I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!
Chapter 57: Smoke and mirrors… second gate trial

As the chaos subsided, Zafron, Thera, and Calista found themselves standing in a vast, shimmering chamber. Countless mirrors surrounded them, each reflecting a different reality or timeline. The air hummed with an otherworldly energy, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to shift imperceptibly.

Zafron's eyes darted from mirror to mirror, trying to make sense of the dizzying array of images. "Stay close," he warned his companions. "This place... it may not be what it seems."

Calista stepped forward, her reflection multiplying infinitely in the mirrors. "The Labyrinth of Vanity," she breathed, a hint of admiration in her voice. "I've heard of this place. It's said to show you your deepest desires... and your darkest fears."

Thera gripped Zafron's arm tightly. "How do we replace our way through, my lord?"

Before Zafron could answer, the chamber began to shift. Walls of mirrors rose from the ground, separating the trio. Zafron reached out, but his hands met only cold, unyielding glass.

"Thera! Calista!" he called out, his voice echoing strangely in the labyrinth.

"I'm here, my lord!" Thera's voice came from somewhere to his left. "I can't see you, but I can hear you!"

"As can I," Calista's calm tones drifted from the right. "It seems we must navigate this maze separately, yet together."

Zafron took a deep breath, centering himself. "Describe what you see," he instructed. "We'll guide each other through this. Be as detailed as you can."

As they began to move, each describing their surroundings, Zafron noticed the mirrors changing. Some showed him as a great king, ruling over vast lands. Others portrayed him as a pauper, forgotten and alone. He shook his head, trying to focus on reality.

"My lord," Thera called out, her voice tinged with longing, "there's a path here. The mirrors... they're showing me a life where I never left my village. I'm surrounded by family, by love. The path is lined with familiar cottages, smoke rising from their chimneys. I can almost smell my mother's cooking..."

"Stay focused, Thera," Zafron warned, hearing the yearning in her voice. "Remember why we're here. What else do you see? Any turns or obstacles?"

Thera's voice came back, more controlled now. "Yes, my lord. There's a fork in the path. One leads towards a gleaming city, the other towards a dark forest."

"Take the forest path," Zafron decided. "The city might be another illusion."

Calista's voice cut through the air. "My lord, I see an exit," she announced. "A grand archway, promising beauty beyond compare. The mirrors here show us revered, worshipped even. Crowds of adoring subjects line a golden road. Should I approach it?"

Zafron frowned, something tugging at the back of his mind. "Wait," he said. "Thera, what do you see now?"

"I... I think I see an exit too, my lord," Thera replied, confusion evident in her voice. "But it's different. It's just a simple wooden door, set into a moss-covered stone wall. It feels... right, somehow.

The air around it seems clearer, less shimmery than the rest of this place."

As Zafron pondered this, a new threat emerged. A faint hiss filled the air, and a sickly sweet scent reached his nostrils. His eyes widened in alarm.

"Gas!" he shouted. "The labyrinth is filling with some kind of toxic fumes. We need to replace the exit, fast! Thera, Calista, cover your mouths and noses if you can!"

The urgency in his voice spurred them all to action. They moved quickly through the twisting passages, guiding each other based on what they could see.

"The gas is getting thicker, my lord," Thera coughed. "It's a greenish mist, creeping along the ground. Zafron, we have to choose an exit!"

Zafron's mind raced. Three exits, three very different promises. Wealth and power, beauty and adoration, or something simple yet true.

"My lord," Calista's voice cut through his thoughts, uncharacteristically urgent. "We must decide. My exit promises everything we've ever wanted. We would want for nothing. The archway is inscribed with runes of power and beauty."

"No," Thera interjected. "The simple door... it feels right. It's the way out, I'm sure of it! There's a strange mechanism beside it, my lord. It looks like...

like a hand print, set into the stone."

The gas was thickening, making it hard to breathe. Zafron closed his eyes, trying to think past the allure of the mirrors and the panic of their situation.

With a clarity that cut through the labyrinth's illusions, Zafron made his choice.

"Thera," he called out. "Guide us to your exit. Quickly! Describe every turn, every landmark you see."

They rushed through the twisting passages, Thera's steady voice leading the way. "Left at the mirror showing a waterfall, my lord. Now right, past the statue of the weeping woman. Straight ahead, through the arch of thorny vines..."

As they approached the simple wooden door, Zafron's heart sank. He could now see the mechanism Thera had described. It was indeed a hand print, but it was connected to a complex system of gears and levers.

As he weighed the options, a horrifying realization dawned on him. The labyrinth's final test was becoming clear - to open any of the exits would require a sacrifice. One of them would have to stay behind.

It became clear that one person would need to keep their hand pressed against the print to keep the door open, trapping them in the labyrinth.

"I'll do it, my lord," Thera said softly having already deciphered herself what Zafron was thinking. "My loyalty has always been to you. Let me prove it one last time."

"No," Zafron said firmly. "We leave together or not at all."

Zafron turned to Calista, his eyes searching her face for any sign of emotion. "What's your take on this, Calista?"

Her emerald eyes met his, cool and unfaltering. "One of us must stay behind," she stated, her voice devoid of sentiment. "It's the logical conclusion. Aphrodite warned us from the beginning - someone would be lost at each gate. Aurelia at the first, and now... well, here we are."

Zafron's jaw clenched, the weight of the decision bearing down on him. 'She's right,' he thought, 'but how can I choose?'

The toxic gas continued to thicken around them, a grim reminder of their dwindling time. Zafron's gaze shifted to Thera, her eyes wide with fear and... something else. Devotion?

"Thera," he began, his voice softening. "You've been so sweet, so loyal from the very beginning. Your offer to sacrifice yourself... I can't tell you how much it means to me. You are truly the sweetest," he said.

Thera's face brightened, she giggled before composing herself. This was a serious moment. She was about to make a sacrifice for her lord. Looking at her eyes now, one could see a glimmer of hope shining through the fear. Zafron reached out, gently taking her hand and drawing her closer. She came willingly, her body trembling slightly.

"I hope you make it to the final gate and go back to your world," she said earnestly.

'This is it,' Zafron thought, his heart heavy. 'The moment of truth.'

He turned to Calista, his expression hardening with resolve. "I've made my decision," he declared, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "Calista, you will be the one to open the door for us."

Silence fell, heavy and oppressive. Thera gasped softly, her hand tightening in Zafron's grip. But Calista... Calista's reaction was far more unsettling.

She simply stared at Zafron, her beautiful face a mask of perfect serenity. Not a flicker of emotion crossed her features, not a hint of surprise or anger or fear. After a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, she nodded once, decisive and final, like a soldier acknowledging a command.

Without a word, Calista turned and approached the door. Her movements were fluid, graceful even in this dire moment. She placed her hand on the print, and the mechanism whirred to life.

As the door swung open, Zafron felt a pang of... something. Regret? Doubt? He couldn't be sure. 'Is this the right choice?' he wondered, even as he guided Thera towards the exit.

Calista's voice, calm as ever, floated to them as they passed. "Remember, Zafron. True beauty lies beneath the surface. Look beyond the obvious."

He turned back, meeting her gaze one last time. In that moment, he thought he saw a flicker of... something in her eyes. Understanding? Acceptance? Before he could decipher it, the door began to close.

As Zafron and Thera stepped through the threshold, leaving Calista behind, the weight of his choice settled upon him. The second gate was passed, but at what cost? And what challenges awaited them at the final gate?