The Labyrinth

After the words 'Start' in front of them disappeared, they were confronted with a labyrinth of some sort. A thin mist hovered before them. There was silence, there was nothing in the foggy labyrinth.

"I think we should start now, Claire," Leon said.

"I guess so," replied Claire.

They then walked towards the maze entrance. As soon as they made their first step inside the labyrinth, suddenly there was a ticking sound, like the sound of a clock. Claire and Leon looked at each other.

"Don't say we're racing against time!" exclaimed Claire.

"I have no idea. There is no game like this as I remember, everything has changed," Leon replied.

Leon then stretched his hand forward, took out his options screen. The screen opened, at the top there was a clear yellow number that flashed according to the sound of the clock ticking. '23: 59: 40 'and continuing to decline.

“Shit! They only give us twenty-four hours counting from our first steps," said Leon again.

"Come on, start walking!" exclaimed Claire, as she slightly tugged Leon's arm.

They don't have much time. In just twenty-four hours, they have to solve the maze.

"If there was that much time, they would have predicted that we would spend the night in this labyrinth," said Claire suddenly as they had already begun to enter the labyrinth. Around them there was nothing but green plants which formed a wall.

"It's cruel if they don't provide us with food and drink," Leon replied.

Claire paused for a moment, but she knew Leon was right. Without food and drink all day, they would not be able to survive.

“You said it yourself, right? That there is no game that has no way out. So calm down. It's impossible if there's no food or drink here," said Claire.

They walked following the curve of the maze until they finally came to an intersection. Either have to choose left or right.

"Left, or right?" asked Leon.

"Why ask me?"

"You are the goddess of wisdom. Who else should I ask other than asking you? "

"Geez! I don't know!" exclaimed Claire in frustration. Leon just watched silently while his arms crossed. Waiting for Claire to decide.

Claire exhaled in exasperation, but in the end, she followed her instincts by choosing left. She didn't know what she was thinking, but at least, the road on the left looked smaller. Claire had always believed the path to goodness always looked worse than the path leading to the wrong place.

They walked straight ahead and Claire began to feel something strange. This path seemed too straight for a maze. There are no bends or other intersections nearby. After taking a long step, Claire noticed the traces on the ground. It was like a creature's footprints and Claire recognized what it was.

"Oh no!" exclaimed Claire suddenly.

"What?" asked Leon.

“This maze is no ordinary maze! We should have realized that from the start!” exclaimed Claire.

"What do you mean?" asked Leon.

"Whichever path we choose, it won't keep us out of harm's way, Leon!" shouted Claire again, panicking even more so that she couldn't explain properly.

"Calm down, Claire! Speak slowly," said Leon while holding Claire's shoulders.

“Leon… this is the labyrinth of the island of Crete. Do you know what we're dealing with here? "

“Cretan Island Maze? Jeez ... M-minotaur? The bull-headed man who eats human flesh?" Leon asked in a voice almost lost at the end. Claire was just about to reply, when they heard approaching footsteps. The snort of a bull sounded so heavy and so close. Leon put his index finger to his lips, telling Claire to be silent and not make a single sound.

He pulled Claire back because Minotaur's footsteps could be heard from the front. Leon and Claire walked as fast as they could but with as little sound as possible. They made their way to the last corner of the maze they saw. However, it seemed pointless, from the front there was a very heavy laughter. Half grunting, half moaning, the voice laughed at them.

"Apparently it's time to eat!" he exclaimed. The minotaur already knew about Claire and Leon's arrival. Claire shuddered, even the gods had died at the hands of the Minotaur of Crete. She doesn't know if Athena and Apollo can survive against this ferocious flesh-eating creature. Now Claire and Leon ran as fast as possible, looking for a bend to hide. Minotaur's footsteps grew faster and faster.

“No need to run! You can't get out of here!” exclaimed the minotaur.

Claire and Leon discover a bend that looks hidden. They crouched down with beating hearts.

"Who can beat Minotaur in the legend of Greek mythology?" Leon asked Claire.

"Theseus ..." whispered Claire.

“Shit! I should have chosen Theseus!" exclaimed Leon in a whispered voice.

"Can you replace it now?" asked Claire.

"I don't know," Leon replied honestly.

They stopped whispering as the heavy grunts and footsteps began to approach. The Minotaur is very close. Claire shakily covered her own mouth.

"I could smell fresh flesh and blood ..." said the Minotaur again.

Leon suddenly took Claire’s hand and pulled her to stand. He then pulled her in another direction. It made the grass below them rustle. The Minotaur turned to the source of the sound with a snort. It knows its prey is there.

“Come out little sheeps! I promise I will eat you up quickly, so it won't hurt,” said the Minotaur with a chuckle.

Luckily Leon brought Claire quickly to another corner of the maze that was farther away, because the Minotaur was now walking to where they were hiding earlier. The minotaur was sniffing, remembering the scent of the body that had now entered his sense of smell.

“Goddess Athena… what an honour! And Apollo! This is really an honour to eat your flesh! The goddess and the god that every body looked up to. Unlike me, the hideous monster that even my own father wants to kill!” he exclaimed in a thunderous voice.

Claire trembled even more at that. Only by their scent could that Minotaur recognize. Claire racked her brain, she sought knowledge from Athena's brain, how to defeat that cruel monster.