Noah moved deeper into the maze, the air thickening with each step he took. The shadows along the walls felt almost liquid, as if they were waiting to close in on him, to pull him into the stone itself. His breaths echoed softly, but the sound seemed to drift away, swallowed by the oppressive silence. Every so often, faint glimmers appeared at the edge of his vision—symbols that danced like embers before fading as soon as he tried to focus on them.
For a moment, he paused, pressing his hand against the cold wall. He could feel a subtle, pulsing beat in the stone, rhythmic and slow, as if the maze itself was breathing. Noah's chest tightened. The beat felt strangely familiar, like something he'd once known but could no longer reach.
Why does this feel so… close?
He closed his eyes, hoping to catch even the faintest memory, but all he felt was a hollow ache, as if something precious was just out of reach. Taking a shaky breath, he pressed on, each step feeling heavier, burdened by the weight of his own confusion.
As he rounded another corner, a faint sound reached his ears—a murmur, soft and indistinct, like voices layered over one another. Noah stilled, listening, but the sound faded almost immediately. He frowned, glancing over his shoulder. The hallway behind him was empty, the shadows stretched thin and lifeless.
But he wasn't alone.
Ahead, he glimpsed a figure moving quickly, the outline of another recruit slipping around a corner. Noah hesitated, then followed, his footsteps cautious. The last thing he wanted was to be lost in here alone, surrounded only by whispers and shadows.
He turned the corner, only to find an empty hallway. The recruit had vanished, leaving only the unsettling silence in his wake.
A cold prickle ran down his spine. The maze was playing with him, shifting subtly, erasing footsteps, rearranging paths. It was almost as if it wanted him to feel alone, cornered by its walls and whispers.
Noah ventured further, his gaze flicking over the strange symbols that lined the walls. Some resembled the branches of trees, twisted and thorny, while others were patterns he couldn't recognize. They pulsed faintly, and the more he looked, the more he felt an inexplicable connection, as though these shapes were meant for him to understand. But the meaning slipped away, elusive as smoke.
After a few turns, the corridor opened into a chamber. It was dimly lit, the air heavy and damp. In the center lay a shallow pool, its surface as still as glass, reflecting the muted light. Drawn by a pull he couldn't explain, Noah approached the pool, peering into its depths.
His own face stared back, but there was something off about the reflection—his eyes seemed darker, his expression more intense, filled with a depth of emotion he didn't recognize. He swallowed, his throat dry.
"Who… am I?" he whispered, barely realizing he'd spoken aloud.
The reflection smirked, a ghost of a smile that sent a chill through him. Then, almost imperceptibly, it spoke, its voice soft but cold. "You've come before. You'll come again."
Noah felt his heart stutter. "What do you mean? I've never… I don't even know who I am."
The reflection's eyes seemed to pierce into him, a look filled with something deeper, almost like pity. "Remembering isn't a choice. But forgetting, that's what keeps you coming back."
Noah stumbled back, his pulse racing. The words clung to him, dark and inescapable, settling deep within his bones. He wanted to look away, but the reflection held him captive, its expression filled with an unnerving familiarity.
"Who are you?" he managed, his voice hoarse.
The reflection's gaze softened, its tone almost a whisper. "You already know."
Before he could react, the image rippled and faded, leaving only his own pale face staring back. He stood there, shaken, as the stillness of the pool swallowed his reflection once more.
A sudden, urgent whisper brushed against his mind. "You will return… whether you want to or not."
The words sent a tremor through him, stirring something buried deep within his heart. It was as if the maze itself was reaching into him, pulling at threads of memories he couldn't grasp. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of frustration—a longing to understand, to remember. It was maddening, this feeling of déjà vu that lingered just beyond his reach.
Was this the maze's way of testing him, or was it something else? A warning, perhaps? Or a reminder?
The symbols on the walls seemed to pulse more insistently, almost in response to his questions. He reached out, fingertips brushing against one of the shapes, and for an instant, he felt something—an echo of warmth, like the faintest memory of sunlight. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving only the cold stone beneath his hand.
Noah drew a shaky breath, pushing down the ache that threatened to overwhelm him. The maze was more than stone and shadows. It was reaching into him, drawing out pieces he wasn't ready to face. But he couldn't turn back now. Something in him knew that, even if he didn't understand why.
As he continued, the maze grew narrower, the walls pressing closer, their shadows darker and more oppressive. The silence was broken only by his footsteps, echoing faintly as if mocking him. Each turn led him deeper, and each step felt heavier, like the weight of the maze itself was bearing down on him.
He reached a fork in the path, three corridors stretching out before him. Each one seemed identical, but a faint whisper brushed against his mind, guiding him toward the middle path. It felt irrational, a tug at his heart rather than his mind, yet he couldn't shake the urge to follow it.
Trust the instinct.
The maze shifted as he moved forward, the air growing colder. Shadows flickered at the edges of his vision, and he felt eyes on him, an invisible presence watching, waiting. A faint pulse thrummed beneath his feet, echoing the beat of his own heart.
Suddenly, a figure appeared at the end of the corridor—a young woman, her face familiar yet strange. Her gaze was distant, her features blurred, as though she were part of the shadows. She raised her hand, beckoning him forward, her voice barely a whisper.
"Come… back…"
Noah took a hesitant step, then another. But as he drew closer, the figure faded, melting into the darkness. The ache in his chest deepened, an emptiness he couldn't explain.
Just as he was about to continue, the walls around him pulsed, a wave of energy radiating outward. The symbols on the stone glowed brighter, and a low hum filled the air, vibrating through his bones.
The final whisper echoed around him, each word a haunting reminder. "You'll return… until you understand."
Noah stood frozen, his breath shallow. The maze wasn't just a trial. It was a message, a warning. And somewhere within its walls lay answers he couldn't ignore.
A shiver ran down his spine as he forced himself to move forward, each step carrying the weight of the maze's whispers, the pulsing symbols, and the silent promise that he would, indeed, return.