Episode 6 – The Shadow Labyrinth
Jayden returned home, still shaken. He pressed a bandage against the wound in his side. The injury wasn't fatal, but the adrenaline refused to fade. Who was that boy? And why had he tried to kill him?
The night passed without sleep.
The next day, he met Kurai Ko and Kim at school. Kim seemed uneasy around Kurai, while he remained perfectly impassive—his gaze cold, distant.
Jayden broke the silence.
"Last night… I was attacked. I almost died."
Kim stepped closer, shocked.
"How… and why? Who would want you dead?"
Jayden frowned, piecing things together.
"I'm not sure… but the guy was about my age. And Kurai… his behavior's strange. First, that crowd trying to discredit me—spreading lies because of Kyle. Second, Kyle's been digging into something, but I doubt he'd attack at night without a reason. If he wanted to test me, he would've done it directly. Third… everything started right after Kurai showed up."
Kim nodded slowly, beginning to grasp the situation.
Determined, Jayden drew his saber and struck Kurai's hand.
"What the—? What's wrong with you? I'm just trying to be your friend!"
"Drop the act. I know it's you. Don't take me for an idiot. Why are you really here?" Jayden shot back, anger flashing in his eyes.
Kurai stepped back slowly toward the window. Kim tried to intervene.
"That's impossible… Kurai wouldn't do that."
Jayden hesitated, then said:
"Fine. If you want to prove you're innocent… show me your sword."
Kurai complied.
Jayden examined the blade—and spotted dried blood.
His heart skipped. A nervous laugh escaped him as he lunged forward—
—but the teacher and principal intervened just in time.
"Have you lost your mind?!" the teacher shouted. "Have you forgotten hierarchy? His energy is rare—and yours is just weak blue!"
"There is no hierarchy—let me go!" Jayden yelled.
"Jayden," the principal said coldly, "you are to report to my office for assault."
"But he tried to kill me!"
"If only," the teacher replied flatly.
Kurai remained motionless, staring straight at Jayden.
Frustrated, Jayden snapped:
"If you want to kill me, do it yourself—coward!"
The teacher struck him in the stomach and dragged him away.
"You're already one of the weakest students, and you still want to make things worse?" the principal said coldly.
"But he tried to kill me—and—"
"Oh really? And who do you think will believe you… hybrid?"
Dark smoke slipped from the principal's mouth. His hood fell slightly, revealing something unsettling. The air around Jayden thickened—
Then everything went black.
Jayden woke up abruptly.
Everything around him was dark, cold, suffocating.
His head throbbed. His body felt heavy.
He tried to move—
Impossible.
He was bound from head to toe.
"…What…?" he whispered, breath unsteady.
Then it came back—the office, the smoke… he had been drugged.
He closed his eyes and focused.
Slowly, his perception shifted.
He wasn't seeing with his eyes anymore—
but with his energy.
In front of him stood a massive metal door. Two guards, motionless, armed with sabers, stood watch. Beyond them stretched a long, dark corridor, endless.
Jayden frowned.
The door… it looked exactly like the principal's office door.
"No… that's not possible…"
He focused his energy around his wrists.
The bindings trembled—
then snapped.
Jayden rose slowly and approached the door.
He tried to open it.
Nothing.
"Locked… with negative energy?" he muttered.
A faint smile appeared.
"…Too easy."
Energy wrapped around his fist.
BOOM.
The door exploded.
The guards drew their weapons.
I don't have time for this, Jayden thought, leaping straight into the corridor.
He ran.
Again.
And again.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours.
The corridor twisted, repeated itself—an endless labyrinth.
Then a voice echoed, cold and mocking:
"I've been watching you run for quite a while."
Jayden stopped instantly, energy flaring around his fists.
"Who's there?!"
"This corridor is tied to infinity. Keep running, and you'll stay here forever… just like the one to your left."
Jayden turned slowly.
A corpse lay there—old, decayed.
"…What? That wasn't there before. Who are you?!"
"Exactly," the voice replied. "Use your head. Don't run like an idiot. Think about your precious sword… the one that was destroyed."
"WHAT?! Give it back!" Jayden shouted.
"To your left."
He turned sharply.
His blue saber rested against the wall.
He grabbed it instantly.
"How did you do that?!" he demanded.
Silence.
Jayden tightened his grip and moved forward again.
"…Use my head, huh…" he muttered, anger burning beneath his voice.
After several minutes, a sound made him freeze.
He turned—
Kurai Ko.
His corpse.
Lifeless. Still.
"…?!" Jayden gasped, stepping back, heart racing.
He searched desperately for an exit.
CLACK.
A door slowly opened to his right.
Jayden lifted his head, tightened his grip on his sword—and ran toward it.
His face burned with determination and anger.
End of Episode 6