Labyrinth OCT round 5 1/9

 Boom.

A distant thunder echoed in the plaza, and Zolteotl appeared with a burst of dark shadows in front of a sealed building.

They looked at the sky. It was full of menacing lead-gray clouds: the air was even more humid than usual, stagnant.

Motionless, as the Labyrinth itself was waiting for something.

The Tlaztal gestured with a hand to create a door, closing their eyes for a moment before stepping in. The door disappeared soon after.

In a little, cramped room, heavily guarded by a Doorlet, there was something,  someone laying lifeless on the ground.

“She can't be dangerous anymore. And...Yeah, I know.” Zol sighed, and snapped their fingers, conjuring a golden choker and then putting it of the woman's neck while they talked to the Doorlet.

“Almost time.”

 Chrysanthemum gasped as she opened her eyes, groaning and then sitting on the ground. “What...who.... ugh...”

She stared at the Tlaztal and she rolled her eyes. “That was a super low blow. How long did you put me out?”

“Long enough, my dear little flower. We sincerely hope the message was well understood.” The long eared creature leaned against a wall, massaging their head.

“You shouldn't have talked that much.”

“You and your master didn't understand shit.” Chrys got up, rubbing her arms and wincing, searching for a window. But there was nothing aside from bare walls.

“What in the everloving hell is happening outside? The air is full of static....it's like a big storm is coming.”

No one answered, and she scoffed.

"Keep your mysteries to yourself then." Chrys hesitated before asking the next question. “Is Anatolius still in the competition?”

The woman looked at the Tlaztal as they shook their head. She smiled and then closed her eyes with a sigh of relief.

“Good. So my job here is done: I would have liked to stop you all from doing what you're currently up to, but in the end it doesn't even matter.”

Zolteotl and the Doorlet looked at each other, but for a long, long moment to one really talked.

The Tlaztal cleared their throat, their eyes flickering for a second.

“How much do you...hate him?”

 “As I said, it doesn't matter: I'm already dead, and he lost. As he should have been.” Chrys shrugged with a sneer.

“I hope you consider letting me out: I need and I want to assure myself he doesn't escape his punishment. I know he will try again and again to undo what his father has decided for him.”

"Letting you out...? Don't push your luck, little flower.” Despite their stern warning, Zolteotl smiled, sitting down with a tired sigh.

The Doorlet trotted towards the Tlaztal, plopping beside them and huffing when they began to pat their back.

Chrys frowned and sat down too, crossing her legs, not daring to speak until the silence was too heavy to stand.

“Zol...Are you really immortal?”

Zolteotl chuckled again, regaining some composure as they looked at the Doorlet, patting it again.

“What a silly question. Only an immortal can bear the weight of the Labyrinth.”

“Is that so?” Chrys smirked, trying to have a better look at the Tlaztal.

“I didn't remember so many cracks on your mask. For how long it will hold together?”

They laughed, their ears held low for just a moment. Then Zolteotl spoke in a quiet whisper. “That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.”

"That's not an answer!" The woman raised her eyebrows, eyes wide.

“I didn't know you could quote...”

“You don't know a lot of things about me, and you probably never will.”

 Zolteotl snapped again their fingers: a door appeared and then opened on a wall. The Doorlet trotted outside and the Tlaztal looked at Chrys with old, tired eyes.

“For now, you're free to go wherever you want. As I said, don't push your luck, it would be wise to run until Calacoayan is in a good mood and you're too curious for your own sake. Though, I wonder...”

They turned towards the door, and this time the silence was longer.

“You know...not many dead people can roam around to tell what happened to them.” Zolteotl tilted their head.   “Are you wise, Chrysanthemum, or not? It's up to you to decide.”

They laughed ad disappeared in another burst of shadows, leaving the door open.