3 In the Minoan Labyrinth

I shook my head and placed my hands on my chest. My tears bursted out with this feeling of great loss. I punched and punched the wall until I scarred my fists. Blood flowing out. I can't accept this! Why?! Why does it have to be my family?! Arrrrrggghhh!!!

"Even if you kill your own self, you cannot do anything about it." Minotaur exclaimed.

"It hurts! It really hurts..."

I wiped my tears, staining my eyes with the blood coming out from my fists.

"All I ever wanted... was to live a peaceful life with my family!" I couldn't stop my tears from flowing out of my eyes. It sunk inside the deepest part of my heart, crushing it whole. Nothing more is left for me now... but to accept it.

"You are a man with a good heart!" Minotaur stood up from the floor and walked towards me. He tapped my shoulder.

"I can see deep inside you. Even though your aggression manifests outside, you are not longing for vengeance. It hurts you from the part that you can't do anything for the loss of your parents. But I can see... deep inside you that you are holding back the aggression." Minotaur sighed.

"Evil itself manifests deep inside the heart." He groaned and placed his hand on Alni's forehead. I stared at Minotaur and somehow, I feel enlightened and the pain was slightly relieved.

"How long have you been here?" I asked Minotaur out of curiosity.

"Forty, Fifty years probably. Time is nothing in my slumber."

I looked at him for the second time.

"Why would you rather stay inside the Labyrinth?"

"Because it is part of my duty... deep inside this Labyrinth, something holds the greatest power of light and chaos!" He frowned.

"I need to protect it from the Abyssal Demons"

Abyssal Demons? I only heard about them from stories and legends. So they were true huh?

"But... it does not signify most of the problem in this world!" He added.

"The Three Evils! Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance. It stems naturally inside the human heart. It cannot be undone!" I can see the serious look on Minotaur's eyes.

"Sooner or later, the gods above will bring forth wrath in this land whom these greedy humans defiled."

My heart starts pumping real quick. I gulped.

"What... what do you mean?" I asked.

He looked at me.

"You need to leave the Jaded Path!"

Minotaur groaned. He stood up, and walked towards the darkened path heading to the deepest part inside the Labyrinth.

"I will also protect the Labyrinth!" I shouted.

He stopped and turned his back.

"I won't go anywhere! I will take Alni away from here but I will never leave this place!"

Minotaur huffed.

"Is that how you see things? After all, you're not afraid to die."

He turned back and continued walking.

"If that's the path that you have chosen..."

Then Minotaur disappeared from the shadows.

I couldn't tell if I did that intentionally but this feeling... It gave me a tint of strength. Now I know what it means to be a contractor! Even if it costs my life, I would dedicate this for Alni's protection! Minotaur said that a thing existed beneath this maze that holds the greatest power of good and evil. It suddenly raced my heart, hearing the immense description of the power inside this Labyrinth... it seems so tempting and yet I cannot stop this feeling of encouragement.

I looked at Alni. Her face seems to be peaceful now.

I smiled and placed my hand on her forehead. "I'm going to protect you, Alni."

I lay my head beside Alni's and fell asleep.

"Where... where am I?" I find myself lying in a small bed inside a dark room with a small window and the light outside illuminating from it. It's already morning and I only remember a few...

In a sudden, the door opened and... Eve!

"Aldous! Thank god, you're okay!" She exclaimed in relief and anxiousness echoing from the tone of her voice.

"Where's Alni?" I asked her. My head really hurts.

"She's on my room. I took care of her while you're still out. She's seem to be fine now!"

Eve's eyes! I can see sorrow from it so I smiled at her and the least, it was slowly fading away.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your parents, Aldous." Eve hugged me tight. It was warm and comfortable. My tears bursted out and my chest suddenly stiffs. "Everything's going to be fine!" Eve's tears were also falling from her eyes.

A day filled with sorrow.

The storm has come to a halt.

I have faith that the sun will rise and shine on me again.