Denizens of the Labyrinth

Jazmel looked up and to his surprise he saw Circe. She was looking at him curiously and interesting as usual. He remembered from the Seeker trials that she had an unbothered and nonchalant look about her. She studied things with a weird sort of unbiased view. She was looking at him like that now and he rose to greet her.

She leant in for a hug and he hugged her back, a little startled. She had not been this way with him before, but he was glad to see someone. One of the first people he had ever met before he entered the labyrinth.

“You made it all the way to the ninth floor!” she said and smiled at him, not in disbelief but in curious amazement. She was happy to see him, that much he could tell. But he was not sure why she had become so friendly. “So did you.” He said flashing a wry but awkward smile.

“Well, my family are from the thirtieth floor. So, I am simply making my way back there.” She smiled at him again. Not wanting to be rude he turned and introduced everyone at the table. Circe nodded and waved at them all, she took in Sadé for a moment longer than the others and when she saw Baek she simply lowered her head in respect. “Can we talk?” she asked, and Jazmel nodded, stepping away from his table.

She introduced the three girls she was with and with a little nod they accepted his greeting but without speaking to him, they sat at their own table but kept their eyes firmly on him. Or Circe he was not sure.

She led him to the bar, and they sat together for the moment, she ordered a drink and Jazmel ordered water for himself. She smiled at his order but from the smell, she clearly was drinking something stronger.

“You never wrote to me.” She said, her face straight and her tone even but Jazmel could see a hint of hurt behind her eyes.

“I did, I wrote while in a dungeon, it should have sent once I leave the realm. But it seems you did not get it from me, I apologise for not chasing up on a response." He explained and she held a straight face before smiling a little and taking his sincere apology.

"Well now I know you at least tried, I will also send you messages. I will not wait for you first." She responded and Jazmel was just happy to appease her, he wasn't actually sure what his relationship was with Circe, but he was curious to see how things continued, how they would grow.

“I misread then, forgive me. I will write to you as much as I can when I am out travelling.” He offered and she nodded firmly, clearly happy to accept his plea.

“I wondered how you were doing while I was in the labyrinth and I didn’t have your details, so I could not write to you myself.” She told him and Jazmel felt terribly bad.

“Here, take this.” He handed her his own card and watched as she took it and ripped it immediately to look his friend details down. “How has the labyrinth been for you?” he asked her, and she smiled with excitement.

“It has been fun to enter. I heard stories from my family and clan members all the time, but it is even more than I imagined. Have you entered a lost gate yet?” she asked, and he shook his head, confused. She nodded understanding his confusion and explained.

“A lost gate is a floor that can only be entered under certain conditions. For example, the one I entered said only women below Ranker were able to enter it.” She explained and Jazmel edged forward, increasingly interested in what she was telling him.

“When I entered the floor, it was a ruin of a once beautiful cathedral. The stone pews were broken crumbling. The ceiling had fallen away in certain parts, even the windowpanes had either broken or been put out.” She said and Jazmel could tell she was reminiscing about it.

“What happened?” Jazmel asked, pulling her back to their conversation. She smiled a little and Jazmel wondered what happened to her. “I lost many people in that cathedral. Thirty women entered that gate, we four. Are all that remain.” She said suddenly solemn, and her eyes held tears.

“What was in there?” he asked, suddenly worried, and amazed too.

“A high vampire.” She told him and he sat wondering how powerful that must have been.

“I am glad you survived.” He said and she smiled at him, thankful.

“So, you are a Ranker tier I now?” he asked, and she nodded.

“How does it feel?”

“I feel powerful, but I know that there are places I have not seen and people I have not yet met. So, all I can do is keep moving forward.”

“I am a Seeker tier I, nearly tier II but nowhere near ready to become a Ranker.” He told her, feeling a little defeated.

“Nothing worth having is easily gained. Keep going, keep striving and you will accomplish all the things you feel you need to.” Circe countered and he nodded, knowing he had to keep going.

“I must leave you; we are only here to buy something for one of my friends. She is tiering up to Ranker tier II and after that. We are moving on; this floor is not a good place to stay.” She finished her drink and then got up to hug him, he returned the favour and after walking her back to her table. He sat back with his friends.

They did not ask him anything and he was grateful, still needing to think things over in his mind. He sat back down and began to eat from the platters, the food was not as hot as before. But still edible. He was halfway through when Sadé tapped his shoulder.

“Look.” She said and looking up, above them an origami swan was flying down towards him.

He caught it and unravelling it, he read Mary’s words.

I am in Ladnipor.