The grudging respect Scott had shown after Alden's audacious crossing of the energy barrier lasted only a moment, quickly replaced by his usual cynicism.
"Well played, kid. For a lucky shot, that was one hell of a lucky shot. Don't try that too often, or your 'luck' will eventually run out."
Alden merely shrugged.
"Fortune favors the bold, Scott. And sometimes, boldness is the only option when time is short."
He glanced at the corridor stretching before them. It was darker than the previous one, and the air was heavier, laden with stagnant humidity and that same smell of overheated metal and organic decay that seemed to be the Labyrinth's olfactory signature.
"Let's keep moving," Alden said.
"Every minute wasted here is a minute gained for whatever Lys FallenDawn might have unleashed in this maze." They resumed their progress, Alden still in the lead, his "Labyrinth Sense" providing him with increasingly clear impressions of energy fluctuations and structural anomalies.
Scott followed closely, his flashlight nervously sweeping corners and recesses, his experience in hostile environments making him wary of the slightest suspicious noise.
The corridor began to slope gently downwards, the metal walls giving way in places to raw, seeping rock, as if they were delving deeper into Xerx's foundations, or perhaps into something even older. The hum of distant machinery grew fainter, replaced by a more oppressive silence, broken only by the sound of their own footsteps and the incessant dripping of water.
"This place gives me the creeps," Scott murmured after a long silence.
"I've explored a fair few ruins and containment zones in my career, but this one… this one's different. It's like the walls themselves are watching us."
Alden didn't reply, but he shared the sentiment. His "Labyrinth Sense" wasn't limited to perceiving physical dangers; it also picked up on… echoes.
Fleeting impressions of sadness, fear, despair, as if the emotions of those who had passed through here before them had become ingrained in the very structure of the place. It was unsettling, but he forced himself to maintain a mental barrier, not to let himself be overwhelmed.
Suddenly, his System sent him a more precise alert.
[Hostile energy signature detected. Multiple. Rapid approach. Distance: thirty meters. Nature: compatible with modified maintenance drones, type "Arachnophobia".]
"Contact!" Alden announced in a low voice, stopping dead.
"Multiple units, mechanical spider type, straight ahead. Get ready." Scott swore and shouldered his flashlight as if it were a weapon, though it could offer but a meager defense. "How many?"
The System counts at least three, maybe more.
"The System counts at least three, maybe more. They're coming fast."
Almost immediately, the first silhouettes emerged from the darkness of the corridor ahead: Arachnophobias, similar to the one Alden had faced alone during his first foray into another sector of the Labyrinth.
Their multiple metallic legs skittered across the floor, their red optical sensors glowing with a menacing light, their appendages equipped with pincers and laser cutting tools activating with sinister crackles.
"Looks like the party's really starting," Scott grumbled, a nervous smirk stretching his lips.
"You got a plan, kid, or are we improvising in 'every man for himself and may the best man win' mode?" Alden quickly assessed the situation. The corridor was relatively narrow, limiting maneuverability for the Arachnophobias, but also for them.
There was no obvious escape route.
"They're slower than the Scarab, but more armored and better armed," Alden thought, recalling his previous confrontation. "Their joints and dorsal cooling tank are weak spots."
"We take them head-on," Alden decided.
"Try to aim for the legs to unbalance them. I'll try to hit their weak spots. If we can neutralize one quickly, it'll give us an advantage."
The first Arachnophobia charged, its lasers spitting red beams that ricocheted off the metal walls. Alden and Scott split up, dodging just in time.
Alden focused on the nearest machine. He remembered the tactic he had used: feint, get close, strike vulnerable points.
He no longer had his makeshift crowbar, but his fists, strengthened by his Force and his "Mortal Awakening" constitution, could inflict considerable damage on exposed mechanisms.
He dodged another laser blast and threw himself to the side, slipping under the Arachnophobia's appendages. He struck one of its front leg joints violently.
A metallic crack was heard, and the machine wobbled, its balance compromised. Meanwhile, Scott, using his flashlight more as a club than a light source, was trying to fend off a second attacker, his blows thudding dully against the creature's armor.
He was clearly outmatched in terms of strength and weaponry, but his combat experience allowed him to hold his ground, dodging pincers and lasers with surprising agility for his build.
The third Arachnophobia, seeing its comrade struggling against Alden, turned towards the latter, preparing to pincer him.
"Khan, watch your left!" Scott yelled, having just managed to trip his own opponent by landing a powerful blow on an already damaged leg.
Alden pivoted just in time to see the second Arachnophobia lunging at him. He didn't have time to dodge completely.
One of the metal pincers closed on his left forearm, crushing the flesh despite the resistance of his clothing. A searing pain shot through his body.
He let out a grunt of pain and rage. Ignoring the suffering, he used his free arm to strike the central optical unit of the machine holding him with multiplied force.
The sensor shattered in a shower of sparks, and the Arachnophobia released its grip, disoriented, its movements becoming erratic.
Alden stumbled back, his left arm bloody and aching. He quickly glanced at his wound. It wasn't a mere scratch. The pincer had cut deeply into his flesh.
[Alert: Moderate injury to left forearm. Minor blood loss. Combat effectiveness reduced.]
The System's message confirmed the severity.
"Kid, you okay?" Scott asked, having managed to disable his own opponent by smashing several joints and tearing out exposed cables.
He rushed to Alden, his usually cynical face marked with genuine concern.
"I'll be fine," Alden replied through gritted teeth, trying to control the pain.
"Take care of the last one." The Arachnophobia Alden had initially wounded had righted itself and was charging again. Scott interposed himself, using his massive frame and knowledge of mechanical weak points to engage it, giving Alden a moment's respite.
Alden focused on his injury.
He had no healing skills.
But he had Mana. And he remembered that he could use his own Mana to accelerate his healing, or at least stop the bleeding?
It was a gamble.
He only had 40 Mana points left.
But if he did nothing, his injury would severely handicap him.
He closed his eyes, ignoring the sounds of Scott's fight beside him, and tried to direct a flow of his Mana towards his wound.
He felt a warmth spread through his arm, and the pain seemed to lessen slightly. The bleeding subsided.
[Rudimentary self-healing Mana usage. Effectiveness: low. Cost: 5 Mana.] [Mana: 35/51]
It wasn't a complete healing, far from it, but it was enough for now. He reopened his eyes just as Scott, with a final brutal blow, disabled the last Arachnophobia, which collapsed in a screech of metal.
"And there you have it," Scott panted, leaning against a wall.
"A nice little hunting party. You holding up, Khan? Your arm looks nasty." Alden looked at his forearm.
The bleeding had almost stopped, but the wound was deep.
"I've had worse. But we need to find a place to dress this properly. And fast. More could be coming."
They had survived this first real ambush, but the price was high for Alden.