---
Kaelen's mind raced as he turned away from the shattered remnants of the orb. The labyrinth had taken so much from them already. It had twisted their emotions, fed on their fears, and tried to break their wills. But now that they had destroyed the manifestation of its power, Kaelen knew the true test was yet to come.
Seraphine and Ariella flanked him, their expressions grim as they followed his lead. The chamber had fallen silent after the orb's destruction, the weight of the labyrinth pressing down on them once more. Even with the heart of the labyrinth shattered, something still felt off. The sense that they were being watched never left.
"We need to get to the heart of this place," Kaelen said, his voice low and determined. "If we can destroy whatever's truly controlling this labyrinth, it'll all be over."
Seraphine nodded, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the empty chamber. "The labyrinth doesn't let go easily. It will fight back. And it won't be pretty."
Ariella gripped her sword tighter. "We're ready. Whatever it throws at us, we'll handle it."
Kaelen took a deep breath, willing his nerves to steady. The labyrinth was a creature of manipulation and illusion, but now, they were armed with knowledge and experience. They knew its tricks, its tactics. And they had something the labyrinth didn't—control.
---
**Wrath Points: 80 / 20.**
---
The surge of power was unmistakable. Kaelen felt his Wrath Points climbing once again, as if the labyrinth itself was trying to fuel his anger to turn it against him. But this time, he didn't let it. He kept his emotions in check, using the power only as a tool, not as a weapon that would cloud his judgment.
The group moved forward through the shifting halls, the labyrinth twisting and turning around them like a living entity. The walls seemed to pulse, the air heavy with a strange energy. It was as if the labyrinth was aware of their presence, aware that they were coming for its heart.
As they pressed deeper, the corridors grew darker, the atmosphere more oppressive. It felt like the very air itself was thick with malice. And then, they reached it.
A massive door loomed before them, its surface covered in strange symbols and markings that seemed to glow faintly with an eerie light. It was unlike any door they had seen before, almost alive in its own way, pulsating with energy.
"This is it," Kaelen said, his voice steady but full of anticipation. "This is where it all ends."
Seraphine stepped forward, raising her staff. "Do you think the labyrinth will just let us waltz through?"
"No," Kaelen replied, a grim smile tugging at his lips. "But I'm done playing by its rules."
He placed his hand on the door, and instantly, a jolt of energy surged through him. The door resisted, but Kaelen could feel the heartbeat of the labyrinth pulsing against his touch. He focused on the Wrath Points inside him, drawing on that power, not to destroy, but to force the labyrinth to bend to his will.
The door groaned, its surface cracking as the energy from within began to crackle. Kaelen's grip tightened as he pushed harder, channeling his power through his palm.
With a final crack, the door burst open, revealing the true heart of the labyrinth.
---
Inside the chamber, Kaelen could see it—a massive crystal, floating above a pedestal at the center of the room. The crystal was unlike anything he had ever seen before, pulsating with dark, twisted energy. It was beautiful in its own way, but Kaelen could feel the corruption oozing from it. This was the true heart of the labyrinth. This was the source of its power.
It floated above a pool of black liquid, the liquid rippling as if alive, as though it were the very foundation of the labyrinth itself. The air in the room crackled with dark energy, and Kaelen could feel the weight of its presence pressing down on him.
"We have to destroy it," Kaelen said, his voice full of resolve.
Seraphine stepped forward, her staff glowing with power. "But how? This crystal… it's feeding off everything. The labyrinth, our anger—it's all tied to this."
Ariella stepped to Kaelen's side, her sword drawn and ready. "Then we cut the source of its power."
Kaelen nodded. "Together."
As they moved toward the crystal, the room seemed to shift, the air growing colder, heavier. The labyrinth was fighting back, but Kaelen wouldn't be swayed. He had come too far. He had fought too hard.
The crystal above them flickered, and a voice boomed through the chamber, a deep, malevolent voice that seemed to come from the very walls themselves.
"*You dare try to destroy me?*"
Kaelen's blood ran cold, but he didn't falter. "I dare."
The voice laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "*You are nothing. You are just a pawn in this game. The labyrinth will never fall. I will never fall.*"
Kaelen gritted his teeth, the surge of Wrath Points flaring inside him. He could feel the labyrinth's power trying to invade his mind, twisting his emotions, urging him to give in to the rage. But Kaelen wouldn't fall for it. Not again.
The crystal pulsed with power, and suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked, sending shockwaves through the chamber. The labyrinth's final assault had begun.
Kaelen's eyes flashed with fire as he raised his hand toward the crystal. "Let's finish this."
He focused all his energy, all his Wrath Points, into one final, powerful strike. His anger, his determination, his very will—he poured it all into the attack.
The crystal trembled.
Seraphine raised her staff, chanting an incantation under her breath, while Ariella swung her sword, its blade glowing with light as it cut through the air.
Together, they unleashed everything they had.
---
The world seemed to shudder as the crystal cracked, its dark energy ripping through the chamber. Kaelen's heart pounded as the crystal shattered into a thousand pieces, each fragment dissolving into the void, leaving nothing behind.
The labyrinth's grip on them loosened.
For the first time, Kaelen felt free.
---