Ryan journeyed deeper and deeper into the Labyrinth, following the golden road laid out for him by his Neural Map and the Labyrinth Keystone.
The levels he passed through now were a world away from the crumbling outer corridors he had first explored. Here, the architecture was pristine, made of seamless black stone that seemed to absorb the light.
Glowing blue energy conduits pulsed in the walls like veins, and the air was still and cold, filled with the scent of ozone and ancient, dormant power.
He felt like an explorer who had just found a secret passage in a pyramid, leaving the tourist areas far behind and stepping into the real, untouched chambers.
The Keystone he held was a magical "do not disturb" sign, and it worked wonders. Laser grids that would have sliced him into tiny cubes fizzled out as he approached.
