The Labyrinth

The gentle breeze guided her down the corridor. In the breeze was a familiar friend. The hand of God gently brushed against her face and warmed her heart. The young woman walking down this passage is named Alex. She has been lost in this labyrinth for a very long time. Alex could not remember the last time she had felt the sun or had seen the sky. Always there was another corner just like the last, or another person who supposedly knew the way out. These things were not the worst of it though. There were monsters in this labyrinth. Alex was sure about one thing concerning the monsters. They wanted to devour her and were working very hard to do so.

Sometimes the labyrinth seemed to be her friend as it always provided a place to hide. Mostly though, the labyrinth tormented her with false hope and despair.

How Alex had come to be in the labyrinth she could not quite remember. She could only remember that it was long ago.

The only good thing about her journey in the labyrinth was that she had met a friend. Not just any friend either. She had met the Maker, the being she called God.

Many people Alex had met in the labyrinth had mocked her and her God. If he was real, why didn’t he get her out of the labyrinth? Even if He helped her out, why did he let her come to this horrible place to start with?

Alex had seen many people go mad in the labyrinth. Everyone in this place is lonely. No one can be trusted, and after a while you realize, everyone is lost, even those boasting to know a way out. Yes, it is the despair and loneliness that gets you.

One day, when Alex was about to give up, the despair so bad it felt like a lead blanket, a strange gentle breeze blew. The breeze found her as it moved through the corridor and into the corner where she was rocking herself in complete misery. It refreshed her. Then she heard a voice and immediately began to think she had lost her mind. The second time the breeze blew, it went through her and touched her soul. Alex’s soul touched the Spirit of God for the first time, and she received His caress. He refreshed her and strengthened her. Most importantly, she was not alone anymore.

Alex renewed her quest to get out of the labyrinth. She felt like she was making great headway, but after a while she realized she was going in circles. She talked to the Maker often and always he guided her and always it ended in a circle.

One-day Alex could not take it anymore. With great anguish she cried out loud to the Maker, “Why do you lead me in circles? Am I to die here, crazy like the others? Are you here only to soothe me until I die?” Then she collapsed to the floor and burst into tears as her soul seemed to pour out on to the stone floor.

Then the breeze began to blow again. In it she heard the Maker and her soul revived. As Alex sat up she heard him say, “Every time you ask where the way out is, I show you, but you do not look. Even now, you sit at the entrance to the final corridor, but you choose not to see it.”

Alex looked ahead of her and there was a corridor that looked unfamiliar. When she looked down the darkened passage terror filled her heart and only looking away made the terror pass.

“I cannot go down there,” Alex pleaded with the Maker. “I cannot.”

In the gentle breeze the Maker said, “You are right, you cannot. You are not alone, I am with you. You can go down with me and be free.”

She looked down the corridor and the terror returned. “No” she said. “I can’t.”

Alex got up and walked away from the corridor and intentionally got lost. If she couldn’t find it, she felt safe. It would be a little while before she would see that corridor again.

One day, Alex met a man who seemed to know where he was going. She asked him if he knew the way out. He said no, but felt he was smart enough to figure it out. On another day, she met a man who said he was not looking for a way, life was what you made it and he was quite happy in the labyrinth. He was viscously eaten by a savage gargoyle the very next moment as he proved to Alex the old adage; you don’t have to outrun the gargoyle, just the other guy running from it. Other people had mystical trinkets that they had found in the labyrinth and believed these things would one day guide them out to freedom.

She heard many strategies and theories about the labyrinth. None really made sense.

It came to pass that Alex once again found herself facing the corridor that she knew would lead her out of the labyrinth. Once again terror filled her heart, but the Maker swirled around her in a stiff and reassuring breeze. “Trust Me!” he whispered into her ear. “And you will be free.”

It occurred to Alex that the people in the labyrinth were not lost at all. They were not lost any more than she was. They could not face the terror of the way out. Sheer terror keeps the labyrinth’s population looking for something they don’t want to find.

Her time had come. Alex knew that if she was going to ever get out of the labyrinth, she had to go now. She could not take this place anymore.

Alex did not know why, it was just something about that corridor that filled a person with terror. Looking down the final corridor began to overwhelm her, but the breeze that so often refreshed her, did so now. “Ok.”, she said with her head slightly spinning as she realized what she was saying. “Ok.”

Suddenly, the Spirit of the Maker blazed in her heart and for the first time she could remember, she felt strength fill her body.

Then a blazing sword popped into her hand. Its burning blade burned hot green, but only warmed her. Into her other hand popped a shield. It was clear and prismed like crystal.

The passage that Alex was in now filled with the audible voice of the Maker. “Behold, the Shield of your Faith and Sword of My Spirit. Against these things, no evil can stand.” Then in a breeze almost seeming sheepish He said, “I would have given them to you sooner, but why burden you with these things. They are meant for what is at the end of this corridor and not for running.”

A gentle breeze guided her down the final corridor. It was a breeze she was familiar with. In the breeze the hand of God gently brushed against her face and warmed her heart.

At the end of the corridor there was a room and in that room was a terrible evil presence. God, the Maker, had led her here to deal with it.

Alex’s heartbeat pounded in her head. Her feet felt heavy but as she walked down the corridor the Maker was at work.

“Behold, the belt of truth!” bellowed the Maker’s audible voice. A belt of gold wrapped itself around Alex’s waist.

“No love of mine will go forth without the Breastplate of Righteousness!” exclaimed the Maker and as his voice finished echoing off the walls a golden breastplate covered Alex’s front.

Golden boots formed around Alex’s feet as the Spirit of the Maker whispered, “Remember what we have talked about all the time we spent together in this place and know that you are ready!”

Suddenly, Alex stopped. “Ready? Are you done equipping me?”

“Yes” said the holy Breeze.

Alex was not at all happy. “There is nothing to protect my backside Maker. I am concerned.”

Then the Maker chuckled. It seemed odd to Alex that God chuckled, but then he spoke.

In a very soft and reassuring voice he asked her, “Where do you think I am going to be?”

Alex found herself at the end of the final corridor. Her terror returned for a moment but the Maker’s Spirit flared in her heart and the terror faded. She took a deep breath opened the door and entered.

She found herself in a large stone room. At the center was a most dreadful creature. She recognized it from the stories the Maker had told her while they walked in the labyrinth. It was a minion. As she identified the creature in her mind, her boots tingled her feet and she knew she was right.

Minions were rebellious servants that had turned against the Maker. Once they were creatures of beauty and light, but when they rebelled the Maker cursed them. He turned their light into darkness and their beauty into horror. The curse drove them all mad and since that fateful day, they have sought to destroy everything the Maker creates.

The minion had been looking around at the ceiling with an unsettled look. It was clear he had heard the Maker’s voice.

He noticed Alex and his concerned look changed to one of arrogance and contempt... “Don’t you look just ridiculous in that getup?”

Immediately Alex stopped walking toward the minion and began to doubt herself.

“He is a liar. Challenge him” whispered the Spirit.

Alex gathered her courage. “Looks like you were a little spooked when I came in. Perhaps you were expecting the Maker?”

She was glad to see the minion’s posture melt at the Maker’s name, but he quickly recovered.

“Perhaps I was” sneered the minion. “But it was not the Maker who walked through the door, was it? It was you. Little, ugly, worthless, stupid you!”

Each awful word stung Alex’s heart and her confidence waned again, but then her belt gave her a pinch and the Spirit said, “More lies. Ask him his name.”

Refreshed yet again by the Spirit’s words she obeyed and asked the minion his name.

His eyes flashed hatred. “You know my name you idiot. Don’t waste my time. Come here and let me kill you.”

The Spirit flared in Alex’s heart once again. “The Maker says tell me your name!”

The minion laughed. “I don’t see any Maker here?” He looked her in the eyes and chills went down her spine. But the minion must have seen something in her eyes. “You are alone” he said weakly.

A breeze was visibly blowing through her hair now and everything was different. Everyone in the room knew the Maker was there. “I know how this ends,” the Maker whispered into her ear. “You win.”

“Tell me your name!”, Alex demanded once again.

The minion howled in frustration. The howl was inhuman and terrifying. Still, Alex held her ground.

“Very well,” said the minion. “My name is Self-Loathing. Time to die.”

Out of the air the minion produced a blood red sword with horribly jagged edges. He lashed at Alex but she brought her shield up and blocked the blow.

With the Maker’s Spirit guiding her, Alex brought the Sword of the Spirit to life and it clashed with the minion’s Sword of Despair. The Spirit continued to guide Alex’s body and she gained confidence.

The minion seemed unsettled and harried in his attempt to defend against the elegant dance of the Sword of the Spirit. Alex saw an opening and lashed at the minion. With his sword out of place, the minion suffered a deep slash across his chest.

The two opponents stopped and looked at the wound as vile orange blood flowed down the minion’s chest. He then looked at Alex and howled in rage. The minion vomited horrible green slime into Alex’s face.

She was not expecting this and it caught her full force. Her eyes stung furiously, the smell was overwhelming and the taste was vile.

Alex stumbled backward reeling from the unexpected assault. The Sword of Despair was thrust into her chest and Alex dropped to her knees as she felt her heart stop.

When the minion retrieved his sword the pain shattered Alex’s mind and she almost fainted.

Black blood poured from Alex’s chest and the Minion rejoiced. “You see Maker? Even her blood is black. She is filth, she is wretched and disgusting. This woman belongs to me!” The minion raised his sword to the ceiling in victory.

The room suddenly shook with the voice of the Maker and the minion immediately coward before the voice.

As Alex’s senses faded it seemed odd that the Maker’s voice spoke with such victory. All she could do now was listen as he spoke.

“You are a liar Self Loathing. Behold my lover, behold the apple of my eye.” The passion in the Maker’s voice was something new and wonderful to Alex. For the first time, she began to realize just how much the Maker loved her.

The breastplate Alex was wearing began to glow and Alex opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred and her eyes burned intensely, but she could make out the black blood pouring from her body. Suddenly it changed to light and the wound closed.

The minion was horrified as the Maker said, “I see no darkness, only light. I see my righteous and a pure lover.”

“Ha, well I see a dead lover then! You are a fool Maker and I killed your love!”, exclaimed the minion.

Once again, the Maker spoke, “I’m not the fool, you are. What is death to the Maker?”

Alex felt a new heartbeat within her. Strength returned to her body, and she stood.

“No!”, shrieked the minion.

“The lies stop now” said the Maker. Alex guided by the Maker’s Spirit lashed out at the minion with her sword. Caught totally by surprise the minion lost his head.

As it rolled next to its now collapsing body, the minion’s head had a face of complete shock and horror.

The minion then turned to ash and a familiar gentle breeze, scattered the ash into nothingness.

The ground began to shake. Ceiling, walls and floor crumbled to dust and once again the gentle breeze blew it all away.

It began to rain and Alex looked up to the sky. The cleansing water filled her searing eyes and they were soothed. She could see clearly again and found herself standing in a meadow. As the rain poured she felt the ichor from the minion wash away and she felt cleaned and renewed.

The rain stopped and the sun revealed itself. Its bright light warmed her body and soul.

Alex could scarcely believe where she was.

Then she heard a familiar voice. “You are free at last Alex, free at last.”

Alex looked toward the voice and saw a man. He was simply dressed. His build was slight, but hinted at strength. Alex recognized him at once. It was the Maker. She ran to him and jumped into his arms.

The Maker held her tight and whispered into her ear, “Well done my love. I knew you could do it.”

He held her that way for a while and she cried. The Maker’s love was unimaginable. It was all she needed; it was all she would ever need. His love made her feel invincible and complete. Alex was also free, and she wanted to see the whole world. She wanted to learn everything she could about it and what the Maker could teach her.

The Maker put Alex down and knowing her thoughts, he winked at her. “Well there are indeed many adventurous journeys ahead and I have much to tell you.”

He looked at her sword. I think you need something a little more suited to a journey. Alex’s sword changed into a green crystal staff. “Behold, I give you the Staff of Wisdom. Your spiritual gift is wisdom. You will bless people with what you learn.”

The Maker became the breeze and once again swirled around Alex, reassuring her of his presence. “Shall we go?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied Alex with anticipation in her heart. “Let’s go.”

So, Alex and the Maker began a new journey and a new adventure. It started in a lazy meadow, on a humble dirt road.