Miles of stonework sprawled before him
The King’s Maze was king Azmodius’ masterpiece
Though for those few who found its center
They found the king had something to hide
Something so terrible it had to be contained within this structure
Our hero rested his hand on the arch of the entrance
A chill ran up his spine at the cool touch
Something in its simple stonework
Whispered terror into his soul
With a step he crossed the threshold
Left hand trailing along the wall
He would find what hid within
And expose Azmodius for the devil that he was
Our hero felt the air cool, breath fogging
The world twisted rolling onto its side
He lost all sense of up or down
And soon fell upon his knees
As he raised his head
Something had changed
The stone was different, alternating
Path inlaid with dull metal
He stood unsteadily and placed his right hand upon the wall
Slowly he began to walk again
Footsteps echoed in a rapid cascade beyond and behind him
Louder until they seemed not to be his
Something followed far behind him
Thunderous hooves stampeding
He cried in horror as he turned about
Arms raised across his face
The cry thundered in crashing resonance
But soon all fell silent
He lowered his arms
And found it changed again
The stones stacked in intricate swirls
The path, metal and wood shaped intricacies
All of which depicted a phantasmagoria
A crown enwrapped in hands and swirling smoke
People clutching faces, screams issued from twisted shock
He trembled as he wrapped his arms around himself
Seeking warmth of some kind
The air was so cold here
He walked awhile more, the cold slicing through him
Soon his eyes grew heavy as an unknown warmth encircled him
Collapsing against the wall
He lay for but a moment before his eyes flew open
Again it had changed
The stone a fantastical design inset with gems of all colors
Upon the floor the design had changed once more
The crown now was grasped by twirling tentacles of purple and black
Eldritch things tearing off the flesh of their own faces
But he was finally warm
So warm
Somewhere far ahead something began to beat
A thumping low and ponderous
He did not hesitate
This was what he had sought
He was sure of it
As he turned a corner something occurred to him
He had not turned a single corner before this
Only ever curving walls obliterating at the horizon
This thought was swept away as the center came into view
Red light flooded his senses
Cinnamon and blood
The sound shaking his bones
The sight of all that was hidden
The flesh
The words
The steel
Left him tasting something acrid
And fearful
There was no escaping
He knew this
The truth here would die with him
And that death would come swiftly
On wings of silk and skin
The thumping beating its sky-long span
The claws descended
Dried Ink Ribbon 