Behind My Shadow - Book Three

33. Screaming That I'm Right

You'll have to rely on your magic to make it through the Labyrinth, I can remember my dad telling me. And now I remember the Judge telling me that I must summon all of my powers in order to be guided through the maze. How exactly am I supposed to summon all of my powers though?

One of the walls in front of me abruptly starts sliding towards me. I frantically look around but now I realize the walls around me have arranged themselves so I'm trapped at the back of a dead-end. I widen my eyes with alarm as the wall in front of me keeps barreling at me, fully intending on crushing me to death.

I anxiously throw up my hands and summon air, blasting an enormous gust at the advancing wall.

The charging wall suddenly shatters as if hit by a train and now blocks of purple rocks shower over me as the rest of the barrier crumples harmlessly to the ground.

I swiftly take off running, jumping over the ruins before I race down another corridor.

The entire Labyrinth is moving, it feels like I'm trapped in a deadly obstacle course as various parts of the walls keep swinging open, attempting to hit me in the head or the knees.

I desperately rely on my element spirit to navigate through the unhinged maze; ducking and dodging and dropping to a knee to slide under one of the walls swinging for my neck. I hop back up and run down yet another corridor. It's another dead-end.

Behind me, it's like the entire Labyrinth is closing up on itself, whisking away the other tunnels before I can change my mind and attempt to find another path. I gulp as I glance at the solid wall looming before me while more walls fall like dominos behind me.

I frantically summon fire and blast a current of flames at the wall.

Relief washes over me as the wall breaks apart to reveal yet another passageway. I eagerly dart forward and leap over the burning rocks, racing down the next path.

The glowing smoke vapor suddenly chokes out and unexpectedly leaves me thrown in utter darkness. I stumble and crash into another wall, my heart hammering with alarm. Now what?! I can hear the walls moving around me and I can even sense them closing in around me like predatory sharks in deep water, but I can't see anything!

Wait. Use all of my magic to get through? I've summoned five out of the six elements already. Feeling inspired -and desperate to see as the rumbling of the moving stones intensifies around me- I anxiously summon sun, hoping against hope that this works.

I mean, I know it's nighttime and I know I'm in the middle of a mountain, but still, I can feel my connection with sunlight burn through my veins like a wildfire.

Suddenly a bright white light shines down on me from the cracks in the Labyrinth all around me, I widen my eyes with amazement as the glowing etchings along the walls illuminate all the different tunnels surrounding me.

OMG, it worked! Yes!

My heart skips a beat with relief and now I resume running before yet another tunnel closes up behind me.

All the paths seemed to have narrowed down to just this one now, I realize as I run. I don't see any other tunnels to take and the path behind me is rapidly folding up on itself.

I suddenly stumble to a halt as a huge, towering arched door looms before me. What the hell?! I frantically seize the handle and wildly try to wrench it open but it doesn't budge. Damn it, no! I pound on the door but it doesn't so much as even creak under my barrage of knocking.

"C'mon, open up!" I desperately try to summon air but the current of wind only harmlessly bounces off the door, blowing dust back in my face. I sputter and wave the dust away as I risk a glance over my shoulder at the impending collision steadily lurching towards me. The sound of rocks grinding against each other makes my ears ache and the blood in my veins pounds even more desperately with fear as the wall looms closer behind me.

I frantically summon fire next but my flames merely dance against the door blocking me from safety. I put out my fire and wildly look around for inspiration. I've summoned all my elements! What more magic do I need to summon?!

I suddenly gasp. My Talent! I haven't summoned that yet! But how is Singing supposed to help me open this freakin' door?!

There's no time left to question my logic, the Labyrinth is closing up behind me, waiting to crush anything left in its path.

I anxiously start humming, lights begin to glow overhead as my voice fills the tunnel. I have no idea what to Sing but despite the dire situation unfolding around me, a tune and lyrics flash before my eyes like a kaleidoscope. My throat feels dry and I feel a little breathless with fright but I swiftly start Singing now.

I wanna live, I wanna run

I got a whole lot of things said left unsaid and undone

I wanna be right, I wanna end this night

I gotta be right or this could end my life

I'm not asking, I'm telling

Let me in, let me in

Let a new chapter of my story begin

Uh-oh

Let me in, let me in

Uh-oh...

I stagger back a step breathlessly, anxiously glancing over my shoulder at the wall of rippling stones careening towards me.

Suddenly the door in front of me swings open with a soft hum, the tune I was Singing plays back to me and bright white light washes over me blindingly as I hear my own song being played beyond the door.

I glance one more time at the dark Labyrinth cobbering towards me before I anxiously leap through the opened doorway into the hazy glow of piercing white light.

The door slams shut behind me with a thunderous crash.