light breaking apart like shards of glass caught in a whirlwind. Nyr's form fades into the void first, her violet hair swirling around her like smoke as her voice lingers in the air. "Remember, this pact is more than power—it's a bond. And bonds always come with consequences."

Falastor stays a moment longer, his silhouette framed by a fading glow. He tips an imaginary hat in mock farewell. "Until next time," he says, his grin widening as his form dissolves into embers, carried away by an unseen wind.