Entropic Visions

Red Cows and Big Dogs

"What a sweet reunion. Shame you're all still stuck here. Well then we should really get a move on, your old friend isn't all that patient."

I stepped back from the hug and glared at Python for interrupting the moment. "My friends are here now and I don't want to meet the crazy person you keep talking about! We can get out of here on our own."

"Oh, is that so? Three little demigods are going to escape the Labyrinth all by themselves? You don't think you need me anymore? Very well, but your old friend isn't as nice as old Python. Good luck escaping his wrath, he's angry enough as it is." Python slithered away, again refusing to explain himself any further.

"W-what is he talking about? What o-old friend?" Aislinn asked.

I shrugged and shook my head. "I have no idea. He keeps bringing it up but he won't explain anything!"

"It doesn't matter, we're going to get out of here," Fred assured us. "We just having to keep going. Come on, there's a light up there."

He pointed to a pinprick of light coming from a tunnel to the right of us. Deciding that it seemed like a better idea than just following the narrow path we were on we all headed towards it.

"D-do you hear that?"

"Hear what Ash?" Fred asked.

"I-It almost sounds like cows." She replied.

I strained to hear the noise but as the light grew nearer and I put out my glowing discord ball I heard the noise too.

"That's weird. Maybe the Labyrinth led us to a nice dairy farm." I suggested hopefully.

"I hope you d-didn't just jinx it." Ash muttered.

"Cows are usually good things," Fred yawned, "just as long as we don't eat them."

I cringed, remembering the tale of Odysseus and how his men had been struck down for eating holy cows. "You know what? I think I'm going vegetarian. I can just live off of apples, apples are nice."

Aislinn giggled. "They c-can be the fruit of friendship. B-because, you k-know, we'll s-share them..." She trailed off.

I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. "I don't see why not. Would you like one?" Chaos energy sparked around my hands, forming four shiny red apples. I offered one to Fred and Ash and, keeping one for myself, burned the other.

"Mom, I don't know if you care enough to listen to me, but please help us out of here. I don't care who this 'old friend' is, I just want to get us out of here alive and sane. So could you send us, like, an adder or something to guide us out?"

There was no answer, no friendly snake. I hadn't really been expecting one. But I hoped that she could at least get Aislinn and Frederick out of here. Looks like I'd have to do that myself.

"Is something wrong? You look upset." Fred noted.

I shook my head. "I think it's just the maze getting to me. Come on, we should get going."

We walked quietly towards the light, the only sound was us eating. Even though I knew what it was, the typically comforting crunching noises of bits off fruit being taken off the whole were suddenly unsettling in the Labyrinth. It was almost like the sound of monsters walking, or bones being smashed, or–

"Stop it! You're making me paranoid!" The oracle snapped.

"Well I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was a totally irrational reaction to start freaking out when you're trapped in a dark death maze." I retorted.