The wisp's blue glow illuminated their path through the winding corridor, casting rippling shadows against ancient stone walls. As they ventured deeper into the labyrinth, Mai kept a steady pace, the only sound the soft tread of their feet.

Hours had passed since they'd joined forces. Mai glanced back, assessing their condition. Cal trudged forward with slumped shoulders, his earlier bravado dissolved into exhausted determination. Beside him, Marin's steps had grown increasingly labored, her breathing audible in the quiet passages. She'd stopped talking entirely about an hour ago, conserving energy.

Surprisingly, Emri showed no signs of fatigue. The mouse Ferlyn moved with quiet efficiency. Her camera remained securely strapped around her neck, but her eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings, documenting everything. There was something about her awareness that reminded Mai of himself.

The fox spirit paused at an intersection, its four tails swishing with agitation. It circled once, twice, then darted down the leftmost passage. As they followed, the narrow corridor gradually widened, the ceiling rising until suddenly they emerged into an open chamber.

Mai stopped short, taking in their surroundings. Unlike the sterile stone corridors, this circular clearing pulsed with life. Soft moss carpeted the ground and crept up weathered pillars that stretched toward a ceiling lost in darkness. Ferns and fungi created islands of green amid the gloom.

"We can rest here," Mai said, setting his pack down carefully. "I'll scout around, make sure it's safe to set up camp."

The wisp bounded across the chamber, investigating each corner before settling atop a fallen pillar, its ethereal glow mingling with the natural light.

"Thank the flame," Marin murmured, immediately dropping to a seat on a moss-covered stone.

Cal followed suit, but Emri remained standing, her camera already lifting to capture the unexpected pocket of life hidden deep within the labyrinth's heart.

"Ah, nothing like a good sit after walking forever!" Nasu chirped, placing his backpack beside him with a gentle pat. Unlike the others, the rabbit Ferlyn seemed perpetually energetic. He settled cross-legged on a patch of particularly lush moss and began humming an oddly cheerful tune.

Mai shook his head and let out a chuckle at Nasu's relentless optimism and turned to begin his inspection of the chamber. Before he could take three steps, a soft voice caught his attention.

"Need any help?"

Emri stood beside him, her camera temporarily lowered.

Mai blinked, genuinely surprised. Most people were content to rest when given the chance. "Actually, yes," he replied, appreciating her initiative. "Could you check those support columns? I want to make sure they're stable and don't have any collapse runes inscribed on them."

Emri nodded, already moving toward the nearest column. "Will do, I'll let you know if I see anything wrong."

The wisp followed her for a few paces before returning to Mai, circling him once as if questioning his intentions.

"Just being thorough," Mai murmured to the spirit.

Mai ventured out from the main chamber, tracing his fingers along the cold stone walls of adjoining corridors. The wisp trotted ahead, casting just enough light for him to examine the ancient markings carved into the stone.

The first passage curved sharply left, ending in a small alcove. No runes marked the walls, only the natural erosion of time. The second corridor stretched longer, its ceiling gradually lowering until Mai had to duck his head. Here, faint markings caught his eye—weathered symbols that looked like flowing water rather than the jagged collapse runes he'd feared.

At the third passage entrance, he paused. The wisp had stopped, its ethereal body pulsing slightly brighter than normal. Mai crouched to inspect the area, eyes tracing a faint line of symbols carved along the base of a recessed stone table—preservation runes, likely used as a supply cache.

"No one's been through here recently," he whispered to himself, noting the undisturbed dust on the table.

He completed his circuit, checking each potential entrance and exit. The absence of lunox beasts thus far was curious but welcome.

Returning to the main chamber, Mai found Emri waiting for him near the entrance.

"The support structures all look stable," she reported quietly. "Some columns even have reinforcement runes. I've never seen that style before, but they're definitely not collapse markers." She hesitated. "I took reference photos if you want to see them."

Mai smiled, genuinely appreciative of her thoroughness. "Thanks, Emri. That's perfect."

She nodded, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly before she stepped aside.

Mai turned toward the others, who were already unpacking their limited supplies. Cal had cleared a small area of debris while Marin sorted through her pack. Nasu appeared to be arranging stones in some pattern only he understood.

"All clear," Mai announced, setting his own pack down. "No signs of other applicants or lunox beasts in the connecting passages. We can rest here safely." He rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension ease. "I think we all could use it."

Mai watched as the group unpacked their supplies with varying degrees of preparation. Marin pulled a tightly rolled sleeping bag from her pack. The material unfurled with a snap, revealing a weathered but serviceable bedroll.

Cal produced only a thin blanket he'd found at a supply station, while Nasu somehow extracted a bright yellow pillow that seemed far too large to have fit in his pack. The rabbit Ferlyn fluffed it dramatically before placing it on the moss with a satisfied pat.

Emri unpacked methodically, arranging her possessions in a neat semicircle.

"I'll gather some wood for a fire," Mai announced, gesturing to the wisp. The spectral fox bounded ahead of him, already seeming to understand his intentions.

Mai moved to the edges of the chamber where roots and branches had broken through the ancient stonework. He collected fallen limbs, testing each for dryness before adding it to his growing bundle. The wisp occasionally nudged particular pieces toward him.

As he worked, Mai's eyes continually swept their surroundings. Despite the apparent safety, something didn't feel right. The labyrinth had been challenging but not nearly as dangerous as he'd expected for an Edgewater examination.

Mai gathered the last few branches and headed back toward the center of the chamber. He tossed his armful of wood onto the cleared space with a clatter that echoed briefly through the stone chamber.

"That should keep us warm for the night," he said, surveying the campsite.

Everyone had arranged their gear with varying degrees of organization. Cal and Marin sat side by side, unpacking some dried food from their supplies. Nasu had crafted a makeshift hammock between two short pillars and was swinging gently, legs dangling as he hummed to himself.

Off to the side, slightly removed from the others, sat Emri. She perched on a fallen column, shoulders hunched forward as she scrolled through images on her camera. Her mouse ears twitched occasionally, but her focus remained entirely on the small screen, fingers delicately pressing buttons to advance through her collection of photos.

Mai paused, watching her thumb drift slowly across the camera screen. Emri moved through her photos with a quiet focus. Her eyes sharpened as she flicked through each picture, as if checking something only she understood. It made Mai tilt his head slightly, curiosity flickering through him.

A sudden draft whispered through the chamber, cold air slithering across the stone floor. Mai shivered involuntarily as the chill traced an icy finger down his spine. His fox ears twitched, swiveling toward one of the dark corridors.

Mai frowned, glancing back toward Emri. He'd wanted to ask about her photography, curious about what details she'd captured. But that would have to wait.

"I need to get this fire started," he murmured, kneeling beside the woodpile. His fingers worked quickly, arranging the smaller twigs into a careful structure.

Mai struck a small flint against steel, sending sparks dancing onto the dry tinder. The flame caught, a tiny orange glow that grew steadily as Mai fed it with increasingly larger pieces of wood. Soon, a proper fire crackled in the center of their makeshift camp.

"That should keep us warm," Mai said, sitting back on his heels. The firelight danced across his face, illuminating his features while leaving his eyes in shadow. "We need to set up a watch rotation. I'll take first shift and middle shift."

Cal looked up from where he'd been unpacking his meager supplies. "Why two shifts?"

"Because I sleep lightly," Mai replied simply. He turned to the others, assigning their positions. "Marin, you'll take second watch after me. Emri, you're after her. Then I'll take my second. Cal, you'll handle the final stretch before dawn. Nasu..." Mai glanced at the rabbit Ferlyn, who was already curled comfortably in his hammock. "You can help Cal."

Nasu gave a thumbs-up without opening his eyes. "Lucky me! Getting the beauty sleep I deserve!"

"Everyone get some rest," Mai continued, ignoring Nasu's commentary. "We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we need to be ready."

Without waiting for responses, Mai stood and moved away from the circle of firelight. He approached the massive tree growing at the chamber's center, its roots breaking through the stone floor while its branches stretched toward the darkness above. With nimble movements, Mai scaled the trunk, finding handholds in the rough bark.

He settled onto a thick branch about fifteen feet up, positioning himself where two limbs joined to create a natural seat. From this vantage point, he could see the entire chamber below—the fire, his sleeping companions, and most importantly, all three corridor entrances that led into their sanctuary.

Mai leaned his back against the trunk, one leg stretched along the branch while the other dangled. The wisp settled down beside him, coming to rest onto a nearby branch where its blue glow mingled with the orange firelight below.

Mai's smile warmed as he stroked the wisp’s small head, earning a soft, contented yip. “Think you can stay with the others during their shifts tonight?” he murmured, thumb brushing the familiar spot between its ears. “Just keep them company… and if anything feels off, come get me.”

The wisp’s glow brightened in a gentle pulse, nudging into his palm in quiet agreement.

Mai’s hand lingered on the wisp’s head, its small warmth pressed against his palm. “Thanks,” he whispered. He kept his eyes on the corridor ahead, gently brushing the creature’s fur as the quiet settled in.