Mother of Midnight

Chapter 134 – The Second Eldest

“Okay, all stand back, I haven’t used this form before and it’s definitely too big for these charmingly dreary corridors,” Vivienne said with a slight smirk, her voice carrying a hint of warning as she glanced over her shoulder.

The group exchanged wary glances, all too aware of the destructive potential in Vivienne's words. Rava’s brow furrowed, Ivor stood a bit taller, his posture tense, and even Elira hesitated, clearly unsure of what Vivienne was about to do. They all took a few steps back, though none of them seemed particularly enthusiastic about being in the blast radius of whatever was about to happen.

Vivienne didn’t waste any time. She took a few more steps back, careful not to bump into any walls, and then, without further explanation, she dropped down onto the ground.

She stretched out, her body taking up far more space than any normal person could. As she lay there, it was clear how much she had to adjust to fit within the narrow, cold confines of the labyrinth. Despite the tight space, she seemed almost at ease, her body sinking into the stone beneath her. The ripples of change began immediately.

Vivienne’s skin started to harden, cracks appearing along her limbs like ancient stone splitting under pressure. It was a strange, almost painful sensation—one that didn’t feel quite right, but that she had grown used to. Her body was reshaping, transforming, and as it did, the stone-like armor began to glow with an orange hue, light flickering through the gaps like molten lava just beneath the surface. The glow intensified as it spread across her skin, the once-soft texture of her body giving way to a hard, jagged, mountainous exterior.

Her limbs bulged with muscle, her fingers transforming into massive stone-like claws, and her tail, once sleek and graceful, thickened and hardened, becoming a solid mass of glowing molten rock. The air around her began to shimmer from the heat radiating off her, the stone around her groaning in protest as it was heated by her transformation.

She raised her massive arm, the change still ongoing, as her form swelled even larger. It was a titanic shift, one that filled the narrow passageway with barely enough room for her newfound size. She let out a deep breath, the warmth of her molten form emanating through the stone beneath her. She was a furnace now, burning brightly, the energy from her form charging the air around them.

The cracks along her body flared open in jagged patterns, and molten lava trickled from them like rivulets of fire. She felt the power surge through her, her senses heightened as the stone and molten rock swirled together, forming an impenetrable armor around her. For a moment, she was still, savoring the feeling of this overwhelming strength coursing through her.

But there was no time to waste.

Without hesitation, Vivienne lifted her massive, glowing fist high above her head, the sheer size of it nearly scraping the stone ceiling. The sound of the stone groaning beneath her weight filled the air. She paused for just a moment before slamming her fist into the ceiling above her with earth-shattering force.

There was a loud crack, like thunder, as the stone fractured beneath her strike. Her fist punched through the ceiling with ease, stone crumbling under the sheer force of her molten strength. It splintered and shattered, chunks of debris falling around her as the hole grew wider, the passage opening above them. Molten light poured from the new gap, illuminating the dark corridors with a fiery glow.

Vivienne grinned, her molten form towering above them as the heat from her punch continued to radiate through the air, the glow from her body casting long, dancing shadows along the walls. Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath as she looked up through the hole, finally seeing the passage above clear.

“Well,” she said with a smirk, her voice tinged with a sense of satisfaction, “I think that’s a little better.”

Vivienne let out a slow exhale, her molten body cooling as the heat began to dissipate. The once glowing cracks in her form faded, leaving behind the smooth, stone-like surface that covered her. Her breath steadied as she shifted, careful not to bump into the walls of the cramped corridor, now even more aware of just how massive her molten titan form was in such tight spaces. The cracks of lava on the floor slowly cooled into hardened rock, the heat sinking away.

Rava, who had been watching with an almost skeptical expression, raised an eyebrow at her. "Next time, maybe try not to overdo it," she muttered, her tone a mix of admiration and exasperation.

Vivienne simply chuckled, the sound a little throaty from the transformation. "I’ll take that under consideration, sweetheart," she quipped, shaking off the last of her molten form. Her body returned to its usual state, all sleek curves and obsidian scales, her tail flicking behind her as she stood up fully.

Ivor, who had been quietly observing from a safe distance, nodded his approval. "Good work." He didn’t say much more—his stoic nature never asking for praise, but Vivienne could feel the weight of his approval.

Elira, ever the more cautious one, gave a soft sigh of relief. "I don’t know how much more of that I can take," she said quietly, her eyes darting around nervously, as though expecting more shadows to emerge from the walls.

Vivienne gave a playful grin, brushing her hair back as she surveyed the hole in the ceiling. "Well, we’ve got an opening now. Hopefully, whatever is up there is worth the trouble."

Rava, however, was less enthusiastic. She scanned the narrow passage ahead, then looked at Vivienne with a grimace. "Let’s not get too comfortable. We’re not out of the woods yet."

Vivienne's grin softened a little, but she didn’t disagree. “True enough.” She turned toward the others, her tail swishing behind her. "Shall we?"

The group moved toward the hole, Vivienne leading the way with a mischievous glint in her eyes. As she approached the newly created ceiling gap, she crouched down smoothly, her claws clicking softly against the stone as she planted herself with ease. The narrow space was nothing for her, her lithe, yet powerful body easily maneuvering through the tight corridor. The others, however, would need more time and care to follow her.

With a graceful shift of her weight, Vivienne lowered herself into a half-kneel, her tail sweeping behind her like a snake poised to strike. She leaned forward, her body making barely a sound against the cool stone. The hole above her was just wide enough for the others to fit through, and she extended a claw downward.

"Anyone need uppies?" she teased with a playful grin, the edges of her sharp claws catching the faint light.

Rava scoffed, her lips curling into an exasperated smile as she eyed the gap. "I’ve got this," she muttered, her tone laced with amusement. With a quick motion, she grabbed the ledge above her and hoisted herself up effortlessly, the muscles in her arms flexing as she propelled herself onto the new stone surface with no more than a single grunt. It was a testament to her strength, her movements fluid and sure.

Ivor, however, was less nimble. His heavy armor weighed him down, making the climb a far more awkward and deliberate effort. He approached Vivienne with an almost apologetic glance, hesitating only briefly before gingerly extending one hand toward her outstretched claw. He took it with both hands, expecting it to be more of a struggle.

Vivienne’s grin widened as she effortlessly pulled him up, the ease with which she lifted his heavy frame catching him by surprise. The contrast between his burdened weight and her effortless strength made it all the more obvious just how far his expectations had fallen short. "Just you, darling," Vivienne quipped, her voice laced with teasing amusement as she shifted her attention to Elira, who was still standing below, looking up at the pair.

"Not everyone is as light as you, Vivienne," Ivor grumbled, though there was a small smile tugging at his lips. It seemed the stoic warrior couldn't quite hide his appreciation for the nightmare's strength.

Vivienne lowered her claw one last time. "Come on, Elira, time to join us," she said with a wink.

Elira took a deep breath before reaching up, placing her hand on Vivienne’s claw. There was a slight hesitation, but she was pulled up just as easily as the others. Vivienne didn’t even seem to break a sweat.

Once Elira was safely up, the group stood together in the new passageway, taking a moment to adjust themselves before moving forward. The space above was more open now, the passage stretching onward into the darkness. It was wide enough for them to move with greater ease, but the lingering tension from the labyrinth’s twisting, oppressive corridors still hung in the air.

"Well, that was… efficient," Elira commented, brushing some dirt off her robes and glancing at Vivienne with a raised eyebrow. "You really make that look easy."

Vivienne flashed a grin. "I aim to please, darling," she said, her voice dripping with playful confidence. "Now, let’s see what’s waiting for us down this path."

Without waiting for a reply, Vivienne stepped forward, her claws tapping lightly against the ground as she took the lead again, the faint resonance of the song growing steadily stronger as they ventured deeper into the labyrinth.

They traveled for what felt like hours, the labyrinth twisting and turning, leading them up narrow stairways, down wide, hollow corridors, and through passages that seemed to bend and stretch beyond reason. Every step seemed to pull them deeper into the bowels of the place, the air growing heavier with each breath. At times, they were almost forced to stop to take in the immense silence, broken only by the occasional scrape of Vivienne's claws against the walls or the soft thud of Ivor’s boots.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at their destination: a colossal chamber, its proportions almost impossible to fathom. The walls were polished smooth, like glass, reflecting faint glimmers of light that danced along the surface, as if the very stones themselves had absorbed the shadows of the labyrinth. Enormous pillars, tall as the vaults of a cathedral, reached toward the ceiling, their tops lost in an eerie darkness. The air was thick with a strange energy, crackling and still.

And there, lying sprawled on the floor at the center of the room, was a shadow hydra—its dark, writhing form dissipating slowly into the air, tendrils of aether curling into nothingness. It was twice the size of the one Vivienne had consumed earlier, its many heads, each dripping with a thick, black fluid, now lying limp. The creature’s dark essence flickered, as if refusing to die completely, resisting the inevitable dissolution.

Standing behind the hydra, with his back to them, was a lone figure—a Lekine man wearing flowing blue robes. His posture was relaxed, but his ears twitched slightly, as if waiting for their approach. The group stopped short, eyeing the creature in front of them. Rava’s face darkened with recognition.

“Tarric?” she asked, her voice cutting through the stillness of the chamber.

The man spun around, his black ears perking up immediately. His face lit up with a warm, almost smug grin. “Rara!” he said, the sound of his voice carrying a note of familiarity, as though they had just parted ways yesterday. “You made it! I was expecting you to come from the other direction about half a bell ago, but you know how prophecy is—never on time.” His voice had a playful, teasing edge, as though he'd been waiting for just this moment to surprise her. “You also brought friends!”

Tarric stood tall, his body a perfect blend of humanoid and wolfish features, with the lithe but powerful frame of a predator. His fur was jet black, covering his entire form, sleek and shining as it caught the dim light of the chamber. His broad shoulders were accented by the fit of his blue robes, which hung loosely on his frame, embroidered with faint patterns of ancient symbols that seemed to shimmer subtly in the flickering light. The robes billowed slightly around him, the edges trailing with a faint, ethereal glow—remnants of the magic he wielded.

His face, though feral, was strikingly expressive. His snout, elongated and sharp, had a slight curve that lent him a regal appearance, his muzzle tipped with a dark, silvery sheen. Two pointed, black ears sat atop his head, twitching as they caught the slightest sound. His eyes, amber and keen, gleamed with an intelligence that reflected a deeper understanding of the world. They were wild, untamed, yet there was something calculative in their depths, like a wolf surveying its territory.

His hands, strong and covered in the same sleek black fur, ended in claws—elegant but deadly, the pads of his palms visible as his fingers flexed in casual ease. A long, furred tail swished behind him, its movements fluid and graceful, betraying the animal instinct that still lived within him. He exuded a powerful presence, one that balanced the ferocity of his nature with the calm poise of a seasoned warrior. Tarric was a creature built for both combat and cunning, a wolf in human-like form, perfectly at ease in his own skin.

He began to walk toward them, his tail swaying in rhythm with his confident strides, a grin tugging at the corners of his wolfish features. There was a warmth in his expression, a playful spark in his amber eyes, as though he were about to share some inside joke. But then his steps faltered, his grin flickering for a moment as he paused, his gaze shifting over the group with sudden suspicion.

“You’re not Elira.” His voice lost some of its easy warmth, replaced by a hint of confusion.

Before anyone could respond, a sharp hiss of air preceded the sound of an arrow embedding itself deep into his gut.