Chapter 103: Rug Runner
"Obstacle seven complete. Total time: twelve minutes and forty-five seconds," announced the automated voice.
Elias steadied his breathing as he entered the next chamber, immediately confronted by dozens of distorted reflections glaring back at him. The room was filled with tall mirrors, their reflective surfaces twisted, elongated, and fractured into unsettling patterns. The air felt thick, filled with a strange, unsettling quietness.
"Careful," Dot whispered, her small form glancing warily around. "This doesn’t look straightforward."
"Nothing ever is," Elias muttered, stepping cautiously forward. As he moved, the reflections shifted, warping further and obscuring his path. Beneath his feet, faint seams indicated hidden mechanisms. He hesitated, peering closely at one mirror; his distorted reflection hinted at something moving behind him.
Instinctively, Elias ducked. A hidden panel swung down from above, narrowly missing his head, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss. His heart raced.
"Great. Illusions and traps," Elias grumbled.
Dot hovered close, eyes sharp. "Watch the edges of the reflections—they’re not quite lined up."
He narrowed his gaze, catching sight of the subtle imperfections—the slight gaps and blurred edges. Trusting this newfound awareness, he carefully threaded his way forward, each step deliberate, eyes locked onto those tiny discrepancies. Traps triggered moments after he passed, narrowly missing him each time.
Finally, Elias emerged from the distorted hall, exhaling as the reflective walls vanished behind him.