The Friendship of the Maze

Chapter 6

Rennee-

I tied my brown braid with a piece of black leather. Then I grabbed my sword and buckled it to my waist. I have to be on the lookout. Warren said I have a partner in the next challenge, not like it would matter. Whoever this partner might be I doubt that they will be any help in The Arena. If I die I die. No one would even care. I sighed a deep sigh. I don't get the point of continuing. Either I will stay here in this city or return home. Well, not home, I don't have anything to go back to. I stepped out of the dark ally carved into the mountain and pushed my way through the crowded streets. Who am I even looking for, a fat old woman or a little disobedient boy? I stopped a moment to peer into the blacksmith shop. I needed a new sword, but they were closed so I continued. I hiked up the stairs to an overlook point. The city was built hundreds of years ago carved into the side of the mountain to protect it from outside invaders. The overlook was mostly empty other than a brown-haired girl watching The Maze below. I walked past her, and the girl stepped back onto my foot.

Averi-

"Oh, sorry." I turned around and found that I had accidentally walked into someone. The unfriendly soul that I had bumped into was a pale girl, a little taller than me, with glistening dark brown hair pulled back in a tight braid. When I apologized I looked right into her frightening dark-green eyes. Some people say that the eyes are windows into the soul. If so, I could see a lot. I saw a little girl who grew up a little too quickly. I saw a young woman who had experienced a little too much violence, and I saw a potential ally who was a tiny bit like me.

"Watch where you're going," she said with a voice that sounded too rough for someone as young as her. She held my stare with such superiority that, I looked away.

"Uh," I stumbled.

"Out with it."

"Do you know where The Arena is?" She eyed me like I needed to explain more. "I need to defeat a beast of some sort," I tried to explain knowing that I sounded crazy. Why does this girl make me feel so small? She still had not responded so I went on.

"Do you happen to know where it is?"

She stared right at me and answered, "Yes, I do know." And after a moment of awkward silence she added, "I was just heading there myself to do the same thing you mentioned. What is your name, girl?"

I hesitated, maybe it was the way she addressed me or her pushiness but I didn't want her to know my name.

"Why should I tell you?" I said finally acting properly. I'm not a girl to be messed with. "I don't know you or why you want to know my name so I won't give it. My name is for my friends and family. Tell me your name first," I challenged. I knew it was risky but what else could I do? I did happen to see a sword at her side. I hoped she was not the type to settle disputes with violence. I calculated my strengths against her weaknesses and her strengths against my weaknesses like I did every time I came across bullies.

"You're going to challenge me?" She is quick and agile as well as clever. Not very powerful but neither am I. And she knows how to use her size to her advantage. Her hand went to the hilt of her sword and I heard a ringing sound as she drew her blade. Good thing I'm quick, agile, and clever as well. Oh, and I have found out that I have as many lives as a cat. (Cade and I have scientifically proved it.) But unfortunately, I don't have a sword or any weapon for close combat to protect me. What in the world am I going to do? I probably should have thought this through a little more. Then she charged at me.

I ducked and rolled to the side as her sword sliced through the air where I was a moment ago. The roll had injured me slightly so I got to my feet with a slight limp. The girl swung at me again. I ducked behind a stone pillar.

"I don't want to fight," I said panting, "I was asking for directions, not a death sentence." I forced myself to take a labored breath. She held her sword in front of her in a ready position. I heard the crunch of her footsteps around the pillar, so I placed a foot back and got ready to make a clean getaway. She faced me and as I turned to make a hasty exit I was brought to my knees with a powerful kick. Dust exploded everywhere as I thrust my hands out in front of me to stop the unavoidable. The girl stepped around me until she was directly in front of me. She slid her sword till it was pointed at my neck. Looking up at her I wiped away my greasy tangled mess of hair from my equally greasy face. Just because I lost doesn't mean I will act cowardly. In defiance, I stood.

At last, she spook, "This is the last time I will ask," she paused to see my reaction. I ensured that she didn't get one. "What is your name?" She stared at me waiting for a reply until I demanded something from her.

"Tell me of Warren and in turn I will tell you of my name." She seemed fairly surprised by how I answered. Got ya! She even had the beginning of a smile before she hid it all again. She seemed to go over all her options and decided to play my game.

"Warren is a voice that speaks to The Maze contestants," was her reply. "Now your name."

"Averi," I responded. "I think you're the other contender that Warren mentioned."

She studied me, then deciding that she could trust me, she said, "That I am." She sheathed her sword which to me was a good sign. My hand rubbed my arm but when I winced and felt a warm liquid, I stopped. I brought my arm down to eye level and gasped as I saw a bloody streak on my arm. I tenderly felt around my injury again, then regretted it when I winced in pain. The girl, seeing my injury, came up to me, ripped a strip from her tunic, and bandaged my wound. I was very humbled by her simple gesture.

"Thank you... uh," I realize that I had not demanded to know her name. Right when I was going to ask her, she raised her hand to silence me. Then she turned and walked out to a busier street. Where is she going? I, not knowing what else to do, followed in close pursuit. Upstairs, over bridges, through tunnels. The city was built like a labyrinth, if I didn't have my new companion I'd be wandering in this maze of a city for a few days. What is it with Warren and Mazes?

At a street corner, she stopped and talked to a gruff man with a long black beard. I couldn't hear what they were discussing but after her little chat, we continued on our way.

"Rennee," she said abruptly. She had caught me so off guard lost in my thoughts that I hadn't heard her.

"What?" I asked.

"My name," she said softly, "is Rennee." She faced me and I smiled. "You fought well but next time don't let your opponent surprise you." I was speechless, unable to utter a single word. She just complimented me. "Come along," she waved for me to follow. After a few more streets we approached the entrance to The Arena. Rennee handed another man a few copper coins and he, in turn, allowed us to pass, but not without a smirky look in my direction. I hurried along to catch up with Rennee. I don't like how that guy looked at me. Falling in step with my new friend I looked all around us. We were in The Arena. Beside us were men, boys, and a few girls tending to various tasks, like tending to caged animals that made up the walls of the passage we walked through. Most of the animals were ones that I was very familiar with like wolves, bears, a moose. Most were carnivores, meant to rip you from limb to limb, but there were a few creatures I didn't recognize. As we passed the cages I gave no hint that I was fearful, not even when the creatures hissed, growled, or hawked at us, but when we passed a certain cage I could not help but inch closer to Rennee. It was the Varren. I hate Varren. Their screeches haunt my dreams. Rennee noticing my sudden reaction eyed me suspiciously.

"Have history with the Varren?" she asked. I nodded my head in answer.

"Every night I hear them screech and if I have a fire they attack, but the pitch black night is just about as bad as the attacks." I moved a little closer to Rennee. She seemed to tolerate me well enough.