The Maze
David ducked around a corner and into a hole in the wall. Footsteps thundered after him and then a beastly image flashed by, David sped after the figure and vaulted off some rubble in the path just as the beast turned with a roar, jaws gaping. David swung his sword downward with all his might and straight into the beast's face, it screamed in agony and then vanished into smoke. He leaned against his sword, sweat dripping from his body in great drops, his cloak soaked through, the leather armor hot against his body.
The maze was never-ending.
"You're the Devil" he muttered.
"No, but I appreciate the compliment" came the soft reply from just ahead.
David stiffened and swung his sword up defensively. But as usual, there was no one to be seen. He sat on the rubble to catch his breath. Legion might be a devil but he seemed to enjoy playing by the rules, his own rules that is. After David defeated a monster in the maze there was always a little time before the next one, always a little further in. A little bigger, a little faster, and a little...eviler. Some talked, some screamed, some seduced, some had weapons, others claws, and teeth, others...their minds.
He gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath, filling his lungs with the foul air. Suddenly he heard a noise, a soft clatter. He jumped up. There had never been another attack this close together. He scanned around and found a crevice. After hiding he waited. Suddenly a shadow appeared in his view. It moved almost....humanly? Impossible, the only other humans he saw were the skeletons he stripped armor and weapons from. He had never encountered another person alive.
The figure darted from rubble to rubble, scanning the area as he, or she, went. David thought he glimpsed a white beard but wasn't sure. Once the figure was directly across from him, maybe five paces, David bolted from his hidden alcove, sword raised overhead, and was about to swing down when he noticed the figure drawing his bow back and about to release an arrow, directly at David's chest. David threw himself sideways as the arrow sped past and into the wall, where it shattered. He dove behind a huge pillar, now crumbling, and peered around. The figure was nowhere to be seen.
He waited.
And waited.
And finally called out. "Who are you..."
An arrow whipped past his hiding place in answer. He rolled to the right behind another pillar, no small feat in ancient armor. He chanced another glance in the direction of the archer.
David decided to take a risk.
"Listen! I'm going to come out with my hands raised and sword in the sheath. If you're from Legion...well I'll be back where I started, But if you're not then hold your fire and come ten paces away so we can talk"
Silence.
"I'm coming out now..." David raised his hands from above his hideout, they weren't immediately shot, which was a good sign. Standing up he turned and saw the man, very clear now with the white beard visible, standing about twenty paces away with his bow drawn. David slowly moved forward until he was ten paces or so away.
They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
"So...I'm David"
Silence.
"Do you have a name?"
"How do I know you're not with Legion" the man spat out. It sounded like he hadn't talked in a long time, very raspy, like a smoker.
"Well for one I'm not trying to kill you..."
"That's no proof, the last illusion was a 'helpless' woman, who tried to cling to me, seduce me, then stab me. None of the three came close to working by the way"
"Uh huh..." David didn't know what to say to that. He was mainly shocked to find a real human in the maze. A living human! "Listen I realize Trust is a rare and impossible commodity here but to be honest I'm just amazed to meet another human" 'if that's what you are' he thought. It was an impossible chain of suspicion, they would most certainly not be able to trust each other, at least not based on logic.
The old man looked at him for a long moment and then finally turned and walked away.
"Hey! At least tell me your name!"
"....it's Solomon"