I heard faint sounds swirling around me, as if they were coming from every corner of this dark arena. They were intermittent, strange, and at first, I thought they were just echoes of my nervous thoughts. But with each passing second, I felt them drawing nearer, converging from all directions, as if they were surrounding me on all sides.
My heart began to race, and a strange feeling of fear filled me, as if something invisible was approaching without me being able to see it. Nothing around me but shadows and the sounds growing louder, each one almost a whisper, as if calling me to pay attention.
I couldn't move quickly, or even breathe deeply without drawing attention. Every step could be my last. "I can't be weak now..." I whispered to myself, but I couldn't shake the sense of looming danger creeping deep within me.
Are these the creatures they talked about? Are they watching me now? I felt something tighten in my throat, as though everything around me was pulling me into a state of complete helplessness. I tried to stay calm, to focus on the silence that should govern my movements, but the sounds were growing, feeding off my fear.
The sounds drew closer, faint at first, then accelerating little by little, as if something invisible was drawing near with steady steps. My heart beat violently in my chest, and I felt as though its thumping filled the entire space, as if it were the only sound that could be heard now. The sounds spun around me, surrounding me from every side, and I couldn't pinpoint their source.
Then suddenly, a warning bell rang in my mind. The whispers were becoming clearer, as if hidden creatures were approaching, watching every move I made. A heavy sensation settled in my stomach, and my breath became more shallow. If I made even the slightest mistake, they would expose me now. "No room for error, no room for hesitation," the words of my commander echoed in my mind, but the fear was creeping in slowly.
The distance between me and them was closing, and I could feel something invisible getting closer, breathing in my ear, almost touching me. I wanted to move, to do something, but I was trapped. I remained still, frozen, to avoid drawing more attention. But there was something in the air, something heavy, pressing on me from every side, threatening to shatter the silence I clung to.
In that moment, I realized that any uncalculated move could be my end here.
I started seeing eyes watching me from above the maze wall, staring at me steadily. They weren't human eyes, but strange, shining like gemstones, though they carried something unnatural. Their gleam pierced the darkness, slipping deep into me, as if they could see everything inside. They weren't just eyes observing; they were tracking every movement, every breath I took.
In that moment, I felt a heavy weight in my chest, as though the air had thickened. I looked into those eyes, and I couldn't escape their gaze. I saw nothing in them but... death. Their stare embodied everything terrifying in this place, as if these creatures were watching the moment of my end. I was certain now that any wrong step would mark the beginning of the end.
Suddenly, the air turned unnaturally cold, as if those eyes were giving me a warning that time was running out. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "I won't allow myself to be weak. I must be stronger than this." These words echoed in my mind, but the fear only grew with each passing second.
The creatures began crawling down from the maze wall, slowly, as though they were devouring the distance between us with their harsh feet. Their movement was unnatural, each crawl emitting a faint sound like an inhuman hiss, embedding a feeling of despair in my mind. Their gleaming eyes followed me mercilessly, and with every step they took, I felt the air around me growing heavier, as if the maze itself was closing off all escape routes.
I realized at that moment that I was trapped, that there was a narrow space between me and these creatures whose nature I didn't know, nor the extent of their power. They were getting closer, moving with that elusive manner that made it impossible to predict their next move. Every step confirmed one thing: time was running out.
My heart pounded faster, and I felt every beat as it pierced my body. The surrounding sounds grew louder, distorting my thoughts. These creatures were advancing toward me gradually, as if studying me, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"There's no choice. I must move now." I whispered to myself, but my body almost refused to respond. Everything in this place opposed every attempt to move forward, as if the maze itself were part of a complex trap.
I suddenly started running, despite all the warnings echoing in my mind. I had no time to think or hesitate any longer. The creatures were closing in, their crawling sounds growing clearer, their gleaming eyes watching every movement I made. I felt my heart beating in my chest, as if I were running in sync with it, while my steps echoed in the narrow maze corridors.
As I ran, I tried to ignore the overwhelming sense of dread that began to take over me. "Don't think about them now, just run!" This was what I kept telling myself. The place around me started to shift into distorted shadows, and with every new step, the light breeze brushed my face, but all I could hear was the sound of my rapid breathing.
As I ran, the shadows grew denser around me, as if the entire place had turned into a living nightmare. My steps were heavy, as though the ground was trying to trap me, preventing my escape. The faster my breathing became, the more I felt the air around me turn into invisible threads, entangling me, blocking my path to freedom.
"You're strong... don't let fear defeat you," I whispered to myself, trying to steady my heart. But suddenly, I heard a strange whisper, a voice I had never heard before, echoing in my ear like terrifying echoes. It was a mysterious whisper, words I couldn't understand, but it was enough to slow my steps and send a shiver down my spine.
I stopped for a moment, gasping for breath, turning to look around me. The shadows were closing in, swirling around me like an endless vortex, as if they were trying to swallow me whole.