Noah

“Eeeek!”

The arachnid is here. It hasn’t noticed me yet. With discretion, I make my way to  a mana crystal. I rap on the crystal, which makes the arachnid aware of my presence. A vociferous screech follows.

The arachnid leaps at me. I stand still until it extends its razor sharp legs and springs to my left. The creature crashes onto the crystal and chunks of it scatter.

I try to get hold of one of the fragments, but the beast attacks hamper my attempts. It’s being extra cautious and not attacking as much as I’d hoped. Darn it. I aim my Ceasium-chargegun at it and walk with small steps. It eyes every of my movements. Sweat trickle down my cheeks and blood throbs in my ears.

At three seconds of charge, I released the trigger. The charge shoots past the beast and occupies its attention for a brief moment. I use this opportunity to dash and slide underneath the beast. The creeper moves and prepares to leap while I try my best to stay under its frame and gather as much crystal scraps as I can.

The arachnid springs high and lands at a distance. It crawls at me, I make a run to a cluster of mana crystals and climb them. As the beast scythes the crystals one by one, making them collapse, I jump and land on its back. The beast jerks around, and I hold on to it as firm as I can. I pull out one of the crystal shards held by my belt. With one hand latching onto the beast, I thrust the shard into one of its legs with my other hand and twist. The leg detaches and the beast gives out an agonizing cry. I grab another shard and sever another leg. “Eeeek!!!” Just one more. As I attempt to push yet another shard into one of its legs, I lose my balance and fall off. My right palm is impaled by the shard, “Aaaargh!”

The arachnid tries to bite my head while I drag myself, my back to the ground, and narrowly avoid its assaults. I unzip the pouch on my waist bag and take out my Ceasium-chargegun. With the last of my remaining strength, I point my gun at its head. The arachnid manages to bite my right shoulder and begins to tear down on my flesh.

“AAAHHHHH!”  It hurts- It hurts so much, my shoulder- tears form in my eyes and my vision blurs.

I can’t wait any more. I release the trigger. Did I hit it? Did I-

I… I missed. I freaking missed! I just had to heat it and I-

The Ceasium charge gun’s exhausted, and I don’t have any strength left in me… 

This isn’t the end for me though! The head is not what I was aiming for.

“I’M NOT GONNA DIE TODAY! YOU GOT THAT! I’M NOT GONNA DIE!”

While the arachnid gnaws my flesh, I stare in anguish at the ceiling. A rush of elation overthrows the feeling of pain as I watch a huge crystal spike plunge from a high. The spike impels the raging beast and my right thigh.

“GAAAHHH!!!” The pain sears through my entire body and all I can do is shriek and writhe in agony.

The weight of the dead arachnid presses down on my body, making it hard to breathe. I lay on the ground almost lifeless, My vision obscures into darkness. I can’t feel anything.

**********

Dalia

I should have warned Noah about the possibility of a hidden passage. If I’d just-

No, nevermind. What I should be doing right now is search for him and not lose my head in this labyrinth.

“Grrr”  An Insaniac Bestial werewolf.

Move, my body. Come on, Noah needs me. Don’t chicken out right now. The more time you waste in hesitation, the more Noah has to wait.

Take a deep breath, slow and steady. Three, two, one, shoot!

The charge flies past the werewolf and it notices me. I unsheath my twin Mana-daggers and ready myself for close combat.

Slash. The B.werewolf’s claws slice through the air and strands of my hair flutter as I backstep and evade each of its onslaught. When I see a sign of carelessness on its part, I take my chance.

Strike when the iron is hot, they say.

The beast manages to avoid my right hand Mana-dagger’s swift swing to the chest, but I propel forward and thrust my left Mana-dagger into its abdomen. The B.werewolf groans and swipes, so I let go of my left Mana-dagger, duck and push my other Mana-dagger into its right calf making it lose footing, while I prepare to shoot the Ceasium-chargegun with my left hand. As the beast raises it’s arms, I elbow jab it on the chest, release the trigger on my charging and the charge creates a hole in its chest.

I pull out the Mana-dagger from the beast’s abdomen and its lifeless body collapses.

“Eeeeek!”

The cry of a B.arachnid.

I have to find Noah before the arachnid does. Wait- What if it’s already encountered Noah. Will he be able to survive until help arrives. What if something happens to him? What if the beat’s too strong? Wh-

Ugggh. Stop panicking.

As I run, images of Noah against a B.arachnid flash in my mind. If only… if only is been cautious enough, or grabbed his hand on time.

Minutes have passed since the last screech of the B.arachnid.

I reach a narrow path much steeper than the other parts of the labyrinth. When it widens a little, I turn back for a moment and see an intersection. Did Noah choose the other paths? Did he even reach this far? What if the way ahead is a dead end?

Think, think!

Only the path ahead declines while the others, except the way I came from are almost level. If I presume Noah tumbled deep down, consider that he would likely choose a path which inclines upward no matter which way he came from and also take into account the fact I didn’t meet him on the way, the most rational route is the one that descends.

Wait for me, Noah! I’m coming for you.

Huff huff huff

The path broadens even more and finally, I find… a stranger beside an unconscious Noah. He’s- he’s injecting something into Noah!

“NOAH?!”

“It’s okay, I mean no harm,” The man drops the syringe and raises his arms, “I mean no harm to you or him.”

“Who are you? And what have you done to Noah?” I point my chargegun at him.

“I can explain. But first, I need you to calm down and drop your weapon.” He stands up, keeping his eye on me.

“And why should I trust the words of a stranger like you?”  I can’t afford to let my guard down. He’s well-built and much taller than I am so he’ll definitely overpower me in a physical fight and he also has a chargegun. A chargegun… Could he be a Magus?”

“I’m a Magus like you,” He keeps one hand raised while the other searches hid waistbag. “Here’s my identification card.”

I scrutinize the card as he holds it up, “Identification card, Name of holder: Froyr Cessus Eumen.”

“Eumen? You’re-”

“A relative of Noah. His cousin actually,” He grins, “Do you trust me enough to drop your weapon now?”

“Fine,” I lower my chargegun and approach him. “What’d you inject into him?”

“Healium liquid,” he crouches and examines Noah. “Good thing I had it on me. You worried about him.”

“Of course I am. Who wouldn’t be?” I raise my voice. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice at you. And I should thank you for saving Noah.”

“No, don’t be sorry. I asked an insensitive question,” he begins mounting Noah on his back, “He’ll be fine. Mind helping me?”

“Okay,” I help him carry Noah and it is only now that I see the severity of Noah’s injuries. Even though he’s been injected with Healium, the wounds in his thigh is still raw, his body is marked with scratches and a long cut trails from his right shoulder all the way to his hand.

Noah… If I’d reached him before the arachnid did, this wouldn’t have happened to him, right? He’d be alright right now, right? Because of me. Because-

“You haven’t told me your name,” he remarks, “What’s it? Your name?”

“Dalia Nefes. I’m another boarder at the Magus Boarding School.”

“Nice to meet you, Dalia.”

“Nice to meet you too,” I can feel the color rush to my face. “I’m sorry but what did you say your name was?”

“Froyr.”

“Froyr,” I repeat after him, “I’ll be sure to remember that!” A nervous laughter follows my words.

As we walk, Froyr makes callous attempts at conversation and I give up questioning altogether. So, my mind unoccupied, I scrutinize Noah’s cousin. I ought Froyr’s a head taller and he has a much broader built than Noah. The only semblance with Noah I can find are their shared cerulean eyes. Unlike Noah’s sandy hair, Froyr’s is a drak black, his face is more angular and he possesses a deep voice which, I should say, would live up to anyone’s expectations of how he’d sound like.

The exit of the labyrinth is at sight.

‘Your Dorm Master wouldn’t mind you guys delaying your return, would he?”

“I’m sure he’ll understand if we explain the situation to him.”

“Aight. There’s a Magic mirror booth near the inn I’m staying at. You can use that.”

Froyr and I reach the exit. We assess Noah’s wounds and Froyr assures me his injuries will heal in no time on treatment with more Healium.

[*Healium: An element in Azistére with exceptional healing abilities]

[*Magic mirror: In Eirenai, magic mirrors are the most widely used form of long-distance communication. As the name suggests, it is a mirror which can be used for two-way communication]

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