☆Chapter 20☆

As the echo of the crowd's cheers faded, Maya kept her gaze locked on the king, her blood still thrumming from her victory over the Dark Warden. But she could see the king's expression was not one of defeat; instead, there was something far more sinister in his gaze. His lips curved into a smile that sent a chill down her spine, a calculated, predatory look that promised this was far from over.

He raised a hand, and the room fell silent, the tension thick as he spoke, his voice dripping with mock admiration. "You are truly formidable, Goddess of Destruction. I will admit, you have bested my champion with a strength few could match." His gaze sharpened, his tone softening to a venomous whisper. "But strength alone does not make one worthy of power."

Maya smirked, crossing her arms as she responded, "If strength isn't enough, maybe you're the one who's forgotten what real power looks like."

The king's smile didn't falter. Instead, he lifted his hand again, and with a snap of his fingers, the doors on either side of the arena creaked open. Maya turned, her smirk fading as she watched a group of robed figures file into the room. They wore dark cloaks, their faces hidden in the shadows of their hoods, and each one carried an ornate staff adorned with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light.

Maya's instincts flared with warning. She could feel it, the oppressive energy that radiated from the staves, similar to the energy she had felt in the labyrinth. It was a magic designed to bind, to contain, and she realized with a jolt of anger what the king had planned.

"These are my Seers," the king said, his tone calm but filled with barely restrained malice. "They have studied the ancient arts, those long forgotten by the gods. They are here to test you in ways that mere brute force cannot counter."

The Seers moved into formation around her, their staves raised as they began to chant in unison, their voices a low, guttural hum that reverberated through the arena. The runes on their staves glowed brighter, casting an eerie light over the chamber as the air thickened with a heavy, suffocating power. Maya could feel it pressing against her, tugging at her flames, trying to stifle the fire within her.

She clenched her fists, her flames flaring defiantly as she fought against the binding magic. "Really, your majesty?" she scoffed, her voice laced with contempt. "Afraid to face me yourself, so you hide behind spells and lackeys?"

The king's eyes glinted with amusement. "I am a ruler, goddess. I have no need to dirty my hands. That's what power is, commanding others to do as I will."

The Seers' chant grew louder, their voices blending into a haunting melody that sent chills down Maya's spine. She could feel the magic coiling around her, weaving a net of energy designed to hold her, to trap her within a cage of ancient power. Her flames flickered, fighting against the magic, but she could feel the strain, the weight pressing down on her like a mountain.

"Nice try," she muttered, her voice strained as she gathered her strength, focusing on the fire within her. She wouldn't be bound. She was the Goddess of Destruction, and no spell, no ancient power, would contain her.

With a fierce cry, she unleashed a surge of fire, the flames roaring to life around her as she broke through the binding magic, her power burning hotter and brighter than ever. The Seers staggered, their chant faltering as her flames shattered their spell, the heat forcing them to retreat.

But even as she broke free, she felt the magic shift, the Seers regrouping, their chant changing as they raised their staves once more. The ground beneath her began to tremble, the sand shifting as dark tendrils of energy emerged, writhing like living shadows that reached for her, trying to wrap around her legs, her arms, to drag her down.

Maya's eyes blazed with fury as she summoned her flames, burning through the tendrils with a fierce intensity, but they kept coming, relentless and unyielding. The Seers' voices grew louder, their staves pulsating with power as the tendrils multiplied, coiling around her, binding her in place.

She struggled, her flames roaring as she fought to break free, but the magic was stronger than before, more focused, more desperate. She could feel the energy draining her, sapping her strength, and for the first time, a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.

The king's voice cut through the chaos, cold and triumphant. "You may be powerful, goddess, but you are alone. You fight with no allies, no purpose beyond your own destruction. That is why you will fall."

Maya gritted her teeth, her defiance flaring as she glared at him. "I don't need allies to take you down."

The king's gaze hardened, his voice filled with venom. "Perhaps. But you need something more than fire to survive this."

He nodded to the Seers, and their chant rose to a deafening pitch. The tendrils tightened around her, binding her arms, her legs, her very essence. Her flames flickered, her strength waning as the magic pressed down on her, crushing her will, her fire.

But even as the darkness closed in, she refused to yield. She could feel the fire within her, a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished. She had faced the abyss, had confronted the darkness within herself, and she wasn't about to let some pretentious king and his lackeys take her down.

With a fierce, guttural cry, she drew on the last of her strength, focusing on the spark within her, the unyielding flame that burned with a ferocity born of defiance, of survival. Her body glowed with a fiery aura as she unleashed one final surge of power, her flames erupting in a massive wave that shattered the tendrils, scattering the Seers and their magic like ashes in the wind.

The crowd gasped, their awe and fear palpable as Maya stood, her flames blazing around her, her gaze fixed on the king with a cold, deadly intensity.

The Seers staggered, their staves flickering as they struggled to regain control, but it was too late. Maya had broken their spell, shattered their binding magic, and she was done playing their games.

The king's expression faltered, a flicker of fear crossing his face as he realized his plan had failed. He opened his mouth to speak, to command his guards, but Maya moved first, her flames surging as she stepped forward, her voice low and filled with menace.

"Enough of your games, your majesty," she said, her tone dripping with contempt. "You wanted power? You wanted a show? I'll give you one."

She raised her hand, summoning a sphere of fire that pulsed with an intense, blinding light, the heat radiating through the chamber as the nobles and courtiers cowered, their faces twisted in terror. She could feel the fire building within her, a raw, unbridled energy that threatened to consume everything in its path.

The king stumbled back, his mask of control shattering as he realized the extent of her power. "Wait, " he stammered, his voice trembling with fear. "We… we can negotiate…"

But Maya's gaze was cold, unyielding. She had no interest in negotiating, no interest in his empty promises. He had tried to bind her, to control her, to use her power for his own gain. And he would pay the price.

With a fierce shout, she unleashed the sphere of fire, sending it hurtling toward the throne. The king's scream echoed through the chamber as the fire engulfed him, the flames consuming the throne, the banners, the very walls of the arena.

The nobles scattered, their terrified cries filling the air as the flames spread, devouring everything in their path. Maya stood amidst the chaos, her flames a living force of destruction that swept through the chamber, leaving nothing but ash and ruin in its wake.

As the firestorm subsided, she stood alone in the smoldering ruins of the throne room, the charred remains of the king and his court scattered around her. The silence was absolute, broken only by the crackle of dying flames, the faint whispers of ash drifting through the air.

She had done what she came to do, she had torn down the kingdom's lies, shattered its false power, and proven her strength for all to see. But even as the thrill of victory filled her, she felt a strange emptiness, a hollow ache that gnawed at the edges of her mind.

The king's final words echoed in her mind, a reminder of the challenge he had thrown at her, the question that lingered in the air.

Power alone was not enough.

But for now, it was all she needed.

With a final glance at the ruined throne, Maya turned and strode from the chamber, her flames flickering out as she left the ashes of the kingdom behind, her path stretching forward into the unknown.