Chapter 4: The Maze of Darkness
After the 2nd trial, Kirimi is devastated. She couldn’t save the Midasi she had formed an alliance with.
She started talking to Athor in the restroom as the other Midasi were out, eating.
But one of them bursted into the restroom asking for a doctor.
When the two Eclerays arrived in the canteen, a Midasi was on the floor, motionless. Kirimi recognized him immediately.
It was the tall man who had congratulated her only a few minutes ago.
A doctor quickly arrived, but his intervention could not prevent the inevitable. He asked his fellows to help him carry the body out of sight. Some Midasis were already puking their lunch.
Athor did not even bat an eye. Strangely, neither did Kirimi.
Namarus entered even more suddenly, his assistant following him.
The door slammed against the wall.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?" he shouted.
"He really does look taller on the screen," Kirimi thought.
A Midasi answered timidly. "
We were talking, and then he felt a pain in his chest and arm before collapsing."
"Like I fucking needed that!" ranted Namarus.
"Okay, everyone here, not a word about this until the tournament is over! It's tragic, but we got a show to perform!
Think of all the people who bought their tickets for the event of the year!
Think about your path to becoming a Vanguard!
We'll say he got sick." he said to his assistant.
"Get ready. We'll be back soon!"
1 hour later.
The crowd had settled for Namarus's explanation and was already cheering.
After the wall of death, the participants faced a logic test as a third trial.
Kirimi had made it through safely, and Athor had, once again, survived.
There were only 20 of them left for the fourth round.
"The Maze of Darkness" 4 entrances, 1 exit.
Between them, a maze plunged into the dark.
A few rare shafts of light made it possible to see. 30 minutes to reach the exit.
The cannon shot resounded.
"Good luck!" she said to Athor. But he was already rushing to the maze.
"I'll have to visualize everything," she said to herself.
"Let's focus."
With her right hand, she felt the wall and started to follow it.
She arrived at a crossing and decided to continue to the right.
After a few dozen meters, she realized it was a dead end.
"Turn around."
Outside, laughter had replaced some of the shouts of encouragement.
The public could see everything happening inside thanks to infrared cameras.
A panicked Midasi hit his head against a wall, causing a new wave of laughter.
Kirimi reached one of the light shafts.
That would give her a landmark.
As she arrived, a Midasi had rolled up his sleeve and used his golden-skinned arm to reflect the light and see what was around him.
He saw her and quickly disappeared without Kirimi being able to follow him.
"Hell of an advantage is that..." she told herself.
She picked a direction and bumped her thigh against a wall.
Something in her pocket hurt. "The lighter!" She lit it. It wasn't an incredible glow, but it was better than nothing.
After a few minutes that seemed like hours, she reached the exit.
8 Midasi had already managed to get out.
But she did not see Athor.
There were five minutes left on the clock.
She thought of Athor and his words in the restroom.
"I'm doing this for them. I wanna make them proud!" echoed in her head.
“What’s happening?! Kirimi is returning to the maze.
She was a few meters away from qualifying!" shouted Namarus.
Meanwhile, Athor is wholly lost.
He starts hearing the voice of his parents.
"Get up, you lazy branch!"
"Get up and fight!"
"You're such a disgrace! Look how strong your brother is!"
"You need to become a Vanguard, Athor!"
Tears started to roll down his scarred cheek. Followed by sobs.
A blessing in disguise, since that sound allowed Kirimi to find him.
"Come on, Athor! We have to hurry up!" He quickly dried his tears and pulled himself together.
"Leave me alone! I don't need your help!"
"Stop being so stupid. Come on!"
"No, you can't help me. I need to win on my own," Athor said as he moved in the dark.
"You don't have enough time to do that. Please let me help you!"
Athor hit the wall with his fist.
"I need to make them proud!"
"Then you have no choice."
"1 minute left!" echoed in the maze.
"Come on! Hurry up !"
Kirimi took Athor's hand and started running.
But the flame of her lighter wasn't strong enough to face their pace.
But she couldn't go slower.
Time was running out.
A solution crossed her mind, but she had no time to think about it.
She took the lighter to fire up her finger.
The pain was terrible. But it was working.
Athor was stunned by what Kirimi was doing for him.
"Left!" she said.
"Left again!
"Right!
”Come on, we're close!"
Athor began to see the light of the exit.
Kirimi rounded her finger around her hand to extinguish the fire.
They could see clearly now.
Athor parted his hand from Kirimi's
They were rushing to the exit, to the final line.
When they reached the arena, the crowd was shouting all together.
"6"
"5"
"4"
Athor was running faster and reached the line before Kirimi.
He turned back and stretched out his hand to the other Ecleray.
She jumped, their hands clasped as Athor pulled her to the line.
One could read the determination on their faces.
The crowd was still shouting the countdown. Kirimi sprawled on Athor, who was covered in dust.
"WHAT A FINISH!" shouted Namarus!
"UNTIL THE LAST SECOND, KIRIMI WAS OUT OF THIS TRIAL, BUT SHE MANAGED TO CROSS THE LINE WITH 2 SECONDS LEFT! "THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!"
"Thank you," said Kirimi
"You… you…you made it all." replied Athor.
"But I'm going to disgrace my family with your bullshit." he continued, as if the last sentence had cost him everything he had.
“There’s no shame in accepting help. It shows how comfortable you are with your weaknesses. And, therefore, how strong you are."
"I can’t afford to have weaknesses."
Athor walked away, trying to hide his tears.
He felt a mix of anger and relief. He never felt as good as when she said, "Thank you."
The voice of Namarus took him out of it.
"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! The next test will be in groups. You've been strong and relentless on your own.
But what about your team spirit?"
You will be divided into 2 teams according to your order of arrival at the last test."
Athor understood that he would not be with Kirimi.
Therefore, only one of them could go to the next round.
Could he be as strong as he thinks he is? Could he be able to fit in with his team?
The end of the challenge was close and he couldn’t afford losing now.
Facing his destiny, facing himself, facing the one he would like to call "a friend"…
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