When I woke, I groaned as I looked around and saw Avarice and Za'Fia coming to as well.
"Who was that?" I moaned while getting to my feet.
"Whoever it was must have dominion over darkness," Avarice replied, likely deducing that from the blackness that covered us before we passed out.
"Better question: where are we?" Za'Fia motioned to our surroundings.
We stood on a stone path that broke off in different directions. I levitated off the ground to get a vantage view of where we were and was shocked to see that, despite the energy I felt coming from seemingly everywhere, there was no one around us.
We were alone in what appeared to be a maze of stone roads built around the largest building I'd ever seen. It had to have been miles wide. By the looks of it, it was an ancient colosseum with the figurehead of a bull at its center. The building was partially destroyed, as if a big battle had taken place there long ago, and water flowed from several openings. It was difficult to tell from so far away, but I could've sworn I heard screams coming from the building.
"Why'd someone bring us here?" I asked as I landed back on the ground.
"Didn't we hear someone say something about fighting?" Avarice reminded me before grinning. "It appears there's some entertainment to be had here."
I pulled out my brochure.
"Let's see...Aethum of the Minotaur District. Yeah, the Minotaur Crest is known for its underground labyrinth and hosting arena battles for civilians to enjoy the spectacle of cindarian battles. They also host initiation trials of battle for klevonians seeking to gain the favor of a specific Crest. Some of the more prestigious crests tend to be picky, I guess."
"Hm...they use an honor governing system," I continued. "Issues are often solved through one-on-one bouts. Dishonorable conduct isn't tolerated here in official battles."
"As barbaric as this crest sounds, I can't say I dislike that," Avarice admitted as he stepped closer to view the brochure. "Oh? A crest worth of 500 billion spendil. People must be quite fond of these battles they host. Hmm...500 pneumarians. 190 klevonians. Though the crest is much smaller compared to the Fairy Crest, isn't it? And neta seems to be their main element."
From our right came a loud bellow as a herd of abnormally large bulls strolled by. I smiled irresistibly as I reached my hand out to rub one as it passed. To my left, Za'Fia blissfully did the same.
Avarice, on the other hand, stepped back, repulsed by their presence, as he protested about not wanting their stench to linger on his suit.
Hilariously, one of the "smaller" bulls closest to him turned its head and sniffed in Avarice's direction before blowing steam from its nose, staining a small part of his suit with snot. There was a loud call from its mom, and it turned and trotted off quickly, leaving Avarice standing in utter disbelief and anger.
"Insolent beast..." Avarice raised a glowing finger and pointed at the bull, but I grabbed his wrist and lowered his hand as I stifled my laugh.
"8,000 years old, and you let a baby animal anger you?" I said pointedly. "I don't think it meant any harm. Besides, you can adjust your zip-wear to clean it off."
"Aren't you more curious about the underground labyrinth these paths lead to?" Za'Fia added, moving on. "Quit being a baby and help us find the entrance."
"Hhhh," Avarice exhaled, regaining his patience. "Enjoy your laughs while you can. When I find a way to increase my power, and I will find a way, you two will be among the first I make suffer for the humiliations I've faced since the regrettable day you defeated me."
"Yet it was that defeat that helped you realize how boring your ambition to conquer was," I goaded him as I walked after Za'Fia.
Avarice opened his mouth to retort, but when he took a step, we suddenly heard Za'Fia's shriek as the ground beneath her feet opened and she fell through before it closed again.
"A trap door, huh?" Avarice smirked, "What a pleasant surprise."
"What did you do...?" I walked toward him, then heard a click and felt a shift beneath my feet as I stepped on a trigger as well, causing the ground beneath Avarice to open as well, but he was quick enough to hover to prevent himself from falling.
Then he looked at me and grinned mischievously.
"Wait, no!" I said, realizing too late. "Dang it! There's gotta be another one somewhere," I said, frantically searching the ground for another trigger until I realized I could've just pressed the same one I did earlier.
I quickly relocated the trigger I'd stepped on and did so again. When the ground opened, I blurred into the darkness after them.
There was a stale, earthy stench in the air. The walls of the underground labyrinth were lit with glemit, so it wasn't dark at all except in the eerie corners where the light didn't reach. It looked like the labyrinth wasn't an exact match with the stone paths above ground, since there were spacious caverns down there, too.
I was standing in one such cavern with several pathways leading in different directions. Down one of the paths somewhere in front of me, I felt Avarice and Za'Fia's energies clashing and sprinted toward them. Within two seconds, I'd arrived at another open area, but this one had only three varying paths. I saw Avarice holding Za'Fia by the throat as he lifted her from the ground.
"I'm not so amusing now, am I?" I heard him hiss at her.
In one swift movement, I rushed toward him angrily and pushed him with my power until he was pressed against a stone wall.
"Seriously?" I said, helping Za'Fia stand.
"What can I say? I saw an opportunity, and I took it," he shrugged casually before his expression became serious. "I may be forced to go along with you, but I am not one of you. You'd do well to remember that."
"Noted. Then next time you step out of line, I'll crush your heart, chain you in suppression chains, and find somewhere to dump you until things are settled here," I spat back.
"Mm. Scary," he mocked as I released him.
"We're moving forward," I said as Za'Fia and I walked past him when the ground started to move and a wall rose to separate us. Avarice and Za'Fia were forced down one path while I was pushed down another.
Don't forget I can see you no matter where you go, I telepathically reminded Avarice. If you try anything...
Yes, you'll destroy my heart and dispose of me. Seeing as I have no desire to go through the inconvenience of dying and resurrecting in a coffin at the bottom of the ocean, Za'Fia has nothing to fear. For now.
When the wall finally stopped pushing me forward, I found myself in a small area with other klevonians. Most of whom wore bones and dressed like cavemen as they anxiously waited next to a gated door with bare contained eagerness. Outside the gates, I could interpret vague words as a commentator went on in the background.
72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0c7x5ic3U
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