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The labyrinth, as expected, did not give them a moment's peace.
After the confrontation with the siren's song, Kaelen and his companions pushed forward, their minds sharp but still wary. The air, which had once been thick with sweet floral scent, now carried a sharper, acrid tang. The walls, now slick with moisture, seemed to press in from all sides, but the maze's true danger lay not in the oppressive atmosphere—it lay in the way the labyrinth twisted the very essence of their desires.
As they walked, Kaelen could feel his Wrath Points pulsing steadily, almost rhythmically. But this time, it wasn't the rush of power that filled him—it was a kind of hunger. A gnawing, relentless craving that made his fingers itch, that pulled at the edges of his thoughts.
"This place is playing with us," Seraphine said, her voice tight with suspicion. "It's tempting us, showing us things we want but can't have."
Ariella's brow furrowed. "How so?"
"I can feel it," Seraphine continued, her expression distant, her eyes unfocused as if she was seeing something else entirely. "The labyrinth isn't just feeding on our fear or anger anymore. It's tapping into our desires, making us question everything."
Kaelen's fists clenched. He didn't know what it was, but he could sense it too. His thoughts weren't as clear as they should be. He wasn't the only one struggling to keep his focus. Ariella's posture was tense, her grip on her sword visibly faltering, and Seraphine's usual sharpness had dulled a little.
The labyrinth was becoming more insidious. It wasn't just pushing them to fight—it was toying with their very sense of self, of what they truly wanted.
"Stay sharp," Kaelen growled, his eyes narrowing. "We've dealt with worse."
They rounded a corner, and suddenly, the corridor opened into a large, cavernous room. The stone floor was smooth, and above them, the ceiling was lost in shadow. The air was thick with the scent of blood and the sound of faint whispers. A faint, golden light flickered in the distance, as if beckoning them closer.
Kaelen's senses flared. It was too quiet. Too serene. He wasn't falling for it.
"Do you hear that?" Ariella asked, her voice low and cautious.
Kaelen nodded. The whispers were growing louder, almost melodic. But beneath the melody, something else lay hidden—something darker, more insidious. Kaelen felt his heartbeat quicken, his anger rising. He wasn't about to let the labyrinth get the best of him.
"Stay close," he muttered.
They moved into the center of the room, where the golden light came from a pedestal in the center. It held a shimmering crystal, glowing with an ethereal radiance. The whispers seemed to come from it, their voices sweet, seductive.
Kaelen felt it—the pull. The desire to reach out, to touch the crystal and see what it promised. His mind whispered that it was an answer, a solution, a way to end all the chaos, to give him what he craved most. A power. A *right* to rule. But something told him that it wasn't just the labyrinth giving him this temptation—it was his own mind.
"Don't touch it," Seraphine warned, her voice cold, as if the sight of the crystal unsettled her. "It's an illusion. It feeds on our desires."
Ariella, however, seemed frozen in place, her hand reaching out toward the crystal. "It feels so real," she murmured, her voice filled with awe.
Kaelen grabbed her wrist before she could touch it, his grip firm. "Don't. It's not real. None of this is real."
Ariella seemed to snap out of her trance, blinking rapidly as if coming out of a fog. "What… what happened?"
Seraphine stepped forward, her eyes scanning the room. "The labyrinth is getting better at this. It shows us what we want most and tries to convince us it's the answer. But it's a lie. Every time."
Kaelen's gaze remained fixed on the crystal. His anger surged once more—this thing, whatever it was, was trying to break them. To make them question what they wanted. But he knew better now. He had faced his doubts, his weaknesses. This crystal wasn't going to tempt him.
"Let's destroy it," Kaelen muttered, stepping forward.
The crystal pulsed in response to his words, a wave of pressure filling the room, like the labyrinth itself was pushing back. The whispers became louder, more frantic, and Kaelen could feel the heat of his Wrath Points building. They were feeding off of him.
But before Kaelen could move, the light around the crystal flared up, blinding him for a moment. The next thing he knew, the room was no longer a simple cavern—it was an arena, and standing across from him was… himself.
But it wasn't the Kaelen he knew.
This version of him was draped in regal robes, his face smooth, unmarred by scars or time. His eyes were filled with power and confidence, and he wore a cruel smirk.
"I see you're still resisting," the mirror Kaelen said, his voice dripping with mockery. "You think you can walk away from what you truly want? I *am* you, Kaelen. You can't escape me."
Kaelen's heart pounded in his chest. It was a trap. This was another of the labyrinth's illusions, an attempt to make him doubt himself. His reflection had everything he'd ever wanted—control, power, respect. But it wasn't real. It was nothing more than an illusion. He had to destroy it.
"You don't control me," Kaelen snarled, stepping forward. "I control my own fate."
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**Wrath Points: 120 / 20.**
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The mirror Kaelen's smirk faltered, replaced by a look of genuine rage. "You think you're free? You're nothing without your anger. Without me."
Kaelen's resolve solidified. He didn't need the power of the labyrinth's illusions. He had his own strength.
"I don't need you," Kaelen said, his voice clear and steady. "I choose who I am."
With a roar, Kaelen charged forward, his dagger flashing through the air. His reflection mirrored his movements, but Kaelen was faster. He slashed, and with a single strike, the illusion shattered, the arena vanishing in an instant. The golden light from the crystal flickered and died, leaving only the oppressive shadows of the labyrinth.
Kaelen stood over the remnants of the illusion, breathing heavily. "That's one more lie destroyed," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
Ariella and Seraphine slowly stepped forward, both looking a little shaken but resolute. "You were right," Ariella said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It wasn't real. But it almost felt…"
"Tempting?" Kaelen finished for her. "Yeah. The labyrinth knows how to use our desires against us. But I'm not falling for it."
"We're not done yet," Seraphine warned. "The labyrinth still has more tricks up its sleeve."
Kaelen grinned. "Let it come. We've been through worse."
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