Master of the Maze

Chapter 9: The Division

Time dragged on, and being underground, I could not determine the time of day. What was probably only hours felt like years. In the distance, I heard the howls of the lupus-pardus, and a crippling fear paralized me. "Ann Marie," I whispered. "Do you hear that?"

"The menacing growl that sounds like it's getting slowly closer?" Ann Marie responded. "Yes."

 Terror locked my muscles so that I was as rigid as a statue. "This may seem a bit far fetched, but I think that we should start moving again, Haha. I mean, I don't know about you, but I really do not feel like dying right now." Ann Marie said.

"Yeah," I murmrered. We got up and began running down the narrow pathway, when we both stopped abrubtly. "Maggie," we said simultaneously.

Ann Marie and I ran back the way we came from. Adrenaline coursed through my body when I heard fierce growling up ahead, but a sudden chill rushed over my skin as the temperature dropped suddenly. Ann Marie gasped. "Tyree," she stammered. "That's not the lupus-pardus. It's the spirits of the dead."

"Well then we just run in and get Maggie," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

I heard her gulp and walk foward. The little cavarn was dark and cramped. "Thanks guys. No really, I enjoyed this whole being left alone in an underground hell hole. It was my dream come true," Maggie said sarcastically.

"Sorry," Ann Marie said. " Fear overcame our senses, and on instinct, we ran. I suppose we just assumed you wer following because you kinda always do. I mean you are Magiie, the silent dark mage who always follows from the shodows! You are the silent protector, our guardian, the one who is always there even when you think she isn't. You are like Batman! Hahaha! I just pictured you in a bat costume.Haha."

"Shut up," Maggie said, but I could tell that she was appeased. " Now we should go because I'm sensing some dark vibes around here."

Ann Marie whimpered, and I stiffened up a bit. My ring stayed cool, so I knew there was danger because when a dark mage calls it dark then it's bad. "Let us not dawdle no longer! We shall proceed onward!"  Ann Marie exclaimed.

I sighed and suppressed my laughter. We began to speed walk down the hall as Maggie warned us of upcoming obstructions in the path. A scraping noise seemed to be following us. Don't panic, but I believe that something is following us," I said.

"How do you know? What do you think it is?" Anne Marie asked. She suddenly turned around and yelled, "Fight me monster or be shamed by your cowardice for all eternity!"

A burst of laughter echoed throughout the cavern. "Hush fool. It's only me keeping my hand on the wall so that we don't get lost. Did you not pay attention in Magic Geography with Mistress Heglend? That is how you find the exit to the Labyrinth!" Maggie said.

"As a matter of fact, no, I did not pay to Mistress Heglend because I despised her and the way she taught," Ann Marie responded. 

Maggie sighed. "Hold up a second. Are you saying that you think that we're in the Labyrinth?"

"Yes. The Labyrinth fits this exact description. Tyree, we are in an underground maze. Where else could we be?" she asked somberly.

I sighed and kicked a rock. "How did we end up here?" I asked.

"I know not, but when I do, I swear they shall rue the day they attemped to banish Anne Marie Floyd to the depths of the Labyrinth!" she yelled.

"I have an idea of who the culprit is," Maggie growled. "Do you remember what Chris said? The Great Circle sent him here because he defied them! Now think even farther back to the night they summoned us; we upset them because your ambitions threaten to reveal their corrution!"

"That's the Labyrinth talking, Maggie, not you. The Great Circle would never do that," I said.

"Even I think you've gone a bit mad," Ann Marie said.

Darkness swelled around us. "Well then, if that is how you feel, then I think that the two of you are fools. The two of you are blind and your ignorance will be your downfall! But you know what? You are not going to drag me down with you, so I leave you now with this, I hope you learn before stupidity kills you. Good bye, and good luck," Maggie said.

With that the shodows in the hall rushed to he and conumed her. I looked at Ann Marie, and we shared a look of concern. How will MAggie survive alone? How would we survive without her guidance? Despair swallowed Ann Marie and me as we stood there. After a minute, we began to do the only thing that we could think to do, keep going, so with my left hand againt the stone wall, the two of us advanced into the darkness of the Labyrinth.