"What's wrong?" Agnis curiously peered at Jack. Then, she walked towards Zeraph, wondering what all the fuss was about.
"D-D-don't pick that up."
"Why not?" Zeraph bends up and picks the Golden Eye up. "Ah, that's why."
"What? What?" Agnis peeked over Zeraph's shoulder. "An eye?"
"Yes, an eye." Jack looked sick. "You're not phased by all that?"
"Nope," replied Zeraph.
"No," said Agnis.
"You guys are strange."
"Not really. We've been helping with Zero's O.M creation, so it doesn't phase us at all."
"Wait. O.M creation. You're not talking about the ingredients, are you?"
"What else would I be talking about at this minute?"
Jack scooted back as his face turned pale green.
"Well then. We got what we were here for. So now let's head back home."
They exited the hidden chamber that they entered. The soldiers waiting outside ran up to Zero, excited that their young leader had returned without a scratch.
"Were there any monsters? Gold? Was everything okay?" Evon asked and suddenly froze. He saw Zero blowing fire into his palm, where a gold egg was. "Is that the prize?" He glanced over, trying to see, but the fire was too hot to even get close to Zero.
"We found the Golden Eye. Zero's just being a mother taking care of his soon-to-be chicks." Agnis chuckled. "I suggest you leave him be for a while. He won't be able to answer your question with all that fire crackling from his mouth."
Evon and the others were confused at what Agnis was implying. Zero gave Agnis a glare, but he went back to blowing hot fire on the Golden Egg.
"So there were no treasures." Evon was highly disappointed. He thought this whole time that they all had found something that they could take with them.
"You might get a reward."
The soldiers became elated when they heard that from Zero. There was also the chance to get rewarded by the King.
"This will definitely work. I can't wait to get back."
"It has been over five years. I hope my family has not forgotten about me."
"I'm more worried about my girlfriend."
"I was sent away two years ago. I can finally be free from my crimes."
"Crimes?"
"Wait, you are a criminal?"
"Well…"
Zero did not mind their random chatter. Instead, he could feel their elated optimism to finally go back home. But, unfortunately, some were away from their place for a long time. The first time he met them, especially the older ones that had come into the Labyrinth, their gears, looks, weapons, and armor were completely battered. It wasn't until Jack had personally fixed up the gears that now they don't look so tattered.
"Either way, will the golden thread get us out of here?" Jack asked.
"We won't know till we try," said Zero. He, too, wondered as well. It was the last thing that they had to escape the intricate maze. "Better get started now, or we won't know when we will be able to get out."
"Yea. Better now than never."
"Bob. Lead the way."
"Yes!" Bob cheerfully called out. He bounced forward in a joyful mood. With each step Bob took towards the direction of the exit, the gold thread slowly began to shorten. Zero and his small army went through the Maze for the next few days with little rest.
#####
August 11, 2054. Tuesday. 7:34pm
Finding the way out of the Maze took a lot longer than usual. There were twice as many monsters inhabiting the Maze than when they first came through. Zero thought the monsters would have lessened.
"Is it me, or are the monsters worse than before?" Agnis was out of breath from fighting the Red Minotaurs thirty minutes ago and was finishing off another wave of Red Minotaurs.
"It's not just you. I think Bob here is taking us through the most difficult route out of this damn Maze." Jack beheaded another Red Minotaur.
"I am not. The golden thread is pointing towards the direction to the exit." Bob was peeved at Jack's comment. "If you do not think this the right way, then I suggest you find your own path."
"Woah. Calm down. I don't want to be stuck here in the Maze the rest of my life."
"Then I suggest you quietly follow. A young dragon, please follow me to the end. I will personally take you out of this hellhole."
"I think our little guide here has favorites."
"Let him be. I think he's cute." Agnis replied. She wiped away sweat off her face and sheathed her sword. "He kind of reminds me of Zeraph."
Zeraph stared at her strangely when Agnis said those words.
"How? I think you need your eyes checked."
"Just look at them. They both have an arrogant attitude and have an interest in Zero."
"I don't know where you get that strange hypothesis." Jack shook his head in disbelief. Then, finally, he gave up on saying anything more.
Zero also felt odd when she stated something about Bob and Zeraph. However, he noticed that Zeraph seemed more interested in the things he had to say. Especially about the soul stone that he had before he threw it away. Zeraph did not talk much about the soul stone anymore and instead seemed to stick closer to him. He shook his head and thought he was overthinking about Zeraph. He was just a friend and nothing more.
Their path following the golden thread had finally come to an end. Zero was glad to see green land instead of the silverish brown wall of the Labyrinth. With a large gulp of air, he stood at the entrance. The birds greeted them high above the trees, and the wind blew across his face bringing in the summer breeze. Zero felt free from the confinement of the walls.
"Fresh air." Jack exaggerated and gasped. "I'm alive."
"Oh, come now. It was not that bad." Agnis frowned at Jack's behavior. "I actually enjoyed that small adventure.
"I don't know. Staying confined in the moving walls did start to get on one's nerves," said Alan. He was going through his Zenith bag to ensure everything was still there.
"What about you, Zeraph? Throughout the whole trip, you barely talked. Yet, it felt as if you were thinking about something. Is something the matter?"
Zeraph turned towards Agnis and gave her a sweet smile. "I'm alright. I was just enjoying my stroll through the Maze."
"Stroll? Stroll?!" Jack exclaimed. He could not believe the words coming from Zeraph's mouth.
"Yes. A stroll. What else would that be?"
"A stroll," he said out of all the outrageous booby traps, monster fights, and even fighting the boss. But, of course, he calls it a stroll. Are all you elves right in the head?"
"I'm sure my head is fine, thank you."
Jack smacked himself in the face. "Damn, elves make me want to hang myself."
"If you need help. I know a ton of ways to do it."
"Gahhhh!"
"Calm down, Jack. He's just playing with you."
"That's it. All elves from now on are psychopaths to society."
"You're way too serious. Lighten up."
"I can't. You guys drive me mental."
"I can do that too. I wouldn't mind seeing how far you would tick without breaking."
Zeraph's unexpected words put chills down everyone's back. Even Zero did not expect a sudden dark outburst from Zeraph. He thought the whole time he was more an obnoxious, happy-go-lucky playboy.
"What? It was a joke. Did you expect this great man would ever resort to such dark violence?"
"Yes." Jack flatly replied. "I believe all elves have a secret dark side that you keep hidden."
"Bah. Ladies and beautiful things are my life. You think that I'll go to such extremes?"
"Yes." Everyone replied.
Zero couldn't help but chuckle at their little quarrel. For the past couple of days, he thought that all their life force had been drained out of them. Now to see them alive made him feel uplifted in spirit.