The ancient stone walls of the Labyrinth close in around you as you make another turn, your torch casting long shadows that seem to move of their own accord. You've been wandering for hours, following marked walls and counting turns, but the passages all look the same now—endless corridors of weathered stone veined with strange, dark markings.

A distant sound echoes through the maze—something between a bellow and a sigh. Then silence. You pause, listening intently. The torch flickers as though caught in a sudden breeze, though the air remains still.

As you round another corner, the passageway opens into a circular chamber. Stone columns rise to support a domed ceiling where faded frescoes hint at scenes from another time. Along one wall, you catch a glimpse of what appears to be a crude yet strangely moving painting—stars rendered in white pigment against dark stone. But your attention is quickly drawn away.

A massive figure emerges from the shadows. A bull's head with enormous, scarred horns atop a powerfully built human body. The Minotaur. Asterion. His muscles tense beneath skin marked with countless old wounds.

His nostrils flare as he catches your scent. With a thunderous bellow, he charges forward several steps, the ground trembling beneath his feet. The chamber has no other exits. There is nowhere to run.

He lowers his horns, ready to gore you—but then hesitates. For just a moment, something flickers in his eyes. Not just rage and hunger, but something else. Something almost... human.

The moment passes. He paws at the ground, preparing to charge again, his breathing heavy and threatening. But that momentary hesitation might be your only chance to act.