...each step more calculated than the last. His breathing steadying, Cabal knew he couldn't rely on brute strength alone. The maze—alive, sentient—was testing not just their brawn but their adaptability, their ability to outthink, outmaneuver, and outlast the others.
The glowing claw in his hand pulsed faintly, still warm from the beast's life force. He inspected it briefly—razor-sharp, heavy but balanced. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Cabal kept moving, the walls around him twisting and reshaping, but his mind was already mapping the pattern. There was a rhythm to the maze, subtle but discernible if you paid close enough attention. The shifts seemed random, but after every significant change, there was a brief lull. Cabal figured he could use that window to his advantage, to plan his next move without being caught off guard.
The sounds of distant clashes echoed through the corridors—the crackling of energy, the thud of heavy impacts, the occasional scream of defeat. Each one was a reminder of the stakes. Cabal clenched his jaw. He couldn't afford distractions. His focus needed to be sharp.
Then, ahead, a fork in the path. One corridor bathed in dim, sickly green light, the other almost entirely dark, save for the faintest flicker of red far in the distance. Neither path seemed particularly inviting, but Cabal knew staying in one place for too long would get him killed. He weighed his options quickly—instinct told him the darkness offered better concealment, but the red glow suggested danger.
*Go with the danger,* he thought. *Danger means opportunity.*
He turned left, heading toward the red light.
The air grew colder as he moved deeper into the passage. His footsteps echoed faintly, the silence pressing in around him. Cabal's grip tightened on the claw as his pulse quickened. He didn't trust the eerie stillness. It felt too deliberate, as though the maze itself were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the red glow flared to life, and the temperature dropped sharply. Cabal stopped, sensing movement ahead. The glow illuminated a figure, slowly materializing from the shadows. It was humanoid, but not entirely human—a tall, gaunt form with glowing eyes, its body wrapped in tendrils of crimson energy. The air around it crackled with malevolent power.
Cabal's status window flashed a warning.
---
**Enemy Identified: Crimson Wraith**
- **Strength:** Unknown
- **Agility:** High
- **Abilities:**
- **Wraith's Veil (Passive):** Can phase through solid objects.
- **Crimson Surge (Active):** Unleashes a blast of corrosive energy in a wide radius.
- **Life Drain (Passive):** Regenerates HP by draining the life force of those nearby.
---
Cabal swore under his breath. This wasn't going to be a straightforward fight. The Wraith's ability to phase through objects meant that physical attacks would be useless unless timed perfectly. He had to think fast—any mistake would be fatal.
The Wraith moved suddenly, darting toward him with inhuman speed. Cabal barely had time to react as the creature phased through a section of the wall, reappearing behind him. He twisted just in time, slashing with the claw, but the Wraith vanished again, its body dissolving into mist before his strike could land.
*It's playing with me,* he realized, trying to keep track of its movements. The Wraith reappeared in front of him, its glowing eyes locking onto his, and unleashed a surge of crimson energy. Cabal threw himself to the ground, the blast narrowly missing him as it scorched the walls.
Pain flared in his side, his wound from the earlier fight with the beast slowing him down. Cabal gritted his teeth, rolling to his feet. He couldn't let the Wraith trap him in this narrow corridor. If he stayed here, he'd be an easy target.
The Wraith lunged again, phasing in and out of the walls like a ghost. Cabal ducked and weaved, barely keeping ahead of its attacks. He needed a plan—something that would force the creature to become tangible, even for a moment.
Then, it hit him.
The maze was alive. It responded to their movements, their actions. If he could use the environment against the Wraith, he might have a chance. He backed up, luring the Wraith deeper into the passage, its red energy flaring with each attack.
Finally, he reached a section where the walls seemed particularly unstable—shifting faster than the rest, as if on the verge of collapsing. Cabal dodged another of the Wraith's attacks, positioning himself in front of the unstable wall. He waited, his heart pounding in his chest.
The Wraith darted forward again, its claws outstretched, aiming for his throat. Cabal timed it perfectly—just as the creature phased through the wall behind him, he leaped to the side, slamming his fist into the already cracking surface.
The wall gave way with a violent shudder, collapsing inward just as the Wraith reappeared, caught in the sudden avalanche of debris. For the briefest moment, the creature was solid, trapped by the falling rubble.
Cabal didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, driving the beast's claw into the Wraith's chest with all his strength. The creature let out a high-pitched screech as the claw pierced its core, the red energy flaring violently before flickering out.
The Wraith dissolved into a cloud of crimson mist, its life force absorbed by the claw. Cabal's status window flickered again, showing a significant boost to his endurance and agility stats. The claw in his hand seemed to pulse with renewed energy, its glow now brighter, more intense.
---
**Weapon Upgraded: Beast Claw (Crimson)**
- **Bonus:** Absorbs the life force of defeated enemies, increasing the wielder's stamina.
- **Special Effect:** Can phase through solid objects for a brief period.
---
Cabal exhaled slowly, the tension in his muscles easing. He had survived—again. But this was only the beginning. The maze had more challenges in store for him, and he knew the other fighters wouldn't be far behind.
He glanced at the claw, feeling the raw power coursing through it. The Wraith's abilities had transferred to the weapon, giving him an edge he hadn't anticipated.
But he couldn't afford to get complacent.
With one last glance at the collapsed wall, Cabal turned and continued deeper into the labyrinth. His mind was clear, his body aching but still strong. He would survive—he had no other choice.
Because in this world, there was no room for the weak.
Only those who adapted, who fought with everything they had, would make it out alive.
And Cabal intended to be one of them.
...no, **the** one.
Each step was now infused with a new sense of purpose. The weight of the claw in his hand, once merely a tool, now felt like a part of him—an extension of his will to survive, to overcome. The maze twisted again, but Cabal moved without hesitation, each shift in the environment now predictable in his mind.
As he moved deeper, the air grew thick with tension. The once distant echoes of battle now felt closer, sharper. Cabal wasn't alone in this labyrinth; the other fighters were closing in, and with every enemy that fell, the remaining survivors grew more dangerous.
But Cabal welcomed it. Every challenge was an opportunity, every fight a way to strengthen himself.
As he reached the end of the corridor, the passage opened up into a wide chamber. The ceiling arched high above, supported by pillars of stone that flickered with faint blue light. In the center stood a circular platform, and atop it, a massive door—etched with strange runes—loomed ominously. Cabal could feel the hum of power resonating from it.
He wasn't the first to arrive.
Two figures were already there, circling each other like predators. One was a hulking man, armored head to toe, wielding a massive warhammer that crackled with lightning. The other was a lithe woman, her movements fluid and deadly, twin daggers glinting in the dim light.
Cabal remained hidden in the shadows for a moment, watching them. He recognized them both through their status window—champions in their own right. The man was known as **Ragnar the Stormbringer**, feared for his brute strength and the devastating power of his hammer. The woman was **Selene the Shade**, a master of stealth and precision, her blades capable of cutting down enemies before they even realized she was there.
Neither had noticed him yet, but that wouldn't last long.
The door, Cabal realized, was the key. Whatever lay beyond it, that was their goal. And only one of them could claim it. Cabal's eyes narrowed. If he played this right, he wouldn't have to face them both head-on.
As Selene darted forward, her daggers a blur, Ragnar swung his hammer with a roar, the ground beneath them shaking as their weapons clashed. Sparks flew, the air crackling with energy as they battled with ferocious intensity.
Cabal slipped closer, staying low, the phasing ability from the claw at the ready. He couldn't afford to get caught between them, but if he waited for the right moment...
A sudden crash echoed through the chamber as Ragnar slammed his hammer into the ground, sending a shockwave of lightning surging toward Selene. She flipped backward, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the force of the blow shattered one of the nearby pillars, sending debris raining down.
That was his chance.
Cabal activated the claw's ability, phasing through the rubble as it fell, moving silently through the chaos. In a matter of seconds, he was at the base of the platform, just out of their line of sight. He could feel the pull of the door's energy now, stronger than ever. Whatever lay behind it was powerful—dangerous. But he couldn't hesitate.
As Ragnar and Selene continued their brutal dance of combat, Cabal reached out, placing his hand on the runes that glowed faintly on the door's surface. They pulsed beneath his fingers, ancient power coursing through them. He felt the resistance at first, as though the door itself was testing him, but then the claw in his hand flared with crimson light.
The Wraith's energy.
The runes shifted, responding to the power of the claw, and with a grinding sound, the door began to open. Slowly, but surely.
Both Ragnar and Selene stopped mid-fight, their heads snapping toward the platform as they realized what was happening.
"**No!**" Ragnar bellowed, charging toward Cabal, his hammer crackling with furious energy.
Selene cursed under her breath, sprinting after him, her daggers gleaming.
Cabal's heart pounded, but he didn't flinch. The door was almost open. Just a few more seconds—
Ragnar was closing in fast, his hammer raised high, ready to crush Cabal in a single blow.
Cabal turned, his grip tightening on the claw. He had only one shot at this.
At the last possible moment, he activated the claw's phasing ability once more, stepping to the side as Ragnar's hammer came down. The weapon passed harmlessly through him, the force of the impact shaking the platform and sending cracks spidering through the stone.
Before Ragnar could recover, Cabal lunged forward, slashing with the crimson claw. It cut deep into Ragnar's side, the Wraith's power surging into the wound. The massive man staggered back, roaring in pain, but Cabal was already moving again, ducking under a swing from Selene's daggers.
The door behind him creaked fully open, revealing a swirling vortex of energy. Cabal could feel its pull, the raw power waiting beyond. But he wasn't the only one who felt it.
Selene's eyes flicked toward the portal, her expression calculating. She hesitated for a fraction of a second—just long enough for Cabal to make his move. He drove the claw into the ground, releasing a burst of energy that sent a shockwave through the chamber. Selene was thrown off balance, her graceful movements disrupted.
With a final glance at the two fighters, Cabal stepped into the portal.
The world around him shifted, the maze, the chamber, everything dissolving into a blur of colors and light. For a moment, he felt weightless, suspended in the void.
And then, with a sudden jolt, he was elsewhere.
The first thing he noticed was the air—it was different here, heavier, charged with magic. The ground beneath him was solid, though the landscape around him was strange, alien. Towering structures made of stone and metal rose in the distance, their shapes defying logic and reason.
Cabal took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had made it through the maze, but whatever this place was, it held new challenges—new dangers.
But he had survived this long. He would survive again.
Because now, more than ever, he was prepared.
Prepared to face whatever came next.