A/N: Hello hello my dear readers! So sorry for the delay, I know I said it would be another month or so for the next chapter in the last note but the 'or so' part kept dragging on and on aha. But here it is now! I had serious writer's block for this but the end is near, I can smell it like the blood of my vict- ahem. Oii my villains are rubbing off on me. Thank you all for your patience, and please take a moment to review, fav and follow to your heart's desire! Constructive criticism is very much welcomed as I am still learning on this writing journey. Speaking of which, I do have a oneshot series uploaded. So if you ever tire of the gore and horror, perhaps you can visit there for something of the lesser extent and perhaps something akin to comedy over tragedy. I won't delay your reading eyes much longer so enjoy!

Maddie ran for what seemed like an eternity as she diligently followed the spirit through all the twist and turns in the labyrinth. She harshly brushed the tears from her eyes, thinking up multitude of ways she can end the miserable demon's life for putting her son through this madness. Her sweet, selfless Danny. He was so adamant on taking care of her that he didn't even bother with his own well-being. She should've been the one taking care of him. She should've been the one comforting him. She should have been there for him.

Similar thoughts of her inability to help her baby boy, to be a mother, flooded her mind which sprung more tears from her eyes, distracting her from her current situation.

Maddie, watch out!

Her attention snapped back like a rubber band across her forehead. She tripped a couple times and almost lost a limb or two fighting and kicking at the slimy creatures that piled on top of her had it not been for the spirit who aided by blinding them with its sudden flashes of light. Mentally berating herself, Maddie was back on her feet in an instant and followed the spirit as it rounded a corner. A wall of iron doors beckoned them and she barged into a random one without a second thought.

A quick glance around revealed an old cellar with wine barrels stacked to the top alongside each wall. She quickly shut the door, inspecting her surroundings to find a weapon of some sort. Her search was cut short when she heard the screeches nearing. She darted towards the side of the door, back pressed against the wall waiting to pounce on any intruders as she held her breath.

Thankfully, not one of them found her hiding spot. The shrieks drifted away and she exhaled, grateful for the return of oxygen. She sank towards the ground, slowing her panting breaths. Her ankle was throbbing once again but she was shocked, to say the least, that she managed to escape with nothing more than a couple gashes and several minor cuts and bruises.

I am sorry for straying off the path, but there were too many of them and you are still hurt. You should rest for a while.

Maddie was already on her feet continuing her search for something useful in the cellar when the soft voice entered her mind. Teeth gritted, she responded, 'I will as soon as my son and I are out of this hellhole.'

The spirit followed her quietly, aiding in her search by illuminating the room. She found a long pipe hanging off the ceiling and bent it back and forth a few times until it snapped off its hold. Smaller pipe rods scattered across the floor, which she picked up, as well as few decently sized pieces of wood from some cracked barrels.

Methodically, she set to work sharpening the edges to form some sort of mini dagger. The spirit hovered next to her working hands, pulsing with light.

'Why exactly are you helping me?' The question wasn't meant to sound like an attack, but Maddie was still too on edge worrying about her son to notice. The spirit empathized and let out a small, sad laugh. It sounded like chimes on a rainy day, gently soothing her mind.

To be quite honest, Maddie, it is so that many of the lost spirits trapped here, myself included, can be set free of Its wrath. As you know, you are not the first to fall victim to this demon's mutinous game.

The tools in her hands suddenly seemed very interesting; the spirit pressed on.

It was impossible to escape for mere humans no matter how hard they fought, their strength would wither away. That beast kept them here, toying with them, and dealt out torture of unspeakable nature until there was nothing left of them, save their broken souls. And yet, even in our afterlives, we are forever trapped in his maze unable to be set free until he has been destroyed.

Maddie raised an eyebrow, 'He...?'

The spirit seemed to sigh, its light faded slightly.

Yes. He was a deranged man; the creature you now see is merely an amplification of his misdeeds. It is…a terribly long story.

Maddie hummed non-committedly, tucked her weapons in her utility belt and brushed the dirt off her hands. A chilling breeze sped by as an unsettling silence filled the room. This urged Maddie to explore her surroundings, noticing that the cellar stretched far beyond the darkness. She glanced at the glowing sphere beside her, a question etched onto her face.

I don't think it wise to venture down that path.

A loud groaning bounced off the walls. Maddie turned to face the door, gripping the metal pipe in her hand tightly as the door swung ajar. The spirit floated by her side, slightly dimmer than before. Its voice crackled like static, jolting her to attention from the sudden change in tone.

We must leave. Now.

Without a second thought, Maddie made her way towards the door. She heard a screech just as the skeleton creature rammed into her side like a freight train, sending her crashing into a pile of barrels. Wine spilled everywhere, bringing with it the scent of burning vinegar. She blinked the stars out of her eyes feeling the splintering wood dig into her back as she struggled to keep her eyes on her attacker. Maddie dodged to the side just as the beast clawed at the spot where her head had been.

The metal pipe landed just a few feet to her right. Awkwardly, she scrambled out of the pile of barrels and reached out just as she felt her sprained foot roughly grabbed by bony hands. Maddie bit back a scream as she tugged at it. She pulled out one of the wooden daggers, reached forward and stabbed the monster's hands, loosening its grip.

She propelled herself in the opposite direction, grabbed the pipe and pushed herself off the wine-stained ground. The spirit's distorted voice was weak in her mind as it alerted her of the oncoming threat. Maddie turned, swinging her weapon like a bat as it connected with the creature's skull with a sickening crunch. A final thud affirmed its demise.

Maddie stood stock still, staring as stale wine dripped from her jumpsuit, until the distinct sound of the monsters trickling towards the cellar shook her out of her reverie. The barrels were blocking the doors just slightly. Another quick look around and Maddie made her decision.

'I guess wisdom loses this round.' She mused with a hint of misplaced humour.

Before the spirit could interrupt, Maddie had reached one end of the ginormous stack and pushed against the bottom barrel. Feeling it give way, she grunted and pressed against it with all her strength. The wine swished and sloshed inside. The barrel rolled.

The air stilled as she watched her plan follow through. It was simple really, the way the kegs were stacked made it easy to find the lynchpin, or lynch-keg, so to speak. She quickly repeated the process on the opposite wall of barrels.

One by one they fell and crashed onto the already fallen barrels, spewing more stale liquor. Maddie heard the screams heighten in pitch and saw the shadow of the intruders wink out of existence as more and more kegs crashed on top of one another, entirely barricading the exit.

A final wail echoed around the cellar as the last keg crashed into the others, emptying its contents onto the floor. The sea of red crawled towards Maddie's boots looking more and more like blood than wine. Something bumped against her foot causing her to catch a glimpse of a severed leg, its skin rotting away and trailing along the flooded floor.

Her lips drew into a tight line as she turned around, narrowing her eyes at the stretched out path before her. A step forward caused her ankle to give out and she gripped the pipe with both hands for support. Grunting, she readjusted her stance so that she was leaning heavily against the pipe.

After a few moments of recuperating, Maddie limped towards the endless darkness beyond. The orb's light faltered but warily trudged alongside her, falling back every so often instead of leading the way as it usually did. Its light seemed to flicker faintly, getting smaller and smaller, falling farther and farther behind.

She turned around to face the spirit, confusion and mild irritation painted her sweat-ridden face. Before she could speak, her companion spoke strangely. Its voice cut in and out of her mind, switching between echoing around the ominous hallway and blasting in her mind.

Ma-ADie, I-i...i-I ap-APpo-apOLOgi-i-ize…I-i…

The spirit shrunk and winked out of existence, leaving in its wake a silence that settled uncomfortably around Maddie like stepping into an overly warm wading pool. A foggy breath escaped her lips and floated away on its own volition. Its ability to keep its malleable form was oddly entrancing. She reached a finger and waved it through the fog dispersing it. The last of the mist disappeared bringing back the numbing silence. Maddie made to move ahead when a bloodcurdling shriek exploded, sending her heart jumping out of her chest.

She stumbled towards the wall, leaning into it as her hands enveloped her ears. Bleary eyes made out a small speck of light in the distance. She tried to make her way towards the familiar spirit as it neared her and instantly backpedaled when a horrifyingly white, mangled face flew towards her at an impossible rate. The dark endless pits for eyes and skin cut raw on the face sent thousands of ants crawling up her arms and legs. The ear-shattering screech escaping the bloody apparition forced her back as spasms of pain wracked her brain with each increase in decibel.

The image melted away, revealing a terribly sad, young face staring at Maddie with wide, brown eyes. The spirit's mouth opened and closed in an attempt to speak but only the haunting screams escaped. Beetles crawled out of its eyes and mouth, eating away at the innocent face.

Maddie set her jaw and pushed off the wall in a half-jog half-limp past the display. The hallway was now flashing white like a strobe light had been set off, making all her movements look staggered and choppy. The sudden bursts of light revealed a haunting figure with lips frozen in a fearful grimace, reaching towards her, wailing in their poor state. With each flash of light, its robotic movements inched closer. Maddie felt her heart climb out of her throat when she saw the telltale blue eyes sunken in a head that was twisted at a horrendous angle. It made her neck ache.

She felt a cold leathery hand brush across her face. Caught off guard, she jumped aside clumsily falling into the hands of a frail old man. She could see the faces of more carelessly butchered figures through the gaping hole where its mouth used to be. These must be the victims, the tortured souls, that the spirit had told her about. With each spasmodic burst of white, they neared her screeching like banshees as their lips parted far beyond their capacity, tearing through skin.

Bony hands dropped her onto the ground as the lost souls parted ways. The stroboscopic effect halted abruptly. Smoke filled the space refracting the distant white light like a stage awaiting its performer. A blizzard wind attacked her as she glared at the approaching shadow. Its steel voice reverberated throughout the space, silencing the desperate cries.

Well, Madeline, did you have fun with your little spirit friend? Hmm, what an informative little sidekick, no? Unfortunately, their time has run out! I can't just let my cast run around without direction now can I?

It laughed cruelly. Maddie could only sneer at him response. The poor souls curled further into the shadows, echoes of their wails still ringing in her ears. She tried to sit up but an unseen force was keeping her rooted.

Surely you must know by now that you will never escape me?

'Don't be so sure about that.' Tears burned her eyes when an image of Danny, head bent inhumanely, invaded her mind's eye.

Oh, my dear, I am very sure. After all, your son will soon be mine. I present to you, the finale.

Laborintus cackled maliciously and the screams of the damned returned, like a chorus supporting a soloist – a disturbing ballad. The sounds became louder and louder as Maddie struggled to move but only darkness consumed her.

The cutting sounds of the creatures' screams faded off in the distance and were soon replaced by an eerie calm. Danny's body ached and burned everywhere. The lack of ghost powers was making the healing process excruciatingly slow to non-existent. He spared a glance at the spot where his mom had run off when a shadow passed by the corner of his eye.

He turned every which way, missing the shadow by a fraction of a second each time. This place was really messing with his head. Moving around constantly somehow caused him to lose sight of which way was what in the cramped space. The clear barricade between him and his mother had disappeared, a stone wall took its stead.

He could sense someone, or something, present. Whatever it was moved in the blackness but his view was averted to the quavering ground beneath his shoes. The walls shifted as small pieces of debris fell around him. Dust clouded his vision and bit at his exposed skin. He raised his gaze once more and was met with a surprising scene.

A sparkling chandelier holding more crystals than a diamond mine hung in the center of a grand room with a cream coloured ceiling. A large piece of tapestry adorned the wall on his right depicting an image of a bountiful garden filled with flora and fauna surrounding a small glittering pond. The bright colours seemed to cast their own light in the room; Danny could almost feel the soft petals beneath his fingers as he trailed his hands along the surface.

Sunlight poured through a large round window across the stitched artwork, drowning the room in a warm golden light – breathing life into its inanimate occupants. A coffee table sat in the middle surrounded by a couple of luxurious couches. The polished wooden floor sparkled invitingly, matching the red cedar bookshelves overflowing with literature which flanked a large double door.

The soft chirping of birds faintly drifted into the serene atmosphere while Danny moved precariously around the rich décor. There was nothing out of place. He felt like an intruder as he glanced down at his shoddy attire. He was merely a stain on an immaculate canvas.

Everything looked pristine. So much so that it was…odd.

The room was spotless. Even the rays of sunlight flowed seamlessly with no sign of miniscule particles of dust obstructing its path. It was too clean, practically sterile. The air was filled with a thick floral scent but there were no living plants anywhere. Only expensive paintings and expensive furniture. The hairs on the back of his neck stood, his gut twisted into knots. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

He didn't wait around long enough to figure it out as he dashed across the room and pushed through the ginormous double doors. They shut with a loud BANG just as he made it to the other side. He whipped his head around and stared in confusion when no doors met his view. In their place was an old fireplace with an assortment of masks on the mantle. A different room? He turned around and saw the familiar furniture and rich designs. Nope. It was as though he never left.

He ran towards the doors again and again, and every time the shine of the polished floors and lavish furniture met his eyes.

After the fifth slam of the double doors, Danny stumbled back as his hands instinctively flew to his mouth and nose. The floral aroma was rudely replaced by a stinging metallic scent. The air was so thick of the ravaging smell it brought tears to the corners of his eyes and sent pinpricks of pain to his lungs.

He blinked once. Lights flickered. He stumbled across the room. A loud crash. Hand on the doorknob. Go, go, GO!

SLAM!

Blink. The room darkened.

The once grand chandelier hung at a treacherous angle and swayed precariously. From it, a single flashing bulb speckled light across the now dreary little room. Stained wooden panels were nailed haphazardly along the large broken window. Soft beams of moonlight filtered through the cracks illuminating the rickety floorboards and rundown furniture.

A breeze floated through the room, disturbing the few tattered strips of wallpaper that begged to return to their place on the wall. The bookshelves seemed to have lost a battle with an axe; books littered the floor, torn pages were stained with who knows what and flittered in the cool air.

His eyes travelled across the once majestic room and landed on the tapestry that hung in all its glory along the wall, unchanged. The garden was just as bright as before.

A small speck darkened in the middle of the pond. It was slowly increasing in size as was the garden. The room warped around him and Danny found himself standing directly in front of the massive artwork within seconds. He didn't remember moving, his mind was too focused on the smell that was prickling his nose more than ever now that he was inches from the tapestry.

The pond was a pool of darkness, erasing its previous blue glisten. It spread down towards the floor flooding the space around him. Inky blackness seeped through his torn sneakers. It was warm.

This was wrong. So very, very wrong. The stench was a thousand times worse from being this close. Danny tried to move but he couldn't. His heart rate sky-rocketed. His body refused every instinct to budge. A cold sensation brushed by his neck and his eyes widened in fear. No, no, no, not again.

A low hum reverberated throughout the room, shaking its foundations like a rattle. The dark liquid seemed to keep Danny in place as he watched the grand room destroy itself more.

There was a crash. Tiny pieces of glass and wood littered the space around him. The tapestry shivered and bulged.

CRACK!

The tapestry fell.

It felt like he was in an aquarium watching as everything slowly sank towards the darkness below. Tiny pieces of debris floated in the air as if they were spectators of the giant's great demise. Danny watched the fabric fold in on itself as it descended towards the ground languidly like melted cheese. Muffled sounds filled the atmosphere as though there were cotton balls in his ears. A hissing voice as clear as crystal broke through the dreadful air, chilling Danny to the bone with its familiarity as its rancid breath trickled along the side of his face.

Are you scared ghost-child?

Time caught up with itself like an intense whiplash. The heavy tapestry crashed onto the floor with an earth-shattering thwump sending a powerful force outwards, knocking Danny off his feet. A blood-curdling shriek exploded around his ears. Strong winds whistled through the broken window bringing with them the tiny daggers of raindrops trapped in its embrace as they were forced into the disastrous space.

Danny blinked the dust out of his eyes as his arms protectively embraced his shaking body. The last echoes of the scream faded away leaving behind a soft rumbling of an oncoming storm.

Beyond the wall where the majestic artwork once hung was another room filled with puppets hanging from frayed pieces of rope. They were gently swaying in the darkness, the faint moonlight useless in revealing any more than harsh shadows.

The fresh smell of rain mixed with the rotting metallic scent was like water and oil. Both equally as penetrating as they fought for the spotlight. Danny quickly scrambled to his feet but jerked to a halt when he felt a cold hand grab his shoulder, keeping him sat on the floor. He didn't need to look to figure out who his captor was.

Dear boy, you've played your role so delightfully. But what good is a show without the supporting cast?

The demon chuckled as its claw tightened around Danny's shoulder eliciting a small whimper from the boy's lips. He tried to look away and found that his body was rooted in the spot. Lightning struck illuminating the dangling figures and to Danny's dismay, he finally figured out the source of that awful stench.

Only one thought polluted his mind, a thought he wished he never ever had to imagine.

Those weren't puppets.