Star's breath caught as the cold, heavy air pressed around her. Five years ago, her sister Leah vanished and with her, Tristan, Leah's boyfriend, disappeared into thin air. No trace. No answers. Only silence.
Her sister's desperate search had only ended when Leah herself went missing. Starr had no choice but to continue the hunt. She enrolled in the university, joined the excavation project, all to uncover the dark truth behind the maze, the place whispered about in hushed tones as a prison for the lost.
Now, standing at the cave's mouth, the maze swallowing the world behind her, she felt that truth close enough to touch.
Then, through the thick fog, she saw him or something that looked like him. Tristan. Her heart surged with hope and dread. But the figure was distant, shrouded in mist and shadow, an eerie replica of the man she remembered.
Star's eyes locked onto the illusion, desperate to get closer, to speak, to confirm if this was really Tristan, or just a cruel trick.
Every step forward was a battle. The maze shifted and twisted, the fog reaching out like fingers ready to shred flesh from bone. One wrong move meant death.
Her fingers tightened on the strange mask she'd found — the only protection against the deadly illusions. She wouldn't let herself fall, wouldn't be shredded to pieces like so many others.
Star knew the maze was more than a place — it was a cage, a trap holding her sister, Tristan, and countless others for years. And she had to find a way to break free — before the game claimed her too.
Star's heart hammered as she pushed forward through the thickening fog. The maze seemed to twist more violently now, as if sensing her purpose. Then, finally, through the swirling mist, she saw them.
Leah — her sister.
Leah was bound in heavy chains, her body wrapped in dirty bandages, the ragged fabric stained with years of neglect. Her face was pale, eyes wide with terror, but her lips trembled as she screamed, "Starr! Don't come closer! Don't come closer!"
Before Leah stood Tristan, her sister's boyfriend, but he was no longer the man she remembered. His eyes were cold, distant, almost void of recognition. His hands gripped the chains that bound Leah, as if he was the one who had put them there.
Starr's voice caught in her throat. "Leah…" she whispered, reaching out toward her sister.
But the moment her fingers brushed the cold metal of the chains, a violent force slammed into her, sending her flying backwards with a sickening thud. She crashed into the cave wall, pain exploding across her back. Blood dripped from her mouth, pooling on the rocky floor beneath her.
Yet, Starr refused to give in.
With trembling strength, she lifted her head, scanning the empty space before her. The cruel illusion had vanished, but the weight of guilt pressed down heavier than ever. This game… it was more than just a test of survival. It was a torment that preyed on her deepest fears, her darkest secrets.
Her sister's wails echoed in her mind, and Star knew the fight was far from over. Somewhere in this maze lay the truth, and she would uncover it — no matter the cost.
Starr's body trembled as she pushed herself up from the cold, jagged floor. The blood trickling from her mouth tasted metallic, sharp against her tongue. Pain radiated down her back, but the fire burning in her chest was stronger. She couldn't afford to falter — not now.
The illusion had vanished, but the weight it left behind was crushing. Her sister, Leah, trapped in chains. Tristan, the man she once loved, standing as her captor. The image was a twisted mirror of reality and guilt, designed to break her spirit.
Starr wiped the blood from her lips, her eyes narrowing with resolve.
She glanced around. The fog still coiled in thick tendrils, whispering threats and promises of despair. The faint sounds of others screaming and bodies being torn apart echoed through the labyrinth, a constant reminder that death was never far behind.
Star took a steadying breath and moved forward, determined to find the real Leah — to uncover what fate had truly befallen her sister and Tristan. Every step was heavy with pain, but also with hope.
Somewhere in this nightmare, the truth waited.