FATAL - The End and The Beginning

Damsel in Distress

“That was brilliant Athena,” Urikynn commented as Athena told him about how she managed to destroy the replicator.

            Urikynn woke up minutes after the fall of the replicator. They didn’t waste any time in that dead-end; they simply continued walking through the labyrinth while Athena tell the tale.

Urikynn was disappointed with himself. Instead of destroying the replicator himself, he lets it get to him first.

            Athena also told him about her Invisibilitator and he was very impressed with it.

“What else do you have in your access bracelet?” Urikynn asked her as they walked.

“Loads of useful stuffs, I guess. Unlike you, I’m ready. I don’t just pull some conquerors to steal their clothes,” she joked.

“Well, at least you got me here and I got you too. It’s worth the risk,” Urikynn replied with a knowing smile.

            Athena didn’t want to overthink what Urikynn said. She didn’t want to assume and jump into conclusions so she just let it pass.

            Athena and Urikynn continued in their journey. They are now already immune to the traps they met along the way. They would casually yell “duck!” or “stop!” at some of the traps.

            Athena and Urikynn also met dead bodies scattered in the way. The bodies belong to their fellow fallen conquerors. Some bodies were very pale and already smelling. Some were hard to identify, covered in blood, and even broken into pieces. There were also some with arrows or spikes or axes stuck in any parts of their body. Athena recognized some of the dead conquerors. She felt remorse for them but she realized she can’t do anything to help them anymore.

           

            Their journey continued on until the labyrinth changed. Athena didn’t notice it until she caught a glimpse of the ground. Instead of the concrete or metallic ground she’s used to, what Athena saw was rather familiar and… weird.

            The ground was soft and colored brown. Athena crouched and risked to scoop some of it. That’s when she finally remembered why it’s been familiar. She quickly despised the dirt and clapped her hand frantically. Urikynn just watched her with an amused expression on his face.

“I remember this. I just still don’t know what these are,” she said to him, eyeing the ground curiously. “This won’t swallow us whole, right?”

Urikynn chuckled. “No it doesn’t.”

“You know what they are,” it wasn’t a question actually. Athena knew from Urikynn’s expression that he, too, had encountered that kind of ground.

“These, Athena, are soil. It’s the Earth herself. This is what lies beneath the concrete and metallic streets and grounds that we have. I assume you already saw some of these,” he said.

“Oh yes,” she replied as she remembered. “It was in our house back at twelve. It was long ago, though. I was young and I accidentally found one secret passages that leads deeper underground. A staircase. I was curious since, you know, people don’t really use staircases anymore. I mean… what’s the point of having elevators and transporters right? So I go for it. I was shocked to realize that it goes deeper than I thought. I was sure that it would lead me to some crazy adventures and whatnots but I was disappointed. I ended in a room full of old things… ancient even. But the ground… it was like this. I even dig it out of curiosity and I just found rather worthless things like papers and such. I eventually forget about that though. Not until now.”