"The most dangerous thing about illusions isn’t that they lie—it’s how much they make you want to believe."
The entrance to the Tanglewood Maze loomed before them, a chaotic mess of twisting vines and pulsating threads of magic. The air around it shimmered faintly, like heat rising from a stone on a summer day, but instead of warmth, it radiated unease.
“This is… inviting,” Ludikrousz muttered, staring at the maze with a mix of skepticism and dread. “Let me guess—it’s not just a bunch of overgrown hedges.”
Notty shot him a sideways glance. “Considering it’s called the Tanglewood Maze, I’m guessing no. It’s not exactly a relaxing garden stroll.”
Ludikrousz smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, that’s a shame. I was hoping for tea and scones at the center.”
Notty couldn’t help but laugh, even as her stomach churned with anxiety. His humor had a way of grounding her, even in the most surreal moments. But as she stared at the maze, the glow of its threads intertwining with the dark vines, her laughter faded.
“Stay close,” she said, her voice firmer now. “If this thing messes with our heads, we can’t let it separate us.”
“Agreed,” Ludikrousz said, stepping closer. “Though if I start seeing a talking shrub, we’re leaving.”
Notty smiled faintly but didn’t respond. She took a deep breath and stepped into the maze.
The Tanglewood Maze was alive. The moment they entered, the walls seemed to close in around them, the vines twisting and shifting like they had a mind of their own. The glowing threads pulsed faintly, illuminating the path ahead, but every time Notty thought they were moving forward, the maze shifted again.
“This place has a terrible sense of direction,” Ludikrousz muttered, his eyes scanning the ever-changing walls. “How are we supposed to get anywhere if it keeps moving?”
“It’s testing us,” Notty said, her voice quiet. “It’s trying to confuse us. We just have to focus.”
“Focus on what? The fact that the walls are alive or that it feels like we’re walking in circles?”
Notty ignored him, her fingers brushing against the threads as she tried to sense their direction. But the maze wasn’t just confusing—it was disorienting in a way that felt personal. The walls whispered faintly, their voices just out of reach, and the air grew heavier with each step.
“Do you hear that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ludikrousz tilted his head, listening. “If by ‘that’ you mean the creepy whispers, then yes. They’re hard to miss.”
“They sound like…” She trailed off, her chest tightening as the whispers grew louder, forming fragmented words that sent shivers down her spine. “Like my family.”
Ludikrousz frowned, his brow furrowing. “Your family? What are they saying?”
Notty hesitated, her heart pounding. The whispers weren’t clear, but they carried a tone of disappointment, of judgment. “It doesn’t matter,” she said quickly. “Let’s just keep moving.”
As they walked, the maze’s illusions grew stronger. The vines shifted, forming shapes that resembled people—figures from their pasts, their faces blurred but hauntingly familiar. Notty tried to focus on the glowing threads, but the shapes called to her, their voices weaving into the whispers.
“Notty,” one of them said, its tone soft but accusing. It sounded like her father, his voice tinged with the disappointment she knew all too well. “You’ve always been a failure. Always running away from what you should be.”
She clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. “It’s not real,” she muttered to herself. “It’s not real.”
“Notty,” Ludikrousz said sharply, grabbing her arm. “Don’t listen to them. They’re just illusions.”
She nodded, her breath shaky. “I know. But they feel so…”
“Real?” he finished, his voice softer now. “Yeah. That’s the point. But we’re not letting them win.”
Notty met his gaze, finding comfort in his steady presence. “Right,” she said, straightening her shoulders. “Let’s keep going.”
The maze wasn’t content to let them off so easily. As they turned a corner, the path split into three, each one leading to a different glowing archway. The threads that had guided them so far were gone, leaving them with no clear direction.
“Fantastic,” Ludikrousz said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Three doors, no threads. It’s like a bad riddle.”
Notty frowned, her eyes scanning the arches. Each one pulsed faintly with a different color—blue, green, and red—but there was no indication of where they led.
“Which one do we choose?” she asked, more to herself than to him.
“Normally, I’d say go with your guts,” he said, “but considering this place thrives on messing with our guts, I’m open to suggestions.”
Notty stepped closer to the arches, her fingers brushing against the air around them. The red one felt hot, almost angry, while the green one carried a faint, earthy smell. The blue one was cold and still, like standing in the middle of a winter storm.
“I think…” she began, but before she could finish, Ludikrousz’s head snapped toward the green archway.
“Did you hear that?” he asked, his voice tense.
“Hear what?” she said, turning to him.
“It was…” He trailed off, his eyes narrowing. “It sounded like my father.”
Notty’s stomach dropped. “Ludikrousz, don’t.”
But he was already moving toward the green archway, his steps quick and determined. “I just need to see.”
“No!” she said, grabbing his arm. “It’s not real. You said it yourself—it’s just illusions.”
He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “What if it’s not? What if it’s—”
“It’s not,” she said firmly, her grip on his arm tightening. “Whatever it’s showing you, it’s trying to pull you away.”
He stared at her, his eyes conflicted, but before he could respond, the whispers grew louder, and the figure of a man appeared in the archway. His face was shadowed, but his voice was unmistakable.
“Ludikrousz,” it said, its tone calm but commanding. “Come home.”
Ludikrousz froze, his breath catching. “It’s him,” he whispered.
“No, it’s not,” Notty said, stepping in front of him. “It’s a trick. Don’t fall for it.”
But the figure took a step closer, its form becoming clearer. “You’ve always belonged with us,” it said. “Why do you keep running?”
Ludikrousz’s hands trembled, his eyes locked on the figure. “I’m not running,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m not…”
Notty grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. “Ludikrousz, listen to me. This isn’t real. It’s not him. It’s the maze.”
He blinked, his gaze flickering between her and the figure. For a moment, she thought he was going to turn back—but then the figure spoke again, its voice softer now.
“You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
Ludikrousz’s face twisted, his resolve crumbling. “Notty, I feel something…”
Before she could stop him, he pulled away, stepping toward the green archway. “Ludikrousz!” she shouted, reaching for him, but the vines shifted, blocking her path.
“Ludikrousz!” she screamed again, her voice echoing through the maze. But he was gone.
Notty stood frozen, her heart pounding as the archway closed behind him, leaving her alone in the twisting maze. The whispers grew louder, the walls closing in as she realized the maze wasn’t done with her yet.