Chapter Text
Despite the darkness Luke wasn’t afraid. He found it quite comforting. Peaceful even. He remembered him and Jace staying at his auntie Alys’ house when they were young, before their dad had died and Alys had moved out of the capital and back to the Riverlands. The woman was fond of the colour black, which along side her habit of using natural remedies only perpetuated the witch rumour. Alys had black out curtains in her bedroom as well as the spare that she made into a kids room for her nephews. Alys wasn’t a morning person a trait her second born nephew had inherited.
Thinking about his aunt stirred a memory of his birthday, the birthday he got the book. Alys words came back to him, “This book is much more then you think. It will be your guide when you meet your greatest challenge.” Little six year old Luke hasn’t paid much attention, he had just wanted to stuff his mouth full of sweet treats and unwrap his presents, but now ten years later Luke mulled over his aunt’s words. Surely his aunt wasn’t a witch but he couldn’t help the shiver running down his spine. He tried to think about the story. The heroine had found herself in the same predicament he was now currently in, hadn’t she? His memory was fuzzy despite knowing the book like the back of his hand. It’s this place, he thought, it tries to confuse you. What happened to the girl in the book? How did she get out?
Luke didn’t have to ponder long as his ears heard an odd bump and a curse. Suddenly bright light filled the room from one of corners. The boy scrambled to it and peeked his head though the opening, coming face to face with the young man from earlier. If possible the man looked more miserable.
“Egg! What are you doing here?”
“You know when people are rescued they usually say thank you.”
Sheepishly Luke thanked the man. Egg beckoned him out of the room. They found themselves in a narrow corridor, the light coming from above.
“Come on kid, let’s get you on your way.”
“Are you going to help me? This place is horrible.”
“I’ll take you as far as I can go.”
Thanking the man again Luke followed him through the Labyrinth. Walking in silence was something Luke couldn’t stand. He always had someone to talk with, wether that was his mother, Rhaena or even Arrax. Despite not being able to speak the puppy was a great companion. Suddenly Luke felt lonely and wanted nothing more to run to his mother’s arms. He felt Rhaenyra would know what to do. His mind elsewhere he failed to notice that his new companion had stopped. It was only when Egg’s arm shot out to stop him that Luke noticed they were in a garden right in the centre of the Labyrinth.
It was a gorgeous garden. Full of red roses, and in the middle was a statue of three dragons. Unlike most statues, that were just plain stone, this one was made of coloured glass so that every time the sun hit it the dragons seemed to glow. What was also unique was that the dragons were different colours. The biggest of the three, who was in the middle of the other two, was a midnight black colour. The second biggest, to the black dragon’s right, was a rich forest green colour. The smallest was the colour of the clouds on a clear day.
Luke was in awe. He had never seen something so beautiful, but one thing bothered him, “It’s very fragile. Has it ever been broken?” he questioned Egg. However it wasn’t Egg that answered him.
“Magic, sweetling. It won’t break because of the magic.”
The voice was soft and musical. The young woman it belonged to was sitting in an alcove in the corner of the Labyrinth. The woman was quite pretty, had the same white blonde hair as the King and Egg and dressed in robes of periwinkle blue. “Do you want to know what your dreams mean? I’m quite good at dreams.” Luke found comfort in that voice. It was a voice that belonged somewhere in his memories. Suddenly images of beetles and spiders came to him, and of a dragon as blue as the woman’s robes.
Egg answered for him, “We can’t stay. Have to keep moving. You know better than to try and meddle. He won’t like it.”
The blue women gave Egg a sour look and said bitterly , “He doesn’t scare me. What’s the worse he can do? Where are you taking the boy?”
“King’s business. Nothing for you to be concerned by Hela.”
Luke, who up until that moment had been trying to place the woman, looked up sharply, “King’s business? You’re helping him? Why?”
“Help the boy, Egg. Take him to the city at least.”
“No! It will be my damn head.”
“Well at least you know the consequences of your actions.”
All three turned to where they heard that voice. Standing by the dragon statue was the Goblin King. His eye roaming over the boy he smirked, “How are you finding my Labyrinth? And I’ve see you’ve made friends.” The Goblin King glanced at Egg with contempt but when he looked at the woman it was with sadness.
Tossing his head back Luke bit out, “It’s a piece of cake. So easy in fact I could probably do it in my sleep.”
Egg and Hela groaned and winced. The king stalked over to Luke. Tilting the boy’s chin up with his finger, he whispered “Piece of cake is it? Hmm, I wonder how you’ll like this piece.” The Goblin King hurled one of his orbs into one of the walls creating a large hole. And in that hole was the sound of knives clashing together and a whirring sound. With a chuckle the Goblin King disappeared.
“What is that?,” Luke asked his companions as Hela grabbed his arm. She answered, “It’s the Dragon’s Teeth. We need to run. Now!”
All three ran out of the garden the sound of gnashing and whirring behind them. Luke really didn’t want to look behind him but with a sick curiosity he did. What he saw was a machine the size of a car but looked like a giant blender from hell. The blades looked viciously sharp and Luke did not want to find out how sharp. They were only saved when Egg pulled them into another corner of the Labyrinth allowing the machine to pass straight through to gods knows where.
“You just had to provoke him didn’t you? You never learn,” snapped Egg.
Luke was about to reply when a roar split the air.
Egg sighed, “This just got worse. Vhagar has woken up.”