The Labyrinth on Bourbon Street 2

The Firebug and the Minstrel

Allie and Sebastian found that they were weaving in and out of the area in which the vile stench followed them. One second, the air was as clean as it could be, and the next second, their sinuses were being violently blitzed with the putrid smell. 

While they were walking through a well-needed patch of fresh air, the lights started to dim. The underground started to get cold, and Sebastian's under-shirt didn't suffice to keep him warm. 

"We've got to get to the castle." Sebastian shivered. 

"Oh, screw the castle!" Allie interjected. "We need to find some warmth." 

The walls of the Labyrinth didn't have any openings. There was no way to see what was coming next, but they were able to find out from the book that the Labyrinth was home to hundreds of little creatures that thrived on their own. And many were quite intelligent. 

"Hold on a second." Allie stopped for a minute, putting her arm in front of Sebastian. It was so dark, neither of them could see each other at all. She pulled her flashlight out from her bag and flicked it on.

"Wait on me." Allie announced as she ran the light over the bricks. Then she, once again, mounted the bricks of the wall. 

"Don't you remember what happened last time?" Sebastian scolded. 

"I'm not going to cheat, I'm just going to look." Allie assured him. She planted her two feet on a conveniently sturdy vine and hoisted herself up to see over the wall. The winds were even harsher at night, so she struggled to keep her balance. 

"There's a fire!" Allie happily cried. She shined the light in Sebastian's face to get his attention. "Just a few layers in!" 

"How many, can you see?" Sebastian giddily asked. 

"One, two... three!" Allie counted. "Three layers in and a little to the right!"

Any sign of light must mean a sign of warmth. Sebastian grabbed Allie by the wrist and bolted down the aisles. Allie was his eyes; shining the flashlight over possible openings and telling him to turn. 

"That's three!" She announced, as Sebastian came to a screeching halt. The two of them saw a flickering light at the end, but it was accompanied by some unholy screeching and hollering.

They came to the corner, and Allie slammed Sebastian against the wall, holding him down with her chest on his. They could see each other in the light, but only under a cloak of shadow.

"Hush." Allie demanded with wandering eyes. "We don't know if these creatures are friendly or hostile, we just need to find out from the context clues."

"When did this magical journey become the SAT?" Sebastian mumbled in return. "Can't we just assume that everything here wants to kill us?"

"I said hush!" Allie repeated, her head turning to the shadows that the creatures were casting on the wall. She couldn't pick up anything other than, whatever the creatures were, they were having the time of their lives. It sounded friendly, and they had no other choices. 

Allie took Sebastian's hand and quietly sneaked around the corner. She made sure that Sebastian was trailing close behind her at all times. She saw two little goblin boys; they had to have been children. One was picking at a very makeshift looking lute and another was waving around a barely-lit torch from the blazing fire. They were both whooping and hollering and paying no mind to the two strangers.

"Phelous!" the one with the torch called to his brother. The little pyromaniac looked as if he was going to light a vine on fire. "Does rock burn?"