author's note: comments and suggestion are more than welcome. WARNING! this chapter contains cookies! and the rest of the coming chapters too nearing the end of volume 1

Chapter 10 : White Flame

It was a bright and sunny day and I woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy. I was in my bed covered by my favorite blanket when I heard a knock coming from the door, then the voice of my maid Beatrice called upon me as she entered the bedroom.

Beatrice: " My lady- time for you to get up. " she said, and I answered her.

" How many times do I have to tell you to drop the honorifics, just call me by my name whenever we are alone Beatrice. Is that so hard to do? We have been friends for a long time. just call me Prim Valentine or just Prim, please...

Beatrice: " sigh- as you wish, Prim... however I will only do this if we are both alone. I dont want the others to belittle you or cause any problems. We may be friends, but I am just a maid and you are a Knight, as well as a member of the Sacred Blade order.

Prim: " Certainly, I am a Knight but I was once a commoner back in the day and you are the very first friend that I had.

Beatrice: " Oh stop it you... Dont bring back memories of the past, you have a busy day ahead, come let us prepare.

Prim: " hehehe, can't I stay in bed a little longer. " I said this while looking at her, but she glared at me from my side and I was forced to obey.

Beatrice began to take off my clothes as I stood infront of her, afterwards she led me to the bath which was located in the next room. I sat down on a stool and she proceeded to pour water on my head. my red hair was now wet including the rest of my body.

She then used lavender soap on a piece of cloth, before scrubbing my back, after that she used her hands on my hair and scalp, instantly my head was filled with bubbles. Making sure that each strand of my red hair was cleansed.

Then I turned my head towards her and looked straight into her eyes before saying.

Prim: " the.... the front...

Beatrice: " hmm? " she answered me with a puzzled look.

Prim: " Please clean the front as well. " my face visibly blushing.

Beatrice: " sigh- I guess it can't be helped. "

Beatrice then went to the back of the room and took all of her dress off, her long blonde hair fell to her shoulders as she removed her fedora, and two mounds bounced as she was taking off her blue maid's dress. Now fully naked, she went and sat down infront of me before taking the soap and rubbing it in the palm of her hands.

Beatrice: " Raise both your arms. "

she said this, I nodded and raised it above my head. then she used her hands to trace both arms and then proceeded onto my armpits. After rubbing it for a good amount of time, she then grabbed hold of my chest and I let out a moan.

Prim: " ahhn~

She squeezed both my supple breast and I began to breath heavily, now both my pink nipples are standing at attention. Noticing this, Beatrice began to play with it by lightly pinching both and running her fingers up and down. then she continued all the way down to my other hole and rubbed it, soap, water, and sticky fluid mixing together.

Beatrice stood up and then poured water on my head and the rest of my body. She then sat back down and embraced me, putting her head upon my breasts before looking up and meeting with my eyes.

I was staring at her clear blue eyes when I noticed that she was flushed and breathing heavily. then in that moment, I moved my head closer to her's and kissed her.

My tongue invaded her mouth, and in turn she also did mine. I placed my right hand in the back of her head, and using my left hand, I rubbed her right breast causing her to moan in ecstacy.

Beatrice followed up by putting two fingers inside the mouth of my Cat. My cat was hungry and it swallowed it whole, then my hips started moving back and forth.

I didn't want to experience it alone so I used my right hand and shoved two of my fingers inside Beatrice's Cat which was also wet with anticipation, putting it slowly in then pulling it slowly out.

Beatrice did the same. I pushed her down and we were now laying on the floor, I was still on top and Beatrice was under me. Both of us was wildly playing with each others Cat. I was calling out her name and she was calling me out the same. My hips was shaking up and down, and Beatrice was squirming underneath.

Prim: " Beatrice.... Beatrice.... Beatrice!

Beatrice: " Ahhn~ Prim.... Prim!!!

we both came at the same time. Beatrice had her blue eyes upturned and her tongue was sticking out, I also had my red eyes upturned and I couldn't help but stick my tongue out and moan when a jolt of shock went through my entire body.

Beatrice and I stayed there while embracing each other for a while.

I was about to go on a quest given to me by our Empress. This was the last time that both of us had to spend with each other. Knowing this endeavor will very well spell the continued prosperity or fall of the empire. I definitely must succeed.

after coming out of the bath and putting on my Empire Armor made of white mithril and placing my sword christened "White Rose" imbued with holy magic. I went forward to Beatrice and kissed her on the lips before saying my parting words.

Prim: " I will return quickly. "

Beatrice: " Be safe, I will be waiting. "

With that, I proceeded on my journey. Taking with me all 3,000 of my elites composed of guardians, knights, mages, priests and infantry.

Casting a high level movement spell using my elite mage division. I roared to my soldiers before our departure.

Prim Valentine: " My brothers in arms, we are faced with the cruel reality that all things in this world will eventually end. And that end is now coming for our beloved Empress, The one who was able to bring about glory and power upon our people. In her hour of need she has given us a task that only we can do. when death is slowly creeping at her, she found a way for the Empire to Live on. with her bountiful knowledge it led her to the answer that she seeks. and that answer is inside the 49 labyrinths located across the entire continent. with the might given to us, using our weapons and armors. we march towards that goal. Follow me, together we will obtain eternity and we shall laugh at the gods that sits in the heavens.

A flash of light enveloped my elite army of 3,000 and when the light vanished we were now standing infront of a huge entrance with two giant statue's standing at both sides.

Prim: " Welcome to Perdulin's Labyrinth, eternal life is infront of you, all that is left is to take it.

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My army was slowly making progress despite the numerical advantage that we had. The inside of the labyrinth was large to say the least, it was like an entire world all in its self, mazes, stairs that go up that bring you back to the same place that you came, doors that lead to dead ends, traps and deadly monsters that we made short work of, forest's, it was crazy.

The whole place was going against logic. finally my mages was able to pinpoint the best possible route and we were now in a huge valley, after crossing it my mages said to me that we will be able to go to the third level.

We were steadily marching until I saw a peculiar thing a few distance infront of us and I raised my right hand signaling the group to stop.

What I saw was a black bird with a few red streaks on its feathers, it was the size of a full grown cavalry horse, covered in black cloth which seemed like a robe of some sort. Riding on its back was a young girl with black hair wearing light armor which was also black.

They turned to their backs before facing our direction once more, then it looked like the girl was saying something to the black avian which she was riding. After that they ran towards our location after unsheathing her sword.

I tensed up and unsheathed my "white rose" from my waist then prepared to face her and the strange mount. then suddenly, a large rumbling sound was heard, and it was getting closer and closer.

Looking at the girl, I saw a cloud of dust slowly forming behind her, getting bigger and bigger. and then I shouted orders to my men in a hurry.

Prim: " Guardians! form a defensive line, knights to me! prepare for battle! Mages and Priests ready your spells! stand your ground! let none of them survive!

After this all 20 of my elite guards went to my side, the rest of the knights fanned out infront of the guardians, behind them were the mages and priests.

I lowered my "white rose" and prepared a horizontal slash as the black swordswoman was quickly making her way towards me.

Then when she was a few meters away, I swung my blade! but to my surprise, from thin air a number of blue swords miraculously appeared out of nowhere. She parried my sword using a long single edge blade. and with a sound of metal clashing into metal I was knocked to the side, the rest of my knights attacked but was also blocked by the mysterious blades floating in mid air. She continued running towards our rear after her mount easily jumped over a couple of guardians and knights, and dodging some ice and fire bolts fired in her direction.

Prim: " who was that girl?! what was she doing here?! " her attack was strong from what I could tell during our single exchange, and the level of her strength was probably around a 4 tier warrior. then it hit me!

Prim: " it cant be!!! she is also after the soul crystal of perdulin!!! tsk... Knights to m- " before I could finish my orders, my complete and undivided attention was brought back to the direction where the young girl was running from.

infront of us, was a whole legion of werewolves, minotaurs, and other magical beast's!!! In a panic I shouted my new orders!

Prim: " Guardians! forward! stop them no matter what! deploy your barriers!!! Mages! use your spells! blow them away!!!

I cursed the girl as she was quickly running away to the distance. then I turned around and charged at the huge number of enemies. telling my knights to quickly end the monsters so that we can give chase.

Prim: " who ever you are, I'll be sure to end you.

My "White Rose" sword began to light up, and I raised it above my shoulders, then I jumped up and used my magic and slashed forward, launching a blazing white bolt of mana towards the monsters.

* White Flame! *

when the bolt reached the enemy, it exploded! immediately burning the ground and everything within a radius of 20 meters, the monsters could do nothing but scream in agony as their flesh burned in the holy flame. and their bodies fell with a thud.

Prim: " Kill them all!

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Escaping from the battle, Centor was getting more and more burndened by fatigue and Kim was in no condition to fight as her mana was dangerously low, forcing her to use any more of her skill will end up in Mind Down, a condition wherein a person losses consciousness by over usage of mana beyond the person's capacity.

Kim: " just a little bit more. when we get to the third level, we can use the other passage that connects to the surface. I'm really sorry, because of my stubbornness I almost got both of us killed.

Centor: " Its fine, atleast we accomplished what we sent out to do. Gavin's body was in the third level correct?

Kim: " yes, If I could get a piece of his clothes or some of his weapon or accessories it should be enough to give Lotte some closure.

Centor: " That bastard really does desserve it though.

Kim: " do you mind telling me the reason?

Centor: " You remembered the day when he stole that piece of gold from you?

Kim: " Yes, he was carrying a bouquet of flowers probably for Lotte.

Centor: " Lets just say that flower wasn't meant for her.

Kim: "............

Centor: " The mistress cares about you Kim, after this is over I would like you to make up with her. consider this payment for what I had to go through.

Kim: " She killed my father... I would also kill her if I had the chance.

Centor: " Kim..... your father is still alive, I told you already.

Kim: " Then bring me to him!!! I miss my father.... Please....

Centor: " you know I can't.... unless the mistress allows it, I shouldn't have even told you the truth. and more importantly we haven't even gotten out of this hell hole yet. when we do get out, Talk to her..... I apologize in behalf of what she did, taking you away... but think about... If she wasn't there back then, and we just ignored the bandits. those guys would have taken you regardless and sold into slavery, or turned you into a prostitute.... in a sense, you owe her your life.... she fed you, gave you clothes and provided you with weapon and armor.... she imparted you with her knowledge... trained you into what you are now today.... all for what?.... what did she ask for you in return?

Kim: " ............

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I was speechless, I never actually thought about it that way, I was consumed by my desire to avenge my father, but if what Centor told me was the truth then.... I dont know-..... what should I do-......

If my father was still alive, then I want to meet him!

I have to get back to the surface....

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'Chapter end

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