Mario The Music Box (Fanfiction)

Chapter 36: Pathways

                    Luigi ran through the path, panting and continually looking behind him. Marchionne finally told him,

                    "Luigi, you need to calm down. It won't help your nerves or help you think properly." Luigi widened his eyes and then looked down. He then stopped and sighed. He then replied,

                   "R-right, sorry...... I'm just not too fond of spirits......." Marchionne replied,

                   "That's fair..... just focus, alright? The exit should be up ahead." Luigi nodded and continued forward, his thunderhand lighting the way.

                    After a while of running, Luigi looked back again. Evie wasn't there. Luigi smiled and he told Marchionne,

                    "Hey, I think we lost her!" Marchionne replied,

                    "That's good. Keep going, the town should be just up ahead." Luigi continued to run, until he suddenly stopped. There was a curve in the path, and when Luigi used it, he froze.

                    "Huh.....?" There were a collection of paths, with intersections all over the place. Luigi asked,

                    "W-why are there multiple paths here?" Marchionne answered,

                    "That's right..... I had completely forgotten about these. These paths are meant to resemble a maze. There used for security means, should a prisoner somehow escape, so that they get lost. Only clergy members know how to navigate through this place, as they're required to memorize it." Luigi nodded and replied,

                    "I see..... um, you wouldn't happen to know the way, would you?" Marchionne replied,

                    "Don't worry, I know the way around here. However, I didn't use the left passageway quite often, so forgive me if I accidentally misguide you. I mostly remember the right passageway." Luigi responded with a smile,

                    "That's okay. We'll manage-"

                    "Ah, there you are." Luigi jumped with a gasp and looked behind him. A claw suddenly swiped at him with breath-taking speed. He dropped the cleaver from shock and dodged it quickly. Another one then came at him, just as quick. He immediately did a back handspring with a grunt and quickly grabbed the cleaver after. He then ran into the collection of paths, his thunderhand illuminating the paths. Luigi asked in fear,

                     "She caught up to us!! What do we do?!?" Marchionne answered,

                     "Calm down. I'll guide you. The original path that leads outside for this passageway is always located to the left side of the room. Go there, and I'll try to guide you then." Luigi nodded, panting and did what he said. He dodged the intersections, which were walls of gray rock. He tried navigating himself to the right and he continued to run through the paths. He then suddenly ran into a dead end. He widened his eyes and said,

                     "Darn, not this way....." Marchionne then replied,

                     "Ok, I think I recognize the pathways now. Go back and try taking a right. Do a zig-zag pattern as you go through the pathways. The exit should be there." Luigi nodded and replied,

                     "Ok." Luigi went back to where he was but abruptly stopped. Evie was across from him, a couple of intersections back. He gulped and crept quietly, trying to avoid her and follow Marchionne's instructions. He tried to slow his breathing and calm himself down. He trekked forward, and trying to avoid Evie at all costs. He could then see the paths stating to lessen. He started to smile, thinking,