Kael, while standing in front of the stone altar, everything suddenly changed. At that moment, a door opened; but this door was the one that would drag Kael into a dark journey. With everything rapidly darkening, the walls began to rise. They quickly surrounded him, narrowing Kael's field of vision. With each step, the emptiness around him compressed a little more, everything becoming more uncertain.
The power within him was still echoing in his body, but now it seemed almost impossible to control it. Everything was turning into a chaos that was rapidly heading toward a resolution. Though Kael thought he was paying the price for a mistake, he realized there was no turning back now. This trial was pushing him toward his own inner darkness, to break free from the echoes of the past, and to grow even stronger. He had stepped into a dark labyrinth, but this labyrinth was not just a physical space—it was also a reflection of Kael's own subconscious.
All of a sudden, the silence of everything gave way to a scream. Each step he took into the labyrinth reminded him of the deepest fears of his past. But this encompassed not only Kael's past but also every emotion, every mistake that had shaped him. All his feelings were merging, offering him true power and inner enlightenment. It was entirely instinctive.
The ground trembled, the sounds coming from the walls followed his every step. Kael felt more alone than ever before. Yet this loneliness was giving him more strength than fear. Fear had stopped being an obstacle and, with each step, had begun to provide him with a driving force. At that moment, Kael realized how important it was to take just one more step.
All the walls had surrounded him, and none of them left him a way to escape. But the power within Kael was growing like a snake with every passing second. The darkness, at one point, had started to challenge him; yet he was strong enough to take this darkness into himself.
And then, in the midst of the moment when everything darkened, Kael took one more step. Within the darkness, another light appeared. This time, it wasn't a light showing him the way forward. It had become a light pulling him even deeper. In an instant, he felt that everything had completely changed. There was a vibration around the light, like a power echoing in Kael's body.
The labyrinth was no longer a testing ground. This was a place where Kael had to face the deep darkness within himself. Every wall, every corner, was woven with his fears and the losses of his past. However, Kael was now determined enough not to run away. This journey would lead him to his fears, his past, and ultimately his power.
He stepped toward the light, and as everything slowly became uncertain, Kael knew only one thing: This darkness would reveal the true power awaiting him.
Kael took a step toward the light, but everything became uncertain once again. In an instant, as the darkness enveloped him, the humming sounds from the walls grew even louder. For a moment, he couldn't quite grasp what was happening, but he was aware that he was missing something. At the end of it all, the light quickly faded. The darkness had begun to pull him even deeper.
He slowly looked around; everything seemed to have reshaped itself. The labyrinth now looked like a combination of multiple paths and passages. Every corner, every side, was as frightening and threatening as the one before. But Kael noticed something. This wasn't just a trial. This was a choice. The darkness was offering him an opportunity. If he chose the right path, he could reach the exit, but every wrong step could lead to an even deeper collapse.
With each step, his eyes felt like they were getting lost in the darkness, but at the same time, the power within him kept pushing him forward. It was as if every step was teaching him something and shaping him. But this power was completely uncontrollable. Kael felt a pressure increasing with every second. Power and fear were dancing together; but maintaining this balance was proving quite difficult for him.
Suddenly, a deep cracking sound was heard. Something began to move from between one of the walls. Kael's heart started beating rapidly. This wasn't just the walls shifting. There was something here. A creature, or an entity… Kael reached into his pocket, but as always, there was nothing in his hand. His power had vanished. Only his will and determination could help him now.
Every corner was turning into another trap. The walls seemed to be watching Kael's movements. For a moment, a door appeared in front of the path before him. But Kael knew this was just another trap. Every door might look like an exit, but in reality, it was a way to descend even deeper. Without hesitation, Kael veered into a path and continued.
He was constantly on guard. With every step, there was something he needed to escape from. When he took another step, he heard a sound on the path. The sound of something slowly moving backward, step by step… Kael's fear began to grow again. But he didn't stop. Kael set his fear aside and kept moving forward step by step. He had to face the darkness within him.
After a while, at the end of the path he was following, another light appeared. But this time, it wasn't a light giving Kael real hope. It was merely a glimmer trying to draw him into yet another danger. Without thinking about how far he had come or how much progress he had made, Kael stepped toward the light. Everything became uncertain once more. He no longer knew when it was night or when it was day.
The labyrinth was no longer an escape; it was Kael's journey to his own self. Every step offered him a truth closer to himself. His fear had become merely a driving force. Kael had overcome yet another obstacle he needed to pass in this journey. But this was only the beginning.
When Kael took one more step toward the light, everything vanished again. As his eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, he slowed his steps. The thoughts emerging in his mind were becoming more uncertain with every passing second. Though the labyrinth was chaotic and frightening, it was somehow dragging him into an inner discovery. Every corner, every passage, every step held another dark secret. Kael was aware that his past, his lost memories, and his fears were hidden in these narrow corridors.
With each step, the humming sounds from the walls were heard a little closer. The sounds weren't just an echo; it was as if they were seeping into Kael's soul. The power within him was reminding him of all the pains, losses, and fears of his past. But something had changed. Now, this power didn't feel like a curse—it felt like a potential. Kael tried to control his will and kept moving forward in the darkness.
Until just a moment ago, the walls he feared were no longer blocking him. He was advancing solely with the desire to find an exit. Sometimes, a humming sound coming from behind a wall reawakened all his fears within him, yet at the same time, it forced him to keep going. Kael continued without stopping, without even a moment of hesitation.
For a moment, the thought that everything was a trap enveloped his mind. Every corner, every passage, every door… All of them were trying to pull him deeper. But one door caught Kael's attention. It was different from the others. Around the door were old, faded symbols. The symbols seemed to remind him of something from his past, though he couldn't figure out what. Guided by an instinct, he headed toward this door.
As he opened the door, the sounds became more distinct. The room began to take on a constantly shifting structure. As the darkness intensified, it settled onto Kael's chest like a weight. After moving forward for a while, another source of light appeared. But this light was nothing more than an illusion further confusing his path. Without hesitation, Kael stepped toward this light as well.
However, with each step, the power within him echoed even more. This power was no longer helping him. On the contrary, it was dragging every passage into a dead end. The labyrinth was challenging his mind and soul more with every passing second, showing him all its dark faces. Now, the lost memories and fears forgotten over time had become more tangible. Suddenly, a noise coming from behind a wall pushed Kael back with a shiver. A light sparked in his mind. This wasn't just about escaping—it also meant overcoming every obstacle in his path.
Kael took a deep breath once more. As the darkness grew denser with every passing second, the power and fear within him sharpened like a blade. With every step, he was getting to know this power a little more. Fear was no longer just a driving force—it was also becoming a source of strength. Kael grew more determined with each step, every corner, every passage pulling him deeper. But this time, instead of advancing desperately, he was carefully choosing every decision, every move. The labyrinth was here to teach him something, and Kael was determined to learn.
Slowly, at the end of the path he was following, another exit appeared. But this seemed more like an opportunity than a trap. As Kael adjusted his eyes to the darkness, he continued forward with just a moment of hesitation. The path he had once feared so much now seemed to him like just an area he needed to move through.
At the end of the path, the labyrinth's darkness-draped walls glowed as if they would show him the exit. Everything would take shape with a single move. He took one more step. And at that moment, another door opened. But this was truly a door showing the exit. Kael, now holding his breath, stepped toward this final door.
As soon as he passed through the door, he found himself in the emptiness of a dark room. His surroundings were enveloped with a new task he needed to solve. Time constraints, fears, the shadows of the past… All of them together were challenging Kael, but they were giving him one last chance to find the right path.
And finally, a voice was heard: "This isn't an exit. This is another beginning."
"An exit… Isn't it? Then is there more?" said Kael.
This was the beginning of the transition to the second stage.