Escape to Freedom

Chapter 4: The Guardian of the Gate

The air grew colder as Alina moved deeper into the maze, the torch barely enough to pierce the thick darkness that clung to the walls like a second skin. The shadows seemed to shift, almost alive, and the warnings of the phantom echoed in her mind. Yet she pressed on, determined not to let fear consume her.

After what felt like an eternity of winding passages and unseen dangers, she stumbled into a vast chamber. The walls, unlike the rough stone of the tunnels, were smooth, carved with intricate symbols that pulsed faintly with an eerie, blue light. At the far end of the chamber stood a massive gate—its iron surface covered in strange, swirling patterns that seemed to move as if they were alive.

But it wasn’t the gate that made Alina stop dead in her tracks. It was the creature standing before it.

Towering over her, the creature was unlike anything she had ever seen. Its form was humanoid, but impossibly tall, with skin that shimmered like liquid metal. Its eyes, glowing a cold, piercing white, stared directly at her, unblinking. In one hand, it held a massive sword, the blade crackling with energy, while its other hand rested on the gate itself, as if it were a part of it.

“I have been waiting for you,” the creature said, its voice a deep rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very stone beneath Alina’s feet.

She swallowed hard, gripping the torch tightly. “Who are you?”

“I am the Guardian,” it replied, its gaze never leaving her. “The final test before the gate to freedom. No one passes without my permission.”

Alina’s breath caught in her throat. “Is this the way out?”

The Guardian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It is the way to what you seek, but freedom is not easily earned. Many have tried to pass through this gate, and all have failed.”

“What must I do?” Alina asked, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

The Guardian tilted its head slightly, as if considering her. “To pass, you must face the truth within yourself. The gate does not open to those who lie, not only to others but to themselves. It will strip away your illusions, reveal what you fear most, and test your will to survive.”

Alina’s heart raced. She had come so far, but the weight of her past—the mistakes, the regrets, the secrets she had buried deep—began to rise to the surface. Could she really face it all?

As if sensing her hesitation, the Guardian raised its sword, pointing it directly at her. “The choice is yours. Face the truth, or turn back to the shadows from which you came.”

Alina stood frozen, her mind swirling with doubt. But then she thought of the years spent in the prison, the cold nights, the endless suffering. She had endured too much to give up now.

“I’m not turning back,” she said, her voice firm. “I will face whatever comes.”

The Guardian lowered its sword and nodded, stepping aside. “Then approach the gate.”

Alina took a deep breath and walked forward, her heart pounding in her ears. As she reached the gate, the swirling patterns on its surface began to glow brighter, and a sudden force pulled her toward it, as if the gate itself was alive, hungry for what lay within her.

The moment her hand touched the iron surface, the world around her dissolved into light, and Alina found herself standing in a place far beyond the maze—a place where her darkest fears awaited.

The test had begun.