As the group stands in the dark, sounds echoing around them, Tana holds her hand out and uses her powers to create a small flame. Adonis, looking over puzzled, asks, "You have elemental powers?" Tana glances at him, the small flame flickering in her palm, and replies, "I only have control over fire, but I feel as though I could learn to control magma and plasma if I continue to practice." Adonis, with a slight grin on his face, leans closer and says, "Have you heard of the stones before?" Tana, now looking even more confused, replies, "What, the old wise tale ones? Yeah, I've heard of them before. Legends say they can grant unimaginable power."
Adonis lets out a slight laugh. "Ha! What if I told you that they were real, and there is one in this very realm that no one has ever seen because it is guarded by a formidable beast at the end of an ever-changing maze filled with hellish creatures? And that I plan to venture into it to claim it for myself?" The group falls silent, their breaths almost synchronized with the darkness surrounding them. Echene, trying to mask his anxiety, stammers, "Y-you don't expect us to follow you in there, do you?" Adonis, with a teasing smile, replies, "I don't expect you to sit out here by yourself either. But if you want to be safe, staying out here might not be the best idea."
Echene looks around at the dark, unwelcoming environment and then nods his head. "Y-yeah, I choose the weird scary maze over staying out here any day," he mutters. The group continues to explore, their footsteps careful on the uneven terrain. Adonis's eyes suddenly narrow as he spots a strange group of people shackled together, breaking rocks with their fists to extract rare metals only found in the Dark Realm. His curiosity piqued, he approaches cautiously, hearing a man's voice call out, "Number one twenty! Twelve! One nineteen! Step forward!"
A large man, covered in scars and wrapped in heavy chains, steps forward and kneels. His voice is deep and broken as he speaks, "What Atlas do for you?" Nyx, standing close by, mumbles under her breath, "It's a slave camp. They've captured cave giants to use as mining tools, along with many others…" Anger flashes in Adonis's eyes, his fists clenching tight. He mutters, "Slavery... in this place of all places…" Enraged at the use of slaves for labor, he cuts through the brush and trees, approaching the camp openly, drawing the attention of many of the slaves and their masters.
The man standing before Atlas, clearly the one in charge, scoffs and calls out, "Boy, you better put that sword away before I tell this beast here to kill you!" Adonis, undeterred, continues to approach. The man's patience wears thin, and he commands Atlas, "Kill him! Crush him, now!" But before Atlas can move, Adonis shouts, his voice booming, "One thing my father and I ever agreed on was our hatred for slavery. This sight sickens me to my core. I will slaughter you all and free everyone you claim as yours!"
The man, angered and desperate, begins to beat Atlas with a whip, shouting, "I said kill him!" But Atlas, battered but still defiant, manages to utter, "N-NO... Atlas no kill him... Atlas kill... you!" With a roar, Atlas pulls his chains tight, causing them to snap and tear away from his body. He raises his massive fists and brings them down on the man, beating him into a bloody pulp, his rage evident with every blow. The man's corpse lies broken and unrecognizable before him. Atlas's knuckles are coated in blood, his breath heavy and labored.
Seeing this, the other cave giants begin to realize their own strength and power over their captors. A sense of rebellion fills the air. They turn, breaking their chains, and begin to attack the men who once controlled them. The screams of the slave masters fill the air as the giants tear through their ranks, vengeance guiding their every move. Chaos erupts in the camp as the men attempt to flee in panic.
Atlas, now free, turns to face Adonis, still breathing heavily, covered in blood. With a broken voice, he asks, "Wh-what n-name you have?" Adonis replies clearly, "My name is Adonis. Her name is Nyx, hers is Athena, his is Echene, and sh—" Before he can finish, Tana interrupts with a grin, "I'm Tana."
Adonis smiles at her enthusiasm and looks back at Atlas. "Would you like to join us? You are extremely strong, and I can show you the world and teach you many things." Atlas, still in shock from his newfound freedom, simply nods his head. The group, now larger with Atlas's addition, begins their search for the maze again.
As they walk, Atlas starts to speak in his broken speech, "Wh-what m-maze?" Nyx, sensing his confusion, looks over at him with a gentle expression, "It's a large area with corridors that lead in random directions, with unknown paths to the end. It's said to be ever-changing and filled with creatures that guard a great treasure." Atlas's face furrows with concentration as he processes her words. "I-I know w-where at," he stammers, his eyes lighting up with realization. Without waiting for a reply, he starts leading them toward a cave entrance, his massive strides breaking new paths through the underbrush.
They arrive at a cave with a wide, ominous entrance. "This maze?" Atlas asks, pointing with a large, scarred hand. Echene, seeing the cave's dark mouth, starts to back away slowly, muttering under his breath, "No fuck no fuck this. I'm out. fuck this shit." Adonis chuckles, turning to look at him. "Have fun with all the deadly beasts lurking outside then," he remarks casually. Echene pauses mid-step, thinking it over. "Fine! Fine! I choose the maze of death over certain death out here," he says, begrudgingly turning back towards the group, gripping a stick he picked up tightly.
They enter the cave cautiously, with Atlas leading the way. The air grows colder, and the light from Tana's flame flickers in the dank air. As they proceed, the walls seem to pulse and shift, making it impossible to keep track of where they are. The group stays close together, every sound amplified in the darkness.
Adonis moves closer to Atlas and asks, "How did you know about this place, Atlas?" Atlas, still finding it hard to speak, replies, "M-many c-captured brought here. Some try, some fail. Maze change." Nyx looks over, understanding dawning on her face. "You've been here before, haven't you?" Atlas nods slowly, "Y-yes… Maze no friend… but know the path to m-maze."
Tana moves beside Adonis, whispering, "If this maze is truly alive, then we're in for more than just a search for stones. We're walking into a living nightmare." Adonis nods, determination set in his eyes. "Then we'll just have to be ready for whatever it throws at us."