Damon's breath caught as he stood frozen in the strange chamber. The air was dense, charged with an energy that made his skin tingle. All around him, the glowing patterns on the walls pulsed softly, as though alive. The polished floor beneath him reflected the faint light, stretching infinitely into the distance.
"This… this can't be real,"
Damon muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He pinched the back of his hand, hard. Nothing changed.
'Alright. Not a dream. Fantastic.'
Before he could gather his thoughts, a loud, metallic hum echoed through the chamber, followed by a blinding flash of light behind him. Damon spun around, squinting against the glare. When it faded, he wasn't alone anymore.
A group of people now stood in the chamber, looking just as confused and disoriented as Damon felt. There were about a dozen of them, all dressed in everyday clothes—workers, students, travelers. Their wide eyes darted around the room, taking in their surroundings.
"What… where am I?"
a young man in a hoodie asked, his voice shaky.
"What is this place?"
demanded a woman in a business suit, clutching her briefcase as though it might offer her some kind of protection.
"I was just… I was on the subway,"
another person said, their voice trailing off as they looked around in stunned disbelief.
"This doesn't make any sense!"
a man in a leather jacket snapped, his fists clenched.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Hey! Calm down!"
Damon said, stepping forward. He held his hands up, trying to project a calm he didn't feel.
"I'm as lost as you are, but freaking out isn't going to help anyone."
The man in the leather jacket glared at him but didn't argue. Instead, he crossed his arms and muttered under his breath. Damon let out a breath of relief. He wasn't sure why he'd decided to take charge, but it felt better than standing around doing nothing.
"Alright,"
Damon said, turning to face the group.
"First things first. My name's Damon. Anyone have any idea what this place is or how we got here?"
"No clue,"
the woman in the business suit said, her voice tight.
"I was leaving work and… and then there was this light, and now I'm here."
"Same here,"
said the guy in the hoodie.
"I was at home, just chilling, and the next thing I know, I'm standing here."
"Wonderful,"
Damon muttered.
"So, nobody knows anything. That's… helpful."
A soft hum interrupted the conversation. The glowing patterns on the walls began to shift, rearranging themselves into new symbols and shapes. The light grew brighter, casting long shadows across the room. Damon took a cautious step back, his pulse quickening.
"Uh, guys?"
he said, pointing to the walls.
"I think something's happening."
As if on cue, the hum grew louder, and a voice echoed through the chamber. It was deep and resonant, yet emotionless, as though spoken by the Maze itself.
[Welcome, challengers.]
The group froze, their eyes darting around the room as they searched for the source of the voice.
[You have been chosen to enter the Eternal Maze. Here, you will be tested. Only the strong, the clever, and the determined will survive. Prove yourselves, or be consumed by the labyrinth.]
"Wait, what?"
the man in the leather jacket shouted.
"What do you mean, 'consumed'?"
The voice ignored him, continuing without pause.
[Your journey begins now. Each of you has been marked. Use your gifts wisely, for they are your only tools against the dangers ahead. Work together, or perish alone.]
Before anyone could respond, the patterns on the walls flashed again, and Damon felt a strange warmth on his chest. He looked down to see a faint symbol glowing through his shirt. He yanked the fabric aside, revealing a mark etched onto his skin, a jagged, geometric shape that pulsed faintly with light.
"What the hell is this?"
Damon muttered, running his fingers over the mark. It didn't hurt, but the sight of it sent a shiver down his spine.
Around him, the others were reacting similarly, pulling at their clothes to reveal similar marks on their skin. Each symbol was unique, but all glowed with the same eerie light.
"What did it mean by 'gifts'?"
A girl's voice cut through the confusion. Damon turned, surprised to see this girl among the group.
"Julie?"
She must have appeared after him, though he hadn't noticed.
Damon said, looking stressed. He crossed the room to her, gripping her shoulders. "Are you okay?, what are you doing here?"
She nodded, though her wide eyes betrayed her fear. "I have no idea. Damon, what's going on?"
"I wish I knew,"
he admitted.
"Just stick to me."
The chamber shuddered, and a section of the far wall slid open with a grinding noise, revealing a dark passageway. The group turned to stare at it, their expressions ranging from fear to determination.
"So, uh, do we just… go in?"
the guy in the hoodie asked, his voice trembling.
"Looks like it,"
Damon said, stepping forward. He glanced over his shoulder at the others.
"Unless anyone's got a better idea."
"Wait,"
Julie said, grabbing his arm.
"We don't know what's in there. It could be dangerous."
"It probably is,"
Damon said, his tone light despite the weight of her words.
"But staying here isn't going to get us any answers."
Julie hesitated, then nodded. "Emm… okay just be careful please."
"Always,"
Damon said with a faint grin. He turned back to the passageway, taking a deep breath. His heart was pounding, but he forced himself to take the first step. Behind him, the others followed, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
The passageway was narrow and dimly lit, the walls lined with more glowing patterns. The air grew colder as they moved deeper, and Damon could feel the tension in the group growing with each step.
"Anyone else feel like this is a really bad idea?"
the man in the leather jacket muttered.
"Pretty much,"
Damon said.
"But hey, at least we're all in this bad idea together."
The man snorted, though it sounded more amused than angry.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that."
"Thanks,"
Damon said.
"I guess?"
They emerged into another chamber, this one larger and more ominous. In the center of the room stood a massive, stone pedestal, and atop it rested a glowing orb. The light from the orb bathed the room in an otherworldly glow, casting long shadows across the walls.
"What is that?"
Julie whispered, her eyes fixed on the orb.
"Only one way to find out,"
Damon said, stepping forward.
As he approached the pedestal, the ground trembled, and a deep growl echoed through the chamber. Damon froze, his eyes darting around the room. From the shadows emerged a hulking creature, its body covered in jagged armor and its glowing eyes fixed on the group.
"Well,"
Damon said, his voice tight.
"Guess the welcome party's over."