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"Give me the child...Through dangers unspoken and hardships unnumbered...I have fought my way to this castle beyond the Goblin City..to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours. And my kingdom is just as great!...for my will is as strong as yours, kingdom as great." Ai repeated to himself. "Dammit." He dug into his pocket, pulling out a small red book with the title "The Labyrinth" printed on the front.
"I can never remember that line..." He reread the previous words he had just spoken in his head. "You have no power over me." As he read a sudden clap of thunder interrupted him. He quickly snapping his head toward the sky. And another interruption from the giant clock in the middle of town. He whimpered. "You've gotta be kidding. It's 7:00." He began running home, attempting to beat the storm. A small white owl watching as he ran home.
Unluckily the storm had beat him, getting his entire costume soaking wet. "This isn't fair at all!" He yelled as he began to run faster, approaching his house. His step-mother waiting on the porch. "What isn't fair?" She said, hands placed on her hips and giving Ai an unamused look. Ai looked down as if he were defeated. "I'm sorry." His step-mother stepped aside. "Now don't stand there like an idiot, it's pouring. Get in." Ai nodded and stepped into the house, taking off his shoes before he walked onto the clean carpet.
"Aiichirou, you're almost an hour late." "I said I was sorry, ok?" He said stopping in front of the staircase and turning to the women. "Please let me finish Ai!" Ai waited for her to go on. "Look, your father and I never go out alo-" "You two go out every single weekend." He interrupted. "Ai, I ask you to babysit, as long as it doesn't interfere with your plans." She walked closer to the boy. He backed off heading up the stairs. "You don't know what plans I have, you don't even ask me." She grabbed onto his wrist and he turned around to face her once again. "I assume you would tell me if you were busy." She said, voice becoming softer. He huffed and ran up stairs. His father emerging from another room, with his younger sibling in his arms.
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"Through dangers unspoken...and hardships unnumbered...I have fought my way to this castle...beyond the Goblin city...to take back the child...that you have stolen." Ai was in his room, rehearsing the lines. "Ai? Can I talk with you?" His father interrupting him. He sighed and put the book down. "What is there to talk about?" Getting up from his bed and standing next to the door. "Hey, you better hurry, you're going to be late."
"Ai, we fed Hiro and put him to bed. We do have to leave but we'll be back around 12am." His father said, not opening the door at all. "Ok.." He went back to his bed lying for a minute, then he realized something was missing. "...Aki!" He looked around his room for the stuffed bear and it was nowhere to be seen. "Someone has been in my room while I was gone." He jumped out of bed and ran into the room where his younger half sibling slept, turning on the lights and immediately seeing the toy on the floor. "I hate you..." He said picking up his toy and holding it. The child cried as thunder clapped and lightning struck. "What is it?! You want a story, huh?" He walked over to the bed in the room, sitting onto the nicely made sheets. "Ok kid, I'll tell you a story...Once upon a time there was a charming and handsome young boy, whose damn step-mother always made him stay home to take care of the baby." The child cried as he told the story.
"The child was spoiled and wanted everything for himself. And the boy was practically a slave. Yet, no one knew...that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the boy and he had given him powers." Ai got up from the bed and stood above the crib. "So one night...when the baby was being so cruel to him...he called the goblins for help." Little did Aiichirou know that while he said this, the goblins were listening, they're always listening, waiting for those words to be spoken. "Say your right words, the goblins said. And we'll take the child to the Goblin city. And you will be free." The goblins knew he was about to say those words, and give Ai his wish. "But the boy knew that the king of goblins would keep the baby forever and ever...and turn it into a goblin. So the boy suffered in silence. Until one day, when he was sick of housework. And he was hurt by his step-mother...and he could no longer stand it." The baby was still crying. He just never stopped. Ai looked to the child and sighed. "Alright!" He picked up the child and held it, patting it's back. Still the kid wouldn't stop. "It's alright, c'mon...stop it!" He cried as the child got even louder. He pulled the child back and looked to him. "I'll say the words." He threatened. "No no, I must not. I must not say." The goblins listening in, getting excited for Ai to say the words.
"...I wish...I wish... I cannot stand it anymore!" He lifted the child. "Goblin King, Goblin King! Where ever you may be! Take this child far away from me!" Actually...he didn't even say the right words.
The goblins were disappointed. With Ai, the child kept crying its eyes out. "Oh c'mon, Hiro stop!" He held the child to his chest and patted his back. "..you know. I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away." He paused for a moment. "I wish..." The child continued crying, he put the child down and tucked him in. Stomping toward the door. "I wish the goblins would come an take you away."
He turned the lights off, "Right now." and began to walk out. But Hiro's crying stopped. He turned his head back toward the door of the room, slowly turning the knob and walking in. "H-Hiro...?" He walked in further. "Hiro, are you ok?" He saw that the windows were open, wind blowing all over the room. No lie, Ai was terrified. He walked back to turn the lights on. But...when he flipped the switch, it stayed dark. He very slowly walked over to the child's crib. As he walked the crib shook. He gasped softly but still walked to it. Ai hesitantly reached at the sheets, when he pulled the sheets. Hiro was gone. He gasped loudly at a white owl hitting the window, like it was trying to get in. He heard small laughs and growls, turning every direction. He actually started to tear up. While the sounds distracted him the owl broke in, flying toward Ai. He blocked himself, as the owl flew around the room. When he looked back...the owl had turned into a man. The man was standing where the windows were, he was tall, handsome. With red hair and probably the strangest teeth. The man had on all black and wore a cape. Ai raised a brow and realized what exactly was happening. Did he really just do that?
"You're him. You're the Goblin King." The man smiled confidently. "I want my brother back, please." The man crossed his arms. "What's said is said." He wiped his nose and walked toward the man. "But I-i didn't mean it." "Oh you didn't?-" "please! Where is he?" The king raised a brow. "Oh you know where the child is." Lightning struck as he spoke. "..Please bring him back." The man walked closer to Ai. "Aiichirou...go back to your room...read your books and practice your lines. Forget about the baby." He said smirking afterword. "I can't do that." Ai said, the man had his hand out. "I brought you a present." As he said that a small clear ball appeared in his hand. "Um..what is it?" "It's a crystal...nothing more." The King began to play with the ball, it moved smoothly never falling from his hand. "But if you turn it this way. Look into it, it'll show you all your dreams. You see this is not a gift for just anyone...Do you want it?" Ai looked to the man, not even reaching toward the crystal. "Forget the baby-" "I can't." Ai interrupted. "I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but I want Hiro back. He must be terrified-" "Aiichirou." Suddenly the crystal turned to a snake? Ai backed up. "Don't defy me." The man threw the snake toward Ai, he quickly grabbed it and threw it to the ground. Noticing that it was just a scarf. "You're no match for me, Ai." He said crossing his arms. "But I need my brother back." The man sighed and walked next to Ai, pointed out the window. "He's there, in my castle." Ai ran to look out the window, suddenly he wasn't in town anymore. He was in another world. In the distance Ai could see the castle. And before the castle...was the labyrinth.
"Do you still want to look for him?" The Goblin King said as Ai looked to the castle. "Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?" Ai asked. "Turn back, Ai. Before its too late." The King said as Ai turned to look to him. "I can't. Don't you understand that I just can't?" Ai looked back to the labyrinth. "What a pity..." The man said walking to Ai. "Well..it doesn't look that fa-" "It's further than you think. Time is short, Ai." The king walked away from Ai and suddenly a clock had appeared from out of the blue. "You have 13 hours in which to solve the labyrinth, before your baby brother becomes one of us forever." The King suddenly vanished.
Ai turned to see the man but he was gone. He looked over. "The labyrinth." He said to himself. "It doesn't look...that hard...Well, c'mon feet." And he began running to the labyrinth.