Denizens of the Labyrinth

They had been the first to reach the labyrinth in the morning. Being one of the invigilators meant Mary would have to set up the space. Jazmel found out that she would indeed be overseeing the first trial of the labyrinth Seekers, and it would be a brutal one.

All those who seek to become Seekers are placed in a red ring, over time the red ring shrinks and either the Seekers can be struck out of the ring, or they can fight it out. Those who survive will be allowed to move on. Jazmel sighed; he had fought before. Tango had been teaching him his whole life how to defend himself, a style that Tango had created himself. Jazmel was strong even as a teenager, Tango had assured him. But he knew not to focus on that, he stretched and flexed. Awaiting the coming of the other takers of the trial. Mary had told him they would begin on the tenth hour and Jazmel could tell it was soon upon time. At nine thirty in the morning, Mary strolled forward and her stepping up quietened everyone.

“All Seekers taking the trial must stand in the red ring now.” She called out and Jazmel amongst many others strolled in.

The red ring looked like sand at first but once the hundredth person crossed the threshold it burned immediately and rose, almost as if to lock them in. a barrier of sorts. He was on the edge of the north side, and there was enough space that he was not an arm’s length close to anyone. Young boys and girls were all around him and he meant them no harm, but he had to pass the test.

“As you all know. None of you have entered the labyrinth and so the system has not synchronised with you at all. But that does not mean you cannot build experience points. Do as best as you can if you Manage to pass the trials. Once you synchronise with the system, it will accrue all you earned now and use it to build your stats. So do your best!” She explained, this was added information to Jazmel, but he was glad for it.

“Begin!” Mary shouted and something faster than his eyes could keep up with. She did something to make the sand rise up and it reminded Jazmel of a very wide halo.

Immediately it was a chaotic situation. Everyone attacked everyone. A burly boy struck out at Jazmel, he dodged him caught his forearm and struck back with a backhand fist to the mouth. Jazmel saw blood, the boy saw red and rushed him. He slipped by him and tripped him, but he stumbled and crashed into some others fight. Jazmel glanced to make sure he was not aiming at him again but then two girls attacked him this time. They had come prepared. Both using staffs, their reach was greater than his, but their stamina was not.

He caught one end of it and pulled, the girl tried to stand firm, but he was stronger, but not by much. She stumbled forward, and he used that moment to drop down and swipe her legs from beneath her. The other girl, jumped to strike over her friend but she sailed over the both of them. He relieved her of her staff and then struck both. One on the head and the other on the chest to make her drop the staff. They crumbled, both staying down. He didn’t push it further, instead he moved on. To see who else there was in the trial to fight.

He held both staffs, propped on each shoulder. He saw a group closing in on a single girl who held a sword at the ready. He threw one of the staffs like a javelin and flying true it tangled with the legs of the leader. He slipped onto his knees and using the advantage girl struck him atop the head. The circle was shrinking and even in those short moments there were still quite a few fighters left.

Someone cried out and he looked over to see what had happened. A single boy, seemingly quite small; for their age as to enter the labyrinth you had to be sixteen years old. compared to the others he was smaller in stature. But in each hand, he held thunder and lightning; the power crackling in his grip. Jazmel knew that some Seekers had hereditary skills from birth. This came from their parents gaining abilities in the labyrinth and continuing to nurse it into their family. This looked like one such, those who were born with these abilities were considered the best of the best. Jazmel had no abilities such as this and made sure to veer away from the domain of this boy.

Families who made their living from the labyrinth, raised all their members to contribute. Everyone had the same goal; “to push their family forward.” So, all were invested in, the best obviously receiving more. Jazmel had attended school with such kids, children whose family were in the labyrinth and so an assortment of nanny’s and butlers seemed to raise their children before they entered the labyrinth. He struck randomly at others with his staff, and they folded over or surrendered from his attacks.

Still the ring shrunk.

He turned to find another and faced the girl from before. She stood simply looking at him, sword to the side and at the ready. But she did not strike at him yet.

“Why did you help?” She demanded.

“Huh?” he puffed.

“Before, why did you intervene? I would have defeated them all.” She asked again.

“I helped because I saw that I could. It was the right thing to do.” He countered and she mulled over his words before nodding and turning to walk away.

The numbers had dwindled, and they were down to less than half their original number.

“THIRTY SECONDS!” Mary shouted over the din of mock battle.

Jazmel turned to find someone else to fight, he needed to accrue more exp and in his luck he found the big bull of a boy from the beginning.

“I was looking for you!” the boy growled.

“Found me!” Jazmel smiled. He struck first, a fist to the nose and an elbow to the chest. The boy merely shook it off, he really was big. He grabbed hold of Jazmel and when he swung him, he literally threw Jazmel in the air. Jazmel had been caught off guard and he cursed under his breath. He landed badly, spraining his ankle, and then turned to strike the bullish boy. He was too late, the bell chimed, and the ring hummed before releasing its barrier.

FIRST TRIAL OF THE SEEKER IS COMPLETE;

RANKINGS SO FAR:

ALAN KAMINARI – 610 EXP

SCION – 450 EXP

CIRCE – 440 EXP

TALEN – 375

Jazmel – 300 EXP

Jazmel had made it into the top five, only fifth but he cursed beneath his breath again. The top rank had almost double his points. He needed to do better, far better. But this was his first time and to make top 5, he smiled a little too.