☆Chapter 15☆

The labyrinth twisted endlessly around Maya, each step carrying her deeper into its shifting, ominous corridors. Yet, the encounter with her past haunted her, lurking at the edges of her mind. She could feel the echoes of those figures, their hollow eyes, the sorrow in their faces, it gnawed at her, a bitter reminder of a life she had buried.

But there was no turning back now. She would burn through every shadow in this forsaken place if she had to.

Her flames blazed brightly in her hands, illuminating the narrow path ahead. The energy in the air felt different now, more controlled, less chaotic. It was as if something had shifted, as if the labyrinth had acknowledged her strength, her resilience. Yet beneath the calm, she could feel an undertone of… anticipation, a silent expectation that her journey was only beginning.

As she continued forward, the walls of the maze began to change. The dark, twisted stone gave way to a smoother surface, one etched with symbols, symbols she recognized from the massive door she had encountered earlier. The carvings glowed faintly, their intricate patterns forming shapes that almost seemed to move, telling a story older than the gods themselves.

Maya stopped, her eyes narrowing as she traced her fingers over the symbols. She could feel the pulse of energy radiating from them, ancient and steady, like the heartbeat of a sleeping beast. The carvings here were different, more than just decorations. They were seals, woven from the raw power of the ancient beings she'd encountered in these depths. They were designed to contain something, to bind it, keep it hidden from the world above.

This place was a prison. The energy she felt was not just the labyrinth, it was part of something vast, a network of seals placed here to contain a power beyond comprehension.

The voice from earlier echoed in her mind, dark and tempting. "You are close, goddess. Close to the truth that has been hidden from you."

Maya gritted her teeth, her flames flickering as she fought to keep her focus. She wasn't about to let some ancient, forgotten power seduce her with promises of truth and revelation. She had come too far, faced too many illusions and mind games to fall for it now.

Yet, as she continued down the corridor, the carvings became more intricate, the energy more intense. The air grew thick with power, and Maya could feel it tugging at her, urging her forward. It was as if the seals themselves were calling to her, revealing themselves piece by piece, layer by layer.

Then, she reached it, the heart of the labyrinth.

The narrow passage opened into a massive chamber, its ceiling disappearing into the darkness above. The walls were covered in symbols, glowing with a fierce, unwavering light that bathed the entire room in an ethereal glow. In the center of the chamber stood a monolithic structure, a towering obelisk of black stone, its surface covered in runes and inscriptions that pulsed with a power she had never felt before.

Maya approached cautiously, her flames illuminating the symbols carved into the stone. As she drew closer, she felt a pull, an irresistible force drawing her in, urging her to touch the obelisk, to connect with the power within it.

And then she saw it, at the base of the obelisk, hidden among the countless runes, was a single, unmistakable symbol. It was the same symbol she had seen etched into her own skin when she had first discovered her powers. The mark of the goddess of destruction.

Her heart raced, the realization crashing over her like a wave. This place, this labyrinth, it was connected to her. Somehow, she was bound to this ancient prison, to the seals that held these primordial beings in check.

The voice returned, its tone filled with dark satisfaction. "You see it now, don't you? You were never meant to be a goddess. You were meant to be something more, something that the gods feared."

Maya clenched her fists, her flames flaring in defiance. "You don't know anything about me."

"Oh, but I do," the voice continued, its tone dripping with malice. "You were one of us, once. A being of pure power, unbound by the rules of this world. But the gods were terrified of what you might become. So they took you, molded you, erased your memories, made you into their weapon."

Maya's vision blurred, her mind reeling as the words sank in. It couldn't be true. She was a goddess, a force of destruction, free to shape her own destiny. But the pieces were beginning to fall into place, the memories stirring within her mind, memories of fire, of betrayal, of a life she had long forgotten.

The voice continued, relentless. "The seals in this place were not just meant to contain us. They were meant to contain you. You are part of this prison, bound by the same chains that hold the ancient beings captive. The gods knew that if you ever discovered the truth, if you ever regained your full power, you would bring their world to ruin."

Maya's hands shook, her flames flickering as doubt crept into her heart. She wanted to reject it, to burn away the lies, to destroy everything that dared challenge her sense of self. But deep down, she knew there was truth in the voice's words.

"Release me," the voice whispered, softer now, almost pleading. "Shatter the seals, and I will restore what the gods took from you. I will give you the power you were meant to wield, the power to reshape reality itself."

Maya hesitated, her gaze fixed on the obelisk. The symbol of her own power, etched into the stone, seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat, as if calling to her, urging her to break the chains that bound her.

But as she reached out, her fingers hovering over the surface of the obelisk, a new thought entered her mind, a vision of the world above, of the people she had met, the lives she had touched, however briefly. She wasn't bound by loyalty or love, but there was something within her that stirred at the thought of releasing a power that could bring unimaginable destruction to everything she had encountered.

She pulled her hand back, clenching her fists as she turned away from the obelisk. "I don't need you. I don't need anyone to tell me who I am."

The voice let out a low, rumbling laugh, dark and mocking. "You think you can deny your true nature? You were born to destroy, to consume, to burn everything in your path. It is who you are, and no amount of defiance will change that."

Maya's eyes burned with fury, her flames roaring to life as she faced the obelisk. "If I'm meant to destroy, then I'll decide what gets burned."

With a fierce shout, she unleashed her power, her flames blazing brighter than ever as they engulfed the chamber. The seals on the walls flared in response, their light intensifying as they fought to contain the power she had unleashed. The energy surged, crackling through the air, as the ancient magic of the seals collided with her own destructive force.

The obelisk trembled, the runes flickering wildly as the two powers clashed, filling the chamber with a deafening roar. Maya could feel the strain, the push and pull of energies that were both foreign and familiar, the very essence of destruction and creation locked in a brutal struggle.

And then, just as it seemed the seals would shatter, the energy stabilized, the flames receding as the obelisk absorbed her power, its surface glowing with a fierce, blinding light.

For a moment, the chamber was silent, the energy settling like the calm after a storm. Maya stood there, breathing heavily, her flames dimming as she took in the sight of the now-glowing obelisk. The seals had held, barely, but she knew they wouldn't last forever. This place was a prison, but it was also a ticking bomb, waiting to unleash the power bound within it.

The voice, weakened but defiant, echoed once more. "You may delay the inevitable, goddess, but you cannot escape it. One day, you will break these seals, and when that day comes, you will realize the truth of who you are."

Maya smirked, her confidence returning as she turned her back on the obelisk. "I'll take my chances."

She strode out of the chamber, her steps echoing through the labyrinth as the seals pulsed softly in the darkness. The ancient prison had tested her, revealed parts of herself she hadn't known existed. But she had resisted its pull, choosing her own path rather than the one dictated by powers older than the gods.

As she moved through the twisting corridors, the oppressive energy began to fade, the weight of the labyrinth lifting from her shoulders. She had passed its trials, resisted the temptation to unleash the ancient force, and now she was free to leave.

But as she approached the exit, a final thought lingered in her mind, a question, whispered by the dark energy that still clung to her like a shadow.

What will you choose, Maya, when the day comes to confront the truth of who you are?

She pushed the thought aside, her flames blazing brighter as she left the labyrinth behind, her resolve unshaken.