We approached another impermeable wall forcing us to turn.
“Go right! It’s a maze! Don’t stop!" Calvin rushed and pushed ahead.
The walls shook violently, grinding against the ground as they shifted to close in on us. Echoes boomed at their motion, shaking the canopy of trees above.
Oh, gods. We have to move faster.
Left, right, right, right, dead end, right, left… I attempted to memorize the turns we made in case it was necessary to turn back around but lost track quickly.
Noctis cried out again, blood curling, desperate, and we pushed to run faster.
The walls nearly touched our shoulders as we launched ourselves around the corners. They kept closing in, leaving us no choice but to turn sideways and squeeze through.
A knot settled deep within my stomach, aching and amplifying the sweat against my burning skin.
“There!” Calvin yelled ahead, pointing before us to the opening at the end of the sentient maze.
He flew through the exit first and then I, the sudden pressure releasing a prayer answered, but my left ankle sharply caught in the sentient wall. The plunge forward blasted me backward, bone crunching as it continued to seal my foot in, slowly adding agonizing force.
A scream ripped from my mouth. I knew pain too well, but the idea of being trapped set my body into panic, arms flailing uselessly against the snare.
“I’m going to pull you. It’s going to hurt like hell,” Calvin said, panic lacing his words. His hands wrapped around my calf, and he yanked, but the wall gripped firmer, refusing to release. A sharp yelp escaped me, but I swallowed the roar that threatened to break free.
I’m not going to make it out with my foot.
Hastily and without second thought, I reached for his blade, but he swatted my hand away. We needed to find Noctis before more danger found him. Time ran low, and he was hurt… or worse… dead.
But why did I care so much?
“I’ll be damned if I watch you saw your foot off,” Calvin bit.
Breathing increased, filling the space as I panted through the agony. The edges of my vision darkened.
He reached for the sealing trunks and pulled against each, working to pry them apart. I ripped my body backwards, a wail breaking from my soul, smacking my head into the ground.
But my foot shot free.
Calvin lifted me upright, his arm hoisting up my left side. The dreary forest pathway called for us, whispers floating along the light wind, haunting undertones urging us forward, deeper into the danger.
Muffled, deep yells of the god interrupted the enchanted murmurings. We worked in tandem to jog, Calvin filling in to become my second leg. Pain shot through my body, every light touch of the shattered remains of my ankle combatting my will to move forward. Our feet crashed into the ground, grunting at each step as he pushed into my side to keep us both moving.
“We aren't going to make it out of here,” I breathed, dizziness and nausea wracking my body from the ankle up. But Calvin didn’t slow, his body working harder with each scream that flitted through the canopy of leaves above our heads.
His persistence was admirable.
“We will, because we haven’t had a chance to live yet.”
We broke through the tree line, an open expanse of land littered in forest foliage before us. And Noctis.
Translucent threads engulfed him, hanging him upside down from a tree branch. His eyes trailed my face, warily halting at my demolished ankle and Calvin holding me upright.
He writhed against the binds, but they did not waver.
I hopped forward, tugging at the binds, but they budged none. My blade desperately sawed at the threads, but nothing marred the webs.
Shit.
“Ah, the ocean’s sacrifice has come to save the rogue God of the Forsaken?” a soft female voice rang through the silence of the night.
