☆Chapter 10☆

The soft glow ahead pulsed with an eerie rhythm, like a heartbeat, casting strange shadows across the cavern walls. Each step Maya took was deliberate, her senses heightened. She could feel the immense power surging in the air, ancient and oppressive, yet inviting. Her curiosity burned as brightly as her internal fire, but she remained cautious. Whatever had dragged her into this abyss was far older than anything she'd encountered before. It wasn't just power for the sake of power, it was patient, calculating.

Maya's boots echoed on the cold stone floor as she approached the source of the light. The ancient carvings on the walls became clearer, the symbols almost glowing in the dim light, their meaning obscured by time. They seemed to hum with a deep resonance, vibrating with the dark energy that filled the air. Maya's fingers twitched with the desire to unleash her flames, to burn through whatever trickery was being played here, but she held back. For now.

As she neared the glowing light, the cavern opened into a vast chamber, the ceiling stretching up into the darkness beyond her sight. In the center of the chamber, surrounded by broken columns and crumbled stone, stood a massive altar carved from black stone. The light was coming from above the altar, where a swirling orb of dark energy hovered, suspended in midair. Its surface crackled with raw, primordial power, tendrils of shadow flickering out like a thousand reaching hands.

Maya stopped just shy of the altar, her eyes narrowing as she studied the orb. The voice had come from here, there was no doubt about it. But the longer she looked at it, the more she could feel it. A subtle pull, like the faint tug of a current beneath her skin. It was calling to her, reaching for her power, trying to merge with it.

The same voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the chamber again, though this time, it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. "You've come far, goddess. And yet, you still hesitate."

Maya crossed her arms, keeping her distance from the orb. "I don't hesitate. I just like to know exactly who I'm dealing with before I burn them to a crisp."

A low chuckle filled the cavern, the sound vibrating through the very stone beneath her feet. "Wise words. But you are mistaken if you believe you can burn me. I am beyond such simple destruction."

Maya raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So you say. But I've burned plenty of so-called 'immortals' before. Why should you be any different?"

The voice was silent for a moment, and then the orb pulsed, its light intensifying. "Because I am not bound by the rules of this world, goddess. I was here long before your gods took their thrones, and I will be here long after they have fallen to dust."

Maya's smirk faded slightly as she took a step closer to the altar, her eyes locking onto the orb. "You keep saying that, but all I've seen so far is a lot of talk. If you're so powerful, why are you stuck down here, whispering at me from a ball of smoke?"

The voice darkened, losing its previous mirth. "Do not mistake my current state for weakness. The gods feared me, feared what I and the others like me represented. That is why they sealed us here, deep beneath the earth, where we would be forgotten."

"Others like you?" Maya's interest piqued. "So you're not the only one stuck in this hole?"

"No," the voice answered, a hint of bitterness creeping into its tone. "There are many of us, each bound to the elements that shaped this world. I am the first, the one who commanded the chaos that birthed fire, and storm, and earth. The gods imprisoned us because they could not control us. They were jealous of our power, afraid of what we could do if left unchecked."

Maya took another step forward, her gaze never leaving the orb. "And what makes you think I care about the gods?"

"Because you are like me," the voice replied, its tone growing softer, almost enticing. "I can sense it, the fire within you. It is not mortal. It is not divine. It is something more. You have the power to shape worlds, to unmake them. But you have only scratched the surface of what you are capable of."

Maya paused, her eyes narrowing. This thing, whatever it was, was trying to get inside her head, planting seeds of doubt. She wasn't going to fall for it. "I don't need a history lesson or flattery. What I want to know is why you dragged me down here. What's your game?"

The orb pulsed again, its light flickering ominously. "My 'game,' as you call it, is survival. I have been sealed away for eons, waiting for someone like you to free me. And in return, I will show you the true extent of your power. Imagine it, no more limits, no more boundaries. You could burn entire worlds, reshape reality to your will."

Maya's lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Tempting. But I don't share power. And I don't take orders from anyone, especially not some ancient entity that got itself locked away for being too dangerous."

"You misunderstand," the voice said, its tone growing more insistent. "I do not seek to control you. I seek to free you. You are a goddess of destruction, but your power is bound by the constraints of this world. The gods fear what you might become if you ever truly realized your potential."

Maya's eyes flickered with molten light, her irritation rising. "I already know my potential. And it's a hell of a lot more than whatever you're selling."

The voice let out a low, rumbling sigh. "You are arrogant, like the gods before you. But that will change. In time, you will see that we are not enemies, but allies."

Maya felt the pull of the orb again, stronger this time. It was like a magnetic force, drawing her closer, trying to wrap itself around her power and fuse with it. She resisted, summoning her flames to push back against the energy, but even her fire felt… muted down here.

"You're awfully persistent," Maya muttered, taking another step closer to the altar. "But you're not the first ancient being to try and win me over. What makes you think I won't just tear you apart and walk away?"

The orb flared with light, and the voice's tone darkened. "Because you cannot destroy me, goddess. I am beyond destruction. But you… you could be the one to break these chains, to shatter the seals that hold me here. And when I am free, I will reshape the world in your image. You will be a queen, a ruler of realms, feared and revered by all."

Maya snorted, unimpressed. "I don't need anyone's help to rule. I can handle that on my own, thanks."

The voice sighed again, this time with a hint of resignation. "So be it. But know this, goddess, if you leave this place without freeing me, you will never realize the true depth of your power. The gods will always watch you, always seek to contain you. You will never be free from their influence."

Maya's smile returned, though it was cold and sharp. "If the gods want to come after me, let them try. I've burned bigger threats than you."

She turned on her heel, her cloak swirling around her as she prepared to leave the chamber. The orb's light flared once more, and for a moment, she felt the dark energy surge toward her, as if trying to pull her back. But this time, Maya was ready. She unleashed a pulse of flame from her body, pushing the energy back and severing its hold on her.

"You will return," the voice called after her, its tone filled with certainty. "The pull of power will bring you back. And when you do, I will be waiting."

Maya didn't bother responding as she stalked toward the far side of the cavern. The voice echoed in her ears, but she ignored it, focusing instead on finding her way out of this dark, oppressive place. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't worth her time. She had bigger plans, plans that didn't involve freeing some ancient entity just because it wanted her to.

Still, as she walked, a faint whisper lingered in the back of her mind, a nagging doubt she couldn't quite shake. The voice had been right about one thing: there was something about this place, something that felt connected to her in a way she didn't fully understand.

But she wasn't about to let that stop her.

With one final glance at the glowing orb behind her, Maya strode deeper into the cavern, determined to find her way back to the surface, and to whatever awaited her in the capital above.