Cold. Sabien’s coat was cold and he was shivering. He gritted his teeth, he clearly remembered having put a blanket on himself. He mumbled angrily under his breath as his hoof frantically extended left and right to grab the fleeting piece of cloth. His hoof touched something soft and fleeting. As he grabbed it he noticed it was heavy, and as he tried to place it over him he realised it had a pulse.
Wait what?
He opened his eyes only to see a sleeping mare’s hoof above him, and his head tucked beneath her chin, covered by her long maroon mane.
“Oh… Zzzzz... Terra I love you so. Zzzz…” she snorted as she tried to push him closer with a smile spreading on her face. Sabien tried to pull himself away from the black coated mare, but she seemed to seek his warmth, mumbling all the while.
“No… please don’t go…” She said as Sabien started pushing with all his strength.
“Grr… let go of me! By the bloody Tartarus below, release me mare!” Shoving the mare away, Sabien checked himself, shaking the dirt off. He looked around only to realize he was surrounded by walls of shrubbery. As he stepped forward he felt something smooth and, looking down, he noticed a piece of paper. Picking it up, he shook it and rubbed it on his crimson coat to clear it of dust and dirt.
'Welcome to my little maze! You must use teamwork to find the exit. This creature will be your partner. Get to know them, make their acquaintance. As you can tell, you have a horn ring on! Which means no voodoo, magic, or trickery is allowed! No cheating! Good luck to you... Also, don't try to break through the hedges, that'll be the equivalent to trying to break through a metal door. It just won't happen! Tootles! P.S if you make it without any problems, you'll have a little gift basket awaiting you when you exit the maze! Expect it to be full of assorted cheeses and expensive shampoo and soaps. Anyway, smell ya later! -GOB'
He couldn’t see it, but as he raised a hoof to his horn he felt it. He concentrated but instead of magic gathering on his horn he felt a sharp pain. It was true…
“No…”
He approached the shrubbery walls, tensing his muscles he punched them only to receive another dose of pain. The magic on his hooves was also disabled then?
“No…”
He turned towards the mare that was now shuddering from the cold in her sleep. She had an eye for a cutie mark, with a white outline. Who was she? Was she to blame? Was she this ‘GOB’ person? And who the heck was ‘GOB’ to command him to do something? He was Sabien! Second of the Order of Balance! He was the one giving orders, not the other way around! This… fiend thought that he could force him to play his little game just like Greymane?
“No… NO! I SHALL NOT BE YOUR SLAVE! YOU HEAR ME? RAAAAAAAARGH!!” He roared, slamming his hooves on the ground.
“Wha.. who.. what? Where?” The mare jumped from her slumber, shaking her head wildly as she looked left and right. She looked around curiously, and first noticed her horn. Looking around she picked up another scroll that Sabien had missed behind her. Reading it she sighed.
“First the dream, now this? Oh well… No point in crying about it I guess.” Sighing, she stood up and trotted towards Sabien, who was silent throughout her reaction, his jaw half open, his eyes wide-open. The mare raised a hoof and was about to say something, but then rethought.
“So… hello!” She gave him an awkward smile while giving him her hoof.
He didn’t shake it.
“Hello? HELLO? You just read a paper that said we’re probably trapped here by a sadist with our magic sealed, and that’s all you say?” His eye had started twitching “Do you think this is a walk in the park or something? Or maybe you’re the one that set this up?” He scrunched his nose as he went face to face with her.
“Woah woah woah!” Selune backed down as she tried to explain to Sabien that she was just as confused as he was: she could see in his eyes that he was not the type to simply listen. Finding herself being pinned to the wall; Selune could feel that though it acted like a simple hedge, its branches were cold as ice and felt like iron.
Sabien took hold of her as he continued to shout and rant
“Where is he? When did he send you? Tell me everything or else I’ll gouge your eyes out and fry you alive!” Instinctively, Selune kicked him in the crotch; finding it easier to make him stop that way. He was starting to scare her, and it wasn’t just that he didn’t have a cutie mark.
“Look I don’t know what’s going on either. And Greymane? Come on, do I look like some foal, he’s just an old ponies tale. A story that parents read to their children at night…” As Sabien stood back up he slammed his hoof into the ground and cursed while she looked around, “...on another note you’ve given me an idea. Go figure ‘Greymane’,” she said in a mocking manner, “has saved us. One story to lead us to another.”
Taking a moment to look at the hedge maze, she smiled at the crimson stallion who was more than a little peeved, “The Myth of Theseus and The Minotaur, in the story Theseus had a clue to aid him in getting out. Though his clue was a ball of twine to help lead him out I think we can use a trick that’s just as old as that story. We can hold onto the wall.”
Placing her right hoof on the labyrinth wall, she started to walk away, looking back she could see Sabien was less than enthusiastic. To be more accurate his expression in the dim moonlight made a hydra look happy by comparison.
“And uhm… sorry I kicked you. You scared me a bit. Heh.” She let out a nervous chuckle, but he only looked at her for a second before continuing on.
As they walked, Selune did as she suggested, but she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that Sabien was giving her, his eyes as crimson as his coat gave off an unfriendly feeling, even though he appeared to be in deep thought.
“My name is Selune, what’s yours?” Being given a disgusted glare she stopped only to snap back at him in a playful manner, “Hey, I just thought that if we are going to be stuck in here for a while we may as well get to know each other.”
He was unsure if he should tell her his name. Figuring that they were stuck together and had to cooperate he decided to play along… for now.
“Sabien. Don’t get any ideas. We’re not friends here, we’re partners from necessity alone. I don’t have to like you, but as long as we’re here I’m working with you. However, I call my shots, and decide my own battle policy. You can do whatever you wish, just don’t get in my way. We clear?” He narrowed his eyes, his face having a firm, strict expression.
Taking the time to read his body language left a slight touch of fear in the back of her mind, she had come across a few ponies who had the same attitude as Sabien but never once were any of them like this. She almost wanted to question what happened to this stallion that made him this way.
“If you say so…” Wanting to change the subject, Selune kept moving. Looking up at the night sky she spoke once again, “Wonderful night, don’t you think? Stars are shining, the moon is full...” Looking back she only saw him glare as though he said to get her head out of the clouds, “but I guess you’re not the type for conversation either.”
Walking in silence was rather awkward, but the night’s glory seemed to induce a strange calming sense as though no harm would come to either of them, it made her feel at home as though she were surrounded by friends and family.
The seemingly endless maze tired Sabien. He kept following Selune, though his patience was waning. Why was she not taking this more seriously? He shook his head, but followed, tapping his hoof when they reached the same intersection again in order to try the other way.
This was taking too long.
Treading through the maze Selune felt a firm hoof stop her in her tracks. Turning her head she realised it was Sabien, who was now looking intently ahead. He stepped in front of her and stretched his hoof midair.
“You see this? Do you? I mean come on, you have an eye for a cutie mark right?” He rubbed his forehead, scrunching his nose as he breathed in and out. “Did it not occur to you this place might be booby trapped?”
Letting out a chuckle as she blushed, Selune looked closely, spotting a ‘web’ of wires, “Well not quite, I had thought the maze would have a trap or two but this was something I didn’t think about.” Watching as Sabien tugged on one wire, they watched as a section of the maze became a roaring flame, yet nothing other than the ground seemed to burn.
Tapping her chin, Selune let out an enthusiastic ‘Ah’ as she started to dig. Though the idea was not lost to Sabien, he failed to see her logic in this, “Well?” She shot him a confused look with an annoyed tone to accompany it, “If we have to work together, we can try and dig under the wires till we get to the other side.”
Trying to be an example for the headstrong and rather rude stallion, all she seemed to get out of him was a grunt and a grumble about how they stood a chance to run into traps under the dirt. The thought was not lost to Selune when she started digging, but this did little from trying it anyway… after all, it was better than sitting on their flanks doing nothing.
Sabien prepared his hooves and started digging as gently as he could. He didn’t want to set off the trap, but at the same time his hooves were moving nervously, eager to get out of this mess, and it was all because of this ‘GOB’ guy. His train of thought about the ways he would punish the fiend behind all this were put to a halt as his hoof encountered something metallic. Dusting it off, they encountered what seemed to be like a mechanical contraption with a white gem in the center of it. It gave off a magical vibe and it quickly hit him that this was the power source of the trap. The only problem was… how could they remove it?
Looking at the odd gem, Selune thought about one of the classes her friend Terra Lionmane had taken back in school; it was an engineering class that mixed the use of enchanted items to power hoof built mechanisms. Though it was mostly a basic level course, the concept was still the same: while the gem stayed in place it fueled the contraption but had an obvious flaw that was put in as a safety feature.
Reaching for the gem, Selune was violently pulled away by Sabien who questioned if she was trying to get them killed, “I know how this works I took a class on it in school.” Being given an odd stare filled with fear for his mortality, Selune pointed back at the gem, “It’s no use, the gem is set in there in such a way that it powers everything. But to keep it from overpowering and causing it to go out of control, the gem is never held too tightly in place. It’s a common safety feature so if the magic starts to go out of control the gem simply falls out, in this case we can remove it.”
As Selune went back over she heard Sabien rush out of the hole as he said ‘Your life not mine.’ Reaching back out for the gem, Selune gently took hold of it to give it a little wiggle, as she had thought the gem was loose allowing her to pull it out, disarming the trap.
Pulling on one of the wires that sat above her, she laughed as she mocked Sabien, “Poor little colt afraid of a little trap, so much for showing how brave you can be.” Though her mocking was just a bit of witty banter to lighten the mood, Selune could see that Sabien was not taking it too well.
“I… you… well if you get yourself killed that won’t be my fault now, will it?” He harrumphed, shaking himself back to the matter at hoof. “We need to remove the gem and put something in its place. I don’t think I have something on me, what about you?” He waited a bit, only to see the mare bite her lips, and blush while smiling and rubbing her neck as if put to an awkward situation.
“Come on I know you mares like to keep lots of stuff hidden in your manes and tails. So what’s it gonna be? Out with it!” He clapped his hooves together impatiently and extended his hoof, while waiting for Selune’s reaction.
Sliding back into the hole, Selune mumbled something about her tail, Sabien demanded she speak up., “I have a bauble on my tail, but somepony else has to remove it for me.” They stood there in silence as Sabien jumped back into the hole and walked up towards her.
She half expected him to show some kind of manners and try to come up with another option, a rock perhaps or something they may have overlooked that could be nearby. Sadly, this was not the case as Sabien took hold of her and began to fiddle with the trinket, taking advantage of the situation, he snickered while rubbing her hips as he moved down to the bauble. This was far more than uncomfortable in many ways, and his mocking didn’t help either.
Once the bauble was removed, he held it out for her as he complimented how nice and firm her flank was.
Flicking her tail towards him, she blushed while yelling “Pervert!” However, she found her tail being held onto as Sabien rubbed his cheek into it, complimenting its feel, “Let go of me!” Sabien laughed and shrugged innocently as he let her tail slingshot back into her flanks. For the first time since this encounter he was the one laughing, and he wasn’t even upset once Selune grabbed it from his hooves. He watched her fiddle with it a bit, crunching over the mechanism.
“Will you help me stick it in?” They both froze as Selune realized what she had said, they both burst down laughing with Selune covering her face with her hoof “Oh you! Get your mind out of the gutter!”
Sabien kept laughing for a bit, though his laugh was beginning to recede “If only I could! If only!”
Recalling how his attitude was about an hour ago when she said Greymane had saved them gave Selune an idea to get them moving, “I bet Greymane would have already found his way out of this by now.” Though she was right, Selune was unprepared for the 180 degree turn that his mood took.
He crunched to the hole they had made around the mechanism and positioned himself to remove the gem.
“On the count of three, I will remove it and you’ll shove the bauble in. Otherwise it won’t work, got it?” He punctuated the last two words, and when Selune nodded he started counting.
“1… 2… 3!!” Within an instant they made the switch. Though the mechanism still tried to function it had no power source, and shut down almost instantly. Tearing the wires, Sabien smiled as he motioned Selune forward. The maze run seemed to proceed smoothly, but quite often there was a loud thumping noise. Sabien was so focused to noticing any more traps that he was only now hearing it. A rhythmic sound of stone clashing with the ground, never coming from the same place, what could it be? Then it hit him, this was a creature and it was moving.
“Something’s coming our way. Big, stone, Golem Guardian maybe.” His ears were perked, focused on the noise its steps were making.
Trying to have a quick peek around the corner, Selune let out a light chuckle at his guess, “A golem guardian here in a maze, please, why would there be one here?” As she looked around the corner, she saw nothing as she gave Sabien a light tap on his shoulder, “Golems are magical creatures constructed to do as they are told, for there to be one here would mean there’s something worth hiding, I bet it’s another pony performing some manual labor. With any luck, they may know the way out.”
Trying to catch her as she trotted off following the noise, Selune called back, “Come on, or is the big strong stallion afraid of being wrong again?”
Her banter was a good change to the mood in her thoughts, but she knew that this angered him, and strangely enough was the best motivator to get him moving. As they drew closer to the sound it grew louder as well as heavier with each passing moment, before Selune could round another corner Sabien tackled her into the wall and quietly pointed up.
Looking up at what he was showing her, Selune could see the black marble stone that sat atop sandstone. As she followed what she saw down to the tops of the hedges, she questioned why they had not seen whatever it was sooner. Selune watched as Sabien lowered his body slightly and moved along the ground, almost as if he was gliding like a pegasi, though she could clearly see his hooves it seemed rather odd to see a pony move like he did.
Nearing the construct, Sabien nearly gloated about how he was right only for Selune to marvel in amazement as she almost shouted, “A Sphinx!” Being pulled back before the golden brown creature could notice Selune.
As it continued to move around, both Sabien and Selune took a moment to examine her, though for different reasons. Selune looked at the lovely creature of living stone as it paced back and forth, its lion tail almost seemed like it had hair, and though the jewels that it was adorned with appeared to be painted the arrangement of them was beautiful and were an achievement of the master artist. Even her eyes which should have been stone clearly told Selune this creature had true sight. As it smiled Selune picked up on the notion that the sphinx could not be fooled and seemed to track them while showing a playful side like a cat with a cornered mouse. This creature was surely far more complex than what they could understand.
Not wanting to stay in hiding for long, Selune stepped out to try and get a better look as the sphinx started to lie down, “Come out into the light, there is much to say when in sight. So let us see each other eye to eye, lest you want to sit there to cry and cry.”
Sabien sighed, planting a hoof on his face and tracking it down. This creature seemed to have the ability to sense other life forms, and it was probably the reason that he felt this shiver on his coat, like an eerie gaze transfixed on him. Step by step, the duo walked towards the Sphinx, who in turn greeted them by making a slight bow.
“This servant has come here tonight, to aid you in your plight.
But first this servant you must pay… if you want to win the day!
Abu is my name, and riddles are my game.
But if you wish to fight, just try and pierce my hide!
The exit can be yours, so you don’t have to crawl on all fours.
Answer correctly, use brawn or might! I am to entertain any kind of fight.
That is my place, the reason I wonder this maze.
That is what GOB has commanded, and what Abu shall do…
So speak your mind, and speak aloud, the wheel spins round and round!”
Sabien’s eye twitched once again as he heard that name, that acronym. He didn’t know what it meant and that frustrated him to no end.
“Where is your master? Show yourself right now! I tire of your games, if you wish to kill us then come out right now!” He yelled left and right, hoping that his elusive captor would hear his taunt. Instead, the sphinx responded.
“I am sorry sir, it is all for naught!
I am afraid my master shall appear… NOT!”
Sabien heard a giggle from Selune and jerked his head towards her, instantly silencing it. This creature emitted a powerful vibe, he could feel the life-force coming from its soulstone. Whoever this ‘GOB’ was, he was definitely potent with magics. He clenched his hooves, tightened his teeth, mumbling something incomprehensible under his breath. He would have taken this construct right here and now, but without his magic he felt naked, weak. It was a thought that made his face grow redder and redder. His breaths were now a whistle of ever-growing volume, his face seemed ready to explode. Roaring with all his might, he slammed his hooves down, breathing, as well as shooting some spit, in front of the Sphinx’s face. The Sphinx seemed unfazed by it, watching the flustered unicorn gasp for air.
“I hate you…”
“So is that yay, or nay?
Is it a riddle, or a fight you wish this day?”
Before Sabien could spout off about how he would destroy the Sphinx if he had his magic, Selune stepped up as she shoved a bit of dirt into his mouth to silence him for just a moment. Letting out a nervous chuckle as she smiled, Selune concluded that Sabien’s outburst centered around how powerless he was at the moment, and given her combat skills were also near voided it came down to one option.
“Please forgive my acquaintance, he’s had a long and hard evening, we will gladly take a riddle from you.” Giving a bow out of respect for the creature, Selune knew that showing some level of respect was worth almost a mountain of bits when done right, “A riddle is what we choose so please share with us what it is so we may work together to solve it.”
As Sabien spat and scraped dirt and grass out of his mouth, Selune could feel his hate for having to hear another set of rhymes radiate off of him, though even he had to agree as to what other choice they had.
With a smile, the Sphinx began to think, giving Selune a chance to turn around and have a quick conversation with Sabien, “Please tell me you know the answer to a few riddles, I know of a few but there’s no telling what she may give us.” Though Sabien gave an angry stare she could see in his eyes that they could be out of luck, “Don’t tell me you’re just some brawn over brains type of pony!”
Before Sabien could reply, the Sphinx let out a playful hmph.
“Moving forward never back, it has the world in a sack.
Means everything to some, nothing to others.
Its value changes from one to another, but has never once appeared differently.
A hint I give to you if you wish, but think carefully before you have a fit.”
As Selune tapped her chin, she thought of what it could be but questioned the answer herself as she looked at Sabien, “I want to say the answer is money, currency has often held the world at a stand still and doesn’t go back. It’s always moving forward, being exchanged between ponies.”
“Rrrgh… wait. We can print and make money, besides what does it mean ‘The world in a sack’? Can’t be a purse can it? A purse has money INSIDE of it. But if we take your logic how does that work? How can something be inside and outside of something at the same time? No… it’s definitely not money.” He tapped his hoof, his face furrowing as he tried to concentrate. “It’s gotta be something that encompasses the whole world… Ugh! I hate metaphors! Why can’t riddlers be literal for once! Do I have to drill into this Sphinx’s mind to learn what it means with ‘world’!?”
Having a stroke of genius, Selune took hold of Sabien, nearly shaking him, “Literal you say? You’re a genius!” Pacing back and forth she talked to herself, “If whatever the Sphinx is asking is not a metaphor for anything, then gravity. It encompasses the world so in that sense of things it would hold the world in a sack because it is the sack.”
Turning around to face the Sphinx, Selune nearly blurted out her answer only for her to stop and question herself again, “But then again, gravity doesn’t move, things move within it and it can move objects but gravity itself doesn’t move at all. At least we haven’t found out yet, scientists still wonder how gravity can transmit its influence instantly.” Slowly pacing back and forth, Selune thought about something else that could cover the world while also moving, “What about water, it covers about 80% of the world and it’s moving in rivers, streams, oceans, and seas. Even in ponds and lakes it still moves.”
“Will you actually FOCUS for a second and think your answers through before you give them, or are you just going to blurt out whatever answer comes to mind? Huh?” Sabien sighed in disappointment “I may not be that smart, but even I know that water doesn’t hold the whole world in it! I don’t know what kind of logic forces you to be excited, or so relaxed in this situation, but I would REEEEEAAALY appreciate it if you started WORRYING for a second and focus! You’re supposed to be the smart one after all!”
Taking a moment to think again, Selune frowned as she looked up at Sabien, “At least I show some kind of optimism at our situation despite how bleak it seems to be for us right now.” Rubbing her neck, she thought long and hard about it and almost wanted to ask if it could be the wind, “No that can’t be it, sure it’s all over the world and moves on its own but it moves all over the place. Wait… it can’t be something material, alchemy’s job it to change the nature of all things material. Hmm... ” Though she spoke under her breath, Sabien slightly smiled to know she was giving a little more thought to her answer.
As Selune continued to think, the Sphinx tapped her chin,
“If you wish to hear it, all you need do is ask for it.
A hint awaits you for use, my patience do NOT abuse.”
"Yes please. A hint would be nice." Said Selune. They watched as the Sphinx slightly waved her paw around,
“It’s as free as the wind but controls so much more. The very flow of nature bends to its will.”
Smiling as she let out a laughing sigh, she turned to look at Sabien, whose jaw was hanging as if he had been slapped with a fish and had a hard time processing it.
Though one shouted in joy, the other shouted in frustration, “TIME!!”
With a bow and a slight step to her right, the Sphinx gestured to them they could pass as a section of the maze opened, showing them a path out.
As they came to the door, Sabien grumbled about how he was glad to be done with all of this, only for Selune to stop him as she pointed at an inscription on a door, “I congratulate you for making it this far, but here is where you may fall. To pass this test you must guess how well you know your fellow guest. Speak to me a fault you see, within yourself if you please. Then to show your teamwork, tell me what your partner gave you that you had not. Only those whose learned enough will make it past this test. ‘GOB’.”
Thinking back, Selune blushed as she started to draw circles in the dirt, “Well I know I’ve been a bit stubborn and a little too eager at times hoping to lighten the mood, and make things easier for us and I know it has caused a few problems. But Sabien has been rather reserved and spotted the trap when I could not. And if not for him poking holes in my logic earlier, then who knows what could have happened with the Sphinx. I guess it would be easier to say he helped me to keep a calm and level head when it counted the most.”
Sabien held back for a bit, but realising that wouldn’t help he took a deep breath and sighed. It was no point daling any further, that much was obvious. “I was angry beyond belief to a random innocent mare. She tried her best to help me yet I pushed her away… if I was calmer we would have both been more efficient. She has a cool head in tense situations, and it gave me the ability to think when I was angry. She is a good soul… one that I wouldn’t mind partnering with again. We... complement each other. She’s the wits and I’m the will, and those are the two things that will get us out of here.”
As their statements came to an end, they could hear the locking mechanisms creak as they came undone, with a slow yet loud thud of a weight the door started to swing open. At first they were blinded by a bright light that seemed to welcome them, as they stepped through the doorway and into the light they found themselves standing at the entrance to the hedge maze, causing Sabien to nearly shout in frustration as Selune noted how wonderful the Canterlot garden looked at night. Looking around, both Selune and Sabien could see that they were not near the same maze they had finished. Clearing his throat as if he never lost his composure Sabien complimented Selune one last time before turning to leave.
Stopping for a moment he sighed, “If I ever have use of your talents again… I’ll send for you.” The hesitation in his voice nearly spoke volumes of how much of his pride he had to set aside for a simple thank you. Selune blinked for a moment but smiled, nodding back at him.
Smiling as they began to part ways, Selune watched as Sebien engulfed himself in a light aura of magic and took off faster than anything she had seen before.. Silently thanking him for the new experience in life, Selune and Sabien knew they would have to report this to their superiors.
This was clearly not the last time they would ever cross paths with this ‘GOB’ guy.