Part 1

I crashed down on my butt with my back comfortably nestled against the wall. I watched as the swirling of blue energy intensified to the point that it looked as if the sea itself had been compressed between white rocks. The only noises filling the room were the swirling sound and our heavy breaths. When the portal stabilized, its movements became more controlled, rotating in circular motions toward the center as they left in their wake a faint trail of white. Just like foam. I noticed how puffed Dino's eyes seemed but opted for silence. It was Dominik who spoke first, breaking that awe-inspiring moment.

"So, is this really it? Is this the portal that will lead us outside?" He asked with a palpable hint of hesitation in his voice.

"Beautiful, isn't it?-" Replied Dino taking a small step forward before stopping in his tracks, seemingly changing idea "- Does it work?"

"...You are asking all those questions as if I held the answers" I replied, my gaze still mesmerized by the inhuman concentration of mana encased by those rocks.

"Do you not?-" Retorted Dino with a somewhat rhetorical tone "- You activated this portal, you are the one that made it work. Surely you know more than we do!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble but, as you said, I made it work. That's it. I don't know how it works, I simply turned on the "switch". I don't know what the runes mean, I don't know where it leads, and I certainly don't know if it even works. For all I know it could even be something else"

"What my brother's trying to tell you-" Interveened Lucas seeing the grimaces of fear slithering their way on our companions' faces "- Is that we can't be sure of anything! Sure, we've been told by the people in the undead city that there were supposed to be portals and that, most likely, people had gotten out, but that's it. We all know how this labyrinth likes to try and kill us...basically that-" He continued as he pointed to the portal "- is a gamble"

"...Is there really no way?-" Asked Dino "- To make sure it works, I mean"

All faces turned to me, expectantly. Even Lucas was now looking at me with intense curiosity.

"Listen, I know my limit. That thing...it's way beyond me. There's so much magic packed in there, ancient magic, unknown magic, who knows? One wrong move and I could evaporate this place with the sheer quantity of mana that top rock holds...No, I can't give you any certainties. Sorry"

"Then my lord-" Interveened Dominik in a pleading way, making himself smaller before the shorter man "- we must not put you at risk! Maybe we should-"

"Stop!-" Dino commanded almost solemnly "- This is exactly what we were looking for, Dominik. A way out. I am not about to spend even more weeks down here with a monster like the Black ogre Demigod roaming around the labyrinth. If Fate requires our trust, we will do so!"

Dominik seemed reluctant for a second, genuinely fearing for his life. Understandable. He was a knight, a man of the sword. People like that tend to much prefer a clear and in-the-flesh enemy rather than the unknown. Yet the words of his lord were law to this knight, so he bowed and waited for his lord beside the portal. Dino acknowledge him with a nod before approaching me, now joined by my brother.

"Raphael-" He said, genuine warmth exuding from his tone "- Thank you for...well, everything. It is no exaggeration when I say that we may not be alive if it wasn't for you. We may have started our...companionship on the wrong foot-"

"You mean with you suddenly jumping at us, sword in hand and all?" I chuckled, lightening up, even if just slightly, the heavy mood that had suddenly formed.

"Precisely-" He said in between softened chuckles "- Anyway, what I wanted to say was: I'm glad I got to meet you. My name is Dino Vernghas, remember it, as I swear on my name and on my pride as a noble that I'll repay the debt"

His voice was clear, carried with intensity and purpose. While I came to enjoy the presence of the noble and knight duo, I still hoped to cut connections once this misadventure was over. Mostly due to the fact that the scapegoat they were searching for to end the war was right in front of their eyes. In light of that, I cursed myself for not being able to reject his words. I had a feeling that whatever I said would matter little in his mind.

"Then I suppose I must visit you soon" I replied extending a hand.

"You will find me waiting-" The blonde replied as he vigorously shook my hand "-...Of course the same words extend to you, Lucas" He continued, now shaking my brother's hand.

"Glad to be of service, my liege!" Lucas jokingly replied.

"Thank you for everything-" Dino continued as he turned away from us and paced himself toward the swirling portal, stopping just a step before it "- And may you find your family safe. Good luck...friends"

His last words drifted off into the loud sound the portal made as it sucked in Dino's form. Dominik looked outright mortified as he watched his lord disappear from his sight into the unknown. However, the knight gulped heavily and resigned to step into it too. Not before taking his turn to speak.

"May the Gods be in your favor" He said with a slight bow of the head.

We watched as the two of them disappeared in loud swirling noises and bright flashes of blue light until the room became silent once again, letting the emptiness left by the now-missing companions be heard loudly. Then, of course, Lucas ruined the moment.

"So they're gone, uh?"

"Sure are" I replied deadpan.

"Kinda miss them already...there was more noise with them around" He continued.

"Sure was" I replied, still deadpan.

"We are not gonna visit them, are we?"

"Never"

"Oh well,-" He shrugged "- better poor than dead. Am I right? Haha!..Still, it won't take long for them to figure out it was you who killed Gallher"

"So you really knew!" I exclaimed in part surprised in part relieved to be finally free of the secret.

"Wasn't that hard to figure out, you know. The guy who hated you died the day he tried to kill you, same night his father mysteriously died. I'm not so dense that I can't connect the dots" His nonchalance in replying almost left me speechless.

[I shouldn't... but I better not tell him that Delvin's still alive. If any problem were to arise in the future, the less he knows the better] I thought as I weighed my words.

"I still see it, you know, the blood I shed that night... I don't regret what I did, and never will. If I didn't kill him, our whole family may have been in danger, no, surely would have been in danger. But so many died because of me. I still see the fear in their eyes in my dreams... It's *huff* heavy" I looked down at my hands as I spoke, picturing their bloodied shape of that night. A chill ran down my spine.

"If you wanna talk, you know I can try my best to listen" Lucas replied as lovingly as he could without incurring in his sarcastic brother-loving tone.

"Usually, in cases like this, people say they are good listeners. Why do I feel like you will not actually listen?" I answered sarcastically.

"Weeell, I want you to rely on me but I'm not that good of a listener, yet I don't feel like lying to you so... I thought coming half-way-through was the right choice" His apologetic tone marked his actual sincerity.

"Pfftt HAHAHA-" I laughed as I felt the stinging pain of the still aching ribs in my chest "- I really can't take you seriously sometimes. Sorry!... Anyway-" I continued after catching my breath "- what's the plan now? I mean, we found the portal, now what? We go back up and look for our family or we wait here for them to come as we clear this place?"

Lucas seemed to snap out of the light mood that had formed as I posed the question. He took a moment to think and then rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on the swirling blue mass. With a careful finger, he brushed the surface of one of the rocks, sliding his nail into the encaved golden rune. Then spun around, crouched in front of me, and looked me dead in the eye.

"First of all, we rest. You are a mess Raph, barely capable of standing by yourself and you know damn well that I can't fight for the both of us in this cursed place. After you've healed we'll keep looking for our family. Don't worry, we don't have to explore this floor. While you were sleeping we did so and it seems to be completely empty except for this room and a huge stone door, most likely the one leading up since there is nothing else... The plan hasn't changed. We found the portal, now we look for our family and we lead them down here, then outside. Easy. Am I right?" He asked with somewhat of a smile crossing his face.

"Yes, sir. Correct, sir!" I replied faking a militaristic salute, which in turn generated a chain of hysterical laughs that filled the otherwise dead-silent room.

* * *

Two days passed by in a flash. Half the time was spent with me meditating and Lucas sword-training, the other half was us making jokes. It was just him at first, and I was almost tempted to shut him up for good, but after a while I gave in and started answering back, which unfortunately led him to make fun of my self-stabbing. He found particularly fun how I almost died, not because I was against something unbeatable like the Black ogre Demigod, but because I stabbed myself, which apparently earned me the name Raphael "Masochist" Bluescale. More than once I found him not giggling, but straight up laughing at his own jokes. By the time I was fully healed I was on the brink of thanking the gods for it.

"Are you sure we are alone on this floor?" I asked Lucas as I let him lead me around the various-sized tunnels.

"Unless monsters have appeared in the past two days, yes. Plus, haven't you got that natural-whatever mana thing that lets you know the stuff around you?" He retorted, almost sounding annoyed by my apparent lack of faith in his words.

"Thank you very much for the awful explanation of my almost unique and extremely complicated technique, but yes, I do indeed have it and that's why it worries me. No floor has ever been empty. Even the one with the temple had the...*ugh* Horny boned snake. It just feels strange" I pressed further.

"I know, I felt the same way. But maybe, just maybe, we got lucky this time. Plus, if you think about it, what else could there be after the Black ogre Demigod? If dungeons and labyrinths are supposed to have something like a leader to function, then I'm sure the Black ogre had that role"

"I really hope you're right..." I replied unconvinced.

It took us more than an actual hour to reach our destination since I stopped to check every nook and corner, every shadow, every hole in the wall. It became almost a compulsive thing to do. Finding something. Finding that thing that kept bothering me, the thing that kept me on high alert constantly. It was as if I had thin needles constantly pressed against my temples. It bothered me so much that I developed a headache the more we approached the supposed stairs. It felt wrong, and it felt like I knew why. Yet I just couldn't pinpoint why. Nonetheless, I silently followed Lucas as he wordlessly waited for my every antic.

Then, when the tunnel enlarged enough for an army to pass through, Lucas picked up the pace. The walls were smooth, unadorned. The ground was uneven yet without sign of any usage. Blue-fire torches were distanced evenly so that the shadows they cast would barely touch. At its end stood a large gate, surrounded by the same smooth stone of the walls. Unlike the black stone of the walls, the gate was of a more greyish stone, lighter in color and heavier-looking. It had no handles and no sign of any incision or any sort of embellishment. The only artistic addition was a chandelier-looking structure made of black stone sticking out right over the top of the gate. Five bright torches of blue fire cast shadows down on everyone who approached the gate, making it seem more intimidating. A sensation of dread stirred my insides.

"Here we are, as empty and unimpressive as last time I see" Commented Lucas as he turned around and smugly pointed at the gate with his thumb over his shoulder.

"I bet you're tired of hearing this, but I'll ask one last time. Are you sure there is no other way?" I said in a tone so worried that I could almost feel my voice shaking.

"Yep-" He replied gingerly "- Seen the whole floor and this' the only place that stuck out-" He continued as he placed both hands on one side of the stone gate "- How about a little help?"

I was hesitant. All my instincts were telling me that something was amiss. Yet I pushed on the door, applying strength the moment my hands touched the surface.

I instantly regretted it.

"LUCAS STOP!-" I shouted as I pulled my hands away as rapidly as I could "- RUN!"

I felt it the moment I touched the stone surface. Absence. In particular, the absence of mana. I knew of places with plentiful mana and those who lacked it, places with purer mana and places with darker mana like the undead city...but being completely devoid of it? I knew instantly that it was unnatural. No place in the world should've been spared it's touch. My thoughts ran faster than they ever could, giving shape to the fear gripping my stomach. "Someone" had deprived that place of mana.

As if reading my thoughts, the gate swung open without a sound. The darkness of the room within absorbed all light...without a single change. Unnaturally so. The stench of putrid flesh, blood, and fumes of various origins zoomed out of the gate like a flood, twisting my stomach in outright disgust.

I tried to walk back but, as I noticed by the flickering of the flames, everything was being pulled in the room. I resisted it as best as I could, summoning stones around my feet, empowering my legs with boosts, grabbing my equally struggling brother for support. Alas, the gate was relentless and soon we found ourselves tumbling towards the dark room with the doors of the gate closing behind us. The darkness slowly embraced everything until all was bathed in black.

I pulled out my dagger and sent mana circling around my body in anticipation. Lucas did the same as we placed our backs against each other. I summoned a small, yet bright flame on my palm and the room finally came to life.

As if it was a giant hallway, the room stretched out long past the fifty meters, with its end shrouded in shadows. On either side, arches seemed to lead to other rooms while ominous statues of beasts and humanoid beings alike littered the walls.

Our heads spun toward the end of the hallway as the sound of a cane resounded rhythmically from within a far-away arch. With each stomp of the cane, a new shadow disappeared as the torches in the room seemed to lit, this time with whitish and pale flames.

"Finally-" Resounded a voice similar to metal scratching metal, both high-pitched and low-pitched simultaneously. Unnatural, dreadful, and ominous all packed into one single word heavy with enough mana to make my back arch "- I waited for you, eager...My congratulations, humans, you've reached the end" HE said as he stepped into the light.