Denizens of the Labyrinth

“Hey, thank you.” The girl said and Jazmel watched as she drank three potions down and her body began to heal itself. he watched as her deep cuts closed up on their own and before when her shoulders were slouched, and she looked sort of haggard. Now she was standing at her height, she was easily six foot and now that she stood before him; he could see that she was extremely muscular and well built.

It was the girl who was now the sole survivor of her party who spoke first. She was wearing a lithe body suit and when she approached them, and Jazmel could see her; he could see her arm was actually mechanical. Bionic in creation, and that was so interesting for Jazmel to see, he had not seen anything of that likeness in the labyrinth so far. She saw him studying her arm and she raised it to show Jazmel in the light of the chamber.

“Yeahhh, the arm is new. I lost my arm on the first floor but was lucky enough to get this on the second floor. It’s a bionic Mana creation which grows alongside me.” She explained and Jazmel stepped a little close to look at the arm, but Sadé cleared her throat ever so slightly and he tensed. Realising just where he truly was.

“Sorry for your loss. They were truly tough; those guardians almost got the better of us.” Sadé offered and the girl nodded, looking at her party members her face flashed with the painful memories. “The leader of the party was an idiot, he rushed in here without even noticing the guardians. They killed him first, the shock of his death is what turned the tables on us, he was the leader and the heart of the team. Once he died, everyone else were so stunned; they couldn’t respond properly.” She explained and Jazmel nodded understanding, he hadn’t lost any of his party but the thought of it alone was enough to quicken his heartbeat. But he was grateful that he learned his lesson here too. He needed to keep getting stronger and quickly too, there was something about this loss that motivated him, even when he did not know anything about this party.

“What will you do now?” Sadé asked the girl and she simply looked at the corpses of her friends.

“I should bury them; they shouldn’t be left in this tomb.” She said and made to pick up one of her friends.

“I am Timone by the way.” She introduced herself and Sadé responded “We are Sadé and Jazmel, we are part of the black wing faction.” She said and Jazmel smiled, she motioned a wave and then beckoned at Baek, “and him?” she asked. “He is a mentor for us.” Jazmel offered, not really knowing how to explain his relationship with Baek. Who simply smiled and inclined his head.

“So, your faction has a master tier and extraordinarily strong seekers. Anyone else?” she asked, Jazmel nodded; he liked how upfront and direct she was.

“We have a few others, but they are out on their own tasks.” Jazmel explained and she nodded thoughtfully. “Well, are you guys hiring?” she asked, and Jazmel shrugged. “Are you interested?” she laughed, mirthlessly but also a little sad. “Well, an opening just appeared in my life, a truly insane person would pick to continue through the labyrinth on their own. But what are the conditions of joining this faction?” she asked Jazmel and before he could respond, Sadé answered.

“The black wing faction are just a faction who plan to continue through the labyrinth.” Sadé answered and Timone nodded. “but to what end?” she asked, and she folded her arms and Jazmel couldn’t help but study the beauty of the bionic arm. “We are aiming to go to the end. The black wing faction want to travel the whole labyrinth.” Jazmel said and as soon as he said it he realised something in his heart shifted.

DING!

FACTION PLOT!

TRAVERSE THE LABYRINTH!

…

ALL NEW GATES AND WORLDS FOUND WILL OFFER GREATER BOUNTIES!

Jazmel watched as the notification popped up for both Sadé and Baek. He sighed, why did he have to say that aloud. “I take it, you got a quest just now then. Well, if you need someone. I am happy to join, I will pull my weight. Offer my share too.” She explained and Jazmel looked at Sadé, she nodded. Baek simply inclined his head. Jazmel willed the system to appear before him and offered a retainer position to Timone immediately. She accepted and whistled, “You didn’t say you were the faction leader!” he simply shrugged, and she smiled before seeing the system notifications regarding the faction. Baek went over to hear and while Jazmel couldn’t hear what they discussed. He watched as Baek gave her a talisman of a sort which pulled in the corpses of her fallen party members and then encased them in a card which she placed in a storage ring.

“Look at your notifications for the tomb now.” Baek told them and Jazmel flicked the system screen back up into view.

DING!

YOU HAVE CONQUERED THE TOMB AND FOUND THE WEALTH OF THE EMPEROR

YOU MAY CLAIM THE REWARDS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU!

…

REWARDS ALSO!

STATS

TIER II ITEM

RANKER TRIBULATION ITEM

Jazmel thought about it and winced at the pain, he looked at his belt and remembered that Hajime had been broken by that last attack by the guardian and he couldn’t help but admit that he felt a severe feeling of pain. Hajime had been the first sword he had bought and with it he had been able to use two skills in one slot. He hadn’t expected it to break, but here he was holding the hilt and barely a hand of the blade left. He sheathed it and then stored it in his ring. His belt felt a small light with it just bearing Nozarashi, but for now. It would have to do for the time being.

He picked the item option and from the system a thumping heart appeared!

DING!

…

TIER II HEART OF THE TYRANT, a heart of the Nephilim. A strong heart for a strong body!

Jazmel read the notes of the system and shuddered as the heart thumped in his hand. He wasn’t aware of what Sadé or Timone picked but he walked over to Baek and showed him what was in his hand. Baek simply nodded and clearing his throat he said.

“The Nephilim are strong; they reside deeper in the labyrinth. Incredibly strong giants; though smaller than some other giants you will see in the labyrinth; they are Mana enhanced. Bigger than humans with the strength of giants. They are incredibly hardy, that is a great item. The labyrinth seems to bless you very well.” He offered to Jazmel who listened intently. He was about to put it away and continue to try and store or gain as much as he could from the tomb, like Timone and Sadé were doing.

“I will only warn you that the stronger the items that the labyrinth provides you, the harder your journey will be. The labyrinth will provide great rewards for high risks. Remember that.” He explained and Jazmel nodded, he thought better of waiting and took out the tyrant heart again.

DING!

TIER II HEART OF THE TYRANT

WILL YOU USE?

Y/N

Yes. He thought and the item disappeared, he felt a tingle in his chest, at first it was small; it felt like a small itch. But then it grew steadily, and he felt the pain imbed into his chest, above his heart. It was almost as if it was consuming him.

…

BODY UNDERGOING TRANSFORMATION

He system sung through his mind, but right now he was just focusing on trying to stay conscious. The pain caused him to grit his teeth and clench his fists. He even felt his palms begin to bleed, but the pain was still ridiculous. I was feeling inertia and vertigo, at the same time. He had to anchor himself with his thoughts and bear the pain, the pain that felt like a nail was being driven through his heart began to thump to the rhythm of a heartbeat and with each strike to his heart. It rippled and echoed around his body; at first it was just his heart and then it expanded and grew and continuously stretched until he felt it thrumming in his fingertips. Surprisingly, after he got somewhat used to the pain, he began to feel that his heartbeat was growing stronger also; gradually.

…

TIER II HEART OF THE TYRANT ASSIMILATED

SYMBIOSIS CREATED!

…

+15 INT

+10 STR

+8 END

+6 VIT

…

+5 WIL

That last one was due to him surviving the transformation, he knew that much. He rose up onto shaky legs and waited for his body to acclimatise to this new change. While he did, he began to pull the pots and jewels nearest to him into his satchel, while pulling some coins into his storage ring too. He didn’t even have a chance to count any yet, but he didn’t need to. Instead, he just tried to pull as much as he could into his storage before they left. Jazmel had all but cleared his area before Baek stopped them all.

“We have taken enough now; greed has seen to the death of many a seeker or master. Let us find our exit now.” He beckoned for them to begin searching around and they did find one, behind one of the great dragon banners. As they were searching Jazmel decided that the faction would need one, once they left the tomb he would reach out and check in with the others.

The tomb exit was a gate, a small mine tunnel frame but the gate was the colour of green light that swirled slowly inward and invited them in; they stepped through.