Chapter 10

It had been harder than Orion thought to find Aus considering the area people were gathered in was much smaller than the town. Dinner was done and most people were asleep, only a number besides the guards the stood around the campsite watching out for the raiders of creatures of the forest. He had heard the mages call this part of the forest a rank Y area. Seeing as how he also seen that ranking system in the quests he went up to a pair of guards to ask about what determined a person’s rank.

“Your Orion right? Quintin in his endless stream of gossip told us about how you were one to come up with the idea to throw the tower stones”

“Halen’s your one to talk, he just asked you a question and you went and talked about something else you could do after”

The man who criticized Halen rubbed his temple in annoyance while Halen apologized. Orion did not actually mind that much that his question was not answered first thing. Seeing two friends who did not give off a gloom of lost like most of the people at camp

“Anyway ones rank is determined by either your level or total soul points. Rank Z is levels 1-15 and a max soul count of 75 before that person is thought of rank Y”

“That means for an area rank like this one of Y you can expect creatures of the level range 16-30”

The other man added in to Halen’s explanation to finish the details of the subject. With that in mind it meant to Orion that there were over two dozen ranks and there was no good reason to believe ranking ended with the letters did. They chatted for a while longer then Orion left once they told him where he could find Aus.

Directed to over the next hill north of was Aus pacing back and forth, it seemed he was waiting for Orion the entire time he was out here. Burnt and blackened with dirt in spots was the sight of Aus cloths and at first Orion was surprised he could stand the state of the things he wore. He mentally hit himself for forgetting these might very well be his only outfit, the only money coming from when Orion gave him a sliver coin

The amount I gave him was plenty for several days of food but adding in even decent cloths to his cost…

For Orion a change of outfit was a small matter but for a man whose only choice was what he was already wearing he learned to like it. Before Orion could signal to Aus that he was here Aus suddenly stopped moving and looked up at him.

“You finally came I was beginning to worry that you were not going to come”

Aus nervously said while looking directly at him. It seemed odd to Orion that he was this worried about whatever he was thinking about and had come out here.

“There are some things I want to tell you about, will you listen to my story?”

His eyes reminded Orion of when they first met in front of the alley serval days ago, lifeless and without hope of what the future will bring.

Listen to Aus Story

(Secret)

Aus would like to tell you about the actions he has done and things he was a part of. After he is finished you will be given a choice about what do with him. You will suffer no negative effects in picking either choice,

Difficulty:- Progress: Offered

Secret Questlines

Secret quest appear when extra hidden conditions are completed, there is also a high chance of it not being unlocked due to the fact that the second condition that must be unlocked is an unlikely event to happen.

1. Give Aus hope of life again

2. Defend Aus when not forced to

A secret quest! And it does not even have a difficulty, I guess it really will be just talking

There was still worry about what exactly Orion was about be told but with seemly no risk it was a quick choice to come to.

“I will hear your story Aus, please tell me it”

Aus seemed surprised that Orion agreed but quickly recover, he cleared his throat while indicating that they both head in one direction. They walked for a time without Aus saying a word, then he started to speak as he gazes at the bright moon.

“I use to be a researcher of the Dragon Veins or still am depending how you look at it”

Dragon Veins? Another thing I don’t know but it has taken Aus a lot to start talking so acting like this is already known would be best

Orion simply nodded to Aus’s statement, it worked at Aus continued

“To more exact I don’t study the Veins themselves rather the things that seem to only appear or “grow” above them: They are called Labyrinth’s.

These were things Orion as his father had told him about them if only a little that was also common knowledge. Great underground areas with creatures that grew more dangerous the deeper you went until you reached the bottom where its heart was. Orion relayed what he knew from his father to Aus to see

“Rather than calling it a heart I would call it a core but yes everything else is right. It grows out and attracts creatures and if it gets big enough can summon demons”

While Aus spoke about the subject his voice grew slightly louder as if talking about it grew his confidence. Not sure about where this conversation was heading unease spread in Orion.

They now stood in front of a small lake the moonlight reflecting off the water, Aus seemed to lose all focus looking at it. Then he spoke a single statement causing Orion to step back in fear of even being around him

“I found out how to make a labyrinth of my own when I finished my research, I killed the mage guarding one of the objects I needed and grabbed the other when the town was burning”

I don’t know what to do, everything he just said I believe and if it really is true the danger I am in right now is huge

Aus lost is cool expression at seeing Orion’s reaction and started to explain himself in a rush.

“You don’t understand completely, this is my life’s work and I was jailed for decades because of my research. I ran until I settled in Trien as a homeless beggar then I broke until the tower and shorty after you gave me hope”

Now pleading Aus walked over to Orion, he had backed away in fear of what Aus was now talking about. When they both stopped moving there was still a distance between them Aus pulled out two items from under his coat. One was a clear sphere and the other was two tiles in the shape of diamonds that had two smaller diamonds in each.

“That mage I killed found out about me and abducted me one night. Not until he knew about what my research discovered I was let go, a broken penny less man unstill I heard about he was trying to create my ideas”

The fireball Orion was preparing in his hand he released, Orion how saw how truly frail Aus was. Elderly and thin to the point to be worried about he was no longer a person to be feared. Tears came from his eyes now as he recounted what he had been through up until this point

“When I found out… I broke in and he was right there with my ideas! So I”

Orion held Aus as he cried, the sight of such a broken person in his arms made him regret how he reacted earlier.

His ideas many be dangerous but this man is not

When Aus stopped crying they separated and sat down at the edge of the lake, both not looking at each other.

“Thank you once again, because of the kindness you have showed me I want to do something for you now. Join me and let’s build a labyrinth together, away from anyone that would hurt us”

The offer to join tore Orion, he was not sure if accepting and leaving everyone he was with was something that would even be possible how we was now. Aus offered words that Orion had been hoping for since the night before he had gotten to Tiren.

“If you come I will help you gain power so that neither one of us will be hurt by others again”

Aus words were like a wave that washed over him, the thought where his life was kept alive by others much stronger was a one he had lived until now. The thought of being able to free himself from that fate seemed too good to be true.

But if Aus is the one saying it, with his knowledge to create such things it does not seem like an impossible thing

The choice of if he should go was overpowered and replaced and was now if he wanted to go. The answer to that question was already formed in Orion’s mind and all he had to do was say it.

“I will go with you Aus and help in whatever minor way I can in creating your labyrinth”

Listen to Aus Story

(Secret)

You have listened to Aus story and decided to help create his Labyrinth. There is still no telling what will happen after but by going through with it you have embarked on a path of only a rare few.

Difficulty:- Progress: Completed

Going was not something he was completely sure about being the right choice of safest but it was the one he picked and would see it through. Aus jumped up from the spot he was sitting and grabbed Orion’s hand shaking it wildly

“You’ll see, I will make what I said be true”

Both Aus and Orion started to make their way back to camp to grab there things to leave. It was decided that they should leave that night so Orion had to leave a note for his friends in case they worried the next morning and tried to follow.

“There is one more person coming with us and I wanted to tell you now so you are not surprised when an extra person appears besides me. They also don’t want their life decided on the moods of others”

It did not matter to Orion much at this point, as long as he was getting what he needed an extra person made no difference. Aus only had a few things and disappeared from Orion’s side. Arriving at his camping spot where Brandon, Keira and the others where he quickly wrote a note and left it with Brandon’s things while packing his own.

“Where are you going?”

Keira said in a daze still half asleep, facing him with barely opened eyes. Orion made his way over to her and started to stroke her hair to relax her into falling asleep again.

“Away I will be back, so just close your eyes and when you open them it will be morning”

Keira seemed to fight it for a moment but ended up once again asleep like the others around the now dark campsite.

It would have been nice to take a walk with her I think

Standing up and stretching Orion left while slowly making his way out of the groups of sleeping people. As he neared the edge of camp he saw the mages he had talked to before in the same place. He hesitated then walked over to them so he could talk again.

“Orion you’re still up and why do you have you’re…”

Halen trailed off as he connected what he was seeing, the other mage doing the same and an awkward silence followed.

“I have a favor to ask the both of you please hear me out” Orion pleaded

Both mages looked at each other only for a moment before answering

“You saved our lives, of course we will help” both smiling

Once again he was happy to have saved as many people as he did.

“I want the both of you when everyone splits up to join my friends group, it would be a huge help in making sure they get to a safe place”

At his request the two of them grew awkward confusing Orion to the nature why

“It was only a request, I won’t force either of you to join them”

Nothing I can do about it if they don’t want to Orion accepted

“It’s not that, we were actually planning on asking you if we could join your group tomorrow so it came as a surprise when you asked us just now”

Laughing now the three of them were happy that it worked out for all of them. Orion left them after they promised not to tell the others and walked backed to their planned meeting place in front of the lake. When it came into view he saw Aus and then saw the other person Aus had talked about bringing with a surprise.

“That’s the boy Brandon saved, he’s the one?”

“His names Oliver and both his parents were killed when they attacked. With nowhere to go and his want to gain power like us I also asked him to join me”

Aus had was on Oliver’s shoulder as if he was introducing his child to others. Oliver’s expression did not show much, if anything it was anger that switched to and from lifelessness.

“It’s time we should be going Orion it’s this way”

Holding Oliver’s hand to one side and Orion walking on the other the three of them walked into the deep forest brightened by the moonlight.