Chase's body flinched violently at the slamming of the gate. As he stood silently, the stone labyrinth seemed to come alive.
The very air seemed to radiate the smell of life, plants, and a dreadful amount of rot...
He took a step back, his father's topaz dagger tightening in his hand. The black marking still burning the flesh of his shoulder.
He clenched his teeth, and took several steps deeper into the maze. If it were possible, Chase would have already attempted burning his way through the gate; however, he had a slight feeling that the wood from the gate- was made of the same unburnable wood as the trees that towered above The Dark Forest.
His hesitant steps, turned into slow cautious strides as he ventured deeper into the maze.
The deeper he got into the stone city: the more he could hear the center of it calling his name.
Granted, he knew very well that it was some sort of vile trap by some hideous monster.
He had been living in the forest for far too long to not notice a sick and twisted monster's luring scheme.
However, the call truly was alluring, a dark inaudibly voice was calling for anyone to come, in the depths of the maze.
Perhaps, if Chase ventured further and killed whatever beast that inhabited the labyrinth, he could easily escape it, and go find out where Sparky had run off to.
As Chase got further into the maze, the stone walls began to harbor sacred markings and texts- some similar to the one that had grown from the flames on his shoulder.
A chill ran down his back, as he scanned the ruined walls as he walked. Ancient pictures that told stories, was what he had assumed the markings were.
'Almost like Hieroglyphics'
He thought curiously, as he brushed his hand against the old walls.
...
Chase could hear it now...
The serpentine hiss that reverberated through the maze, resembled the sound of the flesh of hollow sizzling as it was slashed and incinerated.
'Not a pleasant reminder'
He began to continue forward even closer to the right wall, almost hugging it as he walked.
The topaz dagger seemed to burn a little brighter in his left hand. The pain in his shoulder seemed to grow numb as he grew closer to the center of the maze.
He had been exploring the maze for nearly an entire day as he noticed the sun about to set in the far horizon above the stone walls.
The cold wall scraped against his side as he walked- nearing what looked like a dead end- no, it was a singular turn in the maze that led off to the right.
As he continued toward the small opening in the wall, his vision slowly decreased as he hugged the wall on the right.
His senses had begun to scream at him to turn back, but there was no choice. He turned off any common sense that remained in his tired mind...
His grip on the blade tightening as he slowly made his way to the small opening in the wall.
Stone debris could be seen around the unnatural doorway-like fissure in the wall.
As well as a flaky material, that held its own strange pattern. The strange substance had been scattered across the maze, he had already noticed plenty of it of course.
Now the true direness of his situation had finally dawned on him.
The large reptilian snake that resided within these walls, had already known Chase was inside of its home...
its Shed skin lie lifelessly, ripped and tattered as it must have been quite old by now.
He braced himself as he prepared to turn the corner of the opening. His body was sweating profusely, and his heart beat seemed to want to rip itself out of his own chest.
Chase closed his eyes ready to turn the corner.
His mind envisioned the dark green serpentine skin, that littered the floor of the maze.
He thought of the size of the tunnels and oddly shaped cracks in the walls, that seemed to lead in the direction of this one singular opening in the long twisted labyrinth.
Chase opened his eyes, taking a ragged breath as he loosened his grip on the dagger.
"Your a big bastard, arnt you?"
He turned the corner the moment he whispered to himself. The sound of his own voice seemed oddly calming as he threw himself into the opening.
CRASH!
The towering wall shattered, revealing a massive, sinuous form that gleamed like jade in the dim light. Dust and debris rained down as the monstrous serpent emerged, its body nearly endless, its presence suffocating.
Its torso stretching nearly hundreds of meters as the wall toppled to the ground leaving nothing but debris as the snake swiftly left his vision, crashing through the farthest wall from the boy.
The terrible screeching of its scales scraping against the stone was still audible, and urged him to cover his ears.
Chase immediately ran through the fissure in the wall, and into the vast opening. He had little time to study the beautiful stone arena that lie in front of him.
The fissure opened into a vast, ancient arena, its walls adorned with faintly glowing runes. The stone floor bore the scars of countless battles, its surface cracked and worn.
The towering wall that stood far to his left, began to crumble swiftly as the dark green scales began to emerge from the destruction.
Finally, the snakes head became fully visible to the boy...
Its disfigured face twisted into a grotesque semblance of a grin, the jagged edges of its mouth dripping with venom that hissed as it hit the stone.
'A Naga...'