There was a slight flux in the amount being fed to each circle. Particularly the circle she stood in front of where the discrepancy was the highest.
If she was reading the pattern right, that meant this circle’s barrier would be vulnerable for the smallest of windows.
“Count it down,” Kira instructed, turning back to the circle with renewed determination.
Jin’s tinny voice sounded through their comms, noting the seconds as Kira set her other hand on the wall and braced.
“Four.”
Kira gathered herself, sending tiny amounts of her soul’s breath to reinforce her muscles.
“Three.”
She took a deep breath. She could do this.
“Two.”
Kira surged forward, her mind shouting “now” at the same time Jin reached “one”.
The barrier resisted, a flood trying to eject her from its boundary. It was like trying to step into a wall of rushing water.
Stubborn, Kira dug in, the legs of her muscles straining to allow her to maintain her footing.
That’s it. Just a little more.
As if sensing her thoughts, the resistance from the circle increased.
It was like confronting a water hose on full blast, the pressure threatening to rip the surface of her skin away.
Kira reacted instinctively, sharpening her soul’s breath into a blade before her. It cut through the influx of external ki, forcing it to pass to either side of her.
Even then, it took a monumental amount of will to take that first step forward.
The seconds that passed seemed endless as Kira forced her way forward inch by slow inch.
To bystanders the time would have seemed like no more than a blink of an eye, but to Kira it felt like days.
Finally, her hand encountered no resistance as she stumbled through the final layers of the barrier.
The wanderer looked over at her, their expression still hidden in the shadows the hood of their cloak cast.
Kira didn’t say anything to the stranger as she straightened, taking stock.
She’d been arrogant before. There was no way she could have brute forced her way through that.
“Jin, how are you doing?” Kira asked in a low voice.
She hadn’t been the only person to pass through that barrier. Jin was able to feel ki. Though not with the same sensitivity as Kira.
Before he could answer, a tone sounded in the arena. A finality to the note as the symbol controlling the circles exploded.
Fire shot out in all directions, a curving rope that wound and twisted its way through the maze as it hunted those who hadn’t reached safety yet. Screams echoed as the slow pokes were caught in its blaze.
Several figures broke from the walls of the maze, fleeing toward whatever circle was closest.
Some were lucky, reaching one and forcing their way inside.
Without the symbol controlling the barriers, all circles were open.
