We packed up camp as the sun peaked above a forest to the east, bathing the nearby mountainous land in shadows and shimmering stones of quartz.

Yuma remarked at its beauty as we busied ourselves, while Varnun took a closer look at some of the quartz laying about. Aiko stood admiring the beauty as well, silhouetted by the sun, a gentle breeze swaying her silky hair. Seeing her this way was far more beautiful to me than some landscape.

With everything packed away, we took our formation and cautiously entered the cave. While I was given a map to direct us through the first floor of the dungeon, I still advised caution due to the fact that some dungeons are capable of changing their layout and re-arming sprung traps, and Dane being an experienced adventurer agreed with a look of approval.

I called out to Salek and Dane, who were in the front, telling them to turn whenever there was a fork in the path. Whenever there was a trap marked on the map, sprung or otherwise, I called for a halt. Aiko would then confer with me about the information the map had listed about the specific trap. She would then move to the front of the group, pinpoint the trap, and determine whether it was safe to proceed, how to avoid, or spring the trap.

Most of the traps were already purposefully sprung by those who discovered the dungeon first, and remained so. Few of the traps were too dangerous to spring, and thus avoided or carefully moved past without setting them off.

The dungeon’s first floor was very extensive. I led our party along a path that kept us away from the monster nests. While those who first explored this floor of the dungeon may have already exterminated the monsters, there is always the possibility of the nests repopulating or even relocating.

Eventually we found ourselves at the entrance to the second floor of the dungeon, an ominous stairway that oozed mystery and danger. We were none the worse for the ware, as we successfully navigated or circumvented all the traps and did not run across any of the monsters. Dane called us to a halt for rest and preparation.

We began with a food and water break, more or less in the same positions we entered this room of the dungeon. Eventually my curiosity got the better of me.

“Aiko… What influenced you to select your… profession?” I asked hesitantly and carefully, not wanting to offend or hurt her.

“Heehee…” She giggled at my question. It was a heavenly and light sound with an almost visible beauty of its own. “What about you, Scio? One story for another?” Her words were absolute honey every time I heard her speak, I wanted more, so I did not hesitate to share.

“Well, my parents didn’t come back from a dungeon when I was… Six, I think? When uncle Garek found out - he is my parent’s friend, not my actual uncle - he took me in. Unfortunately, he got into some trouble with a noble’s son, and false crimes were foisted upon him until he was executed for treason and all his assets were appropriated by the crown. After that, I had no home, so I lived on the streets.”

“I see… So you knew father…” Aiko responded in a sad voice.

“Father?” I asked. I didn’t know uncle Garek had a daughter.

“Mmmm… Garek Rael...my mother and father got into a bit of a fight when I was young… I can’t remember what the fight was about, but in the end, mother left him for some rich noble, and took me with her. Eventually I grew tired of all the posturing and politics I was forced to go through, and I ran away from home. I couldn’t remember where father lived at that point, and I didn’t know what to do. Eventually I was approached by a shady looking bunch of people who turned out to be thieves, and they taught me my ‘profession’.”

We bantered on for the rest of the break, and I became further and further enamored with her. No one else came to chat with us, probably letting like minds have their chat. Eventually the blissful time with Aiko came to an end, and we readied ourselves to move on.

Before we attempted to descend, Aiko and I would check the stairway for any traps, since the map only went so far as this room, there was no telling what would be beyond. We began to cautiously comb the long stairway, Varnun hot on our heels in case anything untoward happened to us.

My eyes peeled over every surface of the stairway, looking for the slightest hint of a contraption or a trigger for a trap, Aiko doing the same behind me, followed by Varnun. Eventually we made it to the landing of the second floor safely. We Once more began our way back to the rest of the party, This time with Aiko in front.

That is when it happened, a sharp click resounded under Aiko as she ascended, a panel giving way under her foot. Although we had stepped in the exact same location before, it seems the trap did not trigger before, likely being cleared of whatever halted the mechanism due to our passage. Now that we were on our way back up, our guard was somewhat lowered, and Aiko was caught unaware.

No way would I let that happen. No way would I allow this woman’s beauty to be marred by the whims of death. With a rush of adrenaline, with a speed I had never thought myself possible of, I grabbed a leather strap of Aiko’s armor and with all my might threw her back toward Varnun. The momentum of that throw propelled me forward to Aiko’s previous position, and though I saw it, it was far too fast for me to dodge.

A shining black spear launched out of the side of the wall, propelling dust that covered the hole housing it. I felt a searing pain as the spear thrust through my chest, impaling itself into the wall behind me, the stairway now hiding both ends of the spear.

“S-Scio! Scio!” “Noooo! Scioooo!” Varnun called out and Aiko screamed. I felt my consciousness already beginning to fade as Varnun and Aiko desperately attempted to free the spear from either end.

“H-Help! Dane! Salek! Yuma!” “Hurry! Help! We need Help!” They both began to yell up the stairway.

“D-Don’t worry Scio, once we get this spear out, I-I’ll have you right as rain!” Varnun tried to assure me as I heard footsteps clamoring at the stop of the stairway. My eyes began to feel heavy, my body began to drain of warmth and strength. I should tell Aiko… before I die, I should tell her… I want her to know… I love her… I fell in love with her… No… Too late…

“Stay with me Scio! Keep your eyes open! You need to stay awake!” Aiko pleaded.

“Stand… Away… Bone… Shrap… Nel…” Were the last words I could muster. My last sight was that of a tearful angel, and the last sound I heard was that of a small explosion...

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A/N: I am terribly sorry it took me so long to update this fiction! I have been focused on my first fiction, Cliche, in addition to having lots of things going on. Excuses aside, I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you want more of this! Trust me, the more you make yourselves heard the more time I will forcefully dedicate myself to pleasing you! Sound weird? Try me. [th_090_.gif]