Chapter 20: Arc 3 – Queen of the Monster Maze 1.1

Kikori looks down into the murky depths of the labyrinth.

She gulps at the foul, cool air that’s coming from the hidden vaults and corridors of the forbidden dungeon.

“A-Are you sure about this?” Her voice quivers. It’s so unbecoming!

To compound her awkwardness, next to Tarika she feels so plain.

Seen from the outside, Kikori is a pretty girl with short black hair, and smooth features, her almond-shaped eyes large and curious. Even her petite form shows the nice curves of her hips and her legs.

But she still feels like she’s far from beautiful.

Tarika seems far too happy with her lack of confidence.

“Getting cold feet already? You will never become a Knight if you are just a scaredy cat,” Tarika replies with a grin on her pale face. She raises her lamp and the light casts out of the blackness a few more steps, descending into the unknown.

“I’m not scared!” Kikori protests. She balls her gloved fists and tries to peer into the entrance, past it, into whatever is waiting for her there. “But this is not a simple trial of courage.”

“If it were it would not mean anything,” Tarika nods. “Remember: only those who reach the deepest level of the Maze can then claim its treasure and be reborn. Legend has it that only two Knights ever managed to brave its depths and come back.”

“I… I know,” Kikori replies, thinking about her hero since childhood, the most valiant and the most holy Knight to ever grace the world.

But can she really compare herself to Ember Soar? “I’m just… a little concerned. Who knows what’s actually down there?”

“Probably a few slimes. And something else, I guess. You can come out at any time, you know. We would never…”

“Yes, yes, I know! I’m brave enough for it,” Kikori cuts her short, puffing her slight chest out. “I will reach the end of the labyrinth and bring back the treasure like Ember Soar. And like Summer Storm!” She name-drops the Herald even though she doesn’t enjoy nearly as high a spot in her heart as a hero, but the more the merrier, she figures. “And they came out stronger for it, didn’t they?”

“So the legends say. It has been a few centuries, of course, but they say that whatever is down there changes your spirit, makes your Skilltree stronger for some reason.” Tarika flexes her hand and a small bout of fire appears on her palm. “Do you see this? I wasn’t even able to do it before I spent the whole night down there. And that was just from the first layer!”

“And… how is it?”

“Come on Kikori, I can’t spoil the surprise! Besides, this is your test and not my confession.” Her fellow leaner closes her palm and the flame disappears.

Kikori’s heart beats so fast - she wants to be a powerful Knight… she wants to be the best! This sounds… a bit like cheating, but if it helped Tarika and the others she can deal with it! Her marks at the Academia are higher than theirs! She can brave the depths and come back stronger.

“A-Alright, I will do it!”

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“That’s the spirit!” Tarika winks and Kikori feels a bout of hope bloom in her chest. Her friend gives her a new lantern, a backpack filled with a canteen and some beef jerky for emergencies. She’s also fitted with a few tools like rope, nails, a knife.

Just what she needs in case she has to face something more mundane than monsters.

Knights are not dungeon-dwellers, but in this case…

“A-Alright, I’m going d-down,” she says at last.

“Come back soon! And try to have fun!”

“Have… fun… yes…” Kikori reaches for the first step.

Then the second.

And then bit by bit she walks down until she disappears into the darkness.

Tarika waits on the outside for a little more, until even the echoes of her steps have disappeared.

“You can come out,” she says.

From the trees outside three other young Knights in training reach for her. One of them is holding a long black staff.

“Hey, thanks for that little trick, Bastiaran,” Tarika grins at the newcomer, who smiles back and snaps his fingers, making a new tongue of flame appear over her hand. Tarika chuckles. “To think that was enough to fool her!”

“Yeah, that will teach her to be such a know-it-all!”

“Do you think she will ever come out?”

“I don’t think it’s our problem anymore,” Tarika titters, brushing aside a few weeds that cover a brazen sign attached to the entrance. Time and weather have battered the plaque, but the words upon it can still be clearly read:

Monster Maze - Beware!

“Yeah, I think we will not hear about our friend Kikori for a long, long time.”

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