Chapter 78:The Ghostly Confession and the Maze of Illusions

### Chapter: The Ghostly Confession and the Maze of Illusions

Subham awoke, finding himself tied to a chair in a dimly lit room. His hands were bound tightly behind his back, and the rope bit into his wrists. He struggled against his restraints, but they held firm.

The door creaked open, and Ananya walked in, wearing an alluring, ice-blue dress that shimmered in the dim light. Her cold demeanor and ethereal beauty made her look almost otherworldly. The dress hugged her curves, flowing gracefully as she moved, and her icy blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.

"Ananya?" he called out, his voice wavering. "Help me out of these ropes."

Instead of moving to untie him, Ananya approached slowly, a seductive smile playing on her lips. "Subham, there's something I need to tell you," she said, her voice soft and intimate. "I love you."

Subham's eyes widened. "What? Ananya, this isn't the time for jokes. Get me out of here."

She ignored his pleas, leaning closer until her face was inches from his. "I've always loved you, Subham," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. "And I know you feel the same way."

Subham's mind raced. This wasn't like Ananya at all. "Ananya, we can't do this. Something's wrong. This isn't real."

She moved even closer, her lips almost brushing his. "Why resist? Just let it happen. Don't you want this?"

"Ananya, I like you, but not in that way," Subham said, trying to keep his voice steady. "This isn't right."

Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, come on, Subham. You know you want this." She traced a finger down his cheek, sending shivers down his spine. "We could be so good together."

Subham's desperation surged as he struggled harder against his bonds. "I said stop!"

Suddenly, a mysterious golden power erupted from deep within him, his eyes turning a brilliant gold. The room seemed to shatter like glass, and the illusion fell apart around him. Ananya's seductive form vanished, replaced by the dingy walls of the old house.

Subham took a deep breath, feeling the remnants of the illusion fade away. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed and weird about the illusion he had just experienced. Shaking off the thoughts, he focused on the task at hand: finding his friends.

Determined, Subham began to search the house. As he moved through the dusty, creaking corridors, he came across a room where Saheli was tied to a chair, just like he had been.

"Saheli!" he exclaimed, rushing over to untie her.

As soon as she was free, he gently tried to wake her up. "Saheli, wake up. It's me, Subham."

Saheli's eyes fluttered open, and she stared at him with a dazed expression. Suddenly, her face turned red like a tomato. "Don't!" she blurted out, her voice filled with embarrassment. Without thinking, she slapped him out of instinct.

Subham crashed into the wall with a thud, groaning as he rubbed his cheek. Saheli looked around, realizing it had all been a dream or an illusion. Her face turned even redder as she comprehended what she had done.

"I'm so sorry, Subham," she said, rushing to help him up.

Subham accepted her help, wincing as he got to his feet. "Looks like you had an illusion too," he said, still holding his cheek, which was red from her slap. "What kind of dream did you have?"

Seeing him and remembering the dream, Saheli's face became even redder. She started to act weirdly out of shyness and embarrassment. "I... I can't tell you," she stammered, avoiding his eyes.

Subham, seeing her discomfort, decided not to press her. "It's okay," he said gently. "Let's find Ankan."

They continued their search, moving cautiously through the house. Each room seemed more dilapidated than the last, filled with cobwebs and eerie shadows. The silence was occasionally broken by the creak of the floorboards and their hushed whispers.

After a few more minutes of searching, they came across a room where Ankan was lying on a bed. To their astonishment, he was sleeping with his head resting on the lap of the ghostly girl they had seen at the restaurant. Ankan seemed completely relaxed, a content smile on his face as if he was enjoying some pleasant dream.

"Ankan!" Subham called out, moving towards him.

Just as they were about to reach him, the ghostly girl flicked her fingers. Suddenly, the floor beneath them gave way, and they fell into a maze-like underground chamber.

They landed with a thud on a cold, stone floor. Groaning, Subham looked around, taking in their new surroundings. The chamber was vast, with walls lined with ancient, faded murals and symbols. The air was thick with the scent of earth and old stone.

"What is this place?" Saheli asked, her voice echoing in the cavernous space.

"I don't know, but it looks like we're not alone," Subham replied, spotting several dark figures moving in the shadows.

As they stood up, the ghostly girl appeared before them, her ethereal form glowing softly in the dim light. "Welcome to my domain," she said, her voice echoing through the chamber.

"What do you want from us?" Subham demanded, his eyes narrowing.

The ghostly girl smiled. "I can't let you take Ankan away. I love him, and I need him to stay here with me."

"Love him?" Saheli echoed, incredulous. "He's not even conscious!"

Ignoring her, the ghostly girl continued, "If you want to leave, you'll have to find your way through this maze. But beware, it's filled with illusions and traps."

Determined, Subham and Saheli started to navigate the maze. The first illusion they encountered was a room that appeared to have no floor, just a pool of bubbling lava. Saheli, unaware of the danger, was about to step forward when Subham's golden eyes saw through the illusion.

"Stop!" Subham shouted, grabbing her hand and pulling her back.

Saheli looked at him, confused. "What is it?"

"It's an illusion," Subham explained, picking her up in his arms. Her face turned red with embarrassment as he continued, "There's no floor, just a pool of lava. I'll carry you to the next room."

Using the power of the Chelisthenics God Core, Subham walked on air, carefully navigating the illusionary lava pool. They reached the next room, which was filled with more traps and illusions. Thanks to Subham's enhanced vision and quick reflexes, they managed to avoid the dangers and make their way through the maze.

After what felt like an eternity of navigating illusions and avoiding traps, they finally reached an exit. They were exhausted, but relieved to be out of the maze.

"Where's Ankan?" Saheli asked, looking around.

"We'll find him," Subham assured her. "Let's keep moving."

They continued their search, determined to find their friend and put an end to the ghostly girl's illusions once and for all.