Tristan and Mary walked cautiously through the arch that marked the entrance to the maze. As they turned the first corner, Mary looked back to see that entrance had disappeared, closing them off from the world outside.

Mary: "Why didn't I see that one coming?"
Tristan: "Great. What's that noise?"

They froze and listened intently to the darkness. It sounded like footsteps. A lot of footsteps. Footsteps of something that had a lot of feet, growing nearer by the second.

Mary: "Oh hell, I hope it isn't wild boars!"
Tristan: "'Lord of the Flies'?"
Mary: "No, Hannibal. Jeez, how old are you?"

The thundering of feet, or possibly hooves, grew louder until the pressure on Tristan's eardrums became painful. Suddenly the thundering stopped, and the silence seemed louder than the noice preceding it. Mary opened one eye, then the other, finding herself in a defensive pose with a sword in her hands. She looked up to see four demons beginning to surround them, snarling.

Tristan: "Mary, how about conjuring a sword for me?"
Mary: "Here! Take this one! I don't know how the hell to use a sword!"

Mary tossed the sword at him. With some creative footwork, Tristan managed to catch it without losing any limbs.

Tristan: "Mary, watch out!"

Mary ducked just as one of the demons they were facing came at her. She rolled to the ground and came up on her knee, pointing one hand at it. It paused and looked at her curiously. Tristan lunged toward the creature, sword first. It took a step backward and glared at him, then nodded to one of the other demons, who promptly launched itself toward Tristan.

The demon left in front of Mary smiled. She would have been almost pleasant were it not for the red eyes, the horns and the cloven hooves.

Mary gasped as it jumped for her throat, claws extended. She rolled to the ground again, and this time when she came up she was aiming a gun at its head. The demon frowned at her, confused, and Mary smiled.

The shot that rang out caused all movement to cease. Even the ragged, heavy breath of the demons had been silenced. Tristan was the first to come back to the moment, and easily sliced off the second demon's head as the demon Mary had shot fell to the ground. Mary grimaced.

Mary: "That's disgusting."

She fired off three shots at the third demon, flinching as it yelped and ran away into the shadows. The fourth demon stood there, glancing from Mary to Tristan and back again. She seemed familiar, and just as they recognized her eyes as Emily's, she disappeared into the maze.

Mary: "Fuck! Did you see that?"
Tristan: "Yes. We're close."

Mary: "I think we might actually be able to pull this off!"
Tristan: "You didn't think so before?"

Mary seemed to be glowing, her eyes glinting with an inner fire. She looked more alive than Tristan ever remembered seeing her.

Tristan: "Guess not. Come on. We're nearly there."

They took off running in the direction the last demon had fled, Mary easily keeping pace with Tristan. The further they ran, the more overgrown and wild the maze became. The hedges seemed to sprout arms that reached out to stop them, their once-clear path now littered with weeds and dead branches. They turned several corners, occasionally catching a tantalizing glimpse of the creature they were after. After a few minutes Tristan slowed, then stopped.

Mary: "What are you doing? This is no time to rest! You said yourself, we're nearly there!"
Tristan: "We're being led."
Mary: "Isn't that sort of what chasing is?"

Tristan: "No, I mean… it feels more like a trick."
Mary: "Has anyone ever told you that you're paranoid?"

Tristan was about to respond when he felt a sudden jarring sensation deep in his soul. He cringed as the feeling settled throughout his body, gripping every cell.

Tristan: "Do you feel that?"
Mary: "Feel what?"

Tristan wavered slightly, but managed to remain standing.

Tristan: "It's like… complete and utter desolation. God, it's permeating the air! How can you not feel that?"
Mary: "I think I sort of feel what you're talking about, but… Maybe it's another one of those 'no body' things?"

Tristan hardly heard her response, listening instead to a faint but clear sound coming from just beyond the row of hedges in front of them. It sounded almost like soft crying. From the look on Mary's face, he knew she heard it as well.

Mary: "Tristan? What is that? Where's it coming from?"
Tristan: "There… right through there."
Mary: "Any ideas how to get there?"

Tristan answered by raising his sword and cutting through the thickly intertwined branches. The hedge was instantly closing up, each swing leaving them no closer than they'd been before. The bushes were actively working against him, becoming more and more tangled with each swing.

Mary: "I don't think that's going to work…"
Tristan: "I'm going to make it work! If Emily's just on the other side of this wretched thing… I just need to be faster than this damn plant."

He raised the sword again, prepared to swing with every ounce of his strength. Just as he was lunging forward, the hedge parted, leaving an opening to a small clearing. Tristan stumbled briefly, nearly falling flat on his face. Before he regained his balance, he heard Mary gasp from behind him and looked up sharply.