The labyrinth was darker than anything she'd ever experienced before. At first, she was enjoying the mystery of her surroundings, but after what seemed like days, she felt unbelievably threatened. Then, she saw him. She saw IT. There was SOMETHING else in the maze with her. It walked upright, and had the build of a man, but there was something about it that wasn't quite human. Now, she ran. She ran through the maze, but it was always there. Up ahead of her, following behind her, there, down the hallway to the right, it was always around. Keeping her left hand to the left wall, she followed the advice she received from...someone...so long ago. "If you find yourself in a maze, follow either the wall on your right or on your left, no matter what. Just keep following that one wall." So she did.

Endlessly, she followed.

She turned, once again, to the left, and suddenly, there it was. She couldn't see it, but she knew it was there. She froze, her breath coming in short gasps. The fear within her grew and grew, until it seemed to consume her with cold fire. Where was she? Why was she here? Where was her home? Where was her brother? He swore he'd never let anything happen to her after their parents died. So why did he let this happen?

"Fear is an interesting thing," a voice hissed out of the darkness. "It makes people react in different ways. Some people run, some people fight, and some people, like you, allow their fear to master them. Most people fight it for a time, and eventually lose, but you have completely given yourself over to it. Most anti-climactic."

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and spun around screaming, but there was nothing there. Just darkness.

Sobbing, she turned and began running again. She thought she was out of energy, but when she felt its hand on her, she found a reserve of strength, and used it. She ran, no longer caring about following one wall or the other, only putting one bare foot in front of the other. Then, there in front of her, there was a light. A light in this darkness. She could see it. She could see it! She ran for it, the maze becoming a hallway, a hallway stretching into eternity. Then it was a room, and she was running for the door. She didn't know what was on the other side, but it was a way out of this room, so she ran.

She was about to cross the threshold when a hand snaked out of the darkness behind her, gripped her around the throat, and threw her to the ground. Her head hit, and for a moment, the darkness threatened to completely take over. With shaky vision, she looked above her, and saw it. Before, it had always been from a distance, but now, it was standing over her. It looked like a man, and she could have believed that it was, except for the eyes. Oh, sweet mercy, the eyes! They were the eyes of death - cold, and empty.

Quivering, she spoke. "Who...what are you?"

It smiled -- she wished it never had -- and spoke. "My dear Lyra. I am terror." It picked her up by her shoulders, and held her at eye level. "I am despair."

With fear greater than she had ever known, she looked past its head, and watched the door slowly close.

Suddenly, she knew. "This is a dream. It's only a dream. It's not real!"

It chuckled - a hollow sound. "Yes, little girl. This is a dream. This is your dream. And this is my world." As the darkness became total, she felt the greatest fear she had ever known...grow.