▪︎Petal of salvation "15th Ventus "7:30Am (The Labyrinth Of Lethe Day 1)
Ryo's eyes twitched as they opened. To his surprise, he found himself surrounded by pitch blackness. I must have materialized in the very first layer, he thought.
Quickly, he reached for the backpack he wore, taking it off carefully. One of its zippers got caught on his cape, but he shrugged it off and set the bag down. It was best not to move around too much in the darkness.
"Now, where could it be?" he murmured to himself.
He rummaged through the bag, searching for the light stone waist lamp. After a bit of fumbling in the dark, he felt something hard and metallic, with smooth glass-like sides. He picked it up, inspecting it thoroughly.
"Finally got it! I wish I had thought to pull it out before we got transported," he thought, shaking his head at the idea. What if he'd taken it out and it broke or malfunctioned during the transition? It was better to leave it in the bag, as he had.
He turned on the lamp and placed it over the bag, casting a bright light that illuminated the space around him.
"Let's see what we've got here," he said quietly.
To his side, he spotted the map on the floor, still clutching the key in one hand, and he had already worn the watch. The compass lay nearby, not far from where the map was. After accounting for those, he emptied his backpack, going over the contents.
"Whoa, I wouldn't have expected this," he breathed, marveling at the careful preparation they had put into their kit.
Among the items was a water bottle that looked identical in design to the ones Aetherion had given them before venturing into Zhrak'nar. Hopefully, it had the same magical properties. There was also a 60-foot-long rope, some canned food, and enough dry rations to last at least 10 days if managed properly. He found a few antidotes and repellents, flint and steel, and a small mirror. The mirror was a tricky addition, but he could see it being useful for observing corners occupied by kardia-beasts without being detected.
Additionally, he discovered a collection of small light shards. These would serve as landmarks in case he got lost, helping him avoid walking in circles. After all, this was a labyrinth, and it was easy to lose one's way if not careful.
As he continued to sift through the remaining items, he found a first aid kit, a book containing information on several kardiabeasts, soap, a grappling hook, some whetstone, and a small pot, probably for cooking if it came to that. Though there would be limitations to what he could prepare down here, he could at least boil meat if he managed to find something edible, or some edible plants.
Once he had accounted for everything, he carefully packed the items back into the bag.
"Alright", he said to himself. "Time to figure out exactly where I am."
He pulled out the map and stared in awe at the incredibly detailed depiction of the labyrinth. He was stunned by the level of intricacy. It suggested that others must have ventured deep into this labyrinth before him.
"Uncharted territory?" he muttered to himself.
Something caught his eye at the bottom of the map: the 41st to 50th layers were marked as a place where no one ever returned, thus dubbed "uncharted territory."
How did they know the labyrinth exactly had fifty layers? he wondered, trying to wrap his mind around the contents of the map.
But he didn't have time to dwell on that. Shifting his focus to the top of the map, he noticed he was currently in the Huce Cave Maze. A glance around confirmed that it matched the layout on the map. At least he wouldn't have to test how accurate the details were.
"Better get moving. Wouldn't want to linger in one spot for too long," he reminded himself.
He stood up and started moving, only to hear a clang at his waist.
"Oh, that's right—my sword! Almost forgot I had that," he said with a chuckle.
Following the map's guidance, he made his way south, the indicated route for descending to the lower layers. As he walked, he held the lamp in front of him instead of at his side, ensuring a clearer view of the path and his surroundings.
After thirty minutes of walking, he hadn't encountered anyone. That made sense, given that people were scattered across the first five layers. He and Mei had anticipated this, which was why they had gone out of their way to form alliances with Tadashi and Svetlana. However, their current relationship was a bit awkward, especially since they hadn't communicated in the past six weeks. Didn't that defeat the purpose? he thought.
The fact that they were scattered across the first 5 layers made things tricky even if by chance their current relationship had been normal without any hiccups, the chances that they would come across each other went up a bit but not anything significant, there was the possibility they wouldn't even be able to form a party with one another until the current Page was completed, but Ryo still had some hope regarding the situation, he couldn't afford otherwise.
The party system gnawed at Ryo's mind, just how many people could form a single party, there were no specifics and there was nothing stopping anyone from going at it alone, in theory that would be unwise, but you couldn't deny there were people like that, people who would rather entrust something as valuable as their own life to theirselves and them alone. Ryo was one such person.
Ryo had been walking for over an hour now, his legs already started getting tired, the luggage wasn't much, but it was enough extra weight to have him feeling the need to take a break.
He settled into the corner of a large rock, letting out a strained sigh as he did.
"That was a lot of walking. Just how far down is the next layer?"
The thought exasperated him. How much more walking would it take just to descend the very first layer? This wasn't the only cave he had encountered; he had explored several others, navigating from clearing to clearing. Each time, he faced multiple paths all heading south, but he couldn't determine which led to a dead end and which opened up to another clearing. He had been fortunate a few times but had also met with dead ends, forcing him to backtrack. That mental strain was the hardest part of traversing a labyrinth.
Ryo had, of course, anticipated this from his studies, but reading about it and actually experiencing it were two entirely different things. In the end, living it made the texts he had consumed about the mental exhaustion of navigating a labyrinth relatable.
But that wasn't his only concern. Traps were hard to figure out. There weren't any purposefully designed traps on the first layer; instead, he occasionally stumbled upon sections of ground that felt a bit hollow. Some could lead to the lower layers if he fell through them, just as he had read. More often than not, however, such cases ended tragically, with careless individuals tumbling to their deaths.
"I really wish they'd given us a pole or something. It would have helped me detect those traps," he muttered.
He longed for a pole to make things easier, one that could help him identify hollow spots by sound. For now, he had been fortunate enough to avoid falling into any traps, but he felt like he was at the mercy of fate. Hopefully, he would make it down unscathed—or at least land safely in a lower layer if he did fall.
After resting a bit, he continued his descent. As he walked, he stumbled upon the largest clearing he had encountered so far. He didn't need a landmark to know he had never followed this path before.
"Wow, this is... huge," he gasped, taking in the sheer size of the clearing. His awe quickly turned to concern.
"Uh-oh," he said.
A larger clearing meant he would have several different paths to choose from, and this was going to take some time. He steeled himself and pressed on.
"No use whining about it now, I guess."
He reminded himself that tackling this situation with an optimistic mindset would help, at least in keeping exhaustion at bay. At least that's what he kept telling himself.
As he approached the first path, Ryo's instincts kicked in, and he kept his guard up.
"A slime? No, that's… humming."
Initially, he wondered if it could be a kardia-beast known as a slime, but the sound was not the typical wet, sluggish noise he expected. Instead, he discerned a soft humming—it was distinctly human.
"Hmmm-mmm mm-hmmm, hmmm-mmm."
Now clearer than before, the humming revealed itself to be a girl's voice.
"What is she doing? Is she trying to attract kardia-beasts? Why is she coming this way in the first place?" he murmured to himself.
The girl finally emerged from the cave. Ryo now saw for certain that she was no kardia-beast. Silver-haired and clad in a military-style black uniform with a cape that resembled his own, she looked almost regal.
"Ah? Looks like I got lost again. Am I actually heading backward?" she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "I'm doomed to wander these caves for the rest of my life at this point!"
Once she stepped into the clearing that split the paths to other caves, she finally noticed Ryo, whose blank stare was fixed on her.
"Um, are you lost?" she asked, her tone somewhat flat.
He sized her up for a moment before responding, "No, but it seems like you are. Am I wrong?" His gaze remained unwavering.
Ryo knew better than to trust anyone too easily, even in a situation like this. If he was considering forming a party with her, he needed to tread carefully. For all he knew, she could be after his equipment or have a penchant for causing trouble.
Okay, that last thought was a wild stretch. He would have to rein in his skepticism eventually, but for now, staying vigilant was crucial. He wouldn't have the energy to keep glancing over his shoulder if he rushed into a partnership with her.
"No… I'm not lost. I was just about to decide which path to take," she replied, glancing past Ryo at the other paths before randomly pointing to one. "Look, I'm about to head there, see? I'm not lost!"
"That's where I came from—you're going backward," Ryo said with a sigh.
It was evident she had no sense of direction and hadn't properly used the map or compass given to her. Had she not paid attention during important lessons? Was she really that clueless, or just pretending? Ryo hoped it was the latter.
"Eh? You don't say…" she chuckled awkwardly in response.
After considering it further, Ryo decided she didn't seem overly suspicious for now.
"Listen," he offered, "it's clear you don't know where you're going. How about you follow me instead?"
The girl felt a wave of skepticism wash over her. She didn't know this stranger, and his appearance was far from reassuring. His dull, stoic expression and dark eyes were somewhat intimidating—especially since they were about to venture into dark caves together. The eerie glow from the rocks beneath illuminated his face just enough, but she knew that if she unexpectedly stumbled upon it in complete darkness, she might just pee herself.
"Honestly, I don't know. You're a bit... scary," she admitted.
Ryo ruffled the back of his hair, clearly exasperated. If she wasn't open to his help, he wouldn't force her. After all, she needed assistance, not him.
"Of course, if you want to continue alone, you're free to do that," he said dismissively. "I only offered because I thought you might get even more lost."
No matter how unsettling he looked, Emma realized she couldn't continue on her own. Who knew what kind of monsters lurked in the shadows? Having company, even if it was a ghostly-looking boy her age, might ease her fears, if only a little. Perhaps his intimidating vibe would counterbalance her anxiety about the unknown.
"N-no, I'm sorry. I would really like your help. I have no idea where I'm headed," she said, hurrying to catch up as she noticed him about to move on.
Ryo was taken aback by her change of heart. He had been called many things, but "scary"? That felt a bit rude coming from someone he barely knew. He was one to talk, though; just moments ago, he had been sizing her up himself.
"Alright, we'd better get moving then," he replied as they set off along a path he chose.
As they walked, Emma decided to start a conversation. "I'm Emma, by the way. Emma Wilson," she introduced herself.
Ryo continued down the path with her trailing behind, noting her bubbly demeanor. She wasn't exactly the type of person he preferred to be around, but what could he do? He was the one who had offered to help.
"Ryo Kobayashi," he said flatly.
For a while, they walked in silence, neither having much to say. Surprisingly, it was Ryo who eventually broke the quiet.
"Could you walk beside me? I feel uneasy with you behind me," he admitted.
It wasn't meant to spark conversation; he simply wanted her in his line of sight. He'd notice sooner if she tried something funny. Deep down, he sensed she wouldn't; after all, what could she possibly gain with her poor sense of direction? Still, it never hurt to be cautious.
"Oh? So you don't trust me? Frankly, I should be the one feeling uneasy, considering a stranger offered to guide me without us ever being acquainted. I'm a girl, you know. How should I know if you're planning to lead me down this dark cave and do something sketchy later?" she teased, placing a hand on her lips and leaning forward with a sly grin.
Ryo felt overwhelmed by her bubbly enthusiasm and retreated into the safety of silence.
"I know people like you exist—ones who struggle to trust anyone," she said, her tone light. "But that's fine! I don't mind at all. In fact, I'm grateful for your help!"
Still, Ryo didn't respond. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, maintaining a stoic expression. She sure likes to talk.
"Um, Ryo, can I call you Ryo?" she asked.
He didn't answer, but she continued anyway.
"So, Ryo, how do you know your way around here? I don't know the first thing about navigation; I find it boring!" she inquired.
Once again, he remained silent. Her chatter reminded him of Vallia—though not quite as eccentric, she still radiated an infectious extroversion. He figured he would just let her talk until she eventually tired of it.
Are all Americans like this?
he thought, letting out a soft sigh.
"No answer, huh? That makes sense, I suppose. I did say I find the topic boring; I guess that was a miss on my part! Ehehe," Emma said, her light chuckle fading into a moment of reflection. Suddenly, she turned to Ryo, looking curious.
"What scenario are you a part of? Funny we didn't discuss this sooner!"
When did this become a conversation? Ryo considered ignoring her, but since they might wind up in the same party, though he strongly wished against it, he decided to humor her. If he knew about her scenario, he could better gauge her usefulness when the time came.
"I'm from the Darkness Isle. What about you?" he replied.
He didn't reveal his true scenario for two reasons: First, there were only ten isles in the city, and he didn't want to spook her with talk of an eleventh one, or risk making her feel scared of him again. That initial fear seemed to have vanished, but mentioning that he was a lich would undoubtedly send her running. Second, he had kept his real scenario a secret; having a supposedly rare scenario made him feel unique, and he sensed that such information was sensitive—not something to throw around casually.
"Oh, I see! It shows, if that makes sense. I'm from the Magus Isle," she said.
Realizing how her words might sound, she quickly added, "I'm sorry if that came off as rude! Here you are, going out of your way to help me, and I'm just fussing about your appearance. Really, I'm sorry!"
Her expression dulled, and an awkward silence enveloped them. Sensing her disheartenment, Ryo decided to break the tension.
"Okay, look, I'm not really offended, even if you think I'm scary or whatever. I accept your apology," he said, sounding a bit exasperated.
But that was enough for Emma to return to her chipper self as she began to talk his ear off once more,
This is going to be a really long 2 months, he thought as he let out a sigh.
...
They had been walking for about five hours, and Ryo was reaching his limit when it came to Emma. Over the course of their trek south, they had taken various paths and paused for several breaks. Ryo noticed he was taking more breaks than usual because of her; their paces were far from the same. At one point, he even offered to carry her backpack to lighten her load. Though she was skeptical at first, she eventually agreed. However, this put more strain on him as he struggled to keep up with her. Unsurprisingly, Emma moved much better without the bag. Eventually, he handed it back to her, and she grumbled with a pout about how he wasn't being a gentleman, citing some cultural notions about how women should be treated. It was exhausting, and he regretted inviting her along—but he knew he had brought this on himself.
Soon, Ryo reached another large clearing. It wasn't as vast as the one where he had met Emma, but it was still impressive, the dim light illuminating everything like a soft glow. What caught Ryo's attention, however, were the four individuals seated before one of the cave entrances. He plopped down from the elevated area he had just descended and helped Emma down with a surge of unexpected delight on her face, perhaps this was the gentleman nonsense she was talking about
As he approached the group, Ryo recognized two familiar faces among the four.
"Ryo? Oh, it's you! I almost didn't recognize you in those clothes!" Mei exclaimed.
It was Mei and Tadashi. Apparently, they had already teamed up, accompanied by two strangers—a man and a woman who seemed quite close to each other.
"I see you and Fujita have already teamed up," Ryo said, scanning the area. Normally, wherever Mei was, he would find the particularly narcissistic blonde Russian, Svetlana, but she was nowhere in sight. Had she gone somewhere, perhaps the little girls' room? He quickly realized that if that were the case, she would likely have entrusted her bag to Mei. But as he looked around, he noticed only four bags—those belonging to their small group—were accounted for. They must not have met up with her yet.
"Um, I don't see Svetlana with you. That's unusual. You haven't run into her yet?" he asked.
"That's not unusual at all," Mei replied. "Considering the nature of our current Page, it's mostly luck that the three of us managed to meet up so soon."
She was right. The fact that they had encountered each other at all was a stroke of luck. Even if their party wasn't the most balanced, at least they would have allies around whom they could let down their guard.
"Ryo, you're with a girl?" Tadashi chimed in, his expression unreadable but his tone tinged with annoyance, as if he were trying to mask the fact that he'd been ignoring Ryo just moments before.
"Uh, yeah. We just happened to meet on the way here," Ryo replied. "She got lost, and I'm helping her navigate." Though there was an awkward air, he didn't let it affect his words.
"Is that so? Well, you can carry on like that if you're comfortable with it," said Tadashi.
Ryo felt a flicker of awkwardness at Tadashi's remark. Mei noticed the subtle tension but chose not to address it; instead, it was Emma who jumped in.
"Wow, what a completely different reaction! You barely said a word to me, but now you're chatting away with them? You must be pretty close," she said, a teasing edge to her voice.
Ryo fumbled for a response. Emma's comment hit a little too close to home. It made sense that he found it easier to talk to Tadashi and Mei, who he had known for longer, compared to her—whose personality was, in his view, a bit too exuberant. Unlike Vallia, Emma wasn't bold enough to push for a response with relentless enthusiasm; she was simply much more straightforward.
"Still silent, huh? You won't even introduce me? Wow, you're really cold," she said, feigning hurt.
Sensing her feigned discomfort, Ryo quickly introduced her to both Mei and Tadashi, leveraging the moment to ensure that everyone was included, including the couple who had been quietly engrossed in their own conversation.
It felt like I'm introducing my girlfriend to my parents, Ryo thought, as the realization of the situation began to take hold.
After the introductions, Ryo and Emma joined the others to rest for a moment before they all set off together.
It was the first day in the Labyrinth of Lethe, and on the very first layer, Ryo had successfully formed a party much faster than he had anticipated.