**Back to Ethan's POV **

it was a Sunday morning. I was driving my car to work.

although I was rarely given cases, this time I got one, a big one.

it was a hostage case where a guy wearing a mask held 12 people at gunpoint at a school and also threatened the police that he had a bomb on him.

and I was the guy they assigned as the hostage negotiator for the case.

' hehehe. I am finally getting a big case, with this I can finally get married.' I thought excited. I was an ambitious man and wanted to get more cases. now if this big case becomes a success, I will get more cases, and more money which I can use to build a life with my girlfriend.

'but when there is a high return there is also high risk. if I fail this, I can say goodbye to my life.' I thought, my mood turning sour. but I quickly bounced back as I smiled.

" but that won't happen, for today is my lucky day," I murmured as I drove the car.

after a while, just as I turned towards the school's road, suddenly an elderly man was crossing the road.

screech! I smashed the brake stopping an inch away from the old man.

"Hey! Did you decide to die today old man?!" I shouted angrily at him as I poked my head out of the car window.

hearing my angry voice the old man turned to face me.

"huh!" and a shiver ran down my spine.

the old man had a pale and wrinkled face, there was no fat in his face making his skin stick to the skull making him a ghostly figure. but to top it off, this ghostly figure smiled.

at that moment I was certain that this was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my life.

his lips stretched far more than a human could going beyond his ears. it was like his head had a sharp cut that started from his mouth to his ears.

' what is that thing?!' I thought wondering if I was in a nightmare. but before I could check, the old man's wide mouth parted speaking words in a shrill voice that caused my ears to buzz.

but more than that, the content of the words nearly made my heart stop.

" Mr. Wood?" the old man asked with a smile.

"ah." and I woke up amidst pain.

' what was that? ' I wondered as I got up, it felt like a dream but I couldn't exactly remember it. my whole body felt pain but there were not any wounds visible. 'ugh' I slowly got up and looked around. "so this is where that pit leads to" I murmured as I looked at the tall walls surrounding me on three sides with the only way being forward.

'hmm, this seems like a maze.' I thought not surprised at all, amidst all the strange things happening around, a pit leading to a maze can be considered normal.

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'where is Midas?' I wondered. ' maybe he landed at some other entrance.' I gave myself an answer and planned to take out the map and follow it.

'let's see...hmm' Suddenly I saw a red dot blinking on the piece of paper. 'it seemed to mark my position when I entered the maze.' I thought fascinated.

'"This is going to be pretty easy," I said as I set off.

but contrary to my words one person was not having it easy at all.

****************************************************

When Ethan landed in the maze, Midas was already traveling it.

"fuck!" while cursing his lungs out of course.

" what is this place? with walls and paths going round and round that my head spins." He grumbled loudly as he kept walking.

At first, When he found himself staring at large walls and a straight path , he was full of glee thinking that If he follows the path then the treasure will be revealed. But soon became cautious as he travelled because the path turned left and right making his direction sense to go disarray.

At last, he was lost in the maze. But this golden man was not so golden in his studies and didn't know what Maze was. And even if he knew it when he was 'alive' he couldn't remember it.

Because this ability to remember your past was a privilege to the newbies who come to the 'afterlife' and the memories gradually degrade if a suitable anchor is not found.

Now Midas was standing in a large area that lead to four pathways, each leading to somewhere or something.

' hmm...let's just pick a random direction.' He thought as he went into one direction

He didn't want to waste time because he was also thinking about Ethan.

' if that guy had any brains he would have jumped after me...but he has the map to treasure and I don't ...shit ' his mood turned ugly as he kept walking trying to beat Ethan from reaching the treasure.

Tap. Sunk.

Just then he stepped into something.

Hmm.

He looked down and saw his leg on a tile which has sinked into the ground.

' a trap. ' his first instinct was to remove his leg but just then .

Creak. Rumble.creak. rumble

There was a sound of something huge turning.

'"What!" Midas shouted in a suprised voice as he saw what deemed to be the consequence of stepping into the tile.

the walls were turning and arranging themselves , not all the walls but the one that surrounded Midas. A wall blocked the way he came while one blocked his right where there was a path before.

Whoosh.

Midas quickly took of his golden leg and he backed away from the walls.

THUD.

Only to hit against one. Suddenly there was a wall so close to him. " when did this come here? " He asked aloud but no answer given.

Then he realised , the walls were closing in on him , trying to crush him.

" Shit!" He cursed with panic in his voice and actions as he hurriedly tried find a space where he could try to escape.

But no. There was no escape all the ways was completely blocked of.

Grrrt. He gritted his teeth and he pondered a way out. Then suddenly he tried to punch the walls with his bare hands.

One who always keeps his golden hands clean and away from harm had to resort to extreme measures.

BANG!

A thundering sound rang out as the two surfaces collided.

Aaaah.

But the result was clear. ' shit!' Midas looked at his hand , there was many cracks appearing on his hand,slowly widening and spreading.

Within the cracks there was no blood or anything ,it was dark space with nothing just nothing. At that sight Midas realised something.

he was already dead. At the realisation , his dollar shaped eyes lost their glow as he slumped to the ground with a thud.

Screech

The walls closed in steadily. But Midas didn't do anything he just put his head between his knees and he hugged his body. He seemed to accept the outcome he was given.

' what's dying once more heh.' He thought with a chuckle.

' Hmm...I wonder what kind of life did i live and died to have been put in here...hmm maybe I was just greedy for gold.' He occupied his mind with thoughts to shroud his fear of dying again.

WHOOSH!

But at that moment.

Dink. Something tore through and entered the maze.

' Hmm.' Midas turned his head up after the sound , and he could vaguely see a large figure with glowing red eyes falling straight down on him.

The golem seemed to have made Its appearance but Midas didn't know about it and he didn't care.

He just looked at his golden body once more.

" they say gold brings good luck...what bullshit."

BANG! RUMBLE.

And those were the last words he spoke before his vision faded.