Joan

Chapter XXXIX

I remember the days where I used to enjoy getting lost and wandering through mazes, but now I'm over this shit, I just want to get us out of here, and I can tell the feeling is mutual.

It takes me a few minutes after that entire episode to recall that I broke the fifty-word rule by a lot. I haven't heard Tymos' sleazy, cool voice in my head since, which I'm not complaining, but I know this probably isn't sitting well with him. Nevertheless, I'm glad he gets the message about me not playing into his game- I refuse to be a pawn.

"I'm not trying to rush you or anything," Lan says to me. "But are we anywhere close to getting out of this place? I never realized how much I missed seeing things until now."

"Aye," Dhisnaek agrees. "I seemed to have taken my sight for granted all these years."

Though I'm not sure how much longer we have, I try and pacify their worries.

"Yeah, it doesn't seem too much longer."

"Seem?" Nimu questions, catching onto that word.

"Yeah, well, I never been through this maze before so I'm assuming it shouldn't be that much longer, but I don't know honestly."

It can't be infinite, or so I hope. It was designed by Tymos, so I'm not 100 percent certain there isn't some kind of catch with this- let's put it this way, it doesn't seem too farfetched for him to play some stupid mind trick with us.

The sky is subtly changing colors from a bright blue to a dark, richer blue that merges with some lemonade color pink (as Brent would usually refer to it) and tinged with some vibrant orange. And with that, it's apparent that evening is upon us and with evening comes night, which is our deadline to get out of here.

Thankfully, just as my feet are begging for a break and my resolve is fading, we make it out. My heart practically does somersaults at the sight of the opening leading out of here. If I'm this relieved then I'm positive the others are going to be busting at the seams once I tell them. And without fail they are.

"Thank the Fates," Chasan breathes a heavy sigh of relief. "I thought we'd never escape."

"Hopefully we actually get our sight back," Lan says with optimism.

The moment we step out of that confusing, infuriating labyrinth, it's like a magical switch. We all stop, and for a moment the four of them cover their eyes, groaning in slight discomfort before finally dropping their hands and looking around as if seeing for the very first time in their lives.

"Thank the Fates," Chasan repeats.

"It worked! We did it!" Lan celebrates like we won an Olympic medal or something.

Nimu shakes her head as if clearing her thoughts. "That was quite the experience, one I wish to never repeat but quite the experience nevertheless."

"Seems it's become late," Dhisnaek observes.

"We should settle down for the night," Chasan adds.

Cracking my back, I couldn't agree with that more. Usually, I'm rearing to press on, but my body is on the brink of collapse and I can't go even a mile further it feels.

"Yeah, let's find somewhere close by to set up for the night," I say.

So we all let out a worn agreement and end up walking a little bit further until the maze is a distant thing of the past before settling in a small clearing that's surrounded by thick vegetation, making it a nice hiding spot to stay for the night.

"Another night out under the stars on the hard ground," Lan muses, plopping down wearily off to the side.

"I would take anything given to me at this point," Nimu yawns.