Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne

The corpses of monsters lay scattered around them, some still twitching in their final convulsions, as if their bodies had yet to accept that life had long since left them. The air was thick with the scent of blood and charred flesh, despite none of them using Qi-based techniques. This had been pure, brutal physical combat.

Veynessa wiped her blade against the nearest fallen beast before sliding it back into its sheath.

"Chaos," she muttered, glancing at Calista, who stood atop a pile of defeated creatures, ensuring none were about to rise again.

"That’s an understatement," Calista scoffed, scanning their surroundings. "They’re not fighting like before. No tactics, no survival instinct. They just throw themselves at everything, like they’ve gone mad."

Pharos, leaning casually against a nearby wall, observed the scene with a cold, analytical gaze. He didn’t look tired—he wasn’t even stained with blood.

"That’s the result of losing control," he said calmly. "The Guardian is gone. Without him, the Labyrinth has become lawless, without hierarchy. The monsters fight for dominance, but none will claim it. Without a natural leader, the only outcome is annihilation."

Veynessa frowned.

"So if we do nothing, this chaos will eventually spill beyond the Labyrinth."

"And if it does, who will suffer?" Calista crossed her arms. "Not us. Not cultivators. It’s the ordinary people, the ones who have no way to defend themselves."

Pharos smirked slightly, seeing that both had reached the same conclusion.

"Exactly. That’s why we need to purge this Labyrinth. We can’t let a single beast escape."

Calista rolled her eyes.

"So, we’re looking at total extermination. Sounds exhausting."

"I wasn’t expecting you to back out," Pharos replied, stretching slightly. "But if we want to be efficient, we should split up. We’ll move faster."

Veynessa eyed him carefully.

"Splitting up in unfamiliar enemy territory is a risky plan."

"Which is why we’ll use this." Pharos pulled a small silver medallion from his robe and tossed it toward Veynessa, who caught it mid-air.

"A tracking talisman," she recognized immediately. "It shows our locations and allows communication in case of danger."

Pharos nodded.

"The beasts aren’t our only problem. The ones behind this chaos will reveal themselves if we apply the right pressure. If something goes wrong, we can always regroup."

Calista examined her own medallion before slipping it around her neck.

"Alright, I like it. You go alone, we stick together. If anyone’s trying to lure us out, let’s make sure they regret it."

Pharos gave a small smile before turning and vanishing into the mist.

Veynessa and Calista exchanged glances.

"Ready?" Veynessa asked.

Calista rolled her eyes. "Let’s go before the old man clears the whole Labyrinth by himself."

***

The initial encounters were effortless. Lone beasts lunging at them in blind aggression fell one after another. Their strikes were quick, precise, almost mechanical. These weren’t battles—they were executions.

Veynessa moved like a surgeon, cutting through enemies with cold precision. Every motion was calculated, every attack efficient, with no wasted movement.

Calista was the opposite. Brutal, wild, yet just as deadly. She didn’t care for elegance—she crushed bones, sliced through muscle, and hurled enemies aside as if they were made of paper.

Then, a new enemy appeared.

It was larger than the rest—not just in size, but in the way it moved. Its massive body, covered in skin as tough as steel, radiated raw power. Unlike the others, it didn’t charge immediately. It stood still, its empty eyes tracking their every movement, analyzing, calculating the best way to tear them apart. Even amidst the chaos, it was aware of its position—not just a predator, but a true hunter.

A beast unlike the others. Not just in size, but in presence.

"Looks like we’ve got an elite," Calista muttered, tightening her grip on her weapon.

"It’d be easy if we could use Qi," Veynessa noted. "But since we have to conserve it..."

The beast attacked first. Its claws slashed through the air with terrifying force, forcing them to react instantly. Veynessa dodged to the side while Calista kicked off a nearby wall, using the momentum to strike. Her blade met the beast’s side—but instead of slicing through, it stopped against the steel-like hide.

"Damn it, it’s tougher than the others," Calista hissed, springing back.

"We can’t brute-force this—we need to break it down," Veynessa said, instantly analyzing the creature’s movements. "We take turns attacking. Don’t let it focus on either of us."

The beast lunged at Calista, but at that exact moment, Veynessa slashed through its hind tendon, forcing it to change its trajectory. Calista took advantage of the opening, driving her blade deep into its shoulder.

The creature moved with impossible speed for something of its size. Its claws tore through the air with enough force to crush stone, and every motion felt inevitable. When one of them dodged, the other had to immediately strike to prevent it from regaining control. Their attacks weren’t random—each dodge, each shift in position led to another strike, weakening the beast before it could fully react.

For a few moments, the battle seemed like a chaotic exchange of blows—shadows flashing through the mist, blades slicing through the air, the beast thrashing wildly, trying to catch either of them. But the longer it went on, the more apparent the difference became. Every move it made was provoked. Every attack exposed another weakness. Calista dictated the pace, forcing the beast into poor decisions, while Veynessa exploited every mistake with precise, surgical strikes. The monster grew more desperate, while they became more efficient, adapting their strategy in split seconds, countering its every move.

The final strike belonged to Veynessa. When Calista locked the beast down by driving her blade into its shoulder, Veynessa seized the moment, delivering a single, fluid slash that severed its head.

Blood sprayed into the air as the body collapsed with a dull thud.

"Nice work," Calista remarked, breathing a bit heavier than usual but smirking. "Though I didn’t think you’d give me so many chances to shine."

Veynessa rolled her eyes, sliding her sword back into its sheath.

"You say that like you weren’t struggling yourself. If I hadn’t been here, that thing would’ve chewed you up and spat you out."

"Oh, sure." Calista snorted. "Because I totally didn’t have everything under control."

"Oh? Maybe next time, we’ll see how well you handle things on your own?" Veynessa arched a brow, amusement gleaming in her eyes.

"I’ll stick to teamwork." Calista shrugged. "Especially when I know someone will clean up my mess if things go south."

"You and your reckless fighting style," Veynessa sighed, shaking her head but unable to hide her smile.

Before Calista could respond, they heard more roars.

Not one. Not two.

Dozens. Hundreds.

Shadows began to stir within the mist. Another wave of monsters.

"Well, well," Calista sighed, tightening her grip on her weapon. "Do they really need to rush to their deaths like this?"

Veynessa shot her a sidelong glance, smirking slightly.

"Maybe they heard you bragging and want to see if you’re as good as you claim."

Calista let out a short chuckle.

"If that’s the case, they’ll have their answer soon enough. Though I doubt any of them will live long enough to think it over."