Mirai

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The sphinx walked over to me, her tail swaying as she did. I stood rooted to the spot and waited to see what she would do. Waited to know if my answer to the riddle was correct so I would be given the answers I wanted. Or if it had been wrong and she would attack me or something.

She sat back down again, right by me, and smiled. She then reached her paw up. It was bigger than my face, but she placed it gently towards my cheek, her claws retracted, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Very good Mirai," she told me and lowered her paw. "So you wanted to know of a woman with a mark of a serpent coming out of a pomegranate?"

"Yes," I nodded. The rapid thumping of my heart went from being caused by anxiety to excitement.

"It is quite a sad story, really. She was once such a sweetheart." The sphinx shook her head and for the first time since I had entered the room, her smile fell. "I think it's best for you to see the whole story. That way, you will be able to judge her by your own accord instead of others. I cannot show it to you, though. Only tell you."

My heart stilled, and her words echoed in my ears. My mouth was dry, but a pinch of frustration began growing.

"Then why don't you just tell me? What difference does it make if I see it or am told about it?"

What was up with all of these beings? Why were they refusing to tell me? From what the sphinx had said about my time being limited, she obviously knew of the countdown, so why did she make it difficult for me?

Was the woman really a monster like Nox had said? Did they keep the truth from me as a way to protect me?

No! I refused to believe that. She wasn't a monster. There was no way. And it wasn't only that I refused to believe it. I felt in my core that she wasn't one.

"There is a big difference between seeing it and being told," the sphinx went on. Then her smile appeared again, but it was much more somber than before. "But worry not. There is a place you can go that will allow you to see it."

My heart thundered in my chest. It was as loud as the sphinx's voice, which made it hard to hear her.

"In the mountains of Arizona, there is a maze. The maze is called the Maze of Life and is said to show the one walking its path all the moments that have shaped and will shape them. Guarding the Maze is the Man of the Maze. He will either judge you worthy of entering the Maze or not. It is dangerous walking its path, so do think carefully before setting out on its journey."

I nodded.

"What decides if you are worthy or not?" I asked, though I wanted to ask her to be more precise and to tell me all she knew. But like I had known that Nox wouldn't tell me more than to seek the sphinx out, I knew she wouldn't say anything else than that the Maze of Life would show me who the woman was. As infuriating as that in itself was, I also knew I was one step closer.

"What lies in your heart," was all she answered.

It definitely wasn't an answer, at least not one that gave any type of clarity. But I knew not to expect more.

I opened my mouth to thank her and then leave. But I never got the chance.

"There's one more thing I want to tell you," she continued, and then looked up at the ceiling of the room we were in. "In these corridors, witchcraft does not work well. My own magic interferes too much. But I can send you to above ground so you do not have to walk in anymore darkness right now. Above ground, you will be met by those who wish for the woman to remain in darkness, though. So before I do, consider where to go next."

So the coven hadn't given up? They had followed me here? This couldn't continue. I needed them off my back. I needed to be able to move more freely. That had to be the first thing for me to ensure before I set out for the Maze of Life. And the idea of how came easily, I just hoped it wasn't a plan that would end in my death. Or no, I didn't need to hope, because I knew I might piss him off, but he did not pose a threat to me.

"I know where to go," I answered her.

"Good." Her smile had turned brighter, but a thought seemed to come over her. A thought that made the smile drop again. She placed her paw on my cheek once more and even stroked it a bit. "When you find her, do care for her. Both of her. And be aware that finding her will only be the beginning of stopping the countdown."

I opened my mouth to ask what she meant because those words sounded ominous and had my body trembling. But before I could get a word out, she was gone. The whole room was gone. Instead, I found myself standing above ground between the two sphinx statues. Night had fallen, and it was pitch-black outside. But even so, I could make out the high pillar before me. As well as the shapes of about ten witches from the coven.

They all stood spread out and looked in different directions, so some had me in their line of sight. For a moment, I hoped the darkness of the night provided enough cover so that they wouldn't notice me. Even if it then might just take them a minute or so longer to know I had left the place, that minute could prove to be the difference as I convinced the grumpy old beast, as the sphinx had called him, to help me.

But I had no such luck.

"Ther..." was all I heard them shout before I twisted my body and teleported myself away. 

Quite annoying, aren't they, both Nox and the Sphinx, by refusing to tell Mirai what they know? Anyone got any guess as to who the woman might be? I'll actually be really impressed if anyone knows.